Liv. 21.57.1Rōmam tantus terror ex hāc clāde perlātus est, ut iam ad urbem Rōmānam crēderent īnfestīs signīs hostem ventūrum, nec quicquam speī aut auxiliī esse, quō portīs moenibusque vim arcērent: ūnō cōnsule ad Ticīnum victō alterum ex Siciliā revocātum;Such terror at this disaster reached Rome that they believed the enemy would soon march on the city of Rome with hostile standards, and that there was no hope or help by which they could keep his assault from the gates and walls: one consul had been beaten at the Ticinus, the other recalled from Sicily; Liv. 21.57.2duōbus cōnsulibus, duōbus cōnsulāribus exercitibus victīs quōs aliōs ducēs, quās aliās legiōnēs esse, quae arcessantur?now that two consuls and two consular armies had been beaten, what other generals, what other legions were there to be summoned? Liv. 21.57.3Ita territīs Semprōnius cōnsul advēnit, ingentī perīculō per effūsōs passim ad praedandum hostium equitēs audāciā magis quam cōnsiliō aut spē fallendī resistendīve, sī nōn falleret, trānsgressus.While they were thus terrified, the consul Sempronius arrived, having passed at great danger through the enemy's cavalry, scattered everywhere for plunder, by boldness rather than by design or any hope of escaping notice, or of resisting if he did not escape it.
Liv. 21.57.4Inde, quod ūnum maximē in praesentiā dēsīderābātur, comitiīs cōnsulāribus habitīs in hīberna rediit.Then, having held the consular elections, which was the one thing most needed at present, he returned to winter quarters. Liv. 21.57.4Creātī cōnsulēs Cn. Servīlius et C. Flāminius iterum.Gnaeus Servilius and Gaius Flaminius, for the second time, were elected consuls. Liv. 21.57.5Cēterum nē hīberna quidem Rōmānīs quiēta erant vagantibus passim Numidīs equitibus et, ut quaeque iīs impedītiōra erant, Celtiberīs Lūsītānīsque.But not even winter quarters were quiet for the Romans, as Numidian cavalry roamed everywhere and, where the ground was more difficult for them, Celtiberians and Lusitanians. Liv. 21.57.5Omnēs igitur undique clausī commeātūs erant, nisi quōs Padō nāvēs subveherent.All supplies from every direction were therefore cut off, except those that ships brought up the Po. Liv. 21.57.6Emporium prope Placentiam fuit et opere magnō mūnītum et validō firmātum praesidiō.There was a trading post near Placentia, both fortified with great works and strengthened by a strong garrison. Liv. 21.57.6Eius castellī oppugnandī spē cum equitibus ac levī armātūrā profectus Hannibal, cum plūrimum in cēlandō inceptō ad effectum speī habuisset, nocte adortus nōn fefellit vigilēs.Hannibal set out with his cavalry and light-armed troops in the hope of storming this stronghold, and since he had placed his chief hope of success in concealing the enterprise, he attacked by night, but did not elude the sentries.
Liv. 21.57.7Tantus repente clamor est sublātus, ut Placentiae quoque audīrētur.Such a shout was suddenly raised that it was heard even at Placentia. Liv. 21.57.7Itaque sub lūcem cum equitātū cōnsul aderat iussīs quadrātō agmine legiōnibus sequī.And so towards dawn the consul was there with the cavalry, having ordered the legions to follow in square formation. Liv. 21.57.8Equestre interim proelium commissum;Meanwhile a cavalry battle was joined; Liv. 21.57.8in quō quia saucius Hannibal pugnā excessit, pavōre hostibus iniectō dēfēnsum ēgregiē praesidium est.and in it, because Hannibal was wounded and withdrew from the fight, panic was struck into the enemy and the post was splendidly defended. Liv. 21.57.9Paucōrum inde diērum quiēte sūmptā et vixdum satis percūrātō vulnere ad Uictumulās oppugnandās īre pergit.Then, having taken a few days' rest, and with his wound scarcely yet properly healed, he goes on to attack Victumulae. Liv. 21.57.10Id emporium Rōmānīs Gallicō bellō fuerat;This had been a trading post for the Romans in the Gallic war; Liv. 21.57.10mūnītum inde locum frequentāverant adcolae mīxtī undique ex fīnitimīs populīs, et tum terror populātiōnum eō plērōsque ex agrīs conpulerat.after that, settlers mixed from all the neighbouring peoples had thronged to the fortified place, and at that time fear of the raids had driven most people there from the countryside.
Liv. 21.57.11Huius generis multitūdō fāmā inpigrē dēfēnsī ad Placentiam praesidiī accēnsa armīs arreptīs obviam Hannibalī prōcēdit.A crowd of this kind, fired by the report of the vigorous defence of the post near Placentia, seizes its arms and goes out to meet Hannibal. Liv. 21.57.12Magis agmina quam aciēs in viā concurrērunt, et cum ex alterā parte nihil praeter inconditam turbam esset, in alterā et dux mīlitī et mīles ducī fīdēns, ad trīgintā quīnque mīlia hominum ā paucīs fūsa.They clashed on the road as columns on the march rather than as battle lines, and since on one side there was nothing but an undisciplined mob, while on the other the general trusted his soldiers and the soldiers their general, about thirty-five thousand men were routed by a few. Liv. 21.57.13Posterō diē dēditiōne factā praesidium intrā moenia accēpēre;The next day they surrendered and received a garrison within their walls; Liv. 21.57.13iussīque arma trādere cum dictō pāruissent, signum repente victōribus datur, ut tamquam vī captam urbem dīriperent.and when, ordered to hand over their arms, they had obeyed the command, a signal is suddenly given to the victors to plunder the city as if it had been taken by storm.
Liv. 21.57.14Neque ūlla, quae in tālī rē memorābilis scrībentibus vidērī solet, praetermissa clādēs est: adeō omne libīdinis crūdēlitātisque et inhūmānae superbiae ēditum in miserōs exemplum est.Nor was any calamity omitted that writers usually think worth recording in such a case: so thoroughly was every example of lust, cruelty and inhuman arrogance displayed upon those wretched people. Liv. 21.57.14Hae fuēre hībernae expedītiōnēs Hannibalis.Such were Hannibal's winter campaigns.