§7.23.1M. Popilius Laenas a plebe consul, a patribus L. Cornelius Scipio datus.
Marcus Popilius Laenas was given as consul from the plebs, Lucius Cornelius Scipio from the patricians.
fortuna quoque inlustriorem plebeium consulem fecit; §7.23.2nam cum ingentem Gallorum exercitum in agro Latino castra posuisse nuntiatum esset, Scipione gravi morbo inplicito Gallicum bellum Popilio extra ordinem datum.
Fortune also made the plebeian consul more illustrious; for when it had been reported that a huge army of Gauls had pitched camp in the Latin territory, since Scipio was afflicted by a severe illness, the Gallic war was assigned to Popilius out of the regular order.
§7.23.3is inpigre exercitu scripto, cum omnis extra portam Capenam ad Martis aedem convenire armatos iuniores iussisset signaque eodem quaestores ex aerario deferre, quattuor expletis legionibus quod superfuit militum P. Valerio Publicolae praetori tradidit, §7.23.4auctor patribus scribendi alterius exercitus, quod ad incertos belli eventus subsidium rei publicae esset.
He, having energetically levied an army, when he had ordered all the armed youths to assemble outside the Capena gate at the temple of Mars, and the quaestors to bring the standards from the treasury to the same place, having completed four legions, handed over the remainder of the soldiers to Publius Valerius Publicola the praetor, recommending to the patricians the levying of another army, which might serve as a reserve for the state against the uncertain issues of war.
§7.23.5ipse iam satis omnibus instructis conparatisque ad hostem pergit.
He himself, everything being now sufficiently prepared and equipped, marched against the enemy.
cuius ut prius nosceret vires quam periculo ultimo temptaret, in tumulo, quem proximum castris Gallorum capere potuit, vallum ducere coepit.
In order to learn their strength before tempting the ultimate danger, he began to draw a rampart on a hill, which he was able to occupy nearest to the camp of the Gauls.
gens ferox §7.23.6et ingenii avidi ad pugnam cum procul visis Romanorum signis, ut extemplo proelium initura, explicuisset aciem, postquam neque in aequum demitti agmen vidit et cum loci altitudine tum vallo etiam tegi Romanos, perculsos pavore rata simul opportuniores, quod intenti tum maxime operi essent, truci clamore adgreditur.
A fierce nation and of a disposition eager for battle, when they had deployed their line as if about to enter battle immediately upon seeing the Roman standards from afar, after they saw that the army was not being brought down into the plain and that the Romans were protected both by the height of the position and also by the rampart, thinking them struck with fear and at the same time more vulnerable because they were then especially intent on their work, they attacked with a fierce shout.
§7.23.7ab Romanis nec opus intermissum — triarii erant, qui muniebant —, et ab hastatis principibusque, qui pro munitoribus intenti armatique steterant, proelium initum.
By the Romans, neither was the work interrupted—it was the triarii who were fortifying—and the battle was begun by the hastati and principes, who had stood alert and armed in front of the builders.
§7.23.8praeter virtutem locus quoque superior adiuvit, ut pila omnia hastaeque non tamquam ex aequo missa vana, quod plerumque fit, caderent, sed omnia librata ponderibus figerentur; §7.23.9oneratique telis Galli, quibus aut corpora transfixa aut praegravata inhaerentibus gerebant scuta, cum cursu paene in adversum subissent, primo incerti restitere; dein, §7.23.10cum ipsa cunctatio et his animos minuisset et auxisset hosti, inpulsi retro ruere alii super alios stragemque inter se caede ipsa foediorem dare; adeo praecipiti turba obtriti plures quam ferro necati.
Besides their courage, the higher ground also helped, so that all the javelins and spears did not fall in vain as if thrown from level ground, which usually happens, but all struck, balanced by their own weight; and the Gauls, burdened by the missiles, with which either their bodies were transfixed or their shields, which they carried, were weighed down by those sticking in them, having come up almost running against a steep slope, at first hesitated and stood still; then, when that very hesitation had both diminished their own courage and increased that of the enemy, being driven back, they fell over one another and caused a slaughter among themselves more hideous than the actual carnage of battle; so much so that more were crushed by the headlong crowd than were slain by the sword.