§40.39.1eodem anno in Hispania Fulvius Flaccus proconsul, quia successor in provinciam tardius veniebat, educto exercitu ex hibernis ulteriorem Celtiberiae agrum, unde ad deditionem non venerant, institit vastare.
In the same year in Spain, the proconsul Fulvius Flaccus, because his successor was slower in coming into the province, led his army out of winter quarters and began to devastate the further territory of Celtiberia, from where they had not come to surrender.
§40.39.2qua re irritavit magis quam conterruit animos barbarorum; et clam comparatis copiis saltum Manlianum, per quem transiturum exercitum Romanum satis sciebant, obsederunt.
By this action he provoked rather than terrified the minds of the barbarians; and having secretly gathered their forces, they occupied the Manlian Pass, through which they knew well enough that the Roman army would pass.
§40.39.3in Hispaniam ulteriorem eunti L. Postumio Albino collegae Gracchus mandaverat, ut Q. Fulvium certiorem faceret, Tarraconem exercitum adduceret: §40.39.4ibi dimittere veteranos supplementaque distribuere et ordinare omnem exercitum sese velle.
Gracchus had instructed his colleague Lucius Postumius Albinus, who was going to Further Spain, to inform Quintus Fulvius to lead his army to Tarraco: for he wished to discharge the veterans there, distribute the reinforcements, and organize the whole army.
dies quoque, et ea propinqua, edita Flacco est, qua successor esset venturus.
A date was also given to Flaccus, and that a near one, on which his successor was to arrive.
§40.39.5haec nova adlata res, omissis quae agere instituerat, Flaccum raptim deducere exercitum ex Celtiberia cum coegisset, barbari causae ignari, suam defectionem et clam comparata arma sensisse eum et pertimuisse rati, eo ferocius saltum insederunt. ubi eum saltum prima luce agmen Romanum intravit,
When this newly brought news had compelled Flaccus, abandoning what he had begun to do, to hastily withdraw his army from Celtiberia, the barbarians, ignorant of the cause, and thinking that he had perceived their defection and secretly prepared arms and had become terrified, occupied the pass all the more fiercely.
§40.39.6repente ex duabus partibus simul exorti hostes Romanos invaserunt.
When the Roman column entered that pass at dawn, the enemy, suddenly rising up from two sides at once, attacked the Romans.
§40.39.7quod ubi vidit Flaccus, primos tumultus in agmine per centuriones stare omnes, §40.39.8suo quemque loco, et arma expedire iubendo sedavit, et sarcinis iumentisque in unum locum coactis copias omnes partim ipse partim per legatos tribunosque militum, ut tempus,
When Flaccus saw this, he stilled the first confusion in the column by ordering, through the centurions, that all should stand in their own places and get their weapons ready; and having gathered the baggage and beasts of burden into one place, he drew up all the forces, partly in person, partly through his legates and military tribunes, without any panic, as the time and place required.
§40.39.9ut locus postulabat, sine ulla trepidatione instruxit, cum bis deditis rem esse admonens, scelus et perfidiam illis, non virtutem nec animum accessisse, reditum ignobilem in patriam clarum ac memorabilem eos sibi fecisse: cruentos ex recenti caede hostium gladios et manantia sanguine spolia Romam ad triumphum delaturos.
He reminded them that they had to do with men who had twice surrendered, and that crime and perfidy, not courage or spirit, had been added to them; that the enemy had made what would have been an ignoble return to their country glorious and memorable for them; and that they would carry back to Rome for their triumph swords bloody from the recent slaughter of the enemy and spoils dripping with blood.
§40.39.10plura dici tempus non patiebatur: invehebant se hostes, et in partibus extremis iam pugnabatur.
Time did not allow more to be said: the enemy was charging, and the fighting had already begun on the outer edges.
deinde acies concurrerunt.
Then the battle lines clashed.