44.38
The
consul addressed the council as follows: "Out of all those who were in
favour of my giving battle yesterday, P. Nasica, a most excellent young man,
was the only one who disclosed his real thoughts to me, and after that he
remained silent, so that it would seem that he has come over to my side.
There are some others who preferred to find fault with their commander
behind his back rather than offer their advice in his presence. I have no
objection to giving my reasons for delaying battle to you, Nasica, and to all
who entertain the same sentiments as you did, though less openly, for I am
so far from regretting our inaction yesterday that I believe I have saved the
army through it. If any of you think that I have no grounds for this belief, I
ask him to consider with me, if he will, how many things there were in the
enemy's favour and to our disadvantage. First of all, as to his superiority in
numbers, I am perfectly certain that none of you were unaware how great
that is and especially yesterday when you watched his men deploying into
line. Out of our own scanty numbers one-fourth had been left to guard the
baggage, and you know that it is not the least efficient who are left in charge
of that. But supposing we had been in full force, are we to take no account
of the fact that we have remained undisturbed in the camp last night, ready
with the help of the gods to take the field this very day or, at the latest,
tomorrow? Is it a matter of indifference whether you order the soldier to
take up his arms on a day when he has not been fatigued by a toilsome march
and the labour of intrenching the camp, when he has been resting
undisturbed in his tent, and so lead him into battle full of energy and
vigorous in body and mind, or whether on the other hand you expose him
fatigued by a long march and exhausted by the work of preparing the camp,
with the sweat pouring from him and his jaws parched with thirst, his mouth
and eyes full of dust, under a scorching noonday sun, to an enemy who is
fresh, rested and bringing into battle a strength and energy which have not
been used up beforehand? Who, in heaven's name, being thus prepared for
battle, even though he were an utter coward, would not conquer the bravest
of men? After the enemy had, quite at their leisure, formed their line, their
minds prepared for battle, and all standing in their ordered ranks, do you
suppose that we were then to form our line in haste and confusion and meet
them when we were in disorder?
