Frontinus: STRATEGEMATA

Dispositis primo libro exemplis instructuris, ut mea fert opinio, ducem in his, quae ante commissum proelium agenda sunt, deinceps reddemus pertinentia ad ea, quae in ipso proelio agi solent, et deinde ea, quae post proelium.

With the instructive examples set out in the first book, as my opinion holds, we will next set forth for a leader, in sequence, those things which are to be done before a battle is joined, then those pertaining to what is wont to be done in the battle itself, and thereafter those which are after the battle.

Eorum, quae ad proelium pertinent, species sunt:

The kinds of those things which pertain to battle are:

I. De tempore ad pugnam eligendo.
II. De loco ad pugnam eligendo.
III.

1. On choosing the time for battle.
2. On choosing the place for battle.
3.

De acie ordinanda.
IV. De acie hostium turbanda.
V. De insidiis.

On ordering the battle line.
4. On perturbing the enemy’s battle line.
5. On ambushes.

VI. De emittendo hoste, ne clausus proelium ex desperatione redintegret.
VII. De dissimulandis adversis.
VIII.

6. On letting the enemy out, lest, when shut in, he renew the battle out of desperation.
7. On dissimulating adverse events.
8.

De restituenda per constantiam acie.

On restoring the battle line through constancy.

Eorum deinde, quae post proelium agenda sunt, has esse species existimaverim:

Then, of the things which are to be done after the battle, I would consider these to be the kinds:

IX. Si res prospere cesserit, de consummandis reliquiis belli.
X. Si res durius cesserit, de adversis emendandis.
XI. De dubiorum animis in fide retinendis.

9. If things have turned out prosperously, on consummating the remnants of the war.
10. If things have turned out more harshly, on emending the adversities.
11. On retaining the minds of the doubtful in faith.

XII. Quae facienda sint pro castris, si satis fiduciae in praesentibus copiis non habemus.
XIII.

12. What must be done before the camp, if we do not have sufficient confidence in the present forces.
13.

De effugiendo.

On escaping.

DE TEMPORE AD PUGNAM ELIGENDO

ON CHOOSING THE TIME FOR BATTLE

P. Scipio in Hispania, cum comperisset Hasdrubalem Poenorum ducem ieiuno exercitu mane processisse in aciem, continuit in horam septimam suos, quibus praeceperat, ut quiescerent et cibum caperent: cumque hostes inedia, siti, mora sub armis fatigati repetere castra coepissent, subito copias eduxit et commisso proelio vicit.

P. Scipio in Spain, when he had found out that Hasdrubal, leader of the Punics, with a fasting army had advanced at dawn into the battle-line, held back his men until the seventh hour, having instructed them to rest and take food; and when the enemies, worn out by lack of food, thirst, and delay under arms, had begun to return to their camp, he suddenly led out his forces and, the battle having been joined, won.

Metellus Pius in Hispania adversus Hirtuleium, cum ille oriente protinusdie instructam aciem vallo eius admovisset, fervidissimo tunc tempore anni intra castra continuit suos in horam diei sextam: atque ita fatigatos aestu facile integris et recentibus suorum viribus vicit.

Metellus Pius in Spain against Hirtuleius, when the latter, with the day just rising, had straightway brought his drawn-up battle line up to his rampart, at the then most fervid time of the year kept his men within the camp until the sixth hour of the day: and thus he easily defeated those wearied by the heat, with the unimpaired and fresh forces of his own men.

Idem, iunctis cum Pompeio castris adversus Sertorium in Hispania, cum saepe instruxisset aciem, hoste, qui imparem se duobus credebat, pugnamdetrectante, quodam deinde tempore Sertorianos milites animadvertissetmagno impetu instinctos, deposcentes pugnam umerosque exserentes et lanceas vibrantes, existimavit ardori cedendum in tempore recepitque exercitum et Pompeio idem faciendi auctor fuit.

Likewise, having joined camps with Pompey against Sertorius in Spain, although he had often drawn up the battle line, with the enemy, who believed himself unequal to two, declining battle, then at a certain time, when he had noticed the Sertorian soldiers instigated to great impetus, demanding battle, baring their shoulders and brandishing lances, he judged that one ought to yield to their ardor for the moment, and he withdrew the army and was an adviser to Pompey to do the same.

Postumius consul in Sicilia, cum castra eius a Punicis trium milium passuum spatio distarent et dictatores Carthaginiensium cotidie ante ipsa munimenta Romanorum dirigerent aciem, exigua manu levibus assidue proeliis pro vallo resistebat. Quam consuetudinem contemnente iam Poeno, reliquis omnibus per quietem intra vallum praeparatis, ex more pristino cum paucis sustentavit incursum adversariorum ac solito diutius detinuit: quibus fatigatis post sextam horam et iam se recipientibus, [et] cum inedia quoque laborarent, per recentes suos hostem, quem praedicta profligaverantincommoda, fugavit.

The consul Postumius in Sicily, when his camp was distant from the Punics by a space of three miles and the dictators of the Carthaginians were every day drawing up their battle-line right before the very muniments of the Romans, with a small band he kept resisting in front of the rampart with continual light skirmishes. As the Carthaginian now was scorning that custom, with all the rest prepared at their ease within the rampart, following his former usage he with a few sustained the incursion of the adversaries and detained them longer than usual; and when these, wearied after the sixth hour and now withdrawing, and as they were also laboring under inedia, by means of his fresh men he routed the enemy, whom the aforesaid inconveniences had prostrated.

Iphicrates Atheniensis, quia exploraverat eodem assidue tempore hostescibum capere, maturius vesci suos iussit et eduxit in aciem egressumque hostem ita detinuit, ut ei neque confligendi neque abeundi daret facultatem. Inclinato deinde iam die reduxit suos et nihilo minus in armis retinuit. Fatigati hostes non statione magis quam inedia statim ad curam corporis et cibum capiendum festinaverunt: Iphicrates rursus eduxit et incompositi hostis aggressus est castra.

Iphicrates the Athenian, because he had reconnoitered that the enemies were habitually taking food at the same time, ordered his men to eat earlier and led them out into the battle-line, and so held the enemy, once it had gone out, that he gave them the faculty neither of engaging nor of departing. Then, with the day now declining, he led his men back and nonetheless kept them under arms. The enemies, fatigued not so much by standing on station as by hunger, immediately hastened to the care of the body and to taking food: Iphicrates again led (his men) out and, attacking the enemy disordered, assaulted their camp.

Idem, cum adversus Lacedaemonios pluribus diebus castra comminus haberet et utraque pars certis temporibus assidue pabulatum lignatumque procederet, quodam die militum habitu servos lixasque dimisit ad munera, milites retinuit: et cum hostes dispersi essent ad similia munera, expugnavit castra eorum inermesque cum fasciculis passim ad tumultum recurrentes facile aut occidit aut cepit.

The same man, when he had his camp at close quarters for several days against the Lacedaemonians, and each side at set times was assiduously proceeding to forage and to gather wood, on a certain day sent out the slaves and camp-followers in the guise of soldiers to those duties, but held back the soldiers; and when the enemy were scattered to similar duties, he stormed their camp, and those unarmed, with little bundles, running back everywhere to the alarm, he easily either killed or captured.

Verginius consul in Volscis, cum procurrere hostes effuse ex longinquo vidisset, quiescere suos ac defixa tenere pila iussit: tum anhelantem integris viribus exercitus sui aggressus avertit.

Verginius the consul among the Volsci, when he had seen the enemy running forward in a disorderly rush from a distance, ordered his men to keep still and to hold their javelins fixed: then, attacking the panting foe with the unimpaired strength of his own army, he turned them back.

Fabius Maximus non ignarus, Gallos et Samnites primo impetu praevalere, suorum autem infatigabiles spiritus inter moras decertandi etiam incalescere, imperavit militibus, contenti primo congressu sustinere hostem mora fatigarent: quod ubi successit, admoto etiam subsidio suis in prima acie, universis viribus oppressum fudit hostem.

Fabius Maximus, not unaware that the Gauls and Samnites prevail at the first impetus, but that the indefatigable spirits of his own even grow hot amid the delays of contending, ordered the soldiers, content with the first encounter, to sustain the enemy and wear them out by delay: when this succeeded, with a reserve also brought up to his men in the front line, he routed the enemy, overwhelmed with all his forces.

Philippus ad Chaeroniam memor, sibi esse militem longo usu duratum, Atheniensibus acrem quidem, sed inexercitatum et in impetu tantum violentum,ex industria proelium traxit: moxque languentibus iam Atheniensibus concitatius intulit signa et ipsos cecidit.

Philip at Chaeronea, mindful that his soldiery was hardened by long usage, while the Athenians were keen indeed, but untrained and violent only in the onset, purposely drew out the battle; and soon, as the Athenians were already flagging, he advanced the standards more briskly and cut them down.

Lacedaemonii certiores ab exploratoribus facti, Messenios in eam exarsisse rabiem, ut in proelium cum coniugibus ac liberis descenderent, pugnam distulerunt.

The Lacedaemonians, made certain by scouts that the Messenians had flared into such a rage as to descend into battle with their wives and children, deferred the battle.

C. Caesar bello civili, cum exercitum Afranii et Petrei circumvallatum siti angeret isque ob hoc exasperatus interfectis omnibus impedimentis ad pugnam descendisset, continuit suos, arbitratus alienum dimicationi tempus,quod adversarios ira et desperatio incenderet.

Gaius Caesar, in the civil war, when he had circumvallated the army of Afranius and Petreius and was tormenting it with thirst, and it, exasperated on this account, after all the baggage-train had been destroyed, had descended to battle, restrained his men, judging the time alien to an engagement, because anger and desperation were inflaming his opponents.

Cn. Pompeius, fugientem Mithridatem cupiens ad proelium compellere,elegit tempus dimicationi nocturnum, ut abeunti se opponeret: atque ita praeparatus subitam hostibus necessitatem decernendi iniecit. Praeterea sic constituit aciem, ut Ponticorum quidem oculos adversa luna praestringeret, suis autem illustrem et conspicuum praeberet hostem. Iugurtham constat, memorem virtutis Romanorum, semper inclinato die committere proelia solitum, ut, si fugarentur sui, opportunam noctem haberent ad delitiscendum.

Gnaeus Pompeius, wishing to compel the fleeing Mithridates to battle, chose night-time for the engagement, so that he might set himself against him as he withdrew; and thus prepared he cast upon the enemy a sudden necessity of deciding the issue. Moreover, he arrayed the battle line in such a way that the opposing moon would dazzle the eyes of the Pontics, while for his own it would make the enemy bright and conspicuous. It is agreed that Jugurtha, mindful of the valor of the Romans, was always wont to join battle when the day was declining, so that, if his men were put to flight, they might have the night opportune for hiding.

Lucullus adversus Mithridatem et Tigranem in Armenia maiore apud Tigranocertam, cum ipse non amplius quindecim milia armatorum haberet, hostis autem innumerabilem multitudinem eoque ipso inhabilem, usus hoc eius incommodo nondum ordinatam hostium aciem invasit atque ita protinusdissipavit, ut ipsi quoque reges abiectis insignibus fugerent.

Lucullus against Mithridates and Tigranes in Greater Armenia near Tigranocerta, when he himself had not more than fifteen thousand armed men, but the enemy an innumerable multitude and by that very fact inhabilis, taking advantage of this disadvantage of theirs he attacked the enemy’s battle-line not yet ordered and thus straightway scattered it, so that the kings themselves too, with their insignia cast aside, fled.

Ti. Nero adversus Pannonios, cum barbari feroces in aciem oriente statim die processissent, continuit suos passusque est hostem nebula et imbribus, qui forte illo die crebri erant, verberari. Ac deinde, ubi fessum stando et pluvia non solum sed et lassitudine deficere animadvertit, signo dato adortus superavit.

Tib. Nero against the Pannonians, when the fierce barbarians had advanced into the battle-line as soon as the day was rising, held back his own men and allowed the enemy to be scourged by fog and showers, which by chance were frequent on that day. And then, when he took note that the foe, weary from standing and failing not only from the rain but also from lassitude, was flagging, having given the signal he attacked and overcame.

C. Caesar in Gallia, quia compererat Ariovisto Germanorum regi institutumet quasi legem esse non pugnandi decrescente luna, tum potissimum acie commissa impeditos religione hostes vicit.

C. Caesar in Gaul, because he had learned that for Ariovistus, king of the Germans, it was an institution and as it were a law not to fight with the moon decrescent, then, with the battle joined precisely at that time, conquered the enemies hindered by religion.

Divus Augustus Vespasianus Iudaeos Saturni die, quo eis nefas est quicquam seriae rei agere, adortus superavit.

The deified Augustus Vespasian, having attacked the Jews on the day of Saturn, on which it is unlawful for them to conduct any serious business, overcame them.

Lysander Lacedaemonius adversus Atheniensis apud Aegospotamos instituit certo tempore infestare naves Atheniensium, dein revocare classem.ea re in consuetudinem perducta, cum Athenienses post digressum eius ad contrahendas copias dispergerentur, extendit ex consuetudine classem et recepit: tum hostium maxima parte ex more dilapsa, reliquos adortus occidit et universas naves cepit.

Lysander the Lacedaemonian, against the Athenians at Aegospotami, instituted at a fixed time to harry the ships of the Athenians, then to recall the fleet.This practice having been brought into consuetude, when the Athenians, after his departure, were scattering to contract their forces, he put out the fleet according to custom and drew it back: then, with the greatest part of the enemy, as was their wont, having slipped away, assailing the rest he slew them and captured all the ships.

DE LOCO AD PUGNAM ELIGENDO

ON CHOOSING A PLACE FOR BATTLE

M'. Curius, quia phalangi regis Pyrrhi explicitae resisti non posse animadvertebat, dedit operam, ut in angustiis confligeret, ubi conferta sibi ipsa esset impedimento.

M'. Curius, because he observed that resistance could not be offered to King Pyrrhus’s phalanx when deployed, took pains to engage in battle in narrow places, where, being packed together, it would itself be an impediment.

Cn. Pompeius in Cappadocia elegit castris locum editum: unde adiuvanteproclivi impetum militum facile ipso decursu Mithridatem superavit.

Cn. Pompeius in Cappadocia chose for the camp an elevated place: whence, the slope aiding, he easily overcame Mithridates by the very downhill charge of the soldiers.

C. Caesar adversus Pharnacem Mithridatis filium dimicaturus in colle instruxit aciem; quae res expeditam ei victoriam fecit: nam pila ex edito in subeuntis barbaros emissa protinus eos averterunt.

Gaius Caesar, about to contend against Pharnaces, son of Mithridates, drew up his battle line on a hill; which thing made for him an expeditious victory: for the pila, sent from the high ground against the advancing barbarians, immediately turned them back.

Lucullus adversus Mithridatem et Tigranem in Armenia maiore apud Tigranocertam dimicaturus, collis proximi planum verticem raptim cum parte copiarum adeptus, in subiectos hostes decucurrit et equitatum eorum a latere invasit: aversumque et eorundem pariter pedites proturbantem insecutus clarissimam victoriam re<t>tulit.

Lucullus, about to contend against Mithridates and Tigranes in Greater Armenia near Tigranocerta, having swiftly gained with part of his forces the level summit of a nearby hill, ran down upon the enemies lying below and assailed their cavalry from the flank; and, pursuing them in their rout and at the same time driving off their infantry as well, he brought back a most illustrious victory.

Ventidius adversus Parthos non ante militem eduxit, quam illi quingentisnon amplius passibus abessent, atque ita procursione subita adeo se admovit, ut sagittas, quibus ex longinquo usus est, comminus applicitus eluderet: quo consilio, quia quandam etiam fiduciae speciem ostentaverat, celeriter barbaros debellavit.

Ventidius, against the Parthians, did not lead out the soldiery before they were no more than 500 paces away, and thus, by a sudden sally, he brought himself so near that, by pressing in to close quarters, he eluded the arrows which they use from afar: by which counsel, since he had also displayed a certain semblance of confidence, he swiftly subdued the barbarians.

Hannibal apud Numistronem contra Marcellum pugnaturus cavas et praeruptas vias obiecit a latere: ipsaque loci natura pro munimentis usus clarissimum ducem vicit.

Hannibal, at Numistro, about to fight against Marcellus, set hollowed and precipitous ways on the flank in their path; and, using the very nature of the place as muniments, he defeated that most illustrious leader.

Idem apud Cannas, cum comperisset Volturnum amnem ultra reliquorumnaturam fluminum ingentis auras mane proflare, quae arenarum et pulveris vertices agerent, sic direxit aciem, ut tota vis a tergo suis, Romanis in ora et oculos incideret: quibus incommodis mire hosti adversantibus illam memorabilem adeptus est victoriam.

The same man at Cannae, when he had discovered that the river Volturnus, beyond the nature of the rest of the rivers, blows forth mighty breezes in the morning, which drive vortices of sand and dust, so directed the battle line that the whole force, at the backs of his own men, would fall upon the Romans’ faces and eyes: with these incommodities marvelously opposing the enemy, he gained that memorable victory.

Marius adversus Cimbros ac Teutonos constituta die pugnaturus firmatumcibo militem ante castra collocavit, ut per aliquantum spatii, quo adversarii dirimebantur, exercitus hostium potius labore itineris profligaretur:fatigationi deinde eorum incommodum aliud obiecit, ita ordinata suorum acie, ut adverso sole et vento et pulvere barbarorum occuparetur exercitus.

Marius, about to fight against the Cimbri and Teutones on an appointed day, stationed the soldiery, strengthenedwith food, before the camp, so that for some distance, by which the adversaries were separated, the enemy army might rather be overthrown by the toil of the march:to their fatigue then he threw another incommodity, his own battle line so arranged that the army of the barbarians would be occupied with the sun and the wind and the dust full in their face.

Cleomenes Lacedaemonius adversus Hippiam Atheniensem, qui equitatupraevalebat, planitiem, in qua dimicaturus erat, arboribus prostratis impediit et inviam fecit equiti.

Cleomenes the Lacedaemonian, against Hippias the Athenian, who prevailed in cavalry, impeded the plain on which he was about to fight by casting down trees, and made it impassable for the cavalry.

Hiberi in Africa ingenti hostium multitudine excepti timentesque, ne circumirentur, applicuerunt se flumini, quod altis in ea regione ripis praefluebat:ita a tergo amne defensi et subinde, cum virtute praestarent, incursandoin proximos omnem hostium exercitum straverunt.

The Iberians in Africa, having been intercepted by a huge multitude of enemies and fearing lest they be surrounded, applied themselves to a river, which in that region flowed past with high banks:thus, defended at the rear by the stream and, repeatedly, since they excelled in valor, by charging into those nearest, they laid low the entire army of the enemy.

Xanthippus Lacedaemonius sola loci commutatione fortunam Punici belli convertit. Nam cum a desperantibus iam Carthaginiensibus mercede sollicitatus animadvertisset Afros quidem, qui equitatu et elephantis praestabant,colles sectari, a Romanis autem, quorum robur in pedite erat, campestria teneri, Poenos in plana deduxit: ubi per elephantos dissipatis ordinibus Romanorum sparsos milites per Numidas persecutus eorum exercitum fudit, in illam diem terra marique victorem.

Xanthippus the Lacedaemonian by a mere change of place turned the fortune of the Punic war. For when, having been enticed with pay by the now despairing Carthaginians, he had observed that the Africans, who excelled in cavalry and elephants, were following the hills, but that the Romans, whose strength was in the foot-soldier, were holding the level ground, he led the Carthaginians down into the plains: where, with the ranks of the Romans scattered by the elephants, and pursuing the dispersed soldiers through the Numidians, he routed their army, victorious until that day by land and sea.

Epaminondas dux Thebanorum adversus Lacedaemonios directurus aciem, pro fronte eius decurrere equitibus iussis, cum ingentem pulverem hostium oculis obiecisset exspectationemque equestris certaminis praetendisset,circumducto pedite ab ea parte, ex qua decursus in a[d]versam hostium aciem ferebat, inopinantium terga adortus cecidit.

Epaminondas, leader of the Thebans, when he was about to deploy the battle line against the Lacedaemonians, after ordering the cavalry to run along before its front, and when he had thrown a huge cloud of dust before the enemies’ eyes and held out the expectation of a cavalry contest, with the infantry led around from that side from which the downhill charge carried into the opposing battle line of the enemy, he fell upon the backs of the unexpecting and cut them down.

Lacedaemonii CCC contra innumerabilem multitudinem Persarum Thermopylas occupaverunt, quarum angustiae non amplius quam parem numerum comminus pugnaturum poterant admittere: eaque ratione, quantum ad congressus facultatem, aequati numero barbarorum, virtute autem praestantes, magnam eorum partem ceciderunt nec superati forent, nisi per proditorem Ephialten Trachinium circumductus hostis a tergo eos oppressisset.

The Lacedaemonians, 300 in number, seized Thermopylae against the innumerable multitude of the Persians, whose narrowness could admit no more than an equal number to fight at close quarters: and by that plan, so far as the faculty of engagement was concerned, equalized in number with the barbarians, yet excelling in virtue, they cut down a great part of them, nor would they have been overcome, unless the enemy, led around by the traitor Ephialtes the Trachinian, had overwhelmed them from the rear.

Themistocles, dux Atheniensium, cum videret utilissimum Graeciae adversus multitudinem Xerxis navium in angustiis Salaminis decernere idque persuadere civibus non posset, sollertia effecit, ut a barbaris ad utilitatessuas Graeci compellerentur. Simulata namque proditione misit ad Xerxen, qui indicaret populares suos de fuga cogitare difficilioremque ei rem futuram, si singulas civitates obsidione aggrederetur: qua ratione effecit, ut exercitus barbarorum primum inquietaretur, dum tota nocte in statione custodiae est, deinde, ut sui mane integris viribus cum barbaris vigilia marcentibus confligerent, loco ut voluerat arto, in quo Xerxes multitudine, qua praestabat, uti non posset.

Themistocles, leader of the Athenians, when he saw that it would be most useful for Greece to decide the issue against the multitude of Xerxes’ ships in the narrows of Salamis and could not persuade his fellow-citizens of this, by cleverness brought it about that the Greeks were compelled by the barbarians to their own advantages. For with a simulated betrayal he sent to Xerxes to indicate that his compatriots were thinking about flight, and that the matter would be more difficult for him if he should attack the individual cities by siege: by which plan he effected that the army of the barbarians was first kept disturbed, while it was on station of guard the whole night, then that his men in the morning, with forces intact, would clash with the barbarians languishing from the vigil, in a narrow place as he had wished, in which Xerxes could not make use of the multitude in which he excelled.

DE ACIE ORDINANDA

ON ORDERING THE BATTLE-LINE

Cn. Scipio in Hispania adversus Hannonem ad oppidum Indibile, cum animadvertisset Punicam aciem ita directam, ut in dextro cornu Hispani constituerentur, robustus quidem miles, sed qui alienum negotium ageret, in sinistro autem Afri, minus viribus firmi, sed animi constantiores, reducto sinistro latere suorum, dextro cornu, quod validissimis militibus exstruxerat,obliqua acie cum hoste conflixit: deinde fusis fugatisque Afris Hispanos, qui in recessu spectantium more steterant, facile in deditionem compulit.

Gnaeus Scipio in Spain, against Hanno at the town of Indibile, when he had observed the Punic battle-line so arrayed that on the right wing the Spaniards were stationed—robust soldiery indeed, but carrying on another’s business—and on the left the Africans, less firm in strengths but more constant in spirit, with the left flank of his own drawn back, with the right wing, which he had constructed with the most valiant soldiers, engaged the enemy with an oblique line: then, the Africans routed and put to flight, he easily compelled the Spaniards, who had stood back in the manner of spectators, into surrender.

Philippus, Macedonum rex, adversus Hyllios gerens bellum, ut animadvertitfrontem hostium stipatam electis de toto exercitu viris, latera autem infirmiora, fortissimis suorum in dextro cornu collocatis, sinistrum latus hostium invasit turbataque tota acie victoriam profligavit.

Philip, king of the Macedonians, waging war against the Hyllians, when he noticed the enemy’s front packed with men chosen from the whole army, but the flanks weaker, with the bravest of his own positioned in the right wing, he attacked the enemy’s left flank and, with the whole battle-line thrown into disorder, secured the victory.

Pammenes Thebanus, conspecta Persarum acie, quae robustissimas copias in dextro cornu collocatas habebat, simili ratione et ipse suos ordinavitomnemque equitatum et fortissimum quemque peditum in dextro cornu, infirmissimos autem contra fortissimos hostium posuit praecepitque, ut ad primum impetum eorum fuga sibi consulerent, in silvestria confragosaqueloca se reciperent: ita frustrato robore exercitus, ipse optuma parte virium suarum dextro cornu totam circumiit aciem hostium et avertit.

Pammenes the Theban, on seeing the battle line of the Persians, which had the most robust forces collocated on the right wing, by a similar rationale arrayed his own men, and placed all the cavalry and each strongest of the infantry on the right wing, but set the very weakest opposite the enemy’s very strongest; and he instructed them that at the first impetus of their attack they should look to themselves by flight, withdrawing into wooded and rugged places: thus, with the strength of the army frustrated, he himself, with the best part of his forces, with the right wing went around the whole battle line of the enemy and routed it.

P. Cornelius Scipio, cui postea Africano cognomen fuit, adversus Hasdrubalem Poenorum ducem in Hispania gerens bellum ita per continuos dies ordinatum produxit exercitum, ut media acies fortissimis fundaretur. Sed cum hostes quoque eadem ratione assidue ordinati procederent, Scipio eo die, quo statuerat decernere, commutavit instructionis ordinem et firmissimos [id est legionarios] in cornibus collocavit ac levem armaturam in media acie, sed retractam: ita cornibus, quibus ipse praevalebat, infirmissimashostium partes lunata acie aggressus facile fudit.

P. Cornelius Scipio, to whom afterwards the cognomen Africanus was given, waging war in Spain against Hasdrubal, the Punic commander, for continuous days drew out the army in ordered array such that the center of the battle line was grounded upon the bravest. But since the enemy too, continually drawn up in the same manner, advanced, Scipio, on the day on which he had determined to decide the issue, changed the order of the deployment and placed the strongest [that is, the legionaries] on the wings and the light-armed in the center, but drawn back: thus, with the wings—in which he himself prevailed—attacking the weakest parts of the enemy with a crescent array, he easily routed them.

Metellus in Hispania, eo proelio quo Hirtuleium devicit, cum comperisset cohortes eius, quae validissimae vocabantur, in media acie locatas, ipse mediam suorum aciem reduxit, ne ea parte ante cum hoste confligeret, quam cornibus complicatis medios undique circumvenisset.

Metellus in Spain, in that battle in which he defeated Hirtuleius, when he had learned that his cohorts, which were called the strongest, had been stationed in the middle of the battle-line, drew back the middle of his own line, so that he might not engage the enemy on that part before he had, with the wings folded in, surrounded the center on every side.

Artaxerxes adversus Graecos, qui Persida intraverant, cum multitudine superaret, latius quam hostes acie instructa in fronte <peditem>, equitem levemque armaturam in cornibus collocavit: atque ita ex industria lentius procedente media acie copias hostium cinxit ceciditque.

Artaxerxes, against the Greeks who had entered Persia, since he surpassed them in multitude, with his battle line drawn up broader than the enemy, placed in the front <infantry>, and on the wings cavalry and light-armed troops: and thus, with the center advancing more slowly by design, he encircled and cut down the enemy forces.

Contra Hannibal ad Cannas reductis cornibus productaque media acie nostros primo impetu protrusit. Idem conserto proelio, paulatim invicem sinuantibus procedentibusque ad praeceptum cornibus, avide insequentem hostem in mediam aciem suam recepit et ex utraque parte compressum cecidit. Veterano et diu edocto usus exercitu: hoc enim genus ordinationis exsequi nisi peritus et ad omne momentum respondens miles vix potest.

By contrast Hannibal at Cannae, with the wings drawn back and the middle battle-line extended, drove our men back at the first assault. The same man, with battle joined, as the wings, little by little in turn curving and advancing according to the command, received the enemy, avidly pursuing, into his own middle line and struck him down, compressed from both sides. He made use of a veteran army long instructed: for this kind of ordination can hardly be executed unless by a soldier expert and responsive to every moment.

Livius Salinator et Claudius Nero, cum Hasdrubal bello Punico secundo decernendi necessitatem evitans in colle confragoso post vineas aciem direxisset, ipsi diductis in latera viribus vacua fronte ex utraque parte circumvenerunt eum atque ita aggressi superarunt.

Livius Salinator and Claudius Nero, when Hasdrubal in the Second Punic War, avoiding the necessity of deciding the issue, had drawn up his battle line on a craggy hill behind the vineyards, they themselves, with their forces drawn out to the flanks and the front left empty, from both sides surrounded him and thus, having attacked, overcame him.

Hannibal, cum frequentibus proeliis a Claudio Marcello superaretur, novissime sic castra metabatur, ut aut montibus aut paludibus aut simili locorum aliqua opportunitate adiutus aciem eo modo collocaret, ut vincentibusquidem Romanis paene indemnem recipere posset intra munimenta exercitum, cedentibus autem instandi liberum haberet arbitrium.

Hannibal, when he was being overcome by Claudius Marcellus in frequent battles, at last laid out his camp in such a way that, aided by mountains or marshes or some similar opportunity of the localities, he would station his battle-line so that, if the Romans were winning, he could receive his army almost unharmed within the muniments, but if they were yielding, he would have free discretion to press on.

Xanthippus Lacedaemonius in Africa adversus M. Atilium Regulum levem armaturam in prima acie collocavit, in subsidio autem robur exercituspraecepitque auxiliaribus, ut emissis telis cederent hosti et, cum se intra suorum ordines recepissent, confestim in latera discurrerent et a cornibus rursus erumperent: exceptumque iam hostem a robustioribus et ipsi circumierunt.

Xanthippus the Lacedaemonian in Africa, against M. Atilius Regulus, placed the light-armed in the front line, but in reserve he set the core strength of the army; and he instructed the auxiliaries that, after sending forth their missiles, they should yield to the enemy, and, when they had withdrawn within their own ranks, they should immediately run to the flanks and from the wings burst out again: and when the enemy had now been received by the more robust troops, they too encircled him.

Sertorius idem in Hispania adversus Pompeium fecit. Cleandri<d>as Lacedaemonius adversus Lucanos densam instruxit aciem, ut longe minoris exercitus speciem praeberet: securis deinde hostibus in ipso certamine diduxit ordines et a lateribus circumventos eos fudit.

Sertorius did the same in Spain against Pompey. Cleandri<d>as the Lacedaemonian, against the Lucanians, arrayed a dense battle line, so as to present the appearance of a far smaller army: then, with the enemy off their guard, in the very combat he drew the ranks apart and, with them surrounded on the flanks, routed them.

Gastron[ius] Lacedaemonius, cum [in] auxilio Aegyptiis adversus Persas venisset et sciret firmiorem esse Graecum militem magisque a Persis timeri, commutatis armis Graecos in prima posuit acie et, cum illi aequo Marte pugnarent, submisit Aegyptiorum manum: Persae cum Graecis, quos Aegyptios opinabantur, restitissent, superveniente multitudine,quam ut Graecorum expaverant, cesserunt.

Gastronius the Lacedaemonian, when he had come to the aid of the Egyptians against the Persians and knew that the Greek soldiery was steadier and more feared by the Persians, after the arms had been exchanged he placed the Greeks in the front line; and when they were fighting on equal terms, he sent in a detachment of Egyptians: the Persians, since they had stood against the Greeks whom they supposed to be Egyptians, at the arrival of a multitude—which they dreaded as Greeks—gave way.

Cn. Pompeius in Albania, quia hostes et numero et equitatu praevalebant,iuxta collem in angustiis <subsidere pedites et scutis> protegere galeas, ne fulgore earum conspicui fierent, iussit, equites deinde in aequum procedere ac velut praetendere peditibus, praecepitque eis, ut ad primum impetum hostium refugerent et, simul ad pedites ventum esset, in latera discederent: quod ubi explicitum est, patefacto loco subita peditum consurrexitacies invectosque temere hostes inopinato interfusa proelio cecidit.

Gnaeus Pompeius in Albania, because the enemies excelled both in number and in cavalry, ordered the infantry to settle down in the narrows near a hill and to cover their helmets with shields, lest by their gleam they become conspicuous; then he ordered the horsemen to advance onto the level ground and, as it were, to present a screen before the infantry, and he instructed them that at the first onset of the enemy they should retreat, and, as soon as they came up to the infantry, they should part to the flanks: when this was carried out, the ground being laid open, the battle line of the foot suddenly sprang up and cut down the enemies who had rashly ridden in, an unanticipated engagement being interposed.

M. Antonius adversus Parthos, qui infinita multitudine sagittarum exercitum eius obruebant, subsidere suos et testudinem facere iussit: supra quam transmissis sagittis sine militum noxa exhaustus est hostis.

M. Antony, against the Parthians, who were overwhelming his army with an infinite multitude of arrows, ordered his men to settle down and make a testudo: above which, with the arrows sent across, the enemy was exhausted without harm to the soldiers.

Hannibal adversus Scipionem in Africa, cum haberet exercitum ex Poenis et auxiliaribus, quorum pars non solum ex diversis gentibus, sed etiam ex Italicis constabat, post elephantos LXXX, qui in prima fronte positi hostium turbarent aciem, auxiliares Gallos et Ligures et Baliares Maurosque posuit, ut neque fugere possent Poenis a tergo stantibus et hostem oppositi, si non infestarent, at certe fatigarent: tum suis et Macedonibus,qui iam fessos Romanos integri exciperent, in secunda acie collocatis,novissimos Italicos constituit, quorum et timebat fidem et segnitiam verebatur, quoniam plerosque eorum ab Italia invitos extraxerat.

Hannibal, against Scipio in Africa, since he had an army composed of Punics and auxiliaries, part of whom consisted not only of diverse nations but even of Italians, after the 80 elephants—which, placed in the front line, might throw the enemy’s battle-line into confusion—stationed the auxiliary Gauls and Ligurians and Balearics and Moors, so that they could neither flee, with the Punics standing at their back, and, being set opposite the enemy, if they did not infest them, yet at any rate might wear them out: then, with his own men and the Macedonians, who, fresh, would receive the Romans now wearied, posted in the second line, he appointed the Italians as the rearmost, whose loyalty he feared and whose sluggishness he dreaded, since he had dragged most of them unwilling out of Italy.

Scipio adversus hanc formam robur legionis triplici acie in fronte ordinatum per hastatos et principes et triarios opposuit: nec continuas construxit cohortes, sed manipulis inter se distantibus spatium dedit, per quod elephanti ab hostibus acti facile transmitti sine perturbatione ordinum possent. Ea ipsa intervalla expeditis velitibus implevit, ne interluceret acies, dato his praecepto, ut ad impetum elephantorum vel retro vel in latera concederent. Equitatum deinde in cornua divisit et dextro Romanis equitibus Laelium, sinistro Numidis Masinissam praeposuit: quae tam prudens ordinationon dubie causa victoriae fuit.

Scipio, against this formation, opposed the strength of the legion arranged in a triple battle-line in front through the hastati and principes and triarii: nor did he construct continuous cohorts, but he allowed space with the maniples set apart from one another, through which the elephants driven by the enemy might easily be passed without disturbance of the ranks. Those very intervals he filled with light-armed velites, lest the battle-line should let light through, giving them this precept, that at the charge of the elephants they should withdraw either backward or to the flanks. Then he divided the cavalry on the wings and set Laelius over the Roman horsemen on the right, Masinissa over the Numidians on the left: and this so prudent deployment was without doubt the cause of victory.

Archelaus adversus L. Sullam in fronte ad perturbandum hostem falcatasquadrigas locavit, in secunda acie phalangem Macedonicam, in tertia Romanorum more armatos auxiliares, mixtis fugitivis Italicae gentis, quorumpervicaciae fidebat; levem armaturam in ultimo statuit; in utroque deinde latere equitatum, cuius amplum numerum habebat, circumeundi hostis causa posuit.

Archelaus, against L. Sulla, placed scythed chariots in the front to perturb the enemy; in the second line the Macedonian phalanx; in the third, auxiliaries armed in the Roman manner, with fugitives of the Italian nation mixed in, whose stubbornness he trusted; he stationed the light-armed at the very rear; then on each flank he posted the cavalry, of which he had an ample number, for the purpose of encircling the enemy.

Contra haec Sulla fossas amplae latitudinis utroque latere duxit et capitibus earum castella communiit: qua ratione, ne circuiretur ab hoste et peditum numero et maxime equitatu superante, consecutus est. Triplicem deinde peditum aciem ordinavit relictis intervallis, per <quae> levem armaturamet equitem, quem in novissimo collocaverat, [ut] cum res exegisset, emitteret. Tum postsignanis qui in secunda acie erant imperavit, ut densos numerososque palos firme in terram defigerent, intraque eos appropinquantibusquadrigis antesignanorum aciem recepit: tum demum sublato universorum clamore velites et levem armaturam ingerere tela iussit.

Against this Sulla ran trenches of ample breadth on either flank and fortified their heads with little forts; by this method he achieved that he not be outflanked by an enemy superior in the number of infantry and, above all, in cavalry. Then he arrayed a triple battle line of infantry, leaving intervals, through which he might, when the situation demanded, send out the light-armed and the cavalry, whom he had stationed in the rearmost position. Then he ordered the postsignani, who were in the second line, to fix thick and numerous stakes firmly in the ground, and within these, as the chariots were approaching, he withdrew the line of the vanguard; then at last, a universal shout having been raised, he ordered the velites and the light-armed to hurl their missiles.

Quibus factis quadrigae hostium aut implicitae palis aut exterritae clamore telisque in suos conversae sunt turbaveruntque Macedonum structuram: qua cedente,cum Sulla <in>staret et Archelaus equitem opposuisset, Romani equitem subito emissi averterunt eos consummaveruntque victoriam.

With these things done, the enemy’s four-horse chariots, either entangled in the stakes or terrified by the shouting and missiles, were turned against their own men, and they disturbed the Macedonians’ structure: as this gave way,when Sulla was pressing on and Archelaus had opposed cavalry, the Romans, their cavalry suddenly sent out, turned them away and consummated the victory.

C. Caesar Gallorum falcatas quadrigas eadem ratione palis defixis excepit inhibuitque.

Gaius Caesar received and checked the Gauls’ scythed chariots by the same method, with stakes fixed.

Alexander ad Arbela, cum hostium multitudinem vereretur, virtuti autem suorum fideret, aciem in omnem partem spectantem ordinavit, ut circumventi undique pugnare possent.

Alexander at Arbela, since he feared the multitude of the enemy but trusted in the virtue of his own men, arrayed a battle line facing in every direction, so that, if surrounded on all sides, they could fight.

Paulus adversus Persen Macedonum regem, cum is phalangem suorum duplicem mediam in partem direxisset eamque levi armatura cinxisset et equitem utroque cornu collocasset, triplicem aciem cuneis instruxit, inter quos velites subinde emisit. Quo genere cum profligari nihil videret, cedere instituit, ut hac simulatione perduceret hostes in confragosa loca, quae ex industria captaverat. Cum sic quoque, suspecta calliditate recedentium, ordinatasequeretur phalanx, equites a sinistro cornu praeter oram phalangis iussit transcurrere citatis equis, tectos, ut obiectis armis ipso impetu praefringerenthostium spicula: quo genere telorum exarmati Macedones solverunt aciem et terga verterunt.

Paullus against Perseus, king of the Macedonians, when he had directed the double phalanx of his men into the middle sector and had encircled it with light-armed troops and had stationed the cavalry on either horn, drew up a triple battle-line with wedge-formations, between which he kept sending out the velites in succession. When he saw that by this method nothing was being brought to a decisive end, he began to give way, so that by this simulation he might lead the enemies into rugged places, which he had contrived on purpose. When even thus the phalanx, the craftiness of the withdrawing men being suspected, followed in ordered array, he ordered the horsemen from the left wing to run past along the edge of the phalanx with their horses urged at speed, covered so that, with arms held before them, by the very impetus they might shatter the enemies’ darts: by this kind of missiles rendered useless, the Macedonians loosened their line and turned their backs.

Pyrrhus pro Tarentinis apud Asculum, secundum Homericum versum, quo pessimi in medium recipiuntur, dextro cornu Samnites Epirotasque, sinistro Bruttios atque Lucanos cum Sallentinis, in media acie Tarentinos collocavit, equitatum et elephantos in subsidiis esse iussit. Contra consules, aptissime divisis in cornua equitibus, legiones in prima acie et in subsidiis collocaverunt et his immiscuerunt auxilia. XL milia utrimque fuisse constat: Pyrrhi dimidia pars exercitus amissa, apud Romanos V milia desiderata sunt.

Pyrrhus, on behalf of the Tarentines at Asculum, according to the Homeric verse, by which the worst are received into the middle, placed on the right wing the Samnites and the Epirotes, on the left the Bruttians and the Lucanians with the Sallentines, and in the middle battle-line the Tarentines; he ordered the cavalry and the elephants to be in the reserves. In opposition the consuls, with the horsemen very aptly divided to the wings, placed the legions in the first line and in the reserves, and into these they intermixed the auxiliaries. It is agreed that there were 40 thousand on each side: half of Pyrrhus’s army was lost; on the Roman side 5 thousand were missed.

Cn. Pompeius adversus C. Caesarem Palaepharsali triplicem instruxit aciem, quarum singulae denos ordines in latitudinem habuerunt. Legiones secundum virtutem cuiusque firmissimas in cornibus et in medio collocavit, spatia his interposita tironibus supplevit. Dextro latere DC equites propter flumen Enipea, qui et alveo suo et alluvie regionem impedierat, reliquum equitatum in sinistro cornu cum auxiliis omnibus locavit, ut inde Iulianum exercitum circumiret.

Cn. Pompey, against C. Caesar at Palaepharsalus, drew up a triple battle line, each of which had ten ranks in breadth. He stationed the legions, according to each one’s virtus, the strongest on the wings and in the middle, and he filled the spaces interposed between these with raw recruits. On the right flank he placed 600 cavalry near the river Enipeus, which had impeded the region both by its channel and by alluvion; the remaining cavalry he stationed on the left wing with all the auxiliaries, so that from there he might encircle the Julian army.

Adversus hanc ordinationem C. Caesar et ipse triplici acie dispositis in fronte legionibus sinistrum latus, ne circumiri posset, admovit paludibus. In dextro cornu equitem posuit, cui velocissimos miscuit peditum, ad morem equestris pugnae exercitatos. Sex deinde cohortes in subsidio retinuit ad res subitas et dextro latere conversas in obliquum, unde equitatum hostium exspectabat, collocavit.

Against this ordering Gaius Caesar likewise, with the legions arranged in a triple battle line in front, brought up his left flank to the marshes, lest it could be outflanked. On the right wing he placed the cavalry, to which he mixed the swiftest of the infantry, trained to the manner of equestrian combat. He then kept back six cohorts in reserve for sudden contingencies and, turned on the right flank at an oblique angle—whence he expected the enemy’s cavalry—he stationed them.

Nec ulla res eo die plus ad victoriam Caesari contulit: effusum namque Pompei equitatum inopinato excursu averterunt caedendumquetradiderunt.

Nor did any thing on that day contribute more to Caesar’s victory: for by an unexpected sally they turned away Pompey’s poured‑out cavalry and delivered it over to be slaughtered.

Imperator Caesar Augustus Germanicus, cum subinde Chatti equestre proelium in silvas refugiendo deducerent, iussit suos equites, simulatque ad impedita ventum esset, equis desilire pedestrique pugna confligere: quo genere consecutus, ne quis iam locus victoriam eius moraretur.

Emperor Caesar Augustus Germanicus, when the Chatti repeatedly were drawing the equestrian battle into the woods by taking refuge, ordered his cavalry, as soon as they had come to obstructed ground, to dismount from their horses and engage in combat on foot: by which method he achieved that no place any longer would delay his victory.

C. Duellius, cum videret graves suas naves mobilitate Punicae classis eludi irritamque virtutem militum fieri, excogitavit manus ferreas: quae ubi hostilem apprenderant navem, superiecto ponte transgrediebatur Romanuset in ipsorum ratibus comminus eos trucidabant.

Gaius Duellius, when he saw that his heavy ships were being outmaneuvered by the mobility of the Punic fleet and that the valor of the soldiers was being rendered ineffectual, devised iron “hands”: which, when they had seized the hostile ship, with a gangway thrown over, the Romans would cross across and on their very vessels at close quarters would slaughter them.

DE ACIE HOSTIUM TURBANDA

ON DISRUPTING THE ENEMIES' BATTLE LINE

Papirius Cursor filius consul, cum aequo Marte adversus obstinatos Samnites concurreret, ignorantibus suis praecepit Spurio Nautio, ut pauci alares et agasones mulis insidentes ramosque per terram trahentes a colle transverso magno tumultu decurrerent. Quibus prospectis proclamavit victoremadesse collegam, occuparent ipsi praesentis proelii gloriam: quo facto et Romani fiducia concitati pro<ruere et hostes> pulvere perculsi terga verterunt.

Papirius Cursor the son, consul, when he was engaging on equal terms against the obstinate Samnites, with his own men unaware, instructed Spurius Nautius that a few of the wing-troops and the grooms, seated on mules and dragging branches along the ground, should run down from a crosswise hill with great tumult. When these were seen, he proclaimed that his colleague, victorious, was at hand; let them themselves seize the glory of the present battle: which done, both the Romans, roused by confidence, pro<rushed forward, and the enemy>, smitten by the dust, turned their backs.

Fabius Rutilius Maximus quarto consulatu in Samnio, omni modo frustra conatus aciem hostium perrumpere, novissime hastatos subduxit ordinibus et cum Scipione legato suo circummisit iussitque collem capere, ex quo decurri poterat in hostium terga: quod ubi factum est, Romanis crevit animus et Samnites perterriti fugam molientes caesi sunt.

Fabius Rutilius Maximus, in his fourth consulship in Samnium, having tried in every way in vain to break through the battle-line of the enemies, at last withdrew the hastati from the ranks and, having sent them around with Scipio his legate, ordered them to seize a hill, from which it was possible to run down upon the enemies’ backs: when this was done, the spirit of the Romans grew, and the Samnites, thoroughly terrified and striving at flight, were cut down.

Minucius Rufus imperator, cum a Scordiscis Dacisque premeretur, quibus impar erat numero, praemisit fratrem et paucos una equites cum aeneatoribus praecepitque, ut, cum vidisset contractum proelium, subitus ex diverso se ostenderet iuberetque concinere aeneatores: <re>sonantibus montium iugis species ingentis multitudinis offusa est hostibus, qua perterritidedere terga.

Minucius Rufus, the commander, when he was being pressed by the Scordisci and the Dacians, to whom he was unequal in number, sent ahead his brother and a few horsemen together with the aeneators, and instructed that, when he should see the battle joined, he should suddenly show himself from the opposite side and bid the aeneators to sound together: with the ridges of the mountains resounding, the appearance of a huge multitude was cast upon the enemy, whereat, panic‑stricken, they turned their backs.

Acilius Glabrio consul adversus Antiochi regis aciem, quam is in Achaia pro angustiis Thermopylarum direxerat, iniquitatibus loci non irritus tantum, sed cum iactura quoque repulsus esset, nisi circummissus ab eo Porcius Cato, qui tum, iam consularis, tribunus militum a populo factus in exercitu erat, deiectis iugis Callidromi montis Aetolis, qui praesidio <ea> tenebant, super imminentem castris regiis collem a tergo subitus apparuisset: quo facto perturbatis Antiochi copiis utrimque irrupere Romani et fusis fugatisque castra ceperunt.

The consul Acilius Glabrio, against the battle-line of King Antiochus, which he had arrayed in Achaia before the narrows of Thermopylae, would have been not only fruitless by the inequalities of the place, but repulsed with loss as well, had not Porcius Cato, who then, already of consular rank, had been made military tribune by the people and was in the army, sent around by him, after the ridges of Mount Callidromus had been cleared of the Aetolians, who were holding <them> as a garrison, suddenly appeared from the rear upon the hill overhanging the royal camp: this done, with Antiochus’s forces thrown into perturbation, the Romans burst in from both sides and, the enemy routed and put to flight, captured the camp.

C. Sulpicius Peticus consul contra Gallos dimicaturus iussit muliones clam in montes proximos cum mulis abire et indidem conserto iam proelio velut equis insidentes ostentare se pugnantibus: qua re Galli existimantes adventare auxilia Romanis cessere iam paene victores.

C. Sulpicius Peticus, consul, about to contend against the Gauls, ordered the muleteers secretly to go off into the nearest mountains with the mules, and from there, with the battle now joined, to display themselves to the combatants as if mounted on horses: by this, the Gauls, supposing that auxiliaries were approaching for the Romans, gave way, now almost victors.

Marius circa Aquas Sextias, cum in animo haberet postera die depugnare adversus Teutonos, Marcellum cum parva manu equitum peditumque nocte post terga hostium misit et ad implendam multitudinis speciem agasones lixasque armatos simul ire iussit iumentorumque magnam partem instratorumcentunculis, ut per hoc facies equitatus obiceretur, praecepitque, ut, cum animadvertissent committi proelium, ipsi in terga hostium descenderent:qui apparatus tantum terroris intulit, ut asperrimi hostes in fugam versi sint.

Marius near Aquae Sextiae, when he had in mind on the next day to fight it out against the Teutones, sent Marcellus with a small band of horsemen and foot‑soldiers by night behind the enemy’s backs, and, to fill up the appearance of a multitude, he ordered the grooms and camp‑followers, armed, to go along as well, and a great part of the beasts of burden caparisoned with patchwork saddle‑cloths, so that by this a semblance of cavalry might be presented, and he instructed that, when they had noticed the battle being joined, they themselves should descend upon the rear of the enemy: which apparatus brought in so great a terror that the fiercest enemies were turned to flight.

Licinius Crassus fugitivorum bello apud Camalatrum educturus militemadversus Castum et Cannicum duces Gallorum XII cohortes cum C. Pomptinio et Q. Marcio Rufo legatis post montem circummisit: quae cum commisso iam proelio a tergo clamore sublato decucurrissent, ita fuderunt hostes, ut ubique fuga, nusquam pugna capesseretur.

Licinius Crassus, in the war of the fugitives, at Camalatrum, being about to lead out the soldiery against Castus and Cannicus, leaders of the Gauls, sent around 12 cohorts with the legates Gaius Pomptinius and Quintus Marcius Rufus behind the mountain: and when these, with the battle now joined, had run down from the rear with a shout raised, they so routed the enemy that everywhere flight, nowhere battle, was undertaken.

M. Marcellus, cum vereretur, ne paucitatem militum eius clamor detegeret, simul lixas calonesque et omnis generis sequellas conclamare iussit atque hostem magni exercitus specie exterruit.

M. Marcellus, since he was afraid lest the shouting reveal the paucity of his soldiers, at the same time ordered the sutlers and camp-servants and followers of every kind to shout together, and by the appearance of a great army he terrified the enemy.

Valerius Laevinus adversus Pyrrhum, occiso quodam gregali tenens gladium cruentum, utrique exercitui persuasit Pyrrhum interemptum: quamobrem hostes destitutos se ducis morte credentes, consternati a mendacioin castra se pavidi receperunt.

Valerius Laevinus, against Pyrrhus, holding a blood-stained sword after a certain common soldier had been slain, persuaded both armies that Pyrrhus had been killed; wherefore the enemy, believing themselves bereft by their leader’s death, struck with consternation by the lie, withdrew in panic into their camp.

Iugurtha in Numidia adversus C. Marium, cum Latinae quoque linguae usum ei conversatio pristina castrorum dedisset, in primam aciem procucurritet occisum a se C. Marium clare praedicavit atque ita multos nostrorum avertit.

Iugurtha in Numidia against C. Marius, since his former conversation of the camps had given him the use of the Latin tongue as well, rushed forward into the front line and clearly proclaimed that C. Marius had been slain by himself, and thus turned many of our men aside.

Myronides Atheniensis dubio proelio adversus Thebanos rem gerens repente in dextrum suorum cornu prosiluit et exclamavit sinistro iam se vicisse: qua re et suis alacritate et hostibus iniecto metu vicit.

Myronides the Athenian, conducting the action against the Thebans in a doubtful battle, suddenly leapt into the right wing of his own and exclaimed that he had already conquered on the left: wherefore, with alacrity in his men and fear injected into the enemy, he won.

Croesus praevalido hostium equitatui camelorum gregem opposuit, quorum novitate et odore consternati equi non solum insidentes praecipitaverunt,sed peditum quoque suorum ordines protriverunt vincendosque hosti praebuerunt.

Croesus opposed to the very-powerful cavalry of the enemy a herd of camels, at whose novelty and odor the horses, dismayed, not only precipitated their riders headlong,but also crushed the ranks of their own foot-soldiers and offered them to the enemy to be conquered.

Pyrrhus, Epirotarum rex, pro Tarentinis adversus Romanos eodem modo elephantis ad perturbandam aciem usus est. Poeni quoque adversus Romanos frequenter idem fecerunt. Volscorum castra cum prope <a> virgultis silvaque posita essent, Camillusea omnia, quae conceptum ignem usque in vallum perferre poterant, incendit et sic adversarios exuit castris.

Pyrrhus, king of the Epirotes, on behalf of the Tarentines against the Romans used elephants in the same way to perturb the battle-line. The Carthaginians also frequently did the same against the Romans. When the camp of the Volsci had been placed near by <a> thickets and forest, Camillus ignited all those things which could carry the kindled fire all the way to the rampart, and thus drove the adversaries out of the camp.

P. Crassus bello sociali eodem modo prope cum copiis omnibus interceptusest.

P. Crassus in the Social War in the same way was intercepted nearly with all his forces.

Hispani contra Hamilcarem boves vehiculis adiunctos in prima fronte constituerunt vehiculaque tedae et sebi et sulphuris plena, signo pugnae dato, incenderunt: actis deinde in hostem bubus consternatam aciem perruperunt.

The Spaniards, against Hamilcar, stationed oxen yoked to carts in the foremost front, and, when the signal for battle was given, they set the carts, filled with torch-wood, tallow, and sulphur, ablaze: then, with the oxen driven against the enemy, they broke through the dismayed battle-line.

Falisci et Tarquinienses, compluribus suorum in habitum sacerdotumsubornatis, faces et angues furiali habitu praeferentibus, aciem Romanorumturbaverunt.

The Falisci and the Tarquinians, with several of their own arrayed in the habit of priests, bearing torches and serpents in a Furial guise, threw the Roman battle line into disorder.

Idem Veientes et Fidenates facibus arreptis fecerunt.

The Veientes and the Fidenates did the same, torches seized.

Atheas, rex Scytharum, cum adversus ampliorem Triballorum exercitum confligeret, iussit a feminis puerisque et omni imbelli turba greges asinorumac boum ad postremam hostium aciem admoveri et erectas hastas praeferri; famam deinde diffudit, tamquam auxilia sibi ab ulterioribus Scythis adventarent: qua asseveratione avertit hostem.

Atheas, king of the Scythians, when he was engaging against a larger army of the Triballi, ordered by the women, the boys, and the whole unwarlike crowd that herds of asses and oxen be moved up to the enemy’s rearmost battle-line and that upright spears be borne in front; then he diffused a report, as though auxiliaries were advancing to him from the farther Scythians: by this asseveration he turned the enemy aside.

DE INSIDIIS

ON AMBUSHES

Romulus, per latebras copiarum parte disposita, cum ad Fidenas accessisset,simulata fuga temere hostes insecutos eo perduxit, ubi occultos milites habebat, qui undique adorti effusos et incautos ceciderunt.

Romulus, with part of his forces disposed in hiding-places, when he had approached Fidenae,by a feigned flight led the enemies who rashly pursued to the place where he had hidden soldiers, who, attacking from all sides, cut down the scattered and incautious.

Q. Fabius Maximus consul, auxilio Sutrinis missus adversus Etruscos, omnes hostium copias in se convertit; deinde simulato timore in superiora loca velut fugiens recessit effuseque subeuntes aggressus non acie tantum superavit, sed etiam castris exuit.

Q. Fabius Maximus, consul, having been sent as aid to the Sutrians against the Etruscans, turned all the enemy forces upon himself; then, with fear simulated, he withdrew, as if fleeing, into higher places, and, attacking those advancing in disorder, he not only overmatched them in battle line, but even stripped them of their camp.

Sempronius Gracchus adversus Celtiberos metu simulato continuit exercitum; emissa deinde armatura levi, quae hostem lacesseret ac statim pedem referret, evocavit hostes: deinde inordinatos aggressus usque eo cecidit, ut etiam castra caperet.

Sempronius Gracchus, against the Celtiberians, with fear simulated, held his army in check; then, sending out the light-armed to provoke the enemy and straightway to fall back, he called forth the foes: then, attacking them disordered, he cut them down to such a degree that he even seized the camp.

L. Metellus consul in Sicilia bellum adversus Hasdrubalem gerens, ob ingentem eius exercitum et CXXX elephantos intentior, simulata diffidentia intra Panhormum copias tenuit fossamque ingentis magnitudinis ante se duxit. Conspecto deinde exercitu Hasdrubalis, qui in prima acie elephantos habebat, praecepit hastatis, tela in beluas iacerent protinusque se intra munimenta reciperent. Ea ludificatione rectores elephantorum concitati in ipsam fossam elephantos egerunt: quo ut primum illati sunt, partim magnitudinetelorum confecti, partim retro in suos acti totam aciem turbaverunt.

L. Metellus, consul, waging war in Sicily against Hasdrubal, on account of his huge army and 130 elephants, was the more intent, and, diffidence simulated, kept his forces within Panormus and drew a fosse of vast magnitude before him. Then, when Hasdrubal’s army was sighted, which had elephants in the front line, he instructed the Hastati to hurl their missiles at the beasts and straightway to withdraw themselves within the fortifications. By that mockery the drivers of the elephants, incited, drove the elephants into the very ditch: and as soon as they were borne into it, some, done in by the magnitude of the missiles, and some driven back upon their own men, threw the whole battle-line into confusion.

Tunc Metellus, hanc opperiens occasionem, cum toto exercitu erupit et aggressus a latere Poenos cecidit ipsisque [ut] elephantis potitus est. Thamyris, Scytharum regina, Cyrum Persarum ducem aequo Marte certantem simulato metu elicuit ad notas militi suo angustias atque ibi, repente converso agmine, natura loci adiuta devicit.

Then Metellus, awaiting this opportunity, erupted with the whole army and, attacking the Carthaginians on the flank, cut them down and gained possession of the elephants themselves [as well]. Thamyris, queen of the Scythians, by feigned fear lured Cyrus, leader of the Persians, who was contending on equal terms, into defiles known to her soldiery, and there, with the battle line suddenly wheeled about, aided by the nature of the place, she defeated him.

Aegyptii conflicturi acie in eis campis, quibus iunctae paludes erant, alga eas contexerunt commissoque proelio fugam simulantes in insidias hostes evocaverunt, qui rapidius per ignota invecti loca limo inhaeserunt circumventique sunt.

The Egyptians, about to engage in battle in the battle-line, on those fields where adjoining marshes were, interwove them with algae; and, with the battle joined, feigning flight they lured the enemies into ambushes, who, driven too swiftly through unknown places, stuck fast in the slime and were surrounded.

Viriathus, ex latrone dux Celtiberorum, cedere se Romanis equitibus simulans usque ad locum voraginosum et praealtum eos perduxit et, cum ipse per solidos ac notos sibi transitus evaderet, Romanos ignaros locorum immersosque limo cecidit.

Viriathus, from bandit the leader of the Celtiberians, pretending to yield to the Roman horsemen, led them up to a boggy and very deep place; and while he himself escaped by solid passes well known to him, he cut down the Romans, ignorant of the terrain and immersed in the mud.

Fulvius imperator Cimbrico bello collatis cum hoste castris equites suos iussit succedere ad munitiones eorum lacessitisque barbaris simulata fuga regredi. Hoc cum per aliquot dies fecisset, avide insequentibus Cimbris, animadvertit castra eorum solita nudari. Itaque per partem exercitus custoditaconsuetudine ipse cum expeditis post castra hostium consedit occultus effusisque eis ex more repente adortus et desertum proruit vallum et castra cepit.

Fulvius the general, in the Cimbrian War, after the camps had been pitched opposite the enemy, ordered his cavalry to move up to their fortifications and, the barbarians having been provoked, to retreat in feigned flight. When he had done this for several days, as the Cimbri pursued greedily, he noticed that their camp was wont to be left bare. Therefore, with a part of the army left on guard according to the custom, he himself, with light-armed troops, took up position concealed behind the enemy’s camp; and when they poured out as usual, he attacked suddenly, threw down the deserted rampart, and captured the camp.

Cn. Fulvius, cum in finibus nostris exercitus Faliscorum longe nostro maior castra posuisset, per suos milites quaedam procul a castris aedificia succendit, ut Falisci suos id fecisse credentes spe praedae diffunderentur. Alexander Epirotes adversus Illyrios collocata in insidiis manu quosdamex suis habitu Illyriorum instruxit et iussit vastare suam [id est Epiroticam]regionem. Quod cum Illyrii viderent fieri, ipsi passim praedari coeperunteo securius, quod praecedentes veluti pro exploratoribus habebant: a quibus ex industria in loca iniqua deducti caesi fugatique sunt.

Gnaeus Fulvius, when in our borders the army of the Falisci, far greater than our own, had pitched camp, through his soldiers set fire to certain buildings far from the camp, so that the Falisci, believing their own men had done it, might scatter in hope of booty. Alexander the Epirote, against the Illyrians, after placing a band in ambush, equipped certain of his men in the garb of Illyrians and ordered them to devastate his own [that is, Epirote] region. When the Illyrians saw this being done, they themselves began to plunder everywhere the more securely, because they regarded those going before as, as it were, scouts: by whom, by design led into unfavorable places, they were cut down and put to flight.

Leptines quoque Syracusanus adversus Carthaginienses vastari suos agros et incendi villas castellaque quaedam imperavit: Carthaginienses, a suis id fieri rati, et ipsi tamquam in adiutorium exierunt exceptique ab insidiatoribusfusi sunt.

Leptines the Syracusan also, against the Carthaginians, ordered his own fields to be ravaged and certain villas and small castles to be set on fire: the Carthaginians, thinking this was being done by their own men, likewise went out as if to give aid, and, intercepted by the ambushers, were routed.

Maharbal, missus a Carthaginiensibus adversus Afros rebellantes, cum sciret gentem avidam esse vini, magnum eius modum mandragora permiscuit,cuius inter venenum ac soporem media vis est. Tum proelio levi commissoex industria cessit. Nocte deinde intempesta relictis intra castra quibusdamsarcinis et omni vino infecto fugam simulavit: cumque barbari occupatiscastris in gaudium effusi avide medicatum merum hausissent et in modum defunctorum strati iacerent, reversus aut cepit eos aut trucidavit.

Maharbal, sent by the Carthaginians against the rebellious Africans, since he knew the nation to be avid for wine, mixed into a large quantity of it mandrake, whose power is midway between poison and sleep. Then, a light skirmish having been joined, he withdrew by design. In the dead of night, after leaving within the camp certain packs and tainting all the wine, he simulated flight; and when the barbarians, the camp having been seized, poured out into joy and greedily had drained the doctored neat wine, and were lying stretched out in the manner of the deceased, returning he either captured them or butchered them.

Hannibal, cum sciret sua et Romanorum castra in eis locis esse, quae lignis deficiebantur, ex industria in regione deserta plurimos armentorum greges intra vallum reliquit, qua velut praeda Romani potiti in summis lignationis angustiis insalubribus se cibis oneraverunt: Hannibal, reducto nocte exercitu, securos eos et semicruda graves carne maiorem in modum vexavit.

Hannibal, since he knew that his own and the Romans’ camps were in those places which were deficient in wood, by design in a deserted region left very many herds of cattle within a rampart, where, as if booty, the Romans, having gotten possession, in the utmost straits of wood-gathering, burdened themselves with insalubrious foods: Hannibal, with his army led back by night, when they were off their guard and heavy with half-raw meat, vexed them to the highest degree.

Ti. Gracchus in Hispania, certior factus hostem inopem commercio laborare, instructissima castra omnibus esculentis deseruit: quae adeptum hostem et repertis intemperanter repletum gravemque reducto exercitu subitooppressit.

Tiberius Gracchus in Spain, having been informed that the enemy, destitute of commerce, was laboring, abandoned a most well-provisioned camp with all manner of edibles: when the enemy had gained it and, on what they found, had intemperately filled themselves and were heavy, he, with his army led back, suddenly overpowered them.

<C>hi<i>, qui adversus Erythraeos bellum gerebant, speculatorem eorum in loco edito deprehensum occiderunt et vestem eius suo militi dederunt, qui ex eodem iugo Erythraeos signo dato in insidias evocavit.

The Chians, who were waging war against the Erythraeans, seized their scout, caught on an elevated spot, and killed him, and they gave his clothing to one of their own soldiers, who from that same ridge, once a signal had been given, called the Erythraeans out into an ambush.

Arabes, cum esset nota consuetudo eorum, qua de adventu hostium interdiu fumo, nocte igne significare instituerant, ut sine intermissione ea fierent, praeceperunt, adventantibus autem adversariis intermitterentur: qui cum cessantibus luminibus existimarent ignorari adventum suum, avidius ingressi oppressique sunt.

The Arabs, since their custom was known, whereby they had instituted to signify the arrival of enemies by day with smoke and by night with fire, ordered that these be made without intermission, but that, when adversaries were approaching, they be interrupted: who, when the lights ceased, supposed their advent to be unknown, entered more eagerly and were overpowered.

Alexander Macedo, cum hostis in saltu editiore castra communisset, subducta parte copiarum praecepit his, quos relinquebat, ut ex more ignes <ex>citarent speciemque praeberent totius exercitus: ipse per avias regiones circumducta manu hostem superiore aggressus loco depulit.

Alexander the Macedonian, when the enemy had fortified a camp in a higher pass, after withdrawing a part of his forces, ordered those whom he was leaving behind to, according to custom, <ex>kindle fires and to present the appearance of the whole army: he himself, with his force led around through pathless regions, attacked the enemy from a superior position and drove them off.

Memnon Rhodius [rex], cum equitatu praevaleret et hostem in collibus se continentem in campos vellet deducere, quosdam ex militibus suis sub specie perfugarum misit in hostium castra, qui affirmarent exercitum Memnonistam perniciosa seditione furere, ut subinde aliqua pars eius dilaberetur. Huic affirmationi ut fidem faceret, passim in conspectu hostium iussit parva castella muniri, velut in ea se recepturi essent qui dissidebant. Hac persuasionesollicitati, qui in montibus se continuerant, in plana descenderunt et, dum castella temptant, ab equitatu circumventi sunt.

Memnon the Rhodian [king], since he prevailed in cavalry and wished to draw the enemy, who were keeping themselves on the hills, down into the plains, sent some of his soldiers into the enemy’s camp under the appearance of deserters, to affirm that Memnon’s army was raging with a pernicious sedition, so that by and by some part of it was slipping away. To give credence to this affirmation, he ordered small forts to be fortified here and there in the sight of the enemy, as though those at variance would take refuge in them. Stirred by this persuasion, those who had kept themselves on the mountains descended to the level ground and, while they were trying the forts, were surrounded by the cavalry.

Harrybas, rex Molossorum, bello petitus a Bardyli Illyrio, maiorem aliquanto exercitum habente, amolitus imbelles suorum in vicinam regionem Aetoliae famam sparsit, tamquam urbes ac res suas Aetolis concederet: ipse cum his, qui arma ferre poterant, insidias in montibus et locis confragosisdistribuit. Illyrii timentes, ne quae Molossorum erant ab Aetolis occuparentur, velut ad praedam festinantes neglectis ordinibus accelerare coeperunt: quos dissipatos, nihil tale exspectantes, Harrybas ex insidiis fudit fugavitque.

Harrybas, king of the Molossians, being assailed in war by Bardylis the Illyrian, who had a somewhat larger army, having removed the non‑combatants of his people into the neighboring region of Aetolia, spread the report as though he were conceding his cities and possessions to the Aetolians; he himself, with those who were able to bear arms, distributed ambushes in the mountains and in rugged places. The Illyrians, fearing lest the belongings of the Molossians be seized by the Aetolians, as if hastening to plunder, began to hurry on with their ranks neglected: and them, scattered and expecting nothing of the sort, Harrybas from the ambushes routed and put to flight.

T. Labienus C. Caesaris legatus adversus Gallos ante adventum Germanorum,quos auxilio his venturos sciebat, confligere cupiens diffidentiam simulavit positisque in diversa ripa castris profectionem edixit in posterum diem. Galli, credentes eum fugere, flumen, quod medium erat, instituerunt transmittere: Labienus circumacto exercitu inter ipsas superandi amnis difficultates eos cecidit.

T. Labienus, legate of C. Caesar, wishing to engage in battle against the Gauls before the arrival of the Germans, whom he knew would come to them as aid, feigned diffidence, and, the camps having been pitched on the opposite bank, proclaimed a departure for the following day. The Gauls, believing him to be fleeing, began to cross the river which was between; Labienus, having wheeled his army around, cut them down amid the very difficulties of overcoming the stream.

Hannibal, cum explorasset neglegenter castra Fulvi, Romani ducis, munita, ipsum praeterea multa temere audere, prima luce, cum densiores nebulae praestarent obscuritatem, paucos equites munitionum nostrarum vigilibus ostendit: quo Fulvius repente movit exercitum. Hannibal per a[d]versam partem castra eius occupavit et illa in tergum Romanorum effusus octo milia fortissimorum militum cum ipso duce trucidavit.

Hannibal, when he had explored that the camp of Fulvius, the Roman leader, was fortified negligently, and that he himself moreover dared many things rashly, at first light, when denser mists supplied obscurity, showed a few cavalrymen to the sentries of our fortifications: whereupon Fulvius suddenly moved the army. Hannibal, through the opposite side, occupied his camp, and pouring out from it onto the rear of the Romans, slaughtered eight thousand of the bravest soldiers along with the leader himself.

Idem Hannibal, cum inter Fabium dictatorem et Minucium magistrum equitum divisus esset exercitus et Fabius occasionibus immineret, Minucius pugnandi cupiditate flagraret, castra in campo, qui medius inter hostes erat, posuit et, cum partem peditum in confragosis rupibus celasset, ipse ad evocandum hostem misit, qui proximum tumulum occuparent: ad quos opprimendos cum eduxisset copias Minucius, insidiatores ab Hannibale dispositi subito consurrexerunt et delessent Minuci exercitum, nisi Fabius periclitantibus subvenisset.

The same Hannibal, when the army had been divided between Fabius the Dictator and Minucius the Master of Horse, and Fabius was pressing upon opportunities while Minucius burned with a desire for fighting, pitched his camp in the plain which lay midway between the enemies; and, when he had hidden a part of the infantry among the broken crags, he himself sent out men to call forth the enemy, to seize the nearest mound: against these to crush them, when Minucius had led out his forces, the ambushers set by Hannibal suddenly sprang up and would have destroyed Minucius’s army, had not Fabius come to the aid of the imperiled.

Idem Hannibal, cum ad Trebiam in conspectu haberet Semproni Longi consulis castra, medio amne interfluente, saevissima hieme Magonem et electos in insidiis posuit. Deinde Numidas equites ad eliciendam Semproni credulitatem adequitare vallo eius iussit, quibus praeceperat, ut ad primum nostrorum incursum per nota refugerent vada. Hos consul et adortus temere et secutus ieiunum exercitum in maximo frigore transitu fluminis rigefecit: mox torpore et inedia affectis Hannibal suum militem opposuit, quem ad id ignibus oleoque et cibo foverat; nec defuit partibus Mago, quin terga hostium in hoc ordinatus caederet.

The same Hannibal, when at the Trebia he had in sight the camp of the consul Sempronius Longus, with the river flowing between, in the fiercest winter placed Mago and picked men in ambush. Then he ordered Numidian horsemen to ride up to his rampart to elicit Sempronius’s credulity, having instructed them to flee back through well-known fords at the first onset of our men. The consul, both attacking rashly and following, froze his fasting army, in the greatest cold, by the crossing of the river: soon, when they were afflicted by torpor and want of food, Hannibal set his own soldiery in opposition, whom for this he had cherished with fires and oil and food; nor was Mago lacking to his side, but, arrayed for this, he was cutting down the backs of the enemy.

Idem ad Trasumennum, cum arta quaedam via in<ter lacum et> radicesmontis in campos patentes duceret, simulata fuga per angustias ad patentia evasit ibique castra posuit ac nocte dispositis militibus et per collem, qui imminebat, et in lateribus angustiarum prima luce, nebula quoqueadiutus, aciem direxit: Flaminius velut fugientem insequens, cum angustias esset ingressus, non ante providit insidias, quam simul a fronte, lateribus, tergo circumfusus ad internicionem cum exercitu caederetur.

Likewise at Trasimene, when a certain narrow way between the lake and the roots of the mountain led into open plains, by a feigned flight he passed through the narrows to the open ground and there pitched camp; and at night, with his soldiers deployed both along the hill that overhung it and on the flanks of the narrows, at first light, aided also by a fog, he drew up his line: Flaminius, pursuing as if a fleeing enemy, when he had entered the narrows, did not perceive the ambush before he was at once surrounded from the front, the sides, and the rear, and was cut down with his army to utter destruction.

Idem Hannibal adversus Iunium dictatorem nocte intempesta DC equitibusimperavit, ut in plures turmas segregati per vices sine intermissione circa castra hostium se ostentarent: ita tota nocte Romanis in vallo statione ac pluvia, quae forte continua fuerat, inquietatis confectisque, cum receptui signum man<e> Iunius dedisset, Hannibal suos requietos eduxit et castra eius invasit.

The same Hannibal, against the dictator Junius, in the dead of night ordered 600 cavalry, that, segregated into several squadrons, by turns and without intermission they should show themselves around the enemy’s camp: thus, with the Romans through the whole night on the rampart, by standing-watch and by the rain, which by chance had been continuous, disturbed and worn out, when at dawn Junius had given the signal for recall, Hannibal led out his own men, rested, and invaded his camp.

Epaminondas Thebanus in eundem modum, cum Lacedaemonii a<d> <Is>thmon vallo ducto Peloponeson tuerentur, paucorum opera levis armaturae tota nocte inquietavit hostem. Ac deinde prima luce <re>vocatis suis, cum Lacedaemonii se recepissent, subito universum exercitum,quem quietum habuerat, admovit et per ipsa munimenta destituta propugnatoribus irrupit.

Epaminondas the Theban, in the same manner, when the Lacedaemonians were protecting the Peloponnese by a rampart drawn at the Isthmus, by the efforts of a few light-armed troops harassed the enemy the whole night. And then at first light, after recalling his own men, when the Lacedaemonians had withdrawn, he suddenly brought up the whole army, which he had kept at rest, and burst through the very fortifications, left without defenders.

Hannibal directa acie ad Cannas DC equites Numidas transfugere iussit, qui ad fidem faciendam gladios et scuta nostris tradiderunt et in ultimum agmen recepti, ubi primum concurri coepit, strictis minoribus quos occultaverant gladiis, scutis iacentium assumptis, Romanorum aciem ceciderunt.

Hannibal, with the battle-line drawn up at Cannae, ordered 600 Numidian horsemen to defect, who, to make good faith, handed over their swords and shields to our men and, received into the rearmost rank, when first it began to come to close combat, with the smaller swords which they had concealed drawn, and having taken up the shields of those lying fallen, cut down the Roman line.

Iapydes P. Licinio proconsuli pag<an>os quoque sub specie deditionis obtulerunt, qui recepti et in postrema acie collocati terga Romanorum ceciderunt.

The Iapydes to P. Licinius, the proconsul, offered even villagers under the appearance of surrender; who, once received and placed in the rearmost battle-line, struck the Romans in the back.

Scipio Africanus, cum adversa haberet bina hostium castra, Syphacis et Carthaginiensium, statuit Syphacis, ubi multa incendii alimenta erant, aggredi nocte ignemque inicere, ut ea re Numidas quidem ex suis castris trepidantes caederet, Poenos autem, quos certum erat ad succurrendum sociis procursuros, insidiis dispositis exciperet. Vtrumque ex sententia cessit: tamquam ad fortuitum incendium sine armis procurrentis adortus cecidit.

Scipio Africanus, when he had two enemy camps facing him, Syphax’s and the Carthaginians’, resolved to attack Syphax’s—where there were many fuels for a conflagration—by night and to throw in fire, so that by this he might cut down the Numidians, panic-stricken, from their own camp, and the Poeni (Carthaginians), whom it was certain would run out to succor their allies, he might catch with ambushes disposed. Both aims succeeded according to plan: assailing those who ran out without arms, as if to a fortuitous fire, he cut them down.

Mithridates, a Lucullo virtute frequenter superatus, insidiis eum appetiit, Adathante quodam eminente viribus subornato, ut transfugeret et fide parta hosti facinus perpetraret: quod is strenue quidem, sed sine eventu conatus est. Receptus enim a Lucullo in gregem equitum non sine tacita custodia habitus est, quia nec credi subito transfugae nec inhiberi reliquos oportebat. Cum deinde frequentibus excursionibus promptam et enixam operam exhiberet, fide acquisita tempus elegit, quo missa principia quietem omnibus castrensibus dabant praetoriumque secretius praestabant.

Mithridates, frequently overcome by Lucullus’s virtue, sought to assail him by ambush, having suborned a certain Adathas, eminent in strength, to defect and, once trust had been gained, to perpetrate the crime upon the enemy: which he indeed attempted strenuously, but without result. For, having been received by Lucullus into a troop of cavalry, he was held under a silent guard, because it was fitting neither to trust a deserter suddenly nor to discourage the rest. Then, as by frequent excursions he displayed prompt and strenuous service, with trust acquired he chose a time when, the parade having been dismissed, repose was given to all in the camp, and the praetorium afforded greater privacy.

Casus adiuvit Lucullum. Nam qui ad vigilantem usque admitteretur, fatigatum nocturnis cogitationibus illo tempore quiescentem invenit. Cum deinde, tamquam nuntiaturus subitum aliquid ac necessarium, intrare vellet et pertinaciter a servis valetudini domini consulentibus excluderetur, veritus, ne suspectus esset, equis quos ante portam paratos habebat ad Mithridatem refugit irritus.

Chance aided Lucullus. For the man who was admitted even to the vigilant one found him at that time resting, fatigued by nocturnal cogitations. Then, when, as though about to announce something sudden and necessary, he wished to enter and was persistently shut out by the servants consulting their master’s health, fearing lest he be suspected, he fled back in vain to Mithridates on the horses which he had had prepared before the gate.

Sertorius in Hispania, cum apud Lauronem oppidum vicina castra Pompei castris haberet et duae tantummodo regiones essent, ex quibus pabulum peti posset, una in propinquo, altera longius sita, eam quae in propinquo erat subinde a levi armatura infestari, ulteriorem autem vetuit ab ullo armato adiri, donec persuasit adversariis, tutiorem esse quae erat remotior. Quam cum petissent Pompeiani, Octavium Graecinium cum decem cohortibus in morem Romanorum armatis et decem Hispanorum levis armaturae et Tarquitium Priscum cum duobus milibus equitum ire iubet ad insidias tendendas pabulatoribus. Illi strenue imperata faciunt.

Sertorius in Spain, when near the town of Lauron he had a camp neighboring Pompey’s camp and there were only two regions from which fodder could be sought, one at hand, the other situated farther off, ordered that the one which was in the near vicinity be continually harassed by the light-armed troops, but forbade the more distant one to be approached by any man under arms, until he persuaded the adversaries that the one farther away was the safer. When the Pompeians made for that one, he orders Octavius Graecinius with ten cohorts armed in the Roman manner and ten of the Spaniards of light armament, and Tarquitius Priscus with two thousand horsemen, to go to set ambushes for the foragers. They vigorously do what was ordered.

Explorata enim locorum natura, in vicina silva nocte praedictas copias abscondunt ita, ut in prima parte leves Hispanos, aptissimos ad furta bellorum, ponerent, paulo interius scutatos, in remotissimo equites, ne fremitu eorum cogitata proderentur: quiescere omnes silentio servato in horam tertiam diei iubent. Cum deinde Pompeiani securi oneratique pabulo de reditu cogitarent et hi quoque, qui in statione fuerant, quiete invitati ad pabulum colligendum dilaberentur, emissi primum Hispani velocitate gentili in palantes effundunturet convulnerant confunduntque nihil tale exspectantes. Prius deinde quam resisti his inciperet, scutati erumpunt e saltu et redeuntes in ordinem consternant avertuntque: fugientibus equites immissi toto eos spatio, quo rediebatur in castra, persecuti caedunt.

For, the nature of the places having been explored, they hide the aforesaid troops at night in a neighboring forest in such a way that in the front they placed the light-armed Spaniards, most apt for the furtive enterprises of war, a little further in the shield-bearers, and in the farthest the cavalry, lest by their rumbling the plans be betrayed: they order all to rest, silence being kept, until the third hour of the day. Then, when the Pompeians, unworried and laden with fodder, were thinking of returning, and those too who had been on station, invited by the quiet, were slipping away to gather fodder, the Spaniards, first sent out, with native swiftness pour upon the stragglers and wound and throw into confusion men expecting nothing of the kind. Then, before resistance to them could begin, the shield-bearers burst from the woodland and, as they were returning into order, strike consternation and turn them to flight; upon the fugitives the cavalry, let loose, pursue them through the entire stretch by which one returned to the camp and cut them down.

Curatum quoque, ne quis effugeret: nam reliqui CCL equites praemissi facile per compendia itinerum effusis habenis, antequam ad castra Pompei perveniretur, conversi occurrerunt eis, qui primi fugerant. Ad cuius rei sensum Pompeio emittente legionem cum D. Laelio in praesidium suorum, subducti in dextrum latus velut cesseruntequites, deinde circumita legione hanc quoque a tergo infestaverunt, cum iam et a fronte qui pabulatores persecuti erant incursarent: sic legio quoque inter duas acies hostium cum legato suo elisa est. Ad cuius praesidium Pompeio totum educente exercitum, Sertorius quoque e collibus suos instructos ostendit effecitque, ne Pompeius expediret: ita praeter duplex damnum, eadem sollertia illatum, spectatorem quoque eum cladis suorum continuit.

Provision was also made that no one should escape: for the remaining 250 cavalry, sent ahead, easily, by the short-cuts of the routes and with loosened reins, turning before Pompey’s camp could be reached, ran to meet those who had fled first. At the awareness of this, Pompey sending out a legion with D. Laelius for the protection of his men, the cavalry, drawn off onto the right flank as if they had given way, then, the legion having been circled, assailed this too from the rear, while now also from the front those who had pursued the foragers were making charges: thus the legion too, between two battle-lines of the enemy, was crushed along with its legate. For the protection of which, Pompey leading out his whole army, Sertorius likewise from the hills displayed his men drawn up and brought it about that Pompey did not deploy: thus, besides the double loss, inflicted by the same cleverness, he also kept him a spectator of the slaughter of his own men.

Hoc primum proelium inter Sertorium et Pompeium fuit: X milia hominum de Pompei exercitu amissa et omnia impedimenta Livius auctor est.

This was the first battle between Sertorius and Pompey: Livy is the authority that 10 thousand men of Pompey’s army were lost, and all the baggage train.

Pompeius in Hispania, dispositis ante qui ex occulto aggrederentur, simulato metu deduxit instantem hostem in loca insessa: deinde, ubi res poposcit, conversus et in fronte et utrisque lateribus ad internicionem cecidit, capto etiam duce eorum Perperna.

Pompey in Spain, having stationed in advance those who would assail from concealment, with fear feigned led the pressing enemy into occupied places: then, when the situation demanded, turning, he struck them down to internecine destruction both in front and on both flanks, with their leader Perperna also captured.

Idem adversus Mithridatem in Armenia, numero et genere equitum praevalentem,tria milia levis armaturae et D equites nocte in valle sub virgultis, quae inter bina castra erant, disposuit, prima deinde luce in stationem hostiumemisit equites ita formatos, ut, cum universus cum exercitu hostium equitatusproelium inisset, servatis ordinibus paulatim cederent, donec spatium darent consurgendi a tergo ob hoc dispositis. Quod postquam ex sententia contigit, conversis qui terga dedisse videbantur, medium hostem trepidantemcecidit, ipsos etiam equos pedite comminus accedente confodit: eoque proelio fiduciam regi, quam in equestribus copiis habebat, detraxit.

The same man, against Mithridates in Armenia, who was prevailing in the number and kind of cavalry, placed at night in a valley under the brushwood which was between the two camps 3,000 light-armed troops and 500 cavalry; then at first light he sent out the cavalry into the enemy’s outpost, so formed that, when the entire enemy cavalry together with the army had entered the fight, they would, with their ranks preserved, gradually give ground until they afforded space for those posted behind for this purpose to rise up. After this came off as intended, turning about those who had seemed to have shown their backs, he cut down the enemy in the middle as they panicked, and he even pierced the horses themselves as the infantry drew near at close quarters; and by that battle he stripped the king of the confidence which he had in his equestrian forces.

Crassus bello fugitivorum apud Cantennam bina castra comminus cum hostium castris vallavit. Nocte deinde commotis copiis, manente praetorio in maioribus castris, ut fallerentur hostes, ipse omnes copias eduxit et in radicibus praedicti montis constituit; divisoque equitatu praecepit L. Quintio, partem Spartaco obiceret pugnaque eum frustraretur, parte alia Gallos Germanosque ex factione Casti et Cannici eliceret ad pugnam et fuga simulata deduceret, ubi ipse aciem instruxerat: quos cum barbari insecuti essent, equite recedente in cornua, subito acies Romana adaperta cum clamore procurrit. XXXV milia armatorum eo proelio interfecta cum ipsis ducibus Livius tradit, receptas quinque Romanas aquilas, signa sex et XX, multa spolia, inter quae quinque fasces cum securibus.

Crassus, in the war of the fugitives near Cantenna, ramparted two camps in close proximity to the enemy’s camps. Then at night, the forces having been set in motion, with the praetorium remaining in the larger camp so that the enemy might be deceived, he himself led out all the troops and positioned them at the foot of the aforesaid mountain; and, the cavalry having been divided, he instructed L. Quintius to oppose part to Spartacus and to frustrate him with battle, and with the other part to draw out the Gauls and Germans of the faction of Castus and Cannicus to the fight and, by feigned flight, to lead them down to where he had arrayed his battle line: and when the barbarians had pursued them, with the cavalry withdrawing into the wings, suddenly the Roman battle line, thrown open, rushed forward with a shout. Livy relates that 35 thousand armed men were slain in that battle along with the leaders themselves, that five Roman eagles were recovered, 26 standards, and many spoils, among which five fasces with axes.

C. Cassius in Syria adversus Parthos ducemque <O>sacen equitem ostendita fronte, cum a tergo peditem in confragoso loco occultasset: dein cedente equitatu et per nota se recipiente, in praeparatas insidias perduxit exercitum Parthorum et cecidit.

Gaius Cassius in Syria, against the Parthians and their leader <O>saces, displayed his cavalry at the front, while at the rear he had hidden his infantry in a rugged place: then, with the cavalry giving ground and withdrawing by familiar routes, he led the army of the Parthians into the prepared ambush and cut it down.

Ventidius Parthos et Labienum, alacres successibus victoriarum, dum suos ipse per simulationem metus continet, evocavit et in loca iniqua deductos aggressus per obreptionem adeo debellavit, ut destituto Labieno provincia excederent Parthi.

Ventidius, while he himself restrained his own men by a simulation of fear, called out the Parthians and Labienus—elated by the successes of victories—and, having led them into disadvantageous places, attacking by stealth he so completely subdued them that, Labienus left abandoned, the Parthians withdrew from the province.

Idem adversus Pharnastanis Parthos, cum ipse exiguum numerum militum haberet, illis autem fiduciam ex multitudine videret increscere, ad latus castrorum XVIII cohortes in obscura valle posuit, equitatu post terga peditum collocato. Tum paucos admodum milites in hostem misit: qui ubi simulata fuga hostem effuse sequentem ultra locum insidiarum perduxere, coorta a latere acie praecipitatos in fugam, in his Pharnastanem, interfecit.

The same man, against Pharnastanes’ Parthians, although he himself had a small number of soldiers, but saw their confidence growing from their multitude, placed 18 cohorts at the side of the camp in a dark valley, with the cavalry stationed behind the infantry’s backs. Then he sent very few soldiers against the enemy: when by a simulated flight they had led the enemy, pursuing in reckless disorder, beyond the place of ambush, with the battle line arisen from the flank he drove them headlong into flight, and among them he killed Pharnastanes.

C. Caesar, suis et Afranii castris contrarias tenentibus planitias, cum utriusque partis plurimum interesset colles proximos occupare idque proptersaxorum asperitatem esset difficile, tamquam Ilerdam repetiturum retro agmen ordinavit, faciente inopia fidem destinationi. Intra brevissimum deinde spatium exiguo circuitu flexit repente ad montis occupandos. Quo visu perturbati Afraniani velut captis castris et ipsi effuso cursu eosdem montes petiere: quod futurum cum praedivinasset Caesar, partim peditatu quem praemiserat, partim a tergo summissis equitibus inordinatos est adortus.

Gaius Caesar, when his own camp and Afranius’s were holding opposite plains, since it greatly mattered to both sides to seize the nearest hills—and this was difficult because of the roughness of the rocks—drew up his column backward as though he were going to return to Ilerda, the scarcity lending credence to his destination. Then, within a very brief space, by a slight circuit he suddenly wheeled to seize the heights. At this sight the Afranians, perturbed, as if their camp were already taken, themselves too at a headlong run made for the same hills; and since Caesar had foredivined this would happen, he assailed them disordered, partly with the infantry which he had sent ahead, partly with cavalry sent up from the rear.

Antonius apud Forum Gallorum, cum Pansam consulem adventare comperisset, insidiis per silvestria Aemiliae viae dispositis agmen eius excepitfuditque et ipsum eo vulnere affecit, quo intra paucos dies exanimaretur.

Antonius at Forum Gallorum, when he had learned that the consul Pansa was approaching, with ambushes arranged through the wooded stretches of the Aemilian Way intercepted his column and routed it, and him himself he afflicted with that wound by which within a few days he would expire.

Iuba rex in Africa bello civili Curionis animum simulato regressu impulit in vanam alacritatem: cuius spei vanitate deceptus Curio, dum tamquam fugientem Sabboram regium praefectum persequitur, devenit in patentes campos, ubi Numidarum circumventus equitatu, perdito exercitu, cecidit. Melanthus, dux Atheniensium, cum provocatus a rege hostium Xantho Boeotio descendisset ad pugnam, ut primum comminus stetit, "inique", inquit, "Xanthe, et contra pactum facis: adversus solum enim cum altero processisti." Cumque admiratus ille, quisnam se comitaretur, respexisset, aversum uno ictu confecit.

Juba, king in Africa, in the civil war, by a simulated retreat drove Curio’s spirit into vain alacrity; deceived by the vanity of this hope, Curio, while he pursued Sabboras, the royal prefect, as if fleeing, came down into open plains, where, surrounded by the cavalry of the Numidians, with his army ruined, he fell. Melanthus, leader of the Athenians, when, challenged by the king of the enemy, Xanthus the Boeotian, he had descended to the fight, as soon as he stood hand-to-hand, said, “Unfairly, Xanthus, and against the pact you are acting: for you have advanced against one while with another.” And when that man, astonished, looked back to see who might be accompanying him, he slew him, turned away, with a single blow.

Iphicrates Atheniensis ad Cherronessum, cum sciret Lacedaemoniorum ducem Anaxibium exercitum pedestri itinere ducere, firmissimam manum militum eduxit e navibus et in insidiis collocavit, naves autem omni[um] tamquam onustas milite palam transnavigare iussit: ita securos et nihil exspectantes Lacedaemonios a tergo ingressus itinere oppressit fuditque. Liburni, cum vadosa loca obsedissent, capitibus tantum eminentibus fidem fecerunt hosti alti maris ac triremem, quae eos persequebatur, implicatamvado ceperunt.

Iphicrates the Athenian, at the Chersonese, when he knew that Anaxibius, the leader of the Lacedaemonians, was leading the army by a pedestrian route, led out from the ships the most stalwart band of soldiers and placed them in ambush, but he ordered all the ships to sail across openly as though laden with soldiery: thus, entering from the rear upon their route, he overwhelmed and routed the Lacedaemonians, who were secure and expecting nothing. The Liburnians, when they had occupied shallow places, with only their heads projecting made the enemy believe there was deep sea, and they captured the trireme that was pursuing them, entangled on the shoal.

Alcibiades, dux Atheniensium, in Hellesponto adversus Mindarum, Lacedaemoniorum ducem, cum amplum exercitum et plures naves haberet, nocte expositis in terram quibusdam militum suorum, parte quoque navium post quaedam promunturia occultata, ipse cum paucis profectus ita, ut contemptu sui hostem invitaret, eundem insequentem fugit, donec in praeparatas insidias perduceret: aversum deinde et egredientem in terram per eos, quos ad hoc ipsum exposuerat, cecidit.

Alcibiades, leader of the Athenians, in the Hellespont against Mindarus, leader of the Lacedaemonians, when he had an ample army and more ships, at night, after putting ashore certain of his soldiers, and with a part also of the ships hidden behind certain promontories, he himself set out with a few in such a way as, by inviting contempt of himself, to entice the enemy; he fled, the same man pursuing, until he led him into prepared ambushes: then, with him turned away and disembarking onto land, he struck him down by means of those whom he had put ashore for this very purpose.

Idem, navali proelio decertaturus, constituit malos quosdam in promunturiopraecepitque his quos ibi relinquebat, ut, cum commissum proelium sensissent, panderent vela: quo facto consecutus est, ut hostes aliam classem in auxilium ei supervenire arbitrati verterentur.

The same man, about to decide it in a naval battle, set up certain masts on a promontory and instructed those whom he was leaving there that, when they sensed the battle had been joined, they should spread the sails: this having been done, he achieved that the enemies, thinking another fleet was coming up to his aid, turned about.

Memnon Rhodius navali proelio, cum haberet ducentarum navium classem et hostium naves elicere ad proelium vellet, ita ordinavit suos, ut paucarum navium malos erigeret easque primas agi iuberet: hostes procul conspicati numerum arborum et ex eo navium quoque coniectantes obtuleruntse certamini et a pluribus occupati superatique sunt.

Memnon the Rhodian, in a naval battle, when he had a fleet of 200 ships and wanted to draw the enemy ships out to battle, arranged his men in such a way that he raised the masts of a few ships and ordered these to be driven in the front: the enemy, catching sight from afar of the number of masts and from that also conjecturing the number of ships, offered themselves to the contest and, being engaged by a greater number, were overpowered.

Timotheus, dux Atheniensium, adversus Lacedaemonios navali acie decertaturus, cum instructa classis eorum ad pugnam processisset, ex velocissimisnavibus viginti praemisit, quae omni arte varioque flexu eluderent hostem: ut primum deinde sensit minus agiliter moveri adversam partem, progressus praelassatos facile superavit.

Timotheus, leader of the Athenians, about to contend against the Lacedaemonians in a naval line of battle, when their fleet, drawn up, had advanced to the fight, sent ahead twenty from the swiftest ships, to elude the enemy by every art and with varied turnings: then, as soon as he perceived the opposing side moving less nimbly, advancing he easily overcame the pre-wearied.

DE EMITTENDO HOSTE, NE CLAUSUS PROELIUM EX DESPERATIONE REDINTEGRET

ON LETTING THE ENEMY OUT, LEST, WHEN SHUT IN, HE RENEW THE BATTLE FROM DESPERATION

Gallos eo proelio, quod Camilli ductu gestum est, desiderantes navigia, quibus Tiberim transirent, senatus censuit transvehendos et commeatibus quoque prosequendos.

The Gauls, in that battle which was carried out under the conduct of Camillus, desiring boats by which they might cross the Tiber, the Senate decreed to have them ferried across and to be accompanied with provisions as well.

Eiusdem generis hominibus postea per Pomptinum agrum fugientibus via data est, quae Gallica appellatur.

To men of the same sort, later, as they were fleeing through the Pomptine country, a road was given, which is called the Gallic road.

T. Marcius, eques Romanus, cui duobus Scipionibus occisis exercitus imperium detulit, cum circumventi ab eo Poeni, ne inulti morerentur, acrius pugnarent, laxatis manipulis et concesso fugae spatio dissipatos sine periculo suorum trucidavit.

T. Marcius, a Roman eques, to whom, after the two Scipios had been slain, the army transferred command, when the Carthaginians, surrounded by him, fought more fiercely lest they die unavenged, with the maniples loosened and a space for flight granted, cut them down, scattered, without danger to his own men.

C. Caesar Germanos inclusos, ex desperatione fortius pugnantis, emitti iussit fugientisque aggressus est.

Gaius Caesar ordered that the Germans, hemmed in and fighting more stoutly out of despair, be let out, and he attacked them as they were fleeing.

Hannibal, cum ad Trasumennum inclusi Romani acerrime pugnarent, diductis ordinibus fecit eis abeundi potestatem euntesque sine suorum sanguine stravit.

Hannibal, when at Trasimene the enclosed Romans were fighting most fiercely, with the ranks drawn apart he made for them the power of departing, and he laid low those going without the blood of his own.

Antigonus, rex Macedonum, Aetolis, qui in obsidionem ab eo compulsifame urguebantur statuerantque eruptione facta commori, viam fugae dedit: atque ita infracto impetu eorum insecutus aversos cecidit. Agesilaus Lacedaemonius adversus Thebanos, cum acie confligeret intellexissetque hostes locorum condicione clausos ob desperationem fortius dimicare, laxatis suorum ordinibus apertaque Thebanis ad evadendum via, rursus in abeuntis contraxit aciem et sine iactura suorum cecidit aversos.

Antigonus, king of the Macedonians, to the Aetolians—who, driven by him into a siege and pressed by famine, and who had decided, a sortie having been made, to die together—gave a way of flight; and thus, with their impetus broken, pursuing, he cut down those turned in flight. Agesilaus the Lacedaemonian, against the Thebans, when he was engaging in battle-line and had understood that the enemy, shut in by the condition of the places, were fighting more strongly out of desperation, with the ranks of his own loosened and a way opened to the Thebans to escape, again contracted his battle-line upon those departing and, without loss of his own men, cut down the fugitives.

Cn. Manlius consul, cum ex acie reversus capta ab Etruscis Romanorum castra invenisset, omnibus portis statione circumdatis inclusos hostes in eam rabiem efferavit, ut ipse in proelio caderet: quod <ut> animadverterunt legati eius, ab una porta remota statione exitum Etruscis dederunt et effusos persecuti, occurrente altero consule Fabio, ceciderunt.

Cn. Manlius, consul, when, having returned from the battle line, he had found the Romans’ camp captured by the Etruscans, with all the gates surrounded by a station, drove the enclosed enemies into such a rage that he himself fell in battle: which, as his legates observed, with the station removed from one gate they gave an exit to the Etruscans and, pursuing them as they poured out, with the other consul Fabius meeting them, they cut them down.

Themistocles victo Xerxe volentes suos pontem rumpere prohibuit, cum docuisset aptius esse eum expelli Europa, quam cogi ex desperatione pugnare. Idem misit ad eum, qui indicaret, in quo periculo esset, nisi fugam maturaret.

Themistocles, with Xerxes defeated, forbade his men who wished it to break the bridge, since he had shown it was more apt that he be expelled from Europe than be compelled to fight out of desperation. The same man sent to him someone to indicate in what peril he was, unless he should hasten his flight.

Pyrrhus, Epirotarum rex, cum quandam civitatem cepisset clausisque portis ex ultima necessitate fortiter dimicantes eos, qui inclusi erant, animadvertisset,locum illis ad fugam dedit.

Pyrrhus, king of the Epirotes, when he had taken a certain city and had noticed that, with the gates shut, those who were enclosed were fighting bravely from utmost necessity, gave them a way for flight.

Idem inter praecepta imperatoria memoriae tradidit, non esse pertinaciterinstandum hosti fugienti, ne non solum <e>a re fortius ex necessitate resisteret, sed ut postea quoque facilius acie cederet, cum sciret non usque ad perniciem fugientibus instaturos victores.

The same man, among the imperatorial precepts, consigned to memory that one ought not to press pertinaciously upon a fleeing enemy, lest not only for that reason he should more stoutly resist from necessity, but also so that afterward he would more easily yield in the battle-line, since he would know that the victors would not press upon those fleeing up to destruction.

DE DISSIMULANDIS ADVERSIS

ON DISSIMULATING ADVERSITIES

Tullus Hostilius, rex Romanorum, commisso adversus Veientes proelio,cum Albani deserto exercitu Romanorum proximos peterent tumulos eaque res turbasset nostrorum animos, clare pronuntiavit iussu suo Albanos id fecisse, ut hostem circumveniret: quae res et terrorem Veientibus et Romanis fiduciam attulit remque inclinatam consilio restituit.

Tullus Hostilius, king of the Romans, a battle having been joined against the Veientes,proclaimed clearly, when the Albans, having deserted the army of the Romans, were seeking the nearest hills and that matter had disturbed the spirits of our men, that the Albans had done it by his order, in order to circumvent the enemy: which thing brought both terror to the Veientes and confidence to the Romans, and by counsel restored the affair that was leaning.

L. Sulla, cum praefectus eius, comitante non exigua equitum manu, commisso iam proelio ad hostis transfugisset, pronuntiavit iussu suo id factum: eaque ratione militum animos non tantum a confusione retraxit, sed quadam etiam spe utilitatis, quae id consilium secutura esset, confirmavit.

L. Sulla, when his prefect, accompanied by no small band of horsemen, had already, the battle being engaged, gone over to the enemy, announced that this had been done by his own order: and by this method he drew the soldiers’ spirits not only back from confusion, but even strengthened them with a certain hope of advantage which would follow that plan.

Idem, cum auxiliares eius missi ab ipso circumventi ab hostibus et interfectiessent verereturque, ne propter hoc damnum universus trepidaret exercitus, pronuntiavit auxiliaris, qui ad defectionem conspirassent, consilio a se in loca iniqua deductos: ita manifestissimam cladem ultionis simulatione velavit et militum animos hac persuasione confirmavit.

The same man, when his auxiliaries, sent by him, had been surrounded by the enemy and slain, and he feared lest, on account of this loss, the whole army be thrown into a panic, proclaimed that the auxiliaries who had conspired to defection had, by his counsel, been led into unfavorable places: thus he veiled a most manifest calamity by a simulation of vengeance and strengthened the soldiers’ spirits by this persuasion.

Scipio, cum Syphacis legati nuntiarent ei regis sui nomine, ne fiducia societatis eius ex Sicilia in Africam transiret, veritus, ne confunderentur animi suorum abscisa <spe> peregrinae societatis, dimisit pro<pe>re legatos et famam diffudit, tamquam ultro a Syphace accerseretur.

Scipio, when the legates of Syphax announced to him in their king’s name that he should not, in confidence of his alliance, cross over from Sicily into Africa, fearing lest the minds of his men be confounded by the hope of a foreign alliance cut off, dismissed the legates quickly and diffused a report, as though he were being summoned by Syphax of his own accord.

Q. Sertorius, cum acie decertaret, barbarum, qui ei nuntiaverat Hirtuleium perisse, pugione traiecit, ne et in aliorum id notitiam perferret et ob hoc animi suorum infirmarentur.

Q. Sertorius, when he was fighting it out in the battle-line, ran through with a dagger the barbarian who had reported to him that Hirtuleius had perished, lest he both carry this into the knowledge of others and, on that account, the spirits of his men be weakened.

Alcibiades Atheniensis, cum <ab> Abydenis proelio urgueretur subitoquemagno cursu tristem adventare animadvertisset tabellarium, prohibuit palam dicere, quid afferret. Dehinc secreto sciscitatus, a Pharnabazo regio praefecto classem suam oppugnari, celatis et hostibus et militibus proelium finit ac protinus ad eripiendam classem ducto exercitu opem tulit suis.

Alcibiades the Athenian, when he was being pressed in battle by the Abydenians and had noticed a gloomy courier approaching at a great run, forbade him to say openly what he was bringing. Then, having inquired in secret and learned that his fleet was being attacked by Pharnabazus, the royal praefect, concealing it from both enemies and soldiers, he ended the battle and forthwith, having led the army, brought help to his men to rescue the fleet.

Hannibalem venientem in Italiam tria milia Carpetanorum reliquerunt: quos ille, exemplo ne et ceteri moverentur, edixit a se esse dimissos et insuperin fidem eius rei paucos levissimae operae domos remisit.

As Hannibal was coming into Italy, three thousand of the Carpetani left him behind; whom he, lest the others also be moved by the example, proclaimed to have been dismissed by himself, and moreover, in attestation of this matter, he sent a few men of the lightest duty home.

L. Lucullus, cum animadvertisset Macedonas equites, quos in auxilio habebat, subito consensu ad hostem transfugere, signa canere iussit et turmas, quae eos sequerentur, immisit. Hostis committi proelium ratus transfugientestelis excepit: Macedones, qui viderent neque recipi se ab adversariiset premi ab his, quos deserebant, necessario ad iustum proelium conversi hostem invaserunt.

L. Lucullus, when he had noticed that the Macedonian cavalry, whom he had as auxiliaries, by a sudden common consent were defecting to the enemy, ordered the signals to be sounded and sent in the squadrons which were to follow them. The enemy, thinking that battle was being engaged, met the deserters with missiles; the Macedonians, who saw that they were neither being received by the adversaries nor were they being pressed by those whom they were abandoning, necessarily, turning to a regular battle, attacked the enemy.

Datames, dux Persarum, adversum Autophradaten in Cappadocia, cum partem equitum suorum transfugere comperisset, ceteros omnes venire secum iussit assecutusque transfugas collaudavit, quod eum alacriter praecessissent,hortatusque est eos etiam, ut fortiter hostem adorerentur: pudor transfugis attulit paenitentiam et consilium suum, quia non putabant deprehensum,mutaverunt.

Datames, leader of the Persians, against Autophradates in Cappadocia, when he had discovered that part of his horsemen were defecting, ordered all the rest to come with him and, having overtaken the defectors, he highly commended them, because they had briskly gone on ahead of him,exhorted them also, to attack the enemy bravely: shame brought repentance to the defectors and they changed their plan, because they did not think it had been detected,changed it.

T. Quintius Capitolinus consul cedentibus Romanis ementitus est in altero cornu hostes fugatos et ita confirmatis suis victoriam re<t>tulit. Cn. Man[i]lius adversus Etruscos, vulnerato collega M. Fabio, qui sinistrumcornu ducebat, et ob id ea parte cedente, quod etiam occisum crederent consulem, cum turmis equitum occurrit, clamitans et collegam vivere et se dextro cornu vicisse: qua constantia redintegratis animis suorum vicit.

T. Quintius Capitolinus, consul, as the Romans were yielding, pretended that on the other wing the enemy had been put to flight, and thus, his own men strengthened, he won the victory. Cn. Man[i]lius, against the Etruscans—his colleague M. Fabius, who was leading the left wing, having been wounded, and for that reason that side giving way, since they even believed the consul had been slain—rode up with squadrons of cavalry, shouting both that his colleague was alive and that he himself had conquered on the right wing: by this constancy, with the spirits of his men renewed, he was victorious.

Marius adversus Cimbros et Teutonos, cum metatores eius per imprudentiamita castris locum cepissent, ut sub potestate barbarorum esset aqua, flagitantibus eam suis, digito hostem ostendens "illinc", inquit, "petenda est": quo instinctu assecutus est, ut protinus barbari tollerentur.

Marius against the Cimbri and the Teutones, when his surveyors through imprudence had so taken a place for the camp that the water was under the power of the barbarians, with his men demanding it, pointing out the enemy with his finger he said, "from over there it must be sought": by which instigation he achieved that immediately the barbarians were driven off.

T. Labienus post Pharsalicam pugnam, cum victis partibus Dyrrhachiumrefugisset, miscuit vera falsis et, non celato exitu pugnae, aequatampartium fortunam gravi vulnere Caesaris finxit: et hac assimulatione reliqui<i>s Pompeianarum partium fiduciam fecit.

T. Labienus, after the Pharsalic battle, when with the defeated party he had taken refuge at Dyrrhachium, mixed truth with falsehood, and, not concealing the outcome of the battle, he fashioned the fortune of the sides as equal by alleging a grave wound of Caesar; and by this pretense he created confidence for the rest<i> of the Pompeian party.

M. Cato, cum Ambraciam eo tempore, quo sociae naves ab Aetolis oppugnabantur, imprudens uno lembo appulisset, quamquam nihil secum praesidii haberet, coepit signum voce gestuque dare, quo videretur subsequentissuorum navis vocare, eaque asseveratione hostem terruit, tamquamplane appropinquarent, qui quasi ex proximo citabantur: Aetoli, ne adventu Romanae classis opprimerentur, reliquerunt oppugnationem.

M. Cato, when he had, unwitting, put in to Ambracia at that time when the allied ships were being attacked by the Aetolians, with a single skiff, although he had no guard with him, began to give a signal by voice and gesture, whereby he seemed to be calling the ships of his men who were following on; and by this asseveration he terrified the enemy, as though those who were being summoned as if from right nearby were plainly approaching: the Aetolians, lest they be overwhelmed by the arrival of the Roman fleet, abandoned the assault.

DE RESTITUENDA PER CONSTANTIAM ACIE

ON THE RESTORATION OF THE BATTLE LINE THROUGH CONSTANCY

Servius Tullius adulescens proelio, quo rex Tarquinius adversus Sabinos conflixit, signiferis segnius dimicantibus raptum signum in hostem misit: cuius recuperandi gratia Romani ita ardenter pugnaverunt, ut et signum et victoriam re<t>tulerint.

Servius Tullius, an adolescent, in the battle in which King Tarquinius clashed against the Sabines, with the standard-bearers fighting rather sluggishly, hurled the snatched standard into the enemy; for the sake of recovering it the Romans fought so ardently that they brought back both the standard and the victory.

Furius Agrippa consul cedente cornu signum militare ereptum signiferoin hostes Hernicos et Aequos misit. Quo facto eius proelium restitutum est: summa enim alacritate Romani ad recipiendum signum incubuerunt.

Furius Agrippa, consul, as a wing was giving way, sent the military standard, snatched from the standard-bearer, against the enemies, the Hernici and the Aequi. By this done his battle was restored: for with the highest alacrity the Romans pressed on to recover the standard.

T. Quintius Capitolinus consul signum in hostes Faliscos eiecit militesque id repetere iussit.

Titus Quintius Capitolinus, consul, hurled the standard against the Faliscan enemies, and ordered the soldiers to retrieve it.

M. Furius Camillus tribunus militum consulari potestate, cunctante exercitu, arreptum manu signiferum in hostes Volscos et Latinos traxit: ceteros puduit non sequi.

M. Furius Camillus, tribune of soldiers with consular power, while the army was hesitating, having seized the standard-bearer by the hand, dragged him against the enemy, the Volsci and the Latins: the others were ashamed not to follow.

Salvius Pelignus bello Persico idem fecit.

Salvius Pelignus did the same in the Persian war.

M. Furius averso exercitu, cum occurrisset, affirmavit non recepturum se in castra quemquam nisi victorem: reductisque in aciem victoria potitus est.

M. Furius, with the army turned back, when he encountered them, affirmed that he would receive no one into the camp unless a victor: and, the troops led back into the battle line, he gained the victory.

Scipio apud Numantiam, cum aversum suum videret exercitum, pronuntiavitpro hoste sibi futurum, quisquis in castra redisset.

Scipio at Numantia, when he saw his army turned back, declared that whoever returned to the camp would be treated by him as an enemy.

Servilius Priscus dictator, cum signa legionum ferri in hostis Faliscos iussisset, signiferum cunctantem occidi imperavit: quo exemplo perterriti hostem invaserunt.

Servilius Priscus, dictator, when he had ordered the standards of the legions to be carried against the Faliscan enemy, commanded the hesitating standard-bearer to be put to death: terrified by this example, they attacked the enemy.

Cossus Cornelius magister equitum adversus Fidenates idem fecit. Tarquinius adversus Sabinos cunctantes equites detractis frenis concitatisqueequis perrumpere aciem iussit.

Cossus Cornelius, Master of Horse, did the same against the Fidenates. Tarquinius, against the Sabines, ordered the hesitating cavalry, with the bits removed and the horses aroused, to break through the battle-line.

M. Atilius consul bello Samnitico ex acie refugientibus in castra militibusaciem suorum opposuit, affirmans secum et bonis civibus dimicaturos eos, nisi cum hostibus maluissent: ea ratione universos in aciem reduxit.

M. Atilius, consul, in the Samnite war, when soldiers were fleeing from the battle line back into the camp, set the battle line of his own men in their way, affirming that they would fight with him and with good citizens, unless they had preferred to fight with the enemies: by that method he led them all back into the battle line.

L. Sulla, cedentibus iam legionibus exercitui Mithridatico ductu Archelai, stricto gladio in primam aciem procucurrit appellansque milites dixit, si quis quaesisset, ubi imperatorem reliquissent, responderent pugnantemin Boeotia: cuius rei pudore universi eum secuti sunt.

L. Sulla, with the legions now yielding to the Mithridatic army under the leadership of Archelaus, with sword drawn ran forward into the first battle-line, and, addressing the soldiers, said that, if anyone should ask where they had left the emperor, they should answer: “fighting in Boeotia”; at the shame of this thing, all together followed him.

Divus Iulius ad Mundam referentibus suis pedem equum suum abduci a conspectu iussit et in primam aciem pedes prosiluit: milites, dum destituereimperatorem erubescunt, redintegraverunt proelium.

the Deified Julius at Munda, when his men were giving ground, ordered his horse to be led away from his sight and sprang on foot into the front line: the soldiers, while they blushed to abandon their commander, renewed the battle.

Philippus veritus, ne impetum Scytharum sui non sustinerent, fidelissimosequitum a tergo posuit praecepitque, ne quem commilitonum ex acie fugere paterentur, perseverantius abeuntes trucidarent: qua denuntiatione cum effecisset, ut etiam timidissimi mallent ab hostibus quam ab suis interfici,victoriam acquisivit.

Philip, fearing that his men would not withstand the impetus of the Scythians, placed the most faithful of the cavalry at the rear and ordered that they should not allow any of their fellow soldiers to flee from the battle line, but should more perseveringly butcher those withdrawing: by this denunciation, when he had brought it about that even the most timid preferred to be killed by the enemy rather than by their own, he acquired victory.

DE HIS QUAE POST PROELIUM FIUNT SI RES PROSPERE CESSERIT, DE CONSUMMANDIS RELIQUIIS BELLI

ON THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE DONE AFTER THE BATTLE, IF THE AFFAIR HAS TURNED OUT PROSPEROUSLY, ON CONSUMMATING THE REMNANTS OF THE WAR

C. Marius, victis proelio Teutonis, reliquias eorum, quia nox intervenerat,circumsedens, sublatis subinde clamoribus per paucos suorum territavit insomnemque hostem detinuit, ex eo assecutus, ut postero die irrequietum facilius debellaret.

C. Marius, the Teutons having been defeated in battle, because night had intervened,circumsedens, with shouts raised at intervals by a few of his men, terrified the enemy and kept them sleepless, thereby achieving that on the following day he might more easily finish off the restless foe.

Claudius Nero, victis Poenis, quos Hasdrubale duce in Italiam ex Hispania traicientes exceperat, caput Hasdrubalis in castra Hannibalis eiecit: quo factum est, ut et Hannibal luctu [nam frater occisus erat] et exercitus desperatione adventantis praesidii affligerentur.

Claudius Nero, the Punics having been defeated, whom—Hasdrubal as leader—he had intercepted as they were crossing over from Hispania into Italy, threw Hasdrubal’s head into Hannibal’s camp: whereby it came to pass that both Hannibal was afflicted with mourning [for his brother had been slain] and the army with despair at the approaching relief-force.

L. Sulla his, qui Praeneste obsidebantur, occisorum in proelio ducum capita hastis praefixa ostendit atque ita obstinatorum pervicaciam fregit.

L. Sulla showed to those who were being besieged at Praeneste the heads of the leaders slain in battle, affixed to spears, and thus broke the pervicacity of the obstinate.

Arminius, dux Germanorum, capita eorum, quos occiderat, similiter praefixa ad vallum hostium admoveri iussit.

Arminius, leader of the Germans, ordered the heads of those whom he had killed, similarly affixed, to be brought up to the enemies’ rampart.

Domitius Corbulo, cum Tigranocertam obsideret et Armenii pertinaciterviderentur toleraturi obsidionem, in Vadandum ex megistanis, quos ceperat, animadvertit caputque eius ballista excussum intra munimenta hostium misit. Id forte decidit in medium concilium, quod cum maxime habebant barbari: ad cuius conspectum velut ostento consternati ad deditionemfestinaverunt.

Domitius Corbulo, when he was besieging Tigranocerta and the Armenians seemed likely with obstinacy to endure the siege, inflicted punishment upon Vadandus, one of the megistanes whom he had captured, and sent his head, shot off by a ballista, within the enemy’s fortifications. By chance it fell into the middle of the council which the barbarians were just then holding: at the sight of it, as at a portent, consternated, they hastened to surrender.

Hermocrates Syracusanus superatis acie Carthaginiensibus veritus, ne captivi, quorum ingentem manum in potestatem redegerat, parum diligentercustodirentur, quia eventus dimicationis in epulas et securitatem compellere victores poterat, finxit proxima nocte equitatum hostilem venturum:qua exspectatione assecutus, ut solito attentius vigiliae agerentur.

Hermocrates the Syracusan, the Carthaginians having been overcome in battle, fearing lest the captives, of whom he had reduced a huge band into his power, might be guarded too little diligently, because the outcome of the combat could compel the victors into banquets and security, pretended that on the next night hostile cavalry would come: by which expectation he achieved that the watches were kept more attentively than usual.

Idem, rebus prospere gestis et ob id resolutis suis in nimiam securitatem somnoque et mero pressis, in castra <hostium> transfugam misit, qui praemoneretde fuga: dispositas enim ubique a Syracusanis insidias. Quarum metu illi continuerunt se intra castra: Hermocrates detentos eos postero die habilioribus iam suis tradidit bellumque confecit.

The same man, with affairs conducted prosperously and, on that account, his own relaxed into excessive security and weighed down by sleep and wine, sent a deserter into the camp <hostium> to forewarn them about flight: for ambushes had been arranged everywhere by the Syracusans. From fear of these they kept themselves within the camp; Hermocrates, with them thus detained, on the next day, his own now more able, delivered battle and brought the war to completion.

Miltiades, cum ingentem Persarum multitudinem apud Marathona fudisset, Athenienses circa gratulationem morantis compulit, ut festinarent ad opem urbi ferendam, quam classis Persarum petebat: cumque praecucurrissetimplessetque moenia armatis, Persae, rati ingentem numerum esse Atheniensium et alio milite apud Marathona pugnatum, alium pro muris suis opponi, circumactis extemplo navibus Asiam repetierunt.

Miltiades, when he had routed a huge multitude of Persians at Marathon, compelled the Athenians, who were lingering around congratulation, to hasten to bring aid to the city, which the fleet of the Persians was seeking; and when he had run on ahead and had filled the walls with armed men, the Persians, thinking the number of Athenians to be immense and that one soldiery had fought at Marathon, another being set in opposition before their walls, with their ships forthwith wheeled about, returned to Asia.

Pisistratus Atheniensis, cum excepisset Megarensium classem, qua illi ad Eleusin noctu applicuerant, ut operatas Cereris sacro feminas Atheniensiumraperent, magnaque edita caede eorum ultus esset suos, eadem quae ceperat navigia Atheniensi milite complevit, quibusdam matronis habitu captivarum in conspectu locatis: qua facie decepti Megarenses tamquam suis et cum successu renavigantibus effuse obvii inermesque rursus oppressi sunt.

Pisistratus the Athenian, when he had intercepted the fleet of the Megarians, with which they had put in by night at Eleusis to seize the Athenian women engaged in the sacred rite of Ceres, and, a great slaughter having been wrought, had avenged his own upon them, filled the same ships which he had taken with Athenian soldiery, with certain matrons, in the garb of captives, stationed in plain sight: by this appearance the Megarians, deceived, as though their own men were sailing back with success, poured out to meet them unarmed and were overpowered again.

Cimon, dux Atheniensium, victa classe Persarum apud insulam Cypron, milites suos captivis armis induit et eisdem barbarorum navibus ad hostem navigavit in Pamphyliam apud flumen Eurymedonta. Persae, qui et navigia et habitum superstantium agnoscerent, nihil caverunt: subito itaque oppressieodem die et navali et pedestri proelio victi sunt.

Cimon, leader of the Athenians, when the fleet of the Persians had been conquered near the island Cyprus, outfitted his soldiers with the captured arms and in those same ships of the barbarians sailed against the enemy into Pamphylia at the river Eurymedon. The Persians, who recognized both the vessels and the appearance of those standing on deck, took no precautions: therefore, being suddenly overwhelmed, on the same day they were defeated both in a naval and in a land battle.

SI RES DURIUS CESSERIT, DE ADVERSIS EMENDANDIS

IF THINGS HAVE TURNED OUT MORE HARSHLY, ON EMENDING ADVERSITIES

T. Didius in Hispania, cum acerrimo proelio conflixisset, quod nox diremerat, magno numero utrimque caeso complura suorum corpora intra noctem sepelienda curavit. Hispani postero die ad simile officium progressi, quia plures ex ipsorum numero quam ex Romanis caesos reppererant, victos se esse secundum eam dinumerationem argumentati, ad condiciones imperatorisdescenderunt.

Titus Didius in Spain, when he had clashed in a most fierce battle, which night had broken off, with a great number on both sides cut down, took care that many bodies of his men be buried during the night. The Spaniards, on the following day proceeding to a similar office, because they had found more slain from their own number than from the Romans, arguing that they were conquered according to that enumeration, descended to the conditions of the commander.

T. Marcius, eques Romanus, qui reliquiis exercitus praefuit, cum in propinquo bina castra Poenorum paucis milibus pas suum distarent, cohortatusmilites proxima castra intempesta nocte adortus est, et cum hostem victoriae fiducia incompositum aggressus ne nuntios quidem cladis reliquisset,brevissimo tempore militi ad requiem dato, eadem nocte raptim famam rei gestae praegressus altera eorundem castra invasit: ita bis simili usus eventu, deletis utrubique Poenis, amissas populo Romano Hispanias restituit.

T. Marcius, a Roman knight (eques), who was in command of the remnants of the army, when two camps of the Punics were at hand, a few thousand paces apart, after encouraging the soldiers he attacked the nearest camp in the dead of night, and, assailing the enemy disordered by a confidence in victory, he left not even messengers of the disaster;brevissimo tempore militi ad requiem dato, that same night, hastily outstripping the report of the deed, he stormed the second of those same camps: thus, twice with a like outcome, with the Punic foe destroyed in both places, he restored to the Roman People the Spains that had been lost.

DE DUBIORUM ANIMIS IN FIDE RETINENDIS

ON RETAINING THE MINDS OF THE DOUBTFUL IN THE FAITH

P. Valerius Epidauri timens oppidanorum perfidiam, quia parum praesidiihabebat, gymnicos ludos procul ab urbe apparavit: quo cum omnis fere multitudo spectandi causa exisset, clausit portas nec ante admisit Epidaurios, quam obsides a principibus acciperet.

P. Valerius, at Epidaurus, fearing the perfidy of the townspeople, because he had too little garrison, prepared gymnic games far from the city: and when almost the whole multitude had gone out there for the sake of spectating, he closed the gates and did not admit the Epidaurians before he received hostages from the leading men.

Cn. Pompeius, cum suspectos haberet Chaucenses et vereretur, ne praesidium non reciperent, petit ab eis, ut aegros interim apud se refici paterentur: fortissimis deinde habitu languentium missis civitatem occupavitcontinuitque.

Gnaeus Pompeius, since he held the Chaucenses under suspicion and feared lest they would not receive the garrison, petitioned them to allow the sick in the interim to be refreshed with them; then, with the bravest sent in the habit of languishing men, he seized the city and held it.

Alexander devicta perdomitaque Thracia petens Asiam, veritus, ne post ipsius discessum sumerent arma, reges eorum praefectosque et omnis, quibus videbatur inesse cura detractae libertatis, secum velut honoris causa traxit, ignobilis autem relictis plebeiosque praefecit, consecutus, uti principes beneficiis eius obstricti nihil novare vellent, plebs vero ne posset quidem, spoliata principibus.

Alexander, with Thrace conquered and thoroughly subjugated, making for Asia, fearing lest after his own departure they might take up arms, drew along with him their kings and prefects and all those in whom there seemed to reside a concern for abridged liberty, as if for the sake of honor; but, the ignobles left behind, he appointed plebeians as overseers, achieving this: that the princes, bound by his benefactions, would wish to innovate nothing, while the plebs, stripped of their chiefs, could not even do so.

Antipater, conspecto Peloponesiorum exercitu, qui audita morte Alexandri ad infestandum imperium eius confluxerant, dissimulans scire se, qua mente venissent, gratias his egit, quod ad auxilium ferendum Alexandro adversus Lacedaemonios convenissent, adiecitque id se regi scripturum, ceterum ipsos, quia sibi opera eorum in praesentia non esset necessaria, abirent domos, hortatus: et hac asseveratione periculum, quod ex novitate rerum imminebat, discussit.

Antipater, on seeing the army of the Peloponnesians who, the death of Alexander having been heard, had flocked together to infest his imperium, dissembling that he knew with what mind they had come, gave thanks to them because they had assembled to bring aid to Alexander against the Lacedaemonians, and added that he would write this to the king; moreover he exhorted them, since their service was not necessary to him for the present, to go away home: and by this asseveration he dispelled the danger which was threatening from the novelty of affairs.

Scipio Africanus in Hispania, cum inter captivas eximiae formae virgo <nubilis> [alias et nobilis] ad eum perducta esset omniumque oculos in se converteret, summa custodia habitam sponso nomine Alicio reddidit insuperqueaurum, quod parentes eius redempturi captivam donum Scipioni attulerant, eidem sponso pro nuptiali munere dedit: qua multiplici magnificentiauniversa gens victa imperio populi Romani accessit.

Scipio Africanus in Spain, when among the captives a maiden of exceptional beauty <marriageable> [elsewhere also 'noble'] had been brought to him and was turning all eyes upon herself, having been kept under the highest guard he returned her to her betrothed by the name Alicius, and in addition the gold which her parents, intending to ransom the captive, had brought as a gift for Scipio, he gave to the same betrothed as a nuptial present: by which manifold magnificence the entire nation, though conquered, acceded to the imperium of the Roman people.

Alexandrum quoque Macedonem traditum est eximiae pulchritudinis virgini captivae, cum finitimae gentis principi fuisset desponsa, summa abstinentia ita pepercisse, ut illam ne aspexerit quidem: qua mox ad sponsumremissa, universae gentis per hoc beneficium animos conciliavit sibi.

Alexander the Macedonian also is recorded to have spared a captive virgin of exceptional beauty, although she had been betrothed to the prince of a neighboring nation, with the utmost abstinence, to such a degree that he did not even look upon her: and, when she was soon sent back to her betrothed, by this benefaction he conciliated to himself the minds of the whole nation.

Imperator Caesar Augustus Germanicus eo bello, quo victis hostibus cognomen Germanici meruit, cum in finibus Cubiorum castella poneret, pro fructibus locorum, quae vallo comprehendebat, pretium solvi iussit: atque ita iustitiae fama omnium fidem astrinxit.

The Emperor Caesar Augustus Germanicus, in that war in which, the enemies having been defeated, he earned the cognomen Germanicus, when he was placing forts on the borders of the Cubii, ordered a price to be paid for the fruits of the places which he was enclosing with a rampart; and thus by the fame of his justice he bound the trust of all.

QUAE FACIENDA SINT PRO CASTRORUM DEFENSIONE, SI SATIS FIDUCIAE IN PRAESENTIBUS COPIIS NON HABEMUS

WHAT OUGHT TO BE DONE FOR THE DEFENSE OF THE CAMP, IF WE DO NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT CONFIDENCE IN THE PRESENT FORCES

T. Quintius consul, cum Volsci castra eius aggress<ur>i forent, cohortem tantummodo in statione detinuit, reliquum exercitum ad quiescendumdimisit. Aeneatoribus praecepit, ut vallum insidentes equis circumirentconcinerentque: qua facie et simulatione cum et propulsasset et detinuisset per totam noctem hostes, ad lucis exortum fessos vigilia repente facta eruptione facile superavit.

Titus Quintius, consul, when the Volsci were about to attack his camp, detained only a cohort on guard, and dismissed the rest of the army to rest. He ordered the trumpeters that, sitting on the rampart, they should ride around on horses and sound together: by this appearance and simulation, since he had both driven back and detained the enemies through the whole night, at daybreak, wearied by the vigil, by a sortie suddenly made he easily overcame them.

Q. Sertorius in Hispania hostium equitatui maxime impar, qui usque ad ipsas munitiones nimia fiducia succedebat, nocte scrobes aperuit et ante eos aciem direxit. Cum deinde turmales secundum consuetudinem adventarent,recepit aciem: persecuti aciem in fossas deciderunt et eo modo victi sunt.

Q. Sertorius in Spain, greatly unequal to the enemy cavalry, which with excessive confidence kept advancing right up to the very fortifications, by night opened pits and drew up his battle line in front of them. When then the squadron-troopers, according to their custom, were approaching,he withdrew the line: pursuing the line, they fell into the fosses and in that way were defeated.

Chares, dux Atheniensium, cum exspectaret auxilia et vereretur, ne interea contemptu praesentis paucitatis hostes castra eius oppugnarent, compluresex eis quos habebat per aversam partem nocte <e>missos iussit, qua praecipue conspicui forent hostibus, redire in castra et accedentium novarum virium speciem praebere: atque ita simulatis auxiliis tutus est, donec instruereturexspectatis.

Chares, leader of the Athenians, while he was awaiting auxiliaries and feared lest meanwhile, through contempt for the present paucity, the enemy might assault his camp, ordered several of those whom he had to be sent out by the rear part by night, and, at the point where they would be especially conspicuous to the enemy, to return into the camp and present the appearance of new forces arriving: and thus, with simulated auxiliaries, he was safe until the expected ones were drawn up.

Iphicrates Atheniensis, cum campestribus locis castra haberet explorassetqueThracas ex collibus, per quos unus erat descensus, nocte ad diripiendacastra venturos, clam <e>duxit exercitum et in utraque viae latera, per quam transituri Thraces erant, distributum collocavit: hostemque decurrentemin castra, in quibus multi ignes per paucorum curam instituti speciem manentis ibi multitudinis servabant, a lateribus adortus oppressit.

Iphicrates the Athenian, when he had his camp in level places and had reconnoitered that the Thracians from the hills—by which there was a single descent—would come by night to pillage the camp, secretly led out the army and, distributed, posted it on both flanks of the road by which the Thracians were going to pass; and, assailing the enemy as they were running down upon the camp—where many fires, set up by the care of a few, were preserving the appearance of a multitude remaining there—he crushed them from the sides.

DE EFFUGIENDO

ON ESCAPING

Galli pugnaturi cum Attalo aurum omne et argentum certis custodibus tradiderunt, <a> quibus, si acie fusi essent, spargeretur, quo facilius colligendapraeda hostem impeditum effugerent.

The Gauls, about to fight with Attalus, handed over all the gold and silver to certain guards, <a> by whom, if they were routed in the battle-line, it would be scattered, so that, with the enemy impeded in gathering the booty, they might escape more easily.

Tryphon Syriae rex victus per totum iter fugiens pecuniam sparsit et sectanda e<a> Antiochi equites moratus effugit.

Tryphon, king of Syria, defeated, fleeing along the whole route, scattered money, and, delaying the horsemen of Antiochus with these things to be chased, escaped.

Q. Sertorius, pulsus acie a Q. Metello Pio, ne fugam quidem sibi tutam arbitratus, abire dispersos milites iussit, admonitos in quem locum vellet convenire.

Q. Sertorius, driven from the battle-line by Q. Metellus Pius, thinking not even flight safe for himself, ordered the soldiers to depart dispersed, having been instructed in what place he wished them to convene.

Viriathus, dux Lusitanorum, copias nostras locorumque iniquitatem evasit eadem qua Sertorius ratione, sparso exercitu, dein recollecto.

Viriathus, leader of the Lusitanians, escaped our forces and the unfavorable nature of the terrain by the same method as Sertorius, his army scattered, then gathered again.

Horatius Cocles, urguente Porsennae exercitu, iussit suos per pontem redire in urbem eumque, ne eos insequeretur hostis, intercidere. Quod dum efficitur, in capite eius propugnator ipse insequentes detinuit: audito deinde fragore pontis abrupti, deiecit se in alveum eumque et armis et vulneribus oneratus tranavit.

Horatius Cocles, as Porsenna’s army pressed, ordered his men to return into the city by the bridge and to cut it down, so that the enemy might not pursue them. While this was being accomplished, at its head the defender himself held back the pursuers; then, when the crash of the broken bridge was heard, he cast himself into the channel and, laden with both arms and wounds, swam it across.

Afranius in Hispania ad Ilerdam, cum Caesarem fugeret, instante eo castra posuit: cum idem Caesar fecisset et pabulatum suos dimisisset, ille signum repente itineri dedit.

Afranius in Spain at Ilerda, when he was fleeing Caesar, with him pressing on, pitched camp: when the same Caesar had done likewise and had sent his men out to forage, he suddenly gave the signal for a march.

Antonius, cum ex Parthis instantibus reciperet exercitum et, quotiens prima luce moveret, totiens urguentibus barbarorum sagittis infestaretur abeuntium agmen, in quintam horam continuit suos fidemque stativorum fecit: qua persuasione digressis inde Parthis, iustum iter reliquo die sine interpellatione confecit.

Antony, when he was withdrawing his army from the Parthians who were pressing on, and, as often as he would move at first light, so often the column of those departing was harried by the barbarians’ pressing arrows, held his men until the fifth hour and made the credibility of a stationary encampment; by which persuasion, the Parthians having withdrawn from there, he completed a regular march for the rest of the day without interruption.

Philippus in Epiro victus, ne fugientem eum Romani premerent, indutiasad sepeliendos qui caesi erant impetravit et ob id remissioribus custodibusevasit.

Philip, defeated in Epirus, lest the Romans press him as he fled, obtained a truce for burying those who had been cut down, and on account of this, with the guards more remiss, he escaped.

P. Claudius, navali proelio superatus a Poenis, cum per hostium praesidia necesse haberet erumpere, reliquas viginti naves tamquam victricesiussit ornari: atque ita Poenis existimantibus superiores fuisse acie nostros terribilis excessit.

P. Claudius, overcome in a naval battle by the Carthaginians, when he was obliged to break out through the enemy posts, ordered the remaining twenty ships to be decked out as if victors; and thus, with the Carthaginians supposing that our men had been superior in the battle line, he made a formidable exit.

Poeni classe superati, quia instantem avertere Romanum studebant, simulaverunt in vada naves suas incidisse haerentisque imitati effecerunt, ut victor eorum timens casum spatium ad evadendum daret.

The Punics, overcome in a naval fleet, because they were striving to turn aside the pressing Roman, pretended that their ships had run into the shallows; and by imitating being stuck fast they brought it about that their victor, fearing a mishap, gave space for them to escape.

Commius Atrabas, cum victus a Divo Iulio ex Gallia in Brittanniam fugeret et forte ad Oceanum vento quidem secundo, sed aestu recedente venisset, quamvis naves in siccis litoribus haererent, pandi nihilominus vela iussit: quae cum persequens eum Caesar ex longinquo tumentia et flatu plena vidisset, ratus prospero sibi eripi cursu recessit.

Commius the Atrebatian, when, defeated by the Divine Julius, he was fleeing from Gaul into Britain and by chance had come to the Ocean with the wind indeed favorable, but the tide receding, although the ships were sticking on the dry shores, nevertheless ordered the sails to be spread: and when Caesar, pursuing him, had seen from afar the sails swelling and full with the wind, thinking that with a prosperous course he was being snatched away from him, he withdrew.