§7.35.1Vigiliis deinde dispositis ceteris omnibus tesseram dari iubet, ubi secundae vigiliae bucina datum signum esset, armati cum silentio ad se convenirent. §7.35.2quo ubi, sicut edictum erat, taciti convenerunt: “hoc silentium, milites,” inquit “omisso militari adsensu in me audiendo servandum est.
Then, having posted guards, he ordered a watchword to be given to all the rest, that when the signal was given by the horn of the second watch, they should assemble to him armed and in silence. When they had assembled there in silence, as had been ordered: "This silence, soldiers," he said, "must be kept while listening to me, omitting the military expression of assent.
ubi sententiam meam vobis peregero, tum quibus eadem placebunt in dextram partem taciti transibitis; quae pars maior erit, eo stabitur consilio. §7.35.3nunc, quae mente agitem, audite.
When I have finished telling my opinion to you, then those of you who agree with it shall cross over silently to the right side; whichever part is larger, by that plan we shall stand. Now, hear what I am revolving in my mind.
non fuga delatos nec inertia relictos hic vos circumvenit hostis; virtute cepistis locum, virtute hinc oportet evadatis. §7.35.4veniendo huc exercitum egregium populo Romano servastis; erumpendo hinc vosmet ipsos servate; digni estis, qui pauci pluribus opem tuleritis, ipsi nullius auxilio egueritis. §7.35.5cum eo hoste res est, qui hesterno die delendi omnis exercitus fortuna per socordiam usus non sit, hunc tam opportunum collem inminentem capiti suo non ante viderit quam captum a nobis; §7.35.6nos tam paucos tot ipse milibus hominum nec ascensu arcuerit, nec tenentes locum, cum diei tantum superesset, vallo circumdederit.
No enemy has surrounded you here as men carried away by flight or left behind by laziness; by valor you captured this place, by valor you must escape from here. By coming here, you have saved an excellent army for the Roman people; by breaking out from here, save yourselves; you are worthy to have brought aid, though few, to many, and to have needed the help of no one yourselves. Our business is with an enemy who did not use the fortune of destroying the whole army yesterday through laziness, and did not see this so advantageous hill commanding his own head before it was captured by us; who, though he had so many thousands of men, neither prevented the ascent of us so few, nor surrounded us with a rampart while we held the place, although so much of the day remained.
quem videntem ac vigilantem sic eluseritis, sopitum oportet fallatis, immo necesse est. §7.35.7in eo enim loco res sunt nostrae, ut vobis ego magis necessitatis vestrae index quam consilii auctor sim. §7.35.8neque enim, maneatis an abeatis hinc, deliberari potest, cum praeter arma et animos armorum memores nihil vobis fortuna reliqui fecerit fameque et siti moriendum sit, si plus, quam viros ac Romanos decet, ferrum timeamus.
Him, whom you thus eluded when he was seeing and awake, you ought to deceive when he is asleep, indeed it is necessary. For our affairs are in such a state that I am to you more an indicator of your necessity than an advisor of a plan. For indeed, whether you stay or depart from here cannot be deliberated, since fortune has left you nothing except your weapons and minds mindful of weapons, and we must die of hunger and thirst if we should fear the sword more than becomes men and Romans.
ergo una est salus erumpere hinc atque abire. §7.35.9id aut interdiu aut nocte faciamus oportet. §7.35.10ecce autem aliud minus dubium; quippe si lux expectetur, quae spes est non vallo perpetuo fossaque nos saepturum hostem, qui nunc corporibus suis subiectis undique cinxerit, ut videtis, collem? atqui si nox opportuna est eruptioni, sicut est, haec profecto noctis aptissima hora est.
Therefore, the only safety is to break out from here and depart. This we must do either by day or by night. But behold, another thing is less doubtful; for if light should be awaited, what hope is there that the enemy, who now, as you see, has encircled the hill on all sides with their own bodies subjected below, will not enclose us with a continuous rampart and ditch?
§7.35.11signo secundae vigiliae convenistis, quod tempus mortales somno altissimo premit; per corpora sopita vadetis vel silentio incautos fallentes vel sentientibus clamore subito pavorem iniecturi. §7.35.12me modo sequimini, quem secuti estis; ego eandem, quae duxit hue, sequar fortunam.
And yet, if night is favorable for a breakout, as it is, this is surely the most suitable hour of the night. At the signal of the second watch you have assembled, a time which oppresses mortals with the deepest sleep; you will go through sleeping bodies, either deceiving them unawares in silence, or about to strike terror into them by a sudden shout if they perceive you. Only follow me, whom you have followed; I will follow the same fortune that led us here.
quibus haec salutaria videntur, agitedum in dextram partem pedibus transite. ”
Let those to whom these things seem salutary, come, cross over on foot to the right side."