[9,66] Ἐν ᾧ δὲ ταῦτ´ ἐγίνετο χρόνῳ, πεπυσμένος
ἅτερος τῶν ὑπάτων Σερούιος ἐπὶ βοήθειαν αὐτῷ
προσιόντα τὸν συνύπατον δείσας, μὴ ὑπαντήσωσιν αὐτῷ
οἱ πολέμιοι καὶ διακλείσωσι τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁδοῦ,
περισπᾶν αὐτοὺς διενοεῖτο προσβολὰς ποιούμενος τῷ
χάρακι. ἀλλὰ γὰρ φθάσαντες αὐτὸν οἱ πολέμιοι, ἐπειδὴ
ἔγνωσαν τὴν συμφορὰν τῶν σφετέρων, ἣν ἀπήγγειλαν
οἱ περισωθέντες ἐκ τῆς προνομῆς, λύσαντες τὴν
παρεμβολὴν ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ νυκτὶ μετὰ τὴν μάχην εἰς τὴν
πόλιν ἀπῆραν, οὐχ ἅπαντα πεπραχότες, ὅσα ἐβούλοντο.
χωρὶς γὰρ τῶν ἀποθανόντων ἔν τε ταῖς μάχαις καὶ
κατὰ τὰς προνομὰς τοὺς ὑστερήσαντας ἐν τῇ τότε φυγῇ
πολλῷ πλείους τῶν προτέρων ἀπέβαλον. οἱ γὰρ ὑπὸ
καμάτου τε καὶ τραυμάτων βαρυνόμενοι σχολῇ
προβαίνοντες ἐγκαταλιπόντων αὐτοὺς τῶν μελῶν ἔπιπτον,
μάλιστα δὲ περὶ τὰ νάματα καὶ ποταμοὺς ὑπὸ δίψης
φλεγόμενοι· οὓς οἱ Ῥωμαίων ἱππεῖς καταλαμβάνοντες
ἐφόνευον. οὐ μὲν δὴ οὐδὲ Ῥωμαῖοι πάντα ἐκ τοῦ
τότε ἀγῶνος εὐτυχηκότες ἀνέστρεψαν, ἄνδρας μὲν γὰρ
ἀγαθοὺς καὶ πολλοὺς ἐν ταῖς μάχαις ἀπολωλέκεσαν,
καὶ πρεσβευτὴν ἁπάντων λαμπρότατον γενόμενον ἐν
τῷ ἀγῶνι· νίκην δ´ οὐδεμιᾶς ἥττονα τῇ πόλει φέροντες
ἀνέστρεψαν. ταῦτ´ ἐπ´ ἐκείνων τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐπράχθη.
| [9,66] While these things were occurring, the other consul, Servius, being informed that
his colleague was coming to his assistance and fearing that the enemy might go out to
meet him and prevent him from getting through to him, planned to divert them from
this purpose by delivering attacks upon their camp.But the enemy forestalled him;
for as soon as they learned of the disaster that had befallen their forces, the report
being brought by those who had survived the pillaging expedition, they broke camp
the first night after the battle and retired to their city without having accomplished all
that they desired. For, besides those who had lost their lives in the battles and the
pillaging expeditions, style lost (p147) many more stragglers in their retreat at this time
than on the former occasion. For those who were overcome by fatigue and their
wounds marched slowly, and when their limbs failed them, they fell down,
particularly at the fountains and rivers, as they were parched with thirst; and the
Roman horse, overtaking them, put them to the sword.Nor did the Romans, either,
return home completely successful from this campaign; for they had lost many brave
men in the several actions and a legate who had distinguished himself above all the
rest in the combat; but they did return with a victory second to none for the
commonwealth. These were the achievements of that consulship.
|