Liv. 22.24.1Rōmānus tunc exercitus in agrō Lārīnātī erat.The Roman army was then in the territory of Larinum. Liv. 22.24.1Praeerat Minucius magister equitum profectō, sīcut ante dictum est, ad urbem dictātōre.Minucius, the master of the horse, was in command, the dictator having set out, as was said before, for the city. Liv. 22.24.2Cēterum castra, quae in monte altō ac tūtō locō posita fuerant, iam in plānum dēferuntur, agitābanturque prō ingeniō ducis cōnsilia calidiōra, ut impetus aut in frūmentātōrēs pālātōs aut in castra relicta cum levī praesidiō fieret.But the camp, which had been placed on a high mountain in a safe position, is now brought down onto the plain, and hotter plans, in keeping with the commander's temper, were being discussed, for an attack either on the scattered foragers or on the camp left with a light garrison. Liv. 22.24.3Nec Hannibalem fefellit cum duce mūtātam esse bellī ratiōnem et ferōcius quam cōnsultius rem hostēs gestūrōs.Nor did it escape Hannibal that the conduct of the war had changed with the commander and that the enemy would act more boldly than wisely. Liv. 22.24.4Ipse autem, quod minimē quis crēderet, cum hostis propius esset, tertiam partem mīlitum frūmentātum duābus in castrīs retentīs dīmīsit, Dein castra ipsa propius hostem mōvit duo ferme ā Gereoniō mīlia in tumulum hostī cōnspectum, ut intentum sē scīret esse ad frūmentātōrēs, sī qua vīs fieret, tūtandōs.He himself, however, though one would hardly believe it, with the enemy nearer, sent a third of his soldiers off to forage, keeping two thirds in camp; then he moved the camp itself nearer the enemy, about two miles from Gereonium, onto a hillock in the enemy's view, so that they might know he was ready to protect the foragers if any attack were made.
Liv. 22.24.6Propior inde eī atque ipsīs imminēns Rōmānōrum castrīs tumulus appāruit;From there a hill came into view nearer to him and overlooking the Roman camp itself; Liv. 22.24.6ad quem capiendum sī lūce palam īrētur, quia haud dubiē hostis breviōre viā praeventūrus erat, nocte clam missī Numidae cēpērunt.since, if they went to seize it openly by daylight, the enemy would undoubtedly forestall them by a shorter route, Numidians were sent secretly by night and seized it. Liv. 22.24.7Quōs tenentīs locum contemptā paucitāte Rōmānī posterō diē cum dēiēcissent, ipsī eō trānsferunt castra.When the Romans, despising their small numbers, had dislodged them from the position the next day, they themselves move their camp there. Liv. 22.24.8Tum utique exiguum spatiī vallum ā vallō aberat, et id ipsum tōtum prope complēverat Rōmāna aciēs.Then indeed only a small space separated rampart from rampart, and that very space the Roman line had almost entirely filled. Liv. 22.24.8Simul et per āversa castra equitātus cum levī armātūrā ēmissus in frūmentātōrēs lātē caedem fugamque hostium pālātōrum fēcit.At the same time the cavalry with the light-armed troops, sent out through the rear of the camp against the foragers, caused slaughter and flight far and wide among the scattered enemy.
Liv. 22.24.9Nec aciē certāre Hannibal ausus, quia tantā paucitāte vix castra, sī oppugnārentur, tūtārī poterat.Nor did Hannibal dare to fight a pitched battle, because with so few men he could scarcely protect his camp if it were attacked. Liv. 22.24.9Iamque artibus Fabiī , sedendō et cūnctandō, bellum gerēbat recēperatque suōs in priōra castra, quae prō Gereonī moenibus erant.And now he was waging war by the arts of Fabius, by sitting still and delaying, and had withdrawn his men to his former camp, which was before the walls of Gereonium. Liv. 22.24.10Iūstā quoque aciē et collātīs signīs dīmicātum quīdam auctōrēs sunt: prīmō concursū Poenum ūsque ad castra fūsum, inde ēruptiōne factā repente versum terrōrem in Rōmānōs, Numerī Decimī Samnītis deinde interventū proelium restitūtum.Some authorities state that there was also a fight in regular line with standards joined: at the first clash the Carthaginian was routed right up to his camp, then a sortie was made and panic suddenly turned upon the Romans, and the battle was then restored by the arrival of Numerius Decimius the Samnite.
Liv. 22.24.12Hunc, prīncipem genere ac dīvitiīs nōn Boviānī modo, unde erat, sed tōtō Samniō, iussū dictātōris octō mīlia peditum et equitēs quīngentōs dūcentem in castra, ab tergō cum appāruisset Hannibalī, speciem partī utrīque praebuisse novī praesidiī cum Q. Fabiō ab Rōmā venientis.This man, foremost in birth and wealth not only at Bovianum, where he came from, but in all Samnium, was leading eight thousand infantry and five hundred cavalry to the camp by order of the dictator, and when he appeared at Hannibal's rear he gave both sides the impression of a fresh force coming from Rome with Quintus Fabius. Liv. 22.24.13Hannibalem īnsidiārum quoque aliquid timentem recēpisse suōs, Rōmānum īnsecūtum adiuvante Samnīte duo castella eō diē expugnāsse.Hannibal, fearing some ambush as well, withdrew his men, and the Roman, following up with the help of the Samnite, stormed two forts that day. Liv. 22.24.14Sex mīlia hostium caesa, quīnque admodum Rōmānōrum;Six thousand of the enemy were slain, and fully five thousand of the Romans; Liv. 22.24.14tamen in tam parī prope clāde vānam fāmam ēgregiae victōriae cum vāniōribus litterīs magistrī equitum Rōmam perlātam.yet, though the losses were so nearly equal, an empty report of a splendid victory was carried to Rome, together with an even emptier letter from the master of the horse.