33.
Then at length Titurius, as one who had provided nothing
beforehand, was confused, ran to and fro, and set about arranging his troops;
these very things, however, he did timidly and in such a manner that all
resources seemed to fail him: which generally happens to those who are compelled
to take council in the action itself. But Cotta, who
had reflected that these things might occur on the march, and on that account
had not been an adviser of the departure, was wanting to the common safety in no
respect; both in addressing and encouraging the soldiers, he performed the
duties of a general, and in the battle those of a soldier. And since they [Titurius and Cotta] could less
easily perform every thing by themselves, and provide what was to be done in
each place, by reason of the length of the line of march, they ordered [the
officers] to give the command that they should leave the baggage and form
themselves into an orb, which measure, though in a contingency of that nature it
was not to be condemned, still turned out unfortunately; for it both diminished
the hope of our soldiers and rendered the enemy more eager for the fight,
because it appeared that this was not done without the greatest fear and
despair. Besides that happened, which would necessarily be the case, that the
soldiers for the most part quitted their ensigns and hurried to seek and carry
off from the baggage whatever each thought valuable, and all parts were filled
with uproar and lamentation.
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