Ignoring his advice, they attacked Hannibal at a place called Cannae.

他们不听他的建议，在一个叫坎尼的地方攻打汉尼拔。

There they were decisively beaten: 40,000 dead on the Roman side.

罗马人遭到了毁灭性的打击：死了4万罗马人。

This battle, which took place in 217 BC, was their bloodiest defeat.

这场发生在公元 前217年的战役是他们最可怕的失败。

Yet despite his victory Hannibal did not march on Rome.

尽管如此，汉尼拔当时还是没有向罗马进军。

Favoring caution, he stayed put and waited for reinforcements from home.

他谨慎从事，他想等候国内给他派来援军，

And this was his undoing.

而这却是他失败的原因。

For Carthage sent no fresh troops and his men began to run wild, robbing and plundering the Italian cities.

因为迦太基人没有派来援军，他自己的军队在意大利各城市里烧杀抢掠，渐渐变得难以管束。

Though the Romans no longer dared attack him directly, they called up all their men to fight.

而这却是他失败的原因 。因为迦太基人没有派来援军，他自己的军队在意大利各城市里烧杀抢掠，渐渐变得难以管束。

Every one of them – even young boys and slaves.

他们中的每一个人——甚至是年轻少年们和奴隶们。

Every man in Italy became a soldier, and these weren't hired soldiers like Hannibal's.

意大利的每个人都成了士兵，他们可不像汉尼拔的士兵那样只是雇佣兵。

They were Romans, and you know what that means.

他们是罗马人，你知道，这意味着什么。

They fought the Carthaginians both in Sicily and in Spain.

他们和西西里岛和西班牙的迦太基人作战，

And everywhere they fought, as long as it wasn't Hannibal they were fighting, they always won.

只要汉尼拔不是他们的对手，他们便总是取胜。