§39.31.1Hispani postquam in citeriore ripa duo Romanorum agmina conspexerunt, ut, priusquam se iungere atque instruere possent, occuparent eos, castris repente effusi cursu ad pugnam tendunt.
When the Spaniards saw the two Roman columns on the nearer bank, in order to forestall them before they could join and draw up their lines, they suddenly poured out of their camp and rushed at a run into battle.
§39.31.2atrox in principio pugna fuit, et Hispanis recenti victoria ferocibus et insueta ignominia milite Romano accenso.
The battle was fierce at the beginning, both with the Spaniards ferocious from their recent victory, and the Roman soldier inflamed by the unaccustomed disgrace.
§39.31.3acerrime media acies, duae fortissimae legiones, dimicabant.
The center of the line, the two strongest legions, fought most fiercely.
quas cum aliter moveri loco non posse hostis cerneret, cuneo institit pugnare; et usque plures confertioresque medios urgebant.
When the enemy saw that they could not otherwise be moved from their position, he resolved to fight in a wedge; and continually more and denser forces pressed upon the center.
§39.31.4ibi postquam laborare aciem Calpurnius praetor vidit, T. Quinctilium Varum et L. Iuventium Talnam legatos ad singulas legiones adhortandas propere mittit;
There, when the praetor Calpurnius saw the line struggling, he hastily sent the legates Titus Quinctilius Varus and Lucius Iuventius Talna to encourage each legion.
§39.31.5docere et monere iubet in illis spem omnem vincendi et retinendae Hispaniae esse: si illi loco cedant, neminem eius exercitus non modo Italiam, sed ne Tagi quidem ulteriorem ripam umquam visurum.
He ordered them to instruct and warn them that all hope of winning and of retaining Spain lay in them: if they should yield their position, no one of that army would ever see not only Italy, but not even the further bank of the Tagus.
§39.31.6ipse cum equitibus duarum legionum paulum circumvectus in cuneum hostium, qui mediam urgebat aciem, ab latere incurrit.
He himself, having ridden around a little with the cavalry of the two legions, charged from the flank into the wedge of the enemy which was pressing upon the center of the line.
§39.31.7Quinctius cum sociis equitibus alterum hostium latus invadit.
Quinctius with the allied cavalry attacked the other flank of the enemy.
sed longe acrius Calpurniani equites pugnabant, et praetor ante alios:
But the Calpurnian cavalry fought far more fiercely, and the praetor before all others.
§39.31.8nam et primus hostem percussit, et ita se immiscuit mediis, ut vix, utrius partis esset, nosci posset;
For he both struck the enemy first, and so mingled himself in the midst that he could scarcely be known to which side he belonged.
§39.31.9et equites praetoris eximia virtute et equitum pedites accensi sunt.
Both the praetor's cavalry was inflamed by his outstanding courage, and the infantry by that of the cavalry.
pudor movit primos centuriones, qui inter tela hostium praetorem conspexerunt.
Shame moved the chief centurions, who beheld the praetor among the weapons of the enemy.
itaque urgere signiferos pro se quisque, iubere inferre signa et confestim militem sequi.
Therefore, each on his own part pressed the standard-bearers, ordered them to advance the standards, and the soldiers to follow immediately.
§39.31.10renovatur ab omnibus clamor: impetus fit velut ex superiore loco.
The shout was renewed by all; the charge was made as if from higher ground.
haud secus ergo quam torrentis modo fundunt sternuntque perculsos, nec sustineri alii super alios inferentes sese possunt.
Therefore, not otherwise than in the manner of a torrent, they scattered and laid low the panic-stricken, nor could those who threw themselves one upon another be sustained.
§39.31.11fugientes in castra equites persecuti sunt, et permixti turbae hostium intra vallum penetraverunt; ubi ab relictis in praesidio castrorum proelium instauratum, coactique sunt Romani equites descendere ex equis.
The cavalry pursued those fleeing into the camp, and, mingled with the crowd of the enemy, penetrated within the rampart; there the battle was renewed by those left in guard of the camp, and the Roman cavalry were forced to dismount from their horses.
§39.31.12dimicantibus iis legio quinta supervenit; deinde, ut quaeque potuerant, copiae adfluebant.
While they were fighting, the fifth legion came up; then, as each was able, the forces streamed in.
§39.31.13caeduntur passim Hispani per tota castra; nec plus quam quattuor milia hominum effugerunt.
The Spaniards were slaughtered everywhere throughout the whole camp; nor did more than four thousand men escape.
inde tria milia fere, qui arma retinuerant, montem propinquum ceperunt; mille semiermes maxime per agros palati sunt.
From there about three thousand, who had kept their arms, took possession of a neighboring mountain; a thousand, mostly half-armed, scattered through the fields.
supra triginta quinque milia hostium fuerant, §39.31.14ex quibus tam exigua pars pugnae superfuit.
There had been more than thirty-five thousand of the enemy, of whom so small a part survived the battle.
signa capta centum triginta tria.
One hundred and thirty-three standards were captured.
§39.31.15Romani sociique paulo plus sescenti et provincialium auxiliorum centum quinquaginta ferme ceciderunt.
A little more than six hundred of the Romans and allies and about one hundred and fifty of the provincial auxiliaries fell.
§39.31.16tribuni militum quinque amissi et pauci equites Romani cruentae maxime victoriae speciem fecerunt.
Five military tribunes lost and a few Roman cavalry made the victory appear especially bloody.
in castris hostium, quia ipsis spatium sua communiendi non fuerat, manserunt.
They remained in the enemy's camp because they themselves had no time to fortify their own.
§39.31.17pro contione postero die laudati donatique a C. Calpurnio equites phaleris, pronuntiavitque eorum maxime opera hostes is fusos, castra capta et expugnata esse.
On the following day, before the assembly, the cavalry were praised and presented with trappings by Gaius Calpurnius, and he declared that it was chiefly by their effort that the enemy had been routed and the camp captured and stormed.
§39.31.18Quinctius alter praetor suos equites catellis ac fibulis donavit.
Quinctius, the other praetor, presented his cavalry with chains and clasps.
donati et centuriones ex utriusque exercitu permulti, maxime qui mediam aciem tenuerant.
Very many centurions also from both armies were presented, especially those who had held the center of the line.