Texte grec :
| [8,84] Διακληρωσαμένων δὲ τῶν ὑπάτων τὰς
δυνάμεις, ὡς ἔστιν αὐτοῖς ἔθος, τὸ μὲν ἐπικουρεῖν
μέλλον τοῖς συμμάχοις στράτευμα Καίσων Φάβιος παρέλαβε,
θάτερον δὲ Λεύκιος ἔχων ἐπὶ τὴν Ἀντιατῶν
ἦγε πόλιν. γενόμενος δὲ πλησίον τῶν ὁρίων καὶ κατιδὼν τὰς τῶν
πολεμίων δυνάμεις, τότε μὲν ἀντικατεστρατοπέδευσεν ἐπὶ λόφου,
ταῖς δ´ ἑξῆς ἡμέραις
ἐξιόντων εἰς τὸ πεδίον τῶν πολεμίων θαμινὰ καὶ προκαλουμένων
εἰς μάχην, ἡνίκα τὸν οἰκεῖον ἔχειν καιρὸν
ὑπελάμβανεν, ἐξῆγε τὰς δυνάμεις· καὶ πρὶν εἰς χεῖρας
ἐλθεῖν παρακλήσει τε πολλῇ καὶ ἐπικελεύσει χρησάμενος,
ἐκέλευσε σημαίνειν τὸ πολεμικόν· καὶ οἱ στρατιῶται τὸ σύνηθες
ἀλαλάξαντες ἀθρόοι κατὰ σπείρας
τε καὶ κατὰ λόχους συνέβαλλον. ὡς δὲ τὰς λόγχας
καὶ τὰ σαυνία καὶ ὅσα εἶχον ἑκηβόλα ἐξανάλωσαν, σπασάμενοι
τὰ ξίφη συρράττουσιν ἀλλήλοις ἴσῃ τόλμῃ τε
καὶ ἐπιθυμίᾳ τοῦ ἀγῶνος ἑκάτεροι χρώμενοι· ἦν τε,
ὡς καὶ πρότερον ἔφην, παραπλήσιος αὐτοῖς ὁ τοῦ
ἀγῶνος τρόπος, καὶ οὔτε ἡ σοφία καὶ ἡ ἐμπειρία Ῥωμαίων περὶ
τὰς μάχας, ᾗ χρώμενοι τὰ πολλὰ ἐπεκράτουν,
οὔτε τὸ καρτερικὸν καὶ ταλαίπωρον ἐν τοῖς πόνοις διὰ
πολλῶν ἠσκημένον ἀγώνων ἐπεκράτει· τὰ γὰρ
αὐτὰ καὶ περὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἦν, ἐξ οὗ Μάρκιον
ἡγεμόνα Ῥωμαίων οὐ τὸν ἀφανέστατον στρατηλάτην
ἔσχον· ἀλλ´ ἀντεῖχον ἑκάτεροι τῆς χώρας, ἐν ᾗ τὸ πρῶτον
ἔστησαν οὐχ ὑφιέμενοι. ἔπειτα κατὰ μικρὸν οἱ
Οὐολοῦσκοι ὑπεχώρουν ἐν κόσμῳ τε καὶ τάξει δεχόμενοι τοὺς
Ῥωμαίους. στρατήγημα δὲ τοῦτ´ ἦν, ἵνα διασπάσωσί τ´ αὐτῶν
τὰς τάξεις καὶ ἐξ ὑπερδεξιοῦ γένωνται χωρίου.
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Traduction française :
| [8,84] The consuls having drawn lots for the armies according to their custom, the
army that was to aid their allies fell to Caeso Fabius, while Lucius at the head of the
other marched upon Antium. When he drew near the border and caught sight of the
enemy's army, he encamped for the time opposite to them upon a hill. In the days
that followed the enemy frequently came out into the plain, challenging the consul to
fight; and when he (p257) thought he had the suitable opportunity, he led out his army.
Before they engaged, he exhorted and encouraged his troops at length, and then
ordered the trumpets to sound the charge; and the soldiers, raising their usual battle-
cry, attacked in close array both by cohorts and by centuries. After they had used up
all their spears and javelins with the rest of their missile weapons, they drew their
swords and rushed upon each other, both sides showing equal intrepidity and
eagerness for the struggle. Their manner of fighting, as I said before, was similar,
and neither the skill and experience of the Romans in engagements, because of which
they were generally victorious, nor their steadfastness and endurance of toil, acquired
in many battles, now gave them any advantage, since the same qualities were
possessed by the enemy also from the time that they had been commanded by
Marcius, not the least distinguished general among the Romans; but both sides stood
firm, without quitting the ground on which they had first taken their stand.
Afterwards the Volscians began to retire, a little at a time, but in order and keeping
their ranks, while receiving the Romans' onset. But this was a ruse designed to draw
the enemy's ranks apart and to secure a position above them.
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