THE INVASION OF THE GAULS, 390 B.C. (2)
[A.] The Battle of the Allia (cont.)
Parumper subsidiarios tutatus est locus; in reliqua acie simul est clamor proximis ab latere, ultimis ab tergo auditus, ignotum hostem prius paene quam viderent, non modo non temptato certamine sed ne clamore quidem reddito integri intactique 5 fugerunt; nec ulla caedes pugnantium fuit; terga caesa suomet ipsorum certamine in turba impedientium fugam. Circa ripam Tiberis, quo armis abiectis totum sinistrum cornu refugit, magna strages facta est, multosque imperitos nandi aut invalidos, 10 graves loricis aliisque tegminibus, hausere gurgites. Maxima tamen pars incolumis Veios perfugit, unde non modo praesidii quicquam, sed ne nuntius quidem cladis Romam est missus. Ab dextro cornu, quod procul a flumine et magis sub monte steterat, 15 Romam omnes petiere et ne clausis quidem portis urbis in arcem confugerunt.
Livy, v. 38.
2-3 simul (= simul ac) . . . auditus = as soon as the shout was heard, by those nearest on the flank, by the most distant in the rear.
‘Proximi denotes the Romans on the right wing, who were the first to be attacked; the Gauls after routing them pressed on to the rear of the Romans and attacked the centre and left wing (ultimi) from behind.’—Whibley.
7-8 suomet . . . fugam = as they hindered their own flight by their struggling with one another in the crush.
11 graves = weighed down with, equivalent to a pass. partic.
hausere gurgites = the currents sucked down.—W
15 sub monte, i.e. the Colles Crustumini, which run parallel to the South bank of the Tiber.