Liv. 21.55.1Hannibalis interim mīles ignibus ante tentōria factīs oleōque per manipulōs, ut mollīrent artūs, missō et cibō per ōtium captō, ubi trānsgressōs flūmen hostīs nūntiātum est, alacer animīs corporibusque arma capit atque in aciem prōcēdit.Hannibal's soldiers meanwhile, having made fires in front of their tents, with oil sent round the maniples to make their limbs supple, and having taken their food at leisure, on the news that the enemy had crossed the river, take up their arms, eager in mind and body, and advance into line. Liv. 21.55.2Baliārēs locat ante signa levemque aliam armātūram, octō ferme mīlia hominum, Dein graviōrem armīs peditem, quod vīrium, quod rōboris erat;He places the Balearians and the other light-armed troops in front of the standards, about eight thousand men, then the more heavily armed infantry, all the strength and the core of his army; Liv. 21.55.2in cornibus circumfūdit decem mīlia equitum, et ab cornibus in utramque partem dīvīsōs elephantōs statuit.on the wings he spread ten thousand cavalry, and beyond the wings he stationed the elephants, divided between the two sides. Liv. 21.55.3Cōnsul effūsē sequentīs equitēs, cum ab resistentibus subitō Numidīs incautī exciperentur, signō receptuī datō revocātōs circumdedit peditibus.The consul, since his cavalry, pursuing in disorder, were caught off guard by the Numidians suddenly turning to resist, gave the signal for retreat, recalled them and placed them round the infantry.
Liv. 21.55.4Duodēvīgintī mīlia Rōmāna erant, socium nōminis Latīnī vīgintī, auxilia praetereā Cenomanōrum;There were eighteen thousand Romans, twenty thousand allies of the Latin name, and in addition auxiliaries of the Cenomani; Liv. 21.55.4ea sōla in fidē mānserat Gallica gēns.that was the only Gallic people that had remained loyal. Liv. 21.55.4Iīs cōpiīs concursum est.With these forces they joined battle. Liv. 21.55.5Proelium ā Baliāribus ortum est;The battle was begun by the Balearians; Liv. 21.55.5quibus cum maiōre rōbore legiōnēs obsisterent, dīducta properē in cornua levis armātūra est, quae rēs effēcit, ut equitātus Rōmānus extemplō urgērētur.since the legions opposed them with greater strength, the light-armed troops were hastily drawn off to the wings, and this caused the Roman cavalry to be hard pressed at once. Liv. 21.55.6Nam cum vix iam per sē resisterent decem mīlibus equitum quattuor mīlia et fessī integrīs plērīsque, obrutī sunt īnsuper velut nūbe iaculōrum ā Baliāribus coniectā.For since four thousand could scarcely hold out on their own against ten thousand cavalry, tired men against men mostly fresh, they were overwhelmed besides by what was like a cloud of javelins hurled by the Balearians. Liv. 21.55.7Ad hoc elephantī ēminentēs ab extrēmīs cornibus, equīs maximē nōn vīsū modo sed odōre īnsolitō territīs, fugam lātē faciēbant.In addition the elephants, towering at the ends of the wings, caused widespread flight, the horses above all being terrified not only by their appearance but by their unfamiliar smell.
Liv. 21.55.8Pedestris pugna pār animīs magis quam vīribus erat, quās recentīs Poenus paulō ante cūrātīs corporibus in proelium attulerat;The infantry fight was equal in spirit rather than in strength, which the Carthaginian had brought fresh into battle, having refreshed their bodies shortly before; Liv. 21.55.8contrā iēiūna fessaque corpora Rōmānīs et rigentia gelū torpēbant.the Romans, on the other hand, had bodies that were fasting and weary and numb, stiff with cold. Liv. 21.55.8Restitissent tamen animīs, sī cum pedite sōlum foret pugnātum;Still, they would have held out by courage, if the fight had been with infantry alone; Liv. 21.55.9sed et Baleārēs pulsō equite iaculābantur in latera et elephantī iam in mediam peditum aciem sēsē intulerant et Magō Numidaeque, simul latebrās eōrum inprōvida praeterlāta aciēs est, exortī ab tergō ingentem tumultum ac terrōrem fēcēre.but the Balearians, having routed the cavalry, were hurling javelins at their flanks, the elephants had already thrust themselves into the middle of the infantry line, and Mago and the Numidians, as soon as the line had passed their hiding-place unawares, rose up behind it and caused huge confusion and terror.
Liv. 21.55.10Tamen in tot circumstantibus malīs mānsit aliquamdiū immōta aciēs, maximē praeter spem omnium adversus elephantōs.Yet amid so many evils surrounding it, the line stood unmoved for some time, most of all, contrary to everyone's expectation, against the elephants. Liv. 21.55.11Eōs vēlitēs ad id ipsum locātī verūtīs coniectīs et āvertēre et īnsecūtī āversōs sub caudīs, quā māxumē mollī cute vulnera accipiunt, fodiēbant.The skirmishers, posted for this very purpose, turned them back by hurling darts, and pursuing them as they turned, stabbed them under their tails, where they take wounds most easily owing to the soft skin.