Liv. 2.45.1Cōnsulēs quoque Rōmānī nihil aliud quam suās vīrēs, sua arma horrēbant.The Roman consuls, too, dreaded nothing other than their own strength, their own arms. Liv. 2.45.2Memoria pessimī proximō bellō exemplī terrēbat, nē rem committerent eō, ubi duae simul aciēs timendae essent.The memory of the very bad example set in the last war frightened them from risking a battle in circumstances where two battle lines were to be feared at once. Liv. 2.45.2Itaque castrīs sē tenēbant, tam ancipitī perīculō āversī: diem tempusque forsitan ipsum lēnītūrum īrās sānitātemque animīs adlātūrum.And so they kept within their camp, turning away from so double-edged a danger: time and circumstance themselves would perhaps soften the anger and bring sanity to their minds. Liv. 2.45.3Vēiēns hostis Etrūscīque eō magis praeproperē agere;The Veientine enemy and the Etruscans acted all the more precipitately for that; Liv. 2.45.3lacessere ad pugnam prīmō obequitandō castrīs prōvocandōque, postrēmō, ut nihil movēbant, quā cōnsulēs ipsōs, quā exercitum increpandō: simulātiōnem intestīnae discordiae remedium timōris inventum, et cōnsulēs magis nōn cōnfīdere quam nōn crēdere suīs mīlitibus;they provoked them to battle, first by riding up to the camp and issuing challenges, finally, when this had no effect, by abusing now the consuls themselves, now the army: the pretence of internal discord had been devised as a cure for fear, and the consuls distrusted their soldiers rather than disbelieved them; Liv. 2.45.4novum sēditiōnis genus, silentium ōtiumque inter armātōs.this was a new kind of mutiny — silence and idleness among armed men.
Liv. 2.45.4Ad haec in novitātem generis orīginisque quā falsa, quā vēra iacere.Besides this they hurled taunts, some false, some true, at the newness of their race and origin. Liv. 2.45.5Haec cum sub ipsō vallō portīsque streperent, haud aegrē cōnsulēs patī;While they made this din right under the rampart and the gates, the consuls bore it without much distress; Liv. 2.45.5at inperītae multitūdinī nunc indignātiō, nunc pudor pectora versāre et ab intestīnīs āvertere malīs: nōlle inultōs hostēs, nōlle successum nōn patribus, nōn cōnsulibus;but the hearts of the unskilled multitude were stirred now by indignation, now by shame, and turned away from their internal ills: they did not want the enemy to go unpunished, nor did they want success for the senators or for the consuls; Liv. 2.45.5externa et domestica odia certāre in animīs.foreign and domestic hatreds strove together in their minds. Liv. 2.45.6Tandem superant externa;At last the foreign prevail; Liv. 2.45.6adeō superbē īnsolenterque hostis ēlūdēbat.so arrogantly and insolently was the enemy mocking them. Liv. 2.45.6Frequentēs in praetōrium conveniunt;They gather in crowds at the general's tent; Liv. 2.45.6poscunt pugnam, postulant, ut signum dētur.they demand battle, they insist that the signal be given.
Liv. 2.45.7Cōnsulēs velut dēlīberābundī capita cōnferunt, diū conloquuntur.The consuls put their heads together as though deliberating, and confer for a long time. Liv. 2.45.7Pugnāre cupiēbant, sed retrō revocanda et abdenda cupiditās erat, ut adversandō remorandōque incitātō semel mīlitī adderent impetum.They were eager to fight, but that eagerness had to be held back and concealed, so that by opposing and delaying they might add impetus to the soldiers once they had been roused. Liv. 2.45.8Redditur respōnsum inmātūram rem agī, nōndum tempus pugnae esse;The reply is given that the matter is premature, that it is not yet time for battle; Liv. 2.45.8castrīs sē tenērent.they should keep within the camp. Liv. 2.45.8Ēdīcunt inde, ut abstineant pugnā: sī quis iniussū pugnāverit, ut in hostem animadversūrōs.They then issue an edict that they abstain from fighting: if anyone fought without orders, they would punish him as an enemy. Liv. 2.45.9Ita dīmissīs, quō minus cōnsulēs velle crēdunt, crēscit ardor pugnandī.When the men had been dismissed in this way, their ardour for fighting grows the less they believe the consuls want it.
Liv. 2.45.9Accendunt īnsuper hostēs ferōcius multō, ut statuisse nōn pugnāre cōnsulēs cognitum est: quippe inpūne sē īnsultātūrōs, nōn crēdī mīlitī arma, rem ad ultimum sēditiōnis ēruptūram, fīnemque vēnisse Rōmānō imperiō.The enemy inflame them further by coming on much more boldly, once it became known that the consuls had decided not to fight: they could insult them with impunity, they said, the soldiers were not trusted with arms, the matter would burst out into the extreme of mutiny, and the end had come for Roman power. Liv. 2.45.10Hīs frētī occursant portīs, ingerunt probra, aegrē abstinent, quīn castra oppugnent.Relying on this, they run up to the gates, heap abuse on them, and can barely refrain from attacking the camp. Liv. 2.45.10Enimvērō nōn ultrā contumēliam patī Rōmānus posse;Then indeed the Romans could bear the insults no longer; Liv. 2.45.11tōtīs castrīs undique ad cōnsulēs curritur;from all over the camp men run to the consuls from every side; Liv. 2.45.11nōn iam sēnsim, ut ante, per centuriōnum prīncipēs postulant, sed passim omnēs clamōribus agunt.no longer gradually, as before, through the leading centurions do they make their demands, but all of them everywhere press with shouts.
Liv. 2.45.11Mātūra rēs erat;The matter was ripe; Liv. 2.45.11tergiversantur tamen.still they hold back. Liv. 2.45.12Fabius deinde, ad crēscentem tumultum iam metū sēditiōnis collēgā concēdente, cum silentium classicō fēcisset: "ego istōs, Cn. Mānlī, posse vincere sciō;Then Fabius, as his colleague was now giving way before the growing uproar for fear of mutiny, having obtained silence with a trumpet call, said: 'I know, Gnaeus Manlius, that these men can conquer; Liv. 2.45.13velle nē scīrem, ipsī fēcērunt.whether they are willing, they themselves have kept me from knowing. Liv. 2.45.13Itaque certum atque dēcrētum est nōn dare signum, nisi victōrēs sē reditūrōs ex hāc pugnā iūrant.And so it is fixed and decided not to give the signal unless they swear that they will return victorious from this battle. Liv. 2.45.13Cōnsulem Rōmānum mīles semel in aciē fefellit, deōs numquam fallet."Once a soldier has deceived a Roman consul in battle; the gods he will never deceive.' Liv. 2.45.13Centuriō erat M. Flāvoleius, inter prīmōrēs pugnae flāgitātor.There was a centurion, Marcus Flavoleius, among the foremost in demanding battle. Liv. 2.45.14"Victor" inquit, "M. Fabī, revertar ex aciē."'Victorious, Marcus Fabius,' he said, 'I will return from the field.' Liv. 2.45.14Sī fallat, Iovem patrem Grādīvumque Mārtem aliōsque īrātōs invocat deōs.If he broke his word, he called down upon himself the wrath of Father Jupiter, Mars Gradivus and the other gods.
Liv. 2.45.14Idem deinceps omnis exercitus in sē quisque iūrat.Then the whole army, each man for himself, swears the same oath. Liv. 2.45.14Iūrātīs datur signum;When they have sworn, the signal is given; Liv. 2.45.14arma capiunt;they take up arms; Liv. 2.45.14eunt in pugnam īrārum speīque plēnī.they go into battle full of anger and hope. Liv. 2.45.14Nunc iubent Etrūscōs probra iacere, nunc armātī sibi quisque linguā promptum hostem offerrī.Now they bid the Etruscans hurl their insults, now they bid the enemy, so ready with his tongue, face each of them armed. Liv. 2.45.16Omnium illō diē, quā plēbis, quā patrum, eximia virtūs fuit;On that day the valour of all, plebeians and patricians alike, was outstanding; Liv. 2.45.16Fabium nōmen maximē ēnituit.the Fabian name shone out above all. Liv. 2.45.16Multīs cīvīlibus certāminibus īnfēnsōs plēbis animōs illā pugnā sibi reconciliāre statuunt.The Fabii resolve in that battle to win back to themselves the feelings of the plebs, embittered by many civil contests.