§38.25.1Ancyram in stativa oratores Tectosagum ad consulem venerunt petentes, ne ante castra moveret, quam collocutus cum suis regibus esset: §38.25.2nullas condiciones pacis iis non bello fore potiores.
Envoys of the Tectosages came to the consul at the permanent camp at Ancyra, requesting that he should not move his camp before he had spoken with their kings: stating that no terms of peace would not be preferable to war for them.
tempus in posterum diem constituitur locusque, qui medius maxime inter castra Gallorum et Ancyram est visus.
The time was set for the following day, and a place was chosen which seemed most middle between the camp of the Gauls and Ancyra.
§38.25.3quo cum consul ad tempus cum praesidio quingentorum equitum venisset nec ullo Gallorum ibi viso regressus in castra esset, oratores idem redeunt, §38.25.4excusantes religione obiecta venire reges non posse; principes gentis, per quos aeque res transigi posset, venturos.
When the consul had come there at the appointed time with a guard of five hundred cavalry, and having seen no Gaul there, had returned to the camp, the same envoys returned, excusing themselves on the ground that the kings could not come because a religious obstacle had presented itself; they said that the leading men of the nation, through whom the business could equally be transacted, would come.
§38.25.5consul se quoque Attalum missurum dixit.
The consul said that he also would send Attalus.
ad hoc colloquium utrimque ventum est.
They came to this conference from both sides.
trecentos equites Attalus praesidii causa cum adduxisset, §38.25.6iactatae sunt pacis condiciones; finis rei quia absentibus ducibus imponi non poterat, convenit, uti consul regesque eo loco postero die congrederentur.
When Attalus had brought three hundred cavalry for the sake of a guard, terms of peace were proposed; because an end to the matter could not be put in the absence of the leaders, it was agreed that the consul and the kings should meet in that place on the following day.
§38.25.7frustratio Gallorum eo spectabat, primum ut tererent tempus, donec res suas, quibus periclitari nolebant, cum coniugibus et liberis trans Halyn flumen traicerent, deinde quod ipsi consuli, parum cauto adversus colloquii fraudem, insidiabantur.
The delaying tactics of the Gauls aimed at this: first, to waste time until they could convey their property, which they did not want to endanger, with their wives and children across the river Halys; secondly, because they were laying an ambush for the consul himself, who was too little cautious against the fraud of a conference.
§38.25.8mille ad eam rem ex omni numero audaciae expertae delegerunt equites; et successisset fraudi, ni pro iure gentium, cuius violandi consilium initum erat, stetisset fortuna.
For that purpose they chose one thousand cavalry of proven boldness from the whole number; and the fraud would have succeeded, had not fortune stood for the law of nations, for the violation of which a plan had been formed.
§38.25.9pabulatores lignatoresque Romani in eam partem, in qua colloquium futurum erat, ducti sunt, tutius id futurum tribunis ratis, quia consulis praesidium et ipsum pro statione habituri erant hosti oppositum; §38.25.10suam tamen alteram stationem propius castra sescentorum equitum posuerunt.
The Roman foragers and wood-gatherers were led into that part in which the conference was to be; the tribunes thinking that it would be safer, because they would have the consul's guard itself as an outpost opposed to the enemy; yet they placed another outpost of their own, of six hundred cavalry, closer to the camp.
§38.25.11consul, adfirmante Attalo venturos reges et transigi rem posse, profectus e castris, cum eodem quo antea praesidio equitum quinque milia fere processisset nec multum a constituto loco abesset, repente concitatis equis cum impetu hostili videt Gallos venientis.
The consul, as Attalus asserted that the kings would come and the matter could be transacted, set out from the camp, and when he had advanced about five miles with the same guard of cavalry as before, and was not far from the appointed place, suddenly sees the Gauls coming with hostile onset on urged horses.
§38.25.12constituit agmen, et expedire tela animosque equitibus iussis primo constanter initium pugnae excepit nec cessit; dein, cum praegravaret multitudo, cedere sensim nihil confusis turmarum ordinibus coepit; §38.25.13postremo, cum iam plus in mora periculi quam in ordinibus conservandis praesidii esset, omnes passim in fugam effusi sunt.
He drew up his line, and having ordered the cavalry to ready their weapons and minds, at first steadily received the beginning of the fight and did not yield; then, when the multitude pressed heavily, he began to yield gradually, with the ranks of the squadrons not at all confused; finally, when there was now more danger in delay than protection in preserving the ranks, everyone everywhere poured into flight.
tum vero instare dissipatis Galli et caedere; magnaque pars oppressa foret, ni statio pabulatorum, sescenti equites occurrissent.
Then indeed the Gauls pressed upon the scattered men and cut them down; and a large part would have been overwhelmed, had not the outpost of the foragers, the six hundred cavalry, run to meet them.
§38.25.14ii procul clamore pavido suorum audito cum tela equosque expedissent, integri profligatam pugnam acceperunt.
These, having heard from afar the fearful shout of their men, and having readied their weapons and horses, received the ruined battle fresh.
§38.25.15itaque versa extemplo fortuna est, versus a victis in victores terror.
And so fortune was instantly turned, and the terror was turned from the vanquished to the victors.
et primo impetu fusi Galli sunt, et ex agris concurrebant pabulatores, et undique obvius hostis Gallis erat, ut ne fugam quidem tutam aut facilem haberent, quia recentibus equis Romani fessos sequebantur.
And at the first onset the Gauls were routed, and the foragers rushed together from the fields, and from all sides the enemy met the Gauls, so that they did not have even a safe or easy flight, because the Romans with fresh horses were pursuing the weary ones.
§38.25.16pauci ergo effugerunt; captus est nemo; maior multo pars per fidem violati colloquii poenas morte luerunt.
Few therefore escaped; no one was captured; a much greater part paid the penalty of the violated faith of the conference with death.
Romani ardentibus ira animis postero die omnibus copiis ad hostem perveniunt.
The Romans, their minds burning with anger, on the following day reached the enemy with all their forces.