1 Asculum, a town in Apulia on the borders of Samnium, between Beneventum and Canusium.
3 exoleverat = had grown less (lit. had grown out of use).
6 in turres vibratae faces = firebrands hurled against their towers.
8 dirimeret = separated (the combatants).
The Battle of Asculum. It is clear that Pyrrhus was again victorious, but the Romans were able to retire into their fortified camp, and so lost fewer men than at Heraclea.
[B.] The Battle near Beneventum, 275 B.C.
Lucaniae suprema pugna sub Arusinis, quos vocant, campis ducibus isdem quibus superius; sed tum tota victoria. Exitum, quem datura virtus fuit, casus dedit. Nam provectis in primam aciem rursus elephantis unum ex his pullum adacti in caput teli 15 gravis ictus avertit; qui cum per stragem suorum recurrens stridore quereretur, mater agnovit et quasi vindicaret exsiluit, tum omnia circa quasi hostilia gravi mole permiscuit. Ac sic eaedem ferae, quae primam victoriam abstulerunt, secundam parem 20 fecerunt, tertiam sine controversia tradiderunt.
Florus, I. xviii. 9-13.
11-12 Lucaniae . . . campis. The Battle was fought near Beneventum (orig. Male-ventum, perhaps from male + ventus on account of its unwholesome air) in Samnium on the Via Appia, E. of Capua.
15-16 unum ex his . . . avertit = the heavy stroke of a weapon driven home (adacti) into the head of a young elephant (pullum) made it turn aside.