ommending to the senate to raise another army, which might be a
reserve to the state against the sudden contingencies of war. He
himself, after sufficiently preparing and arranging every thing,
proceeds towards the enemy; and in order to ascertain their strength
before he should hazard a decisive action, he commenced drawing an
intrenchment on a hill, the nearest he could select to the camp of the
Gauls. They being a fierce race and of an eager turn for fighting, when,
on descrying the standards of the Romans at a distance, they drew out
their forces, as expecting to commence the battle forthwith, when they
perceived that neither the opposite army descended into the plain, and
that the Romans were protected both by the height of the ground and also
by the entrenchments, supposing that they were dismayed with fear, and
also more exposed to attack, because they were intent on the work, they
advance with a furious shout. On the side of the Romans neither the
works were interrupted, (it was the triarii who were employed at them,)
but the battle was commenced by the hastati and the principes, who stood
in front of the workmen armed and prepared for the fight. Besides their
own valour, the higher ground aided them, so that all the spears and
javelins did not fall ineffectual, as when thrown on the same level, (as
is generally the case,) but being steadied by their own weight they took
effect; and the Gauls weighed down by the weapons, with which they had
their bodies transfixed, or their shields rendered too cumbrous by those
sticking in them. When they advanced almost up the steep at a run,
becoming irresolute, they at first halted; then when the very delay
shook the courage of the one party, and raised that of the enemy, being
then pushed backwards they fell one upon the other, and produced a
carnage among themselves more shocking than the carnage [caused by the
enemy]. For more were crushed by the precipitate rout, than there were
slain by the sword.

24. Nor as yet was the victory decided in favour of the Romans; another
difficulty still was remaining for them after they had descended into
the plain; for the great numbers of the Gauls being such as to prevent
all feeling of such a disaster, raised up fresh troops against the
victorious enemy, as if a new army rose up once more. And the Romans
stood still, suppressing their ardour; both because the struggle had to
be undergone a second time by them wearied as they were, and