by Frontinus
[4] Boii in silva Litana, quam transiturus erat noster exercitus, succiderunt arbores ita, ut parte exigua sustentatae starent, donec impellerentur; delituerunt deinde ad extremas ipsi ingressoque silvam hoste per proximas ulteriores impulerunt. Eo modo propagata pariter supra Romanos ruina magnam manum eliserunt.
[4] When our army was about to pass through the Litana Forest, the Boii cut into the trees at the base, leaving them only a slender support by which to stand, until they should be pushed over. Then the Boii hid at the further edge of the woods and by toppling over the nearest trees caused the fall of those more distant, as soon as our men entered the forest. In that way they spread general disaster among the Romans, and destroyed a large force.
VII. Quemadmodum ea, quibus Deficiemur, Videantur non Deesse aut Usus eorum Expleatur
VII. How to conceal the Absence of the Things we lack, or to supply Substitutes for Them
[1] L. Caecilius Metellus, quia usu navium, quibus elephantos transportaret, deficiebatur, iunxit dolia constravitque tabulatis ac super ea positos per Siculum fretum transmisit.
[1] Lucius Caecilius Metellus, lacking ships with which to transport his elephants, fastened together large earthen jars, covered them with planking, and then, loading the elephants on these, ferried them across the Sicilian Straits.
[2] Hannibal, cum in praealti fluminis transitum elephantos non posset compellere nec navium aut materiarum, quibus rates construerentur, copiam haberet, iussit ferocissimum elephantum sub aure vulnerari et eum, qui vulnerasset, tranato statim flumine procurrere. Elephantus exasperatus ad persequendum doloris sui auctorem tranavit amnem et reliquis idem audendi fecit exemplum.
[2] When Hannibal on one occasion could not force his elephants to ford an especially deep stream, having neither boats nor material of which to construct them, he ordered one of his men to wound the most savage elephant under the ear, and then straightway to swim across the stream and take to his heels. The infuriated elephant, eager to pursue the author of his suffering, swam the stream, and thus set an example for the rest to make the same venture.
[3] Carthaginiensium duces instructuri classem, quia sparto deficiebantur, crinibus tonsarum mulierum ad funes efficiendos usi sunt.
[3] When the Carthaginian admirals were about to equip their fleet, but lacked broom, they cut off the hair of their women and employed it for making cordage.
[4] Idem Massilienses et Rhodii fecerunt.
[4] The Massilians and Rhodians did the same.
[5] M. Antonius a Mutina profugus cortices pro scutis militibus suis dedit.
[5] Marcus Antonius, when a refugee from Mutina, gave his soldiers bark to use as shields.
[6] Spartaco copiisque eius scuta ex vimine fuerunt, quae coriis tegebantur.
[6] Spartacus and his troops had shields made of osiers and covered with hides.
[7] [Non alienus, ut arbitror, hic locus est referendi factum Alexandri Macedonis illud nobile, qui per deserta Africae itinera gravissima siti cum exercitu affectus oblatam sibi a milite in galea aquam spectantibus universis effudit, utilior exemplo temperantiae, quam si communicare potuisset.]
[7] This place, I think, is not inappropriate for recounting that famous deed of Alexander of Macedon. Marching along the desert roads of Africa, and suffering in common with his men from most distressing thirst, when some water was brought him in a helmet by a soldier, he poured it out upon the ground in the sight of all, in this way serving his soldiers better by his example of restraint than if he had been able to share the water with the rest.
VIII. De Distringendis Hostibus
VIII. On Distracting the Attention of the Enemy
[1] Coriolanus, cum ignominiam damnationis suae bello ulcisceretur, populationem patriciorum agrorum inhibuit, deustis vastatisque plebeiorum, ut discordiam moveret, qua consensus Romanorum distringeretur.
[1] When Coriolanus was seeking to avenge by war the shame of his own condemnation, he prevented the ravaging of the lands of the patricians, while burning and harrying those of the plebeians, in order to arouse discord whereby to destroy the harmony of the Romans.
[2] Hannibal Fabium, cui neque virtute neque artibus bellandi par erat, ut infamia distringeret, agris eius abstinuit, ceteros populatus. Contra ille, ne suspecta civibus fides esset, magnitudine animi effecit, publicatis possessionibus suis.
[2] When Hannibal had proved no match for Fabius either in character or in generalship, in order to smirch him with dishonour, he spared his lands, when he ravaged all others. To meet this assault, Fabius transferred the title to his property to the State, thus, by his loftiness of character, preventing his honour from falling under the suspicion of his fellow-citizens.
[3] Fabius Maximus quinto consul, cum Gallorum et Umbrorum, Etruscorum, Samnitium adversus populum Romanum exercitus coissent, contra quos et ipse trans Appenninum in Sentinate castra communiebat, scripsit Fulvio et Postumio, qui in praesidio urbi erant, copias ad Clusium moverent. quibus assecutis ad sua defendenda Etrusci Umbrique deverterunt; relictos Samnites Gallosque Fabius et collega Decius adgressi vicerunt.
[3] In the fifth consulship of Fabius Maximus, the Gauls, Umbrians, Etruscans, and Samnites had formed an alliance against the Roman people. Against these tribes Fabius first constructed a fortified camp beyond the Apennines in the region of Sentinum. Then he wrote to Fulvius and Postumius, who were guarding the City, directing them to move on Clusium with their forces. When these commanders complied, the Etruscans and Umbrians withdrew to defend their own possessions, while Fabius and his colleague Decius attacked and defeated the remaining forces of Samnites and Gauls.
[4] M’. Curius adversus Sabinos, qui ingenti exercitu conscripto relictis finibus suis nostros occupaverant, occultis itineribus manum misit, quae desolatos agros eorum vicosque per diversa incenderunt. Sabini ad arcendam domesticam vastitatem recesserunt; Curio contigit et vacuos infestare hostium fines et exercitum sine proelio avertere sparsumque caedere.
[4] When the Sabines levied a large army, left their own territory, and invaded ours, Manius Curius by secret routes sent against them a force which ravaged their lands and villages and set fire to them in divers places. In order to avert this destruction of their country, the Sabines thereupon withdrew. But Curius succeeded in devastating their country while it was unguarded, in repelling their army without an engagement, and then in slaughtering it piecemeal.
[5] T. Didius, paucitate suorum diffidens, cum in adventum earum legionum, quas exspectabat, traheret bellum et occurrere eis hostem comperisset, contione advocata aptari iussit milites ad pugnam ac de industria neglegentius custodiri captivos. Ex quibus pauci, qui profugerant, nuntiaverunt suis pugnam imminere; et illi, ne sub exspectatione proelii diducerent viris, omiserunt occurrere eis, quibus insidiabantur; legiones tutissime nullo excipiente ad Didium pervenerunt.
[5] Titus Didius at one time lacked confidence because of the small number of his troops, but continued the war in hope of the arrival of certain legions which he was awaiting. On hearing that the enemy planned to attack these legions, he called an assembly of the soldiers and ordered them to get ready for battle, and purposely to exercise a careless supervision over their prisoners. As a result, a few of the latter escaped and reported to their people that battle was imminent. The enemy, to avoid dividing their strength when expecting battle, abandoned their plan of attacking those for whom they were lying in wait, so that the legions arrived without hindrance and in perfect safety at the camp of Didius.
[6] Bello Punico quaedam civitates, quae a Romanis deficere ad Poenos destinaverant, cum obsides dedissent, quos recipere, antequam desciscerent, studebant, simulaverunt seditionem inter finitimos ortam, quam Romanorum legati dirimere deberent, missosque eos velut contraria pignora retinuerunt nec ante reddiderunt, quam ipsi reciperarent suos.
[6] In the Punic War certain cities had resolved to revolt from the Romans to the Carthaginians, but wishing, before they revolted, to recover the hostages they had given, they pretended that an uprising had broken ou
t among their neighbours which Roman commissioners ought to come and suppress. When the Romans sent these envoys, the cities detained them as counter-pledges, and refused to restore them until they themselves recovered their own hostages.
[7] Legati Romanorum, cum missi essent ad Antiochum regem, qui secum Hannibalem victis iam Carthaginiensibus habebat consiliumque eius adversus Romanos instruebat, crebris cum Hannibale colloquiis effecerunt, ut is regi fieret suspectus, cui gratissimus alioquin et utilis erat propter calliditatem et peritiam bellandi.
[7] After defeat of the Carthaginians, King Antiochus sheltered Hannibal and utilized his counsel against the Romans. When Roman envoys were sent to Antiochus, they held frequent conferences with Hannibal, and thus caused him to become an object of suspicion to the king, to whom he was otherwise most agreeable and useful, in consequence of his cleverness and experience in war.
[8] Q. Metellus adversus Iugurtham bellum gerens missos ad se legatos eius corrupit, ut sibi proderent regem; cum et alii venissent, idem fecit; eodem consilio usus est et adversus tertios. Sed de captivitate Iugurthae res parum processit; vivum enim tradi sibi volebat. Plurimum tamen consecutus est, nam cum interceptae fuissent epistulae eius ad regios amicos scriptae, in omnis eos rex animadvertit spoliatusque consiliis amicos postea parare non potuit.
[8] When Quintus Metellus was waging war against Jugurtha, he bribed the envoys sent him to betray the king into his hands. When other envoys came, he did the same; and with a third embassy he adopted the same policy. But his efforts to take Jugurtha prisoner met with small success, for Metellus wished the king to be delivered into his hands alive. And yet he accomplished a great deal, for when his letters addressed to the friends of the king were intercepted, the king punished all these men, and, being thus deprived of advisers, was unable to secure any friends for the future.
[9] C. Caesar, per exceptum quendam aquatorem cum comperisset Afranium Petreiumque castra noctu moturos, ut citra vexationem suorum hostilia impediret consilia, initio statim noctis vasa conclamare milites et praeter adversariorum castra agi mulos cum fremitu et sono iussit; continuere se, quos retentos volebat, arbitrati castra Caesarem movere.
[9] Gaius Caesar on one occasion caught a soldier who had gone to procure water, and learned from him that Afranius and Petreius planned to break camp that night. In order to hamper the plans of the enemy, and yet not cause alarm to his own troops, Caesar early in the evening gave orders to sound the signal for breaking camp, and commanded mules to be driven past the camp of the enemy with noise and shouting. Thinking that Caesar was breaking camp, his adversaries stayed where they were, precisely as Caesar desired.
[10] Scipio Africanus ad excipienda auxilia cum commeatibus Hannibali venientia Minucium Thermum dimisit, ipse subventurus.
[10] When, on one occasion, reinforcements and provisions were on the way to Hannibal, Scipio, wishing to intercept these, sent ahead Minucius Thermus, and arranged to come himself to lend his support.
[11] Dionysius, Syracusanorum tyrannus, cum Afri ingenti multitudine traiecturi essent in Siciliam ad eum oppugnandum, castella pluribus locis communiit custodibusque praecepit, ut ea advenienti hosti dederent dimissique Syracusas occulte redirent. Afris necesse fuit capta castella praesidio obtinere; quos Dionysius, redactos ad quam voluerat paucitatem, paene iam par numero adgressus vicit, cum suos contraxisset et adversarios sparsisset.
[11] When the Africans were planning to cross over to Sicily in vast numbers in order to attack Dionysius, tyrant of Syracuse, the latter constructed strongholds in many places and commanded their defenders to surrender them at the coming of the enemy, and then, when they retired, to return secretly to Syracuse. The Africans were forced to occupy the captured strongholds with garrisons, whereupon Dionysius, having reduced the army of his opponents to the scanty number which he desired, and being now approximately on an equality, attacked and defeated them, since he had concentrated his own forces, and had separated those of his adversaries.
[12] Agesilaus Lacedaemonius, cum inferret bellum Tissaphernae, Cariam se petere simulavit, quasi aptius locis montuosis adversus hostem equitatu praevalentem pugnaturus. Per hanc consilii ostentationem avocato in Cariam Tissapherne, ipse Lydiam, ubi caput hostium regni erat, irrupit oppressisque, qui illic agebant, pecunia regia potitus est.
[12] When Agesilaus, the Spartan, was waging war against Tissaphernes, he pretended to make for Caria, as though likely to fight more advantageously in mountainous districts against an enemy strong in cavalry. When he had advertised to this purpose, and had thus drawn Tissaphernes off to Caria, he himself invaded Lydia, where the capital the enemy’s kingdom was situated, and having crushed those in command at that place, he obtained possession of the king’s treasure.
IX. De Seditione Militum Compescenda
IX. On Quelling a Mutiny of Soldiers
[1] Aulus Manlius consul, cum comperisset coniurasse milites in hibernis Campaniae, ut iugulatis hospitibus ipsi res invaderent eorum, rumorem sparsit, eodem loco hibernaturos; atque ita dilato coniuratorum consilio Campaniam periculo liberavit et ex occasione nocentes puniit.
[1] When the consul, Aulus Manlius, had learned that the soldiers had formed a plot in their winter-quarters in Campania to murder their hosts and seize their property, he disseminated the report that they would winter next season in the same place. Having thus postponed the plans of the conspirators, he rescued Campania from peril, and, so soon as occasion offered, inflicted punishment on the guilty.
[2] L. Sulla, cum legiones civium Romanorum perniciosa seditione furerent, consilio restituit sanitatem efferatis. Propere enim annuntiari iussit, hostem adesse, et ad arma vocantium clamorem tolli, signa canere. Discussa seditio est universis adversus hostem consentientibus.
[2] When on one occasion legions of Roman soldiers had broken out in a dangerous mutiny, Lucius Sulla shrewdly restored sanity to the frenzied troops; for he ordered a sudden announcement to be made that the enemy were at hand, bidding a shout to be raised by those summoning the men to arms, and the trumpets to be sounded. Thus the mutiny was broken up by the union of all forces against the foe.
[3] Cn. Pompeius, trucidato ab exercitu Mediolani senatu, ne tumultum moveret, si solos evocasset nocentes, mixtos eis qui extra delictum erant, venire iussit. Ita et noxii minore cum metu, quia non segregati ideoque non ex causa culpae videbantur arcessiri, paruerunt et illi, quibus integra erat conscientia, custodiendis quoque nocentibus attenderunt, ne illorum fuga inquinarentur.
[3] When the senate of Milan had been massacred by Pompey’s troops, Pompey, fearing that he might cause a mutiny if he should call out the guilty alone, ordered certain ones who were innocent to come interspersed among the others. In this way the guilty came with less fear, because they had not been singled out, and so did not seem to be sent for in consequence of any wrong-doing; while those whose conscience was clear kept watch on the guilty, lest by the escape of these the innocent should be disgraced.
[4] C. Caesar, cum quaedam legiones eius seditionem movissent, adeo ut in perniciem quoque ducis viderentur consurrecturae, dissimulato metu processit ad milites postulantibusque missionem ultro minaci vultu dedit. Exauctoratos paenitentia coegit satisfacere imperatori obsequentioresque in reliqua opera se dare.
[4] When certain legions of Gaius Caesar mutinied, and in such a way as to seem to threaten even the life of their commander, he concealed his fear, and, advancing straight to the soldiers, with grim visage, readily granted discharge to those asking it. But these men were no sooner discharged than penitence forced them to apologize to their commander and to pledge themselves to greater loyalty in future enterprises.
X. Quemadmodum Intempestiva Postulatio Pugnae Inhibeatur
X. How to Check an Unseasonable Demand for Battle
[1] Q. Sertorius, quod experimento didicerat imparem se universo Romanorum exercitui, ut barbaros quoque inconsulte pugnam exposcentes doceret, adductis in conspectum duobus equis, praevalido alteri, alteri admodum exili duos admovit iuvenes similiter affect
os, robustum et gracilem. Ac robustiori imperavit equo exili universam caudam abrumpere, gracili autem valentiorem per singulos pilos vellere. Cumque gracilis fecisset, quod imperatum erat, validissimus cum infirmi equi cauda sine effectu luctaretur, “naturam”, inquit Sertorius, “Romanarum cohortium per hoc vobis exemplum ostendi, milites; insuperabiles sunt universas adgredienti; easdem lacerabit et carpet, qui per partes attemptaverit.”
[1] After Quintus Sertorius had learned by experience that he was by no means a match for the whole Roman army, in order to prove this to the barbarians also, who were rashly demanding battle, he brought into their presence two horses, one very strong, the other very feeble. Then he brought up two youths of corresponding physique, one robust, the other slight. The stronger youth was commanded to pull out the entire tail of the feeble horse, while the slight youth was commanded to pull out the hairs of the strong horse one by one. Then, when the slight youth had succeeded in his task, while the strong one was still vainly struggling with the tail of the weak horse, Sertorius observed: “By this illustration I have exhibited to you, my men, the nature of the Roman cohorts. They are invincible to him who attacks them in a body; yet he who assails them by groups will tear and rend them.”