§40.30.1magnum bellum ea aestate coortum in Hispania citeriore.
A great war broke out that summer in Nearer Hispania.
ad quinque et triginta milia hominum, quantum numquam ferme antea, Celtiberi comparaverant.
The Celtiberians had assembled about thirty-five thousand men, a number almost never seen before.
§40.30.2Q. Fulvius Flaccus eam obtinebat provinciam.
Quintus Fulvius Flaccus was governing that province.
is quia armare iuventutem Celtiberos audierat, et ipse quanta poterat a sociis auxilia contraxerat, sed nequaquam numero militum hostem aequabat.
Because he had heard that the Celtiberians were arming their youth, he himself had also collected as many auxiliaries as he could from the allies, but he was by no means equal to the enemy in the number of his soldiers.
§40.30.3principio veris exercitum in Carpetaniam duxit, et castra locavit ad oppidum Aeburam, modico praesidio in urbe posito.
At the beginning of spring, he led his army into Carpetania and pitched his camp near the town of Aebura, having placed a modest garrison in the town.
§40.30.4paucis post diebus Celtiberi milia duo fere inde sub colle posuerunt castra.
A few days later, the Celtiberians pitched their camp about two miles from there under a hill.
quos ubi adesse praetor Romanus sensit, M. Fulvium fratrem cum duabus turmis sociorum equitum ad castra hostium speculatum misit, quam proxime succedere ad vallum iussum, ut viseret, quanta essent; §40.30.5pugna abstineret, reciperetque sese, si hostium equitatum exeuntem vidisset.
When the Roman praetor perceived that they were present, he sent his brother Marcus Fulvius with two squadrons of allied cavalry to reconnoiter the enemy’s camp, ordering him to approach as close as possible to the rampart in order to see how numerous they were; he was to abstain from battle and retreat if he saw the enemy's cavalry coming out.
ita ut praeceptum erat fecit.
He did just as he had been ordered.
per dies aliquot nihil ultra motum, quam ut hae duae turmae ostenderentur, deinde subducerentur, ubi equitatus hostium castris procucurrisset.
For several days there was no further movement than that these two squadrons would show themselves and then withdraw when the enemy's cavalry rushed out of the camp.
postremo Celtiberi, §40.30.6simul omnibus copiis peditum equitumque castris egressi, acie derecta medio fere spatio inter bina castra constiterunt.
Finally, the Celtiberians, having all marched out of the camp at once with all their forces of infantry and cavalry, drew up their line of battle and halted about midway between the two camps.
§40.30.7campus erat planus omnis et aptus pugnae.
The plain was entirely flat and suitable for battle.
ibi stetere Hispani hostes exspectantes.
There the Spanish enemy stood waiting.
Romanus suos intra vallum continuit.
The Roman kept his men within the rampart.
per quadriduum continuum et illi eodem loco aciem instructam tenuerunt et ab Romanis nihil motum.
For four consecutive days, they kept their line drawn up in the same place, and no movement was made by the Romans.
§40.30.8inde quievere in castris Celtiberi, quia pugnae copia non fiebat: equites tantum in stationem egrediebantur, ut parati essent, si quid ab hoste moveretur.
Thereafter, the Celtiberians remained quiet in their camp because no opportunity for battle was offered; only the cavalry went out on picket-duty so that they might be ready in case any movement was made by the enemy.
§40.30.9pone castra utrique pabulatum et lignatum ibant, neutri alteros impedientes.
Behind the camps, both sides went to forage and gather wood, neither hindering the other.