Romans to be infected with sicknesse penury for there was a great plague in the camp and seing his souldiers very apt and redy for the battaile gathered together aboue fiftie Elephants making all things in a redynesse and bringing his power out of Heraclea commaunding the Numidian horsmen to marche before and ioyning with their enimies to prouoke their horsemen as much as they could to enter the battayle then they to take their slight without staying vnto such time as they came vnto him The Numidians obeyed the commaundement of their Generall for at the first they so prouoked their enimies that incontinently the Roman horsemen rushed vpon them very rashly the Libians according to the precept of their Captaine without resistance fled vntill they came to him at which sight the Romans turned theyr backs but Hanno with his company handled thē hotly killing many pursuing the rest into their Campe. This broyle being thus finished the Carthaginenses departed with their army incamped on a hill called Torus but. x. furlongs distāt from the army of their enimies wher they lingered two moneths without any enterprise sauing with shooting of arrows and casting of darts In the meane time Annibal made many signes tokens bothe by messēgers beacons in the night to Hanno that the souldiers were not able to susteins the famine any longer how many of his retinue were reuolted to the Romans for want of sustenance Hanno being moued with these newes imbattailed his men set all things in order The Consuls likewise with no lesse diligence prepared them to the conflict being moued with the daungers before declared Bothe the armies were cōducted into an equall place where they coped together with eager and sharpe onsets This conflict continued long very terrible dispitefull at the length the Romans caused the first battayle of the Carthaginenses to recoyle and giue backe who rashly without regarde brast in among the Elephants wyth which the beasts being afraide disquieted and troubled the whole army in which broyle that Romans charged them earnestly compelling the Carthaginenses quite to forsake the field The Africans being proflygate in this maner almost brought to vtter confusion part pauned their liues for stāding by it the remenant fled to Heraclea The Romans hauing gathered the praie of Elephants and other booties gained of the Carthaginenses returned with their retinue into their camps That night the garde of the Roman hostes watch was negligētly kept what for the inspeakable ioy of their prosperous successe as is oft times seene in such braueries for the great trauayle taken in the conflict Annibal desolate abādoned of all help hauing no hope of aide esteming that to be a most couenient time for him his souldiers to escape forth for the causes before remēbred issued out with his army which lay in Agrigentine at midnight thorough the campe of the Romans without daunger or interruption strawing the wayes with chaffe The Romans in the dawning of the next morning perceiuing their enimies to be fled began a pursute but incontinētly retorned to the Citie where their army without interruption or resistance assailyng the gates entred within the walles spoyling raunsacking all things within famous towne seasing taking great praie of goodes and seruāts with other inestimable booties When word was come to Rome how the Carthaginenses were discomforted Agrigentine taken they began to wax insolent and angry and assaying greater things not being content with those things which they entēded in the beginning to ayde the Mamertines defend Messana for to resist the power of the Carthaginenses in Scicilie But now hoping after greater principalities they purposed to expell them quite out of the prouince supposing by that meanes of their doings shold haue more prosperous successe Through these cogitations they were moued and determinately bent concerning their exploits in Scicilye knowyng that their foote men were of more prowesse worthinesse than their enimies After the expugnation of Agrigentine Lucius Valerius Titus Octacilius elected Consuls and hauing a great army leuied were sent into Scicilye so that nowe their strength was equal for the Carthagineses had domination ouer the seas ruling euery angle at libertie without interruption whych is an euident argument that after the suppression of Agrigentine many of the Mediterrane townes in Scicilie reuolted to the Romanes for dred of their great puissance of footemen But after that the fléete was abroade it is to be thought that many moe situate by the sea coastes yelded themselues for fear to the Carthaginenses Thus Fortune fauoured eyther part equally but Italy was oft times sore molested with the incursions of the Libian Nauie But Africa was nothing troubled with any army or hoste of their enimies which thing being diligently pōdered the Romanes determined to coape with thē by sea Which thyng especially solicitated prouoked me to speake of this warre at large least any should be ignoraunt of this principle how at what time and for what causes the Romanes were enforced to prepare a Nauy to encoūter with their aduersaries When the Romanes perceiued that the war could not otherwise be finished they prepared a Nauy of an hundreth twenty shippes of the which a hundreth were Quinqueremes and the residue Triremes In the preparance of this nauy the Quinqueremes were very comberous hard to be built bicause no such Barkes were vsed in Italy before that time for which cause the excellency magnanimitie of the Romanes is to be maruelled at being men altogether ignorant of the seas which before that time hadde neuer regarded the knowledge therof nowe so couragiously to venter vpon them as though they had already vāquished their enimies with whom they neuer tryed that kinde of combat Also considering how at that present the Africans by the iudgemēt of all men were most expert actiue vpon the waters as a thing left vnto thē by their forefathers for an inheritance which is both a singuler testimo ny a good argument of the worthinesse of the acts which I intend to treate of the hautinesse of the Romanes For at their firste sayling to Messana they had not only no ships of war but scātany little Barke or vessell but borowing ships of the Tarentines Locrines and Neapolitans for the safetie of their army There rode at that present many of the Carthaginēses ships about the coastes of Scicily frō whence one of the quinqueremes houering aloofe frō the rest of the fléet being wracked by chāce came to the hands of the Romans at which thei toke exāple to make theirs whilst the nauy was in furnishing the army was trained in learning to row after this maner Ther wer seats made orderly in the sande in which the Romanes sat were warned by the voice of a general which stode in the midst of them to stretch forth their armes altogither and likewise to drawe them in by the sande so that at a certaine signe
prowesse and hautie courages yet peraduenture there are some which doubt what the cause is seing the Romans now excel both by land and water more than they did at that time hauing also dominion ouer the most part of the worlde are not able to builde so many shyps or make suche a Nauie at one tyme. But this thing shal be plainly declared when I come to intreat of the state maners fashions of their cōmon wealth But to speake of them now should neither be profitable or cōmodious to the readers of this my historie for the things being large would require a long digression And yet vnto this daye that I may speke as I think they ar drowned in the gulfe of obliuion thorough their default which wrote the histories For parte wyst not what things they should write other though they knew what to write yet they were obscure in penning them so intricately that their works wer vnprofitable for no vse Verily if ther be any which attētiuely note this warre he shall perceiue that these ij worthy cities wer equiualēt at the beginning in al points they both burned with one fire bothe were desirous of renoume both wer of like hautie corages The Roman souldiers wer more excellent actiue fellowes But Amilcar surnamed Barcas the Carthagineā captain father of Annibal which after fought against the Romans was in ferior to no mā in valiantnesse wisdome After they had taken truce they had either like fortune for the Romans began to warre against the Faliscians but within a shorte tyme hauyng subdued theyr Citie the warres brake vp and they lyued in peace Thus endeth the warres betwixte the Romanes and the Carthaginenses for the principalitie of Scicilie and the Samnites The second part of Polybius his first Boke intreatyng of the warres betwixte the Carthaginenses and their hired Souldiers AFter that peace was concluded with the Romanes the Car thaginenses wer sore oppressed with intestine hostilitie moued by sundry of the Africanes their Countreymen they were also sore molested by the Numidians and other neighbours adiacent which almost vanquished them so that they wer constrained to fight not only for them selues for their prouince for their natiue soile and lawes but for their libertie and the safegarde of their children Which bataile bicause it is worthie of remembrance I shall shewe it compendiously as I purposed in the beginning for how cruell despitefull and deadly a warre it was which euery man calls bloudy and detestable any man may gather by the facts done in his time Here shal plainly be shewed how vigilant and circum spect captaines ought to be howe they ought to prouide for afterclappes also what difference it is to make warre with rude and barbarous nations ignorant in the law of armes and those which be ciuile knowe good maners Finally by shewing this battaile the fountaine and originall cause shall be apparaunt why Anniball made warre with the Romans which bicause it was not only obscure to such as haue written histories of it but also vnto them which were there present for in battaile there falleth many secrete chaūces I thought it néedefull to shew the veritie to the studious readers of thys my worke Amilcar hauing concluded peace with the Romanes disancored sayled from Erix to Lilybeum where he gaue vp his rule deliuered the armie to Gesto which was captain there to trāsport them into Africa which fearing some euil to chaūce amongst such a multitude as they were especially being behind with their wages which the treasure house was not able to discharge it was so sore impouerished he politikely prouided that they shold not al go together but in diuers cōpanies to the ende that they might be the better dispatched suffering one company to depart home before he dismissed an other But the Carthaginenses partely through negligēce partly through pouertie did not only not dispatch them but cōmanded them to remain in the city vntil their felowes came that they might al receue their wages together during which time the souldiers did very much hurt in the citie bothe by day and night and the multitude augmented so faste that their factes were intollerable Then the citizens sent for their Captaines desiring them to conueye the Souldiours to Sicca and to remaine there vntil the rest of the armie were come into Africa commaūding certaine money to be distributed particularly amongst them that they mighte suffer more paciently the protracting of the time The generalls obeyed their commaundement incontinently beginnyng to leade forth the Souldiers They accordyng as they had done before would haue left their cariage and other impediments in the Citie thynkyng to returne for theyr wages But the Carthaginenses being afraide that if they shold graunt them that libertie parte would tarie wyth their wiues other for loue of theyr children would either not departe or returne incontinently and so they to remaine in as euill a case Wherfore they droue them out by violence with all their baggage When the Souldiers wer in Sicca they liued licēciously and in drousy idlenesse which ar most pernicious in an hoste springs of rebellion many of thē asking their wages with proude boasts much more they dyd before being mindfull of the great gifts promised by their captains when they exhorted them to battaile so that nowe they looked for ample rewardes beside their stipends but their opinion was frustrate for as soone as all the companie were congregated in Sicca Hanno the Carthaginean Pretor was sēt vnto them not only without the gifts which they loked for but also talked very much of the scarcitie in the treasure house requiring them to remit part of their wages The multitude moued with these words began a great vprore and a clamorous noise There was a great cōtention and debate and no wonder considering the company and their diuers languages for the Carthaginenses had gathered an armie of sundry foraine nations and partly not without a cause for the armie coulde not conspire any thyng amongst them selues for the varietie of their speaches and were more obedient at the commaundement of the generall But if there chaunced at any tyme either seditiō or insurrection in the armie no one man could quenche it for the barbarous clounes wold not be qualified and beyng once angred the brainsick fooles waxed vntractable continually outragyng like brutishe beastes without all measure as they did at that present there was in the armie Spanyards Frenchmen Ligurians Baliarians and a greate troupe of Grecians diuers vagabondes of Africa with innumerable roges fugitiues for which cause it was impossible that one man shoulde rule them all The Pretor vnderstode not al their lāguages and to haue many speakers vnto them it was coūted mere fooilshnesse wherfore onely their captaines muste nedes do it so that Hanno laboured in vain for some of them vnderstode not the commandement of their general an other company bruted it clean contrarywise some through ignoraunce other
sustained by husbādrie accustomed to stuffe their treasury with the tributs gathered in Africa also to defende them selues with hiered Souldiers now were not onely destytute of these patrons but greatly infested with them so that being suppressed with so many sundry calamities at one time they were in dout which way to turne thē they were so much the greuouser chauncing at vnwares for after they had ben vexed with long warres in Scicilie concluded a league with the Romans they hoped to soommer and keepe holydaie thinking them selues mortized in a firme rocke but it chaunced cleane cōtrary for there pushed out an other plague more cruell and mortall than the other They fought with the Romans for the domination of Scicilie but now they were compelled to plye the boxe for their owne safegarde their children country and natiue soile to which they neither had armour weapons nauie or other preparance they were brought to such an ebbe by the Romans Now they loked for no trybute neither hoped for any ayde or succour from theyr friendes fautors or allyes Then they perceiued what difference there was betwixte extreme hostilitie and intestine dissention of which domestical discorde they them selues were the source spring for in the former warre supposing thē to haue iuste causes they were too proude and insolent exacting much of the Africans bereuing them of halfe their corne doubling their tributes neither would they redresse any of these faultes which they committed through ignoraunce bragging them selues of their mastershippes not bicause they hadde behaued them selues honestly and dealt mercifully in their offices but for exaggerating and heaping vp great mowes of money in the treasure house for which they had sore pilled the cōminaltie imitating Hanno which I spake of before which were causes that the people of Africa not onely with small intreating but at a becke agréed to the rebellion for the womē which before time had sene their husbands children kept in seruitute bondage bicause the tributes were vnpayed gathered together in euery citie concealing nothing of the goods which was left them willingly brought their attire and other ornamēts a thing which might be thought incredible to paie the Souldiers by which meanes Matho and Spendius had such foison and plentie that not onely they discharged all such things as they promised in the beginning of the conspiracie but also reserued plentie for afterclaps by which we may learne to prouide not onely for tyme present but also for the time to come The Carthaginenses though they were hemmed in on euery syde with these great calamyties yet were they not altogether drowned in dispaire but as the time permitted hiered new souldiers and made Hanno Captaine ouer them Then the youth of the Citie began to arme them selues and exercise riding the Citizens began to réedifie and botch vp their olde barkes In the meane time Matho and Spendius with thrée score and ten thousande armed men which were come to them out of Africa hauing the Army deuided as I shewed before besieged Hippona Yet they had not brought all their Army from the tents at Tunes for which cause the Carthaginenses were cleane excluded out of Africa Carthage is situate on a promontarie stretching towards the sea resembleth an Iland sauing that it ioyneth to Africa by land on the one side the Citie it self is inuironed partly with the sea partly with motes the piece of ground that ioyneth it to Africa is thrée miles in bredth Vtica is not farre distant from that angle which vergeth into the sea on the other parte beyond the ditches standeth Tunes so that the souldiers hauing one parte of their army there an other at Vtica excluded the Carthaginenses out of Africa and issued oft times bothe by night and day setting the Citie in great daunger While they were in doing these thinges Hanno prepared diligently al things appertaining to the warre for he was a very witty man and full of pollicies in such deuises sone after he set towardes his Enimies where by the euil descerning of time he shewed a point of an vnexpert Captayne After his comming to Vtica at the first onset he put his enimies to flight being afraide of the Elephantes but shortly after he brought them which he came to ayde into greater daunger than euer they were tofore for when he hadde placed his ordinaunce and other engins belonging to warre as dartes quarelcasters brakes in his tentes before Vtica he encountred with his Enimies which being vnable to resist the Elephantes after great slaughter fledde into a hill adiacent which was full of Trées and other bwilde Then Hanno which had ben only accustomed before that time to warre against the Numidians who once beginning to flye neuer stay or loke backe for the space of three dayes left to pursue his Enimies as though he had woon the field where he regarding nothing lyued riottously But his aduersaries trained vp vnder Amilcar in Scicilie where they ofte times had both fled and pursued their enimies in one day perceiuing him to be entred into the Citie lye there vncircumspectly as though he had conquered them inuaded his tents where they killed many of his Souldiers chasing the rest with great ignominie slander into the towne carying away his engins munitions without cōtradiction But the incircumspectnesse of Hanno hindred not the Carthaginenses onely at this time but also within a few dayes after when his enimies pitched their Tentes at Sorza where hauing good oportunitie and sitte time in which he might haue vanquished them for twice after they were imbattayled they fell at contention amongst them selues yet he through his sluggish idlenesse pretermitted bothe those occasions The Carthaginenses perceiuing the imprudencie of Hanno about such affaires chose Amilcar Captaine of their armie againe deliuering vnto him thrée score and ten Elephantes with the hired souldiers vagabonds also the horsemen and footemen of the Citie so that the whole number amounted to ten thousande men Amilcar incontinently setting forewarde with his worthy prowesse at one time both discoraged his enimies and deliuered Vtica shewing him selfe worthy of the praises giuen to him for his former actes and acquiting him self very wel of the expection which the people conceiued of him His worthinesse and policie was knowne first in this manner The Promontarie in which Carthage is situate ioyneth to the rest of Africa with a very sharpe ridge full of holes and bushes so that the passage is very difficill and made with handy laboure Matho kept all the hills aboue the passage very circumspectly and the riuer Machera being of profounde vastnesse and swifte course runneth by it and can not be passed but ouer one bridge on which bridge there standeth a towne called Sephira likewise vnder the regimēt of Matho so that the passage into Africa was not onely stopped to the Carthaginean Army but to euery priuat man Amilcar pondering these things circumspectly indeuored him selfe by all meanes to
Before this time ther were many batailes fought in sundrie places but afterward it chanced that the historie increased and augmented so that it came as it wer into one bodie for the state and condition of the Italians was mixte and intermingled with the Libians Grecians Asians so that they all tend belong to one matter and ende for the which cause haue made and taken the beginning of my worke from this time For wheÌ„ the Romanes in that battayle had ouercome and vanquished the Carthagmenses they supposed the chief and worst part to be passed and therfore thought they might better venter to atchieue the whole euen at that present they were imboldened to take in hand the conquest of the rest attempting to sayle with theyr whole strength and power into Grecia and Asia But if we once perfectly vnderstoode that customes ordinances fashions of them which labored and trauayled for atchieuing the rule and dominion of the worlde peraduenture it should not be requisit any preciselyer to repete by what power or puissance eyther by what enforcement they were animated to attempte such an enterprise But considering that the olde maners ordinances and fashions eyther of the Romans or the Carthaginenses were knowen to the moste parte of the Grecians I supposed it requisite to prescribe in this booke and in the nexte to disclose theyr power and abylitie with the famous actes done by them before I enter into the Historie least by chaunce some man preparing and indeuoring him selfe to the reading of this worke might be in doute by what counsaile or power eyther by what great hope the Romanes were persuaded to the Conqueste of the whole Worlde and domination of our Seas since in this my beginning and preparation all men may clearely perceiue and vnderstande that the Romans had store and plentie enough of all necessaryes to the mayntenaunce of such a conquest and accomplishing of theyr pretensed purpose This also is the chief and principall beautifying of any worke wyth the famous and worthy actes perpetrate in this time that as Fortune hath caused all things done through the moste parte of the world to tend and belong to one ende and scope so that likewise in one History or Chronicle they may well be written comprised Which thing chiefly incoraged me to take this Historie in hand and so much the rather bicause no man before this my time hath attempted to commit to remembrance that factes perpetrate in the vniuersall and whole worlde for then wolde not I haue attempted thys enterprise But euery one particularly hath mencioned and penned certaine particular warres with the facts done in them but of a coniunct commemoration of things done vniuersally either of their beginnings or for what cause they began or what ende they had there is none as far as I can vnderstande that hathe written to these dayes I thought it expedient and necessarie coÌ„sidering that this my work shoulde come abroade into the handes of my countreymen being politike eloquente fellowes to entreate of the most famous renomed and profitable facts of Fortune which although she hath wroughte many wonderful preclare and notable acts in the dayes of diuers men worthy of admiration yet hath she wrought nothyng which exuperateth yea or that are to be compared with these in our dayes Whiche worthie acts can not be vnderstaÌ„d by reuoluing the writers of priuate Histories vnlesse there chaunce to bée some such maÌ„ which passyng by a gorgious and brauely builded citie or beholding the parts therof drawn forth incontinently supposeth that he hath a perfecte knowledge of the situation sigure and course of the vniuersall worlde which is incongruent and impossible And verily as I iudge they no lesse erre and dissent from the truthe which thinke by readyng a particular or priuate historie to obtaine the exact knowledge of the vniuersal thaÌ„ those which beholding the partes of a liuely and beautifull bodie disperpled and seperate into sundry members and thinke them selues perfectly to know the good shape and feture of the same ioyned together But if a man would take and vnite the distincte seperate and seuered partes setting them according to theyr due disposition coniunction and perfectnesse then afterwarde shew it them againe vndoutedly they would confesse to haue erred gon astray like to one in a dreame for it is possible that seing the seperate parts they might conceiue a certaine imagination but to obtaine a sure knowledge it is impossible Wherefore we may well gather that a particular Historie is nothing to be compared with the knowledge of the vniuersall in the reuoluing of which it is impossible that a man shall not take both swéet profit and wonderfull pleasure by reason of the varietie and worthinesse of matter contained therin This booke shall begin at the nauigation of the Romanes out of Italye which consequently foloweth those things that were last written by Timeus and was the hundreth twenty nynth Olimpiad But now it is expedient that I disclose how at what time the Italyans prepared and made them selues ready to take shippe into Scicilia also with what strength and puissance they attempted that voiage which was the first land that they entered without Italye after they hadde appeased the ciuill discorde domesticall dissention and bloudy warres in theyr owne country Also the original of this profection must be explaned wythout obscuritie or dissimulation least in fetching the cause too farre the entrance and beginning be made ambiguous or doutful Also ther must be such a beginning as is agreable with the times facts so that one part may declare expounde an other although in the repeating of these things it were expedient that the actes done in them shoulde be briefly discoursed For the beginning being vnknowne dark it is very harde to make the consequent to be credited but if the principle or entrance be true the auditors will haue a firmer opinion of the reste It was the nintenth yere after that warre in whiche Simon the Athenian subdued Xerxes the sixtenth yeare before the battaile foughte against the Leuâ—trans in which the Lacedemonians made a treatie concerning peace with the king of the Persians Aboute what time Dionisius the elder hauyng vanquished and suppressed the Grecians inhabiting the coasts of Italy which bordered vpon Ellepora beseiged Regia a citie of Callabria at which instante the French men possessed all Rome sauing the Capitole at which tyme the Romanes taking truce with them recouered their auncient libertie and fréedome of their countrey began to warre agaynst theyr neighbours bordering marching to their region and hauing ouercome and put in subiection all the Latins they warred on the Tuscanes then with the Frenchmen immediatly after with the Samuits Not long after that the Tarentines supposing them selues to be in danger for certaine offences which they hadde committed agaynste the Romane Legats receiued home king Pyrrhus a yeare before the Frenchmen entered Italye wyth
them that were at Delphos before being vanquished and fled into Asia Now the Romanes hauing tamed the Tuscanes subdued the Samuits and driuen the Frenchmen to flight in sundry skermishes began to enuie the other partes of Italye not thinking that they trauailed to subdue any foraine nation but that which of right was theyr inheritance patrimonie nutritiue soyle Now the Romanes hauing obteined a perfect habite in the warrs through daily experiēce vsed in their exploits and conquests vpon the Samnits and Frēchmen for which causes they earnestely continued in this broyle to such time as they had expelled Pirrhus with his cōfederats garrisons out of Italy then they pursued turned theyr whole strength against these which had condiscended to him Now euen at an vnwares sodenly vnhoped for they were becom lords regentes ouer all the inhabitantes of Italye except the French men After this they began to besiege the Romanes which kept Rhegia A lyke chance happened at that same instaunte to two cities situate in the straightes of that Sea Rhegia and Messana For the Campanes warring vnder Agathocles in Scicilia wondering at the excellēcy worthinesse also at the riches plētifulnesse of Messana espying oportunitie to accomplish their pretēsed purpose being once receiued within the walles vnder the cloake of frendship violated the couenant of truce inuading the Citie thrusting out the Citizens and inhabitants cruelly murdering them seasing theyr wyues and children euery man as he chaunced in the conflict and tumult then they rysled and deuided the ryches and treasures with the pleasant pastures and fertil soyle amongst them Thus they obtayned a most excellente rich and worthy Citie impleate with inestimable treasure abounding in plenteousnesse and store of all things also within a small tracte of tyme and imitatours of this theyr peruerse enterprise For at that time when Pirrhus King of Epirotes sayled with his army into Italie the inhabitantes of Rhegia being dismaide and set in a perplexity with his sodayne arryuall required ayde and assistaunce of the Romanes bicause the Carthaginenses theyr enimies ruled the seas which sent them succoure that defended theyr Cytie for a certayne time They were in number foure thousand men ouer whome Decius and Campanus were Prefects rulers But in continuance being moued and incitate by the example of the Mamertines or Samuites hauing them also confederates of theyr facinorous and wicked conspiracie vyolated and falsefied theyr othe made to the Cytizens of Rhegia being prouoked and allured partly with the opportunitie of tyme partly wyth the great riches substance and abundance of the inhabitans they detruded and expulsed the Citizens afflicting tormenting diuers of them and according as the Mamertines had done before semblably dyd they now deteining and inhabiting the Cytie The Romanes althoughe they were sore greued and inwardly vexed with the calamyties chaunced to the Rhegians yet they could not ayde or helpe them presently being troubled wyth other warres the which being finished they went besieged the citie of Rhegia which in continuance of tyme was expugnate and wonne by force The defendants had so hautely withstoode the assault that the most part were slaine for they perfectly vnderstoode if they eyther yelded or were taken by force that they should not auoid cruell Tortors so that onely thirtie were taken aliue which incontinently were conueyed to Rome where as the Consuls were led into the market place there tormented with rods and then according to the order of the cuntrey were cut shorter by the length of their heades both that they might be punished for committing such a hainous offense and for renuing of their amitie with the Rhegians restoring vnto thē their citie pastures and other things that were left The Mamertines for so the Campanes called thē selues when they had taken Messana duryng the time that the Romane Legion deteined Rhegia beyng mainteined with their aide not only defended kepte safe their own boundes and precinctes but also displeasured and put in ieopardy diuers of the Cities adiacent as well of the Carthaginēses as of the Siracusans They had also made tributary vnto them sundry cities of Scicilie But nowe the Rhegians hauing their citie restored and they being destitute of the Romane Legions helpe were enuironed besieged of the Siracusans for certain causes which afterwards shal be declared Not long before that time there was a sedition sprong vp betwene the Scicilian souldiers the gouernours of the Weale publike in so much that they constituted captains ouer them of the Artemidans and him which afterward was their king one named Hyeron a very yong man being but a stripling and of yong yeares but so furnished and indued with all the giftes of nature as knowledge vertue and wisedome that he wanted nothing appertayning or necessary to a king except onely a kingdome When he had obteyned the authoritie and regiment of the Souldiours at the length being enuironed with a great troupe company of his friends he entred the citie and toke diuers of the Citizens which were confederats of the rebellion the which victory he vsed so moderately mercifully that all the Siracusans with one voyce and consente which was a rare thing almost neuer séene before that time proclaimed him the seconde time gouernour and ruler ouer them Then Hyeron as he shewed by manifest arguments deliberated and determined to be of greater and hygher estimation than a Captaine But first of all he weyed considered with him selfe how the Siracusans were eftsones accustomed immediately after the departure of the Captaine and the army from the Citie to kindle vprores and seditions therefore perceyuing the honesty and fidelitie of Leptinus also of what authoritie credence and estimation hee was of amongest the Syracusans and of howe much reputacion and power amongst the inferior sorte he thought it not incongruent to ioyne himself vnto him by affinitie that he mighte haue on to liue in the citie when he with his armie shoulde bée occupied in other affaires Thus hauing maried the daughter of Leptimus and knit friendshyp with Hyminian knots perceyuing howe the olde Syracusan seruiters which were hirelings and conduct souldiers wer very vnstable fickle ful of mutabilitie cōmonly desirous of newe thyngs and changes he prepared an armie against the Barbarians which kept Messana pitching his tents and pauilions placing the front of his battaile along the ryuer of the Ciamossians Then he tooke both the horsemen and footemen of the Syracusans as though he would assault his enimies at some other place retiring an other waye with all his power conducting them safe and without damage into the Citie suffering the rascall and hired souldiers to bée enuironned and inclosed wyth their enimies so that they were broughte to ruine and vtter confusion When he had by this meanes dispatched the olde seruiters out of the Citie he prepared waged souldiers of more credence and stabilitie Thus hauing set all things in a good and reasonable estate and
soueraintie and rule of the seas with all diligence employed them selues for to inuade Sardinia The nexte yeare following there was no valiaunt acts done by the Romane armie in Scicilie worthie of remembraunce Caius Sulpitius and Aulus Rutelius afterwarde created Consules were sent to Pauorinus bicause at that presente the power of the Carthaginenses lay there At their arriual immediatly they embatailed their men before the citie but the Carthaginenses being within the walles offered not once to come forth which thing the Romanes perceyuing departed froÌ„ thence to Hippana which they immediatly toke They likewise toke Missistratus which by reason of impregnablenesse had resisted a certaine time TheÌ„ they brought their army against the Camerenenses which a little before had rebelled against them which with terrible continuance warlike weapons and tearing torments they vanquished Atna diuers other townes were taken by them Also Lippara was besieged by them About this time Aulus Tutelius the Consull and captaine of the Nauie lay in the coastes of the Tinderitans where he espied the Carthaginean Nauie sayling by the coaste wherfore he commaunded his men incontinently to make them ready in al hast and follow him Then he accompanied with ten shippes marched forwarde before the rest The Carthaginenses espying this tricke how part of their enimies were but entring into their shippes another sort launching into the déepe and the first company farre distant from all the rest they returned sodainly with an incredible celeritie drowning many of the Romanes shippes and the Pretors shippe with those that were in hir scantly escaped with great rowing and much labour Whilst this broyle was in hand the rest of the Romane nauy marching forward mette with their enimies toke tenne fraughted prises sinking eight the rest fleeing away retyred to Lippara Both the captains departed froÌ„ this conflict eyther of them attributing the victory to himselfe for which cause they more ardently prepared for the Naual war during which time nothing was done amongst the footemen worthy of noting but troubled themselus with trifles In the beginning of the next sommer hauyng furnished them selues of all necessaries they repaired to the warre againe The Romanes met togither at Messana with thrée hundreth and thirtie quinqueremes froÌ„ whence they sailed by the south syde of Scicilie hauing ouercome the countrey of Pachinus to Eâ—nomon where the footemen abode for them The Carthaginenses passed the sea with thrée hundreth and fiftie shippes remaining at Lilybeum The Romanes consulted concernyng a voyage into Africa iudging it requisite to sayle thither with their whole puissance to the ende that the Carthaginenses shoulde not only be disquieted in Scicily but also molested at home in their natiue countreye On the other part the Carthaginenses perceuing how easie a thyng it was to descende into Lybia also howe faynte hearted the people were the ennimie beyng once entred into the Prouince therefore they intended incontinentely to encounter with the Romanes hopyng by that meanes to stoppe their exploite into Africa In this manner the one parte preparing to inuade and the other to resiste foreshewed the greate warres to ensue The Romans hauing prepared all things necessarie to their Nauie elected out of their number of footmen suche as were of most hautie and valyant corage imbarkyng them then they made a quadripartite diuision of their Nauie gyuyng to euery parte a double name sauyng to the last which still reteyned the name of the rearewarde as is accustomed in other battailes There was aboue a hundreth and fortie thousande men in the Romane nauie euery ship had thrée hundreth rowers and sixe score fightyng men The Carthaginenses hauyng prepared theyr Nauie of shyppes béeyng fraughted onely with men amounted at the least to the numbre of a hundreth and fiftie thousand so that not onely the beholders but also they which heard tell of the huge number great abilitie and worthy acts of these two armies may wonder The Romanes perceyuing that this their nauigatioÌ„ of necessitie must be ouertwhart and crooked also calling to minde the expertnes of their enimies in rowing purposed to make their course inuincible placing the two Sepremes in which Marcus Attilius Lucius Manlius were in the forefront with an equal distance after these the first seconde warde followed kéeping like compasse which betwixt euery two was enlarged with their stemmes sticking outwarde The Nauy being protract on a length fronting on the former ships had a triangle on each syde vnto the which was ioyned the thirde Nauy in the maner of a proppe or piller so that the three frontes being disposed thus they resembled a perfect triangle After the third Nauy came the carts and foists in which their horses were traÌ„sported there was cordes which reached out of them into the third nauie after these came the reareward in their order which were disposed that they surmounted and exceded the wing of them which marched before The Romane fléete being sette in order after this maner the first partes which were the two triangles of the sides were voyd in the midst the other that folowed that is to say they which came after the piller or streÌ„gth were more solide so that the whole nauie was sure and indissoluble By this time the Carthaginean Captaines had gathered their strength and exhorted their souldiers that they should be of bolde and stoute corage informing them if they conquered the Romans in this combat afterward they should fight for the regiment and soueraigntie of Scicilye but if the Romans shold suppresse them they should not warre for Scicilie but for their countrey for theyr fréedome and for their childreÌ„ Hauing thus incensed their souldiers they commaunded them to goe a boorde They incontinently obeyed the commaundement of theyr generall shewing them selues very forwarde perceiuing the eminent danger Now when the gouernours of the Carthaginean army had perceiued the order of the Roman fléete they likewise diuided their Army into foure partes of the which thrée be launched into the déepe lay with their right wing extended out in length with the foure partes of their shippes bent towardes their enimies as though they would haue inuironed them The fourth parte which was the left wing remayned as vnder a munition by the shore Hanno and Amilcar were generalls of the Carthaginean nauie Hanno ruled ouer the right wing hauing with him the swifter shippes and Amilcar the left with the slugs This was he which as is before declared escaped so hardly at Tindarides Now Amilcar vsed this pollicie The Consuls at their firste méeting espying the forefront of the Africans to be very thinne brust in through the middest of them with great violence which according as Amilcar had commaunded fained a recoyle to the ende that they might seuer and disioyne the Roman nauie which pursued them now earnestle so that the firste and second warde marching after theyr enimies and the thyrd and fourth comming slowly after caused that the two first wards were seperated from the last Which
ship The Souldiers were very iocund and glad of this iourney not only bicause it was nyghe hande but also for the greate booties which they hoped for Thus all things being prepared they disankred and sayled towarde Drepanum about midnight vnware to their enimies so that in the dawning they drew nigh the Citie Adherball though at their first apperance he was somewhat daunted with sodaine feare yet being recouered and receiuyng byâ— pristinate boldenesse he purposed to trie the brittle destiny and fickle state of Fortune by gyuyng them battaile rather than to bée inclosed in an Angle and shamefully besieged of hys ennimies And therefore immediately hée gathered together a greate companie of rowers called the mercinarie or hired Souldiers oute of the Citie and gaue vnto them dyuers admonitions shewyng them also that yf â–ª they dydde fyght couragiousely they shoulde be sure of victorie but if they fled like dastardly cowardes and would not venter them selues he vnbuckled to them the budget of mischeues that they shoulde suffer being besieged After he had ended his oration they all promised to shewe their valiantnesse exhorting him with a clamorous noyse to deferre the time no longer but immediately to set towardes his ennimies Adherball praysing the valiant courage of his souldiers warned them to imbarke incontinentely commaunding them diligentely and with vigilant eyes to marke his shyp and folow him merily then withoute lingring he marched forward leading the ring him self according as he promised to encountre with the Romanes The Consul espying his enimies not according as he hoped readie to runne awaye and saue them selues but rather ardently desiring battaile commanded all his fléete to retire for part were entred diuers euen in the entrance and many coÌ„ming far behind wheÌ„ the formost indeuored theÌ„ selues at the commaundement of the general to returne there was such a hurly burly with beating dashing betwixt them that came backe and the other that were entring that the whole nauie was in greate perill and many of them sore forfrushed At the last being brought in order with great paine and trauaile the generals set them in aray along the banke with their stemmes towardes the enimies Then the Consull which folowed in the rearewarde launching into the déepe kept the lefte wyng Whilest the Romanes were in this trouble Adherball wyth other fiue shippes incompassed aboue their left wyng turning the stemmes of his ships towardes them kéepyng hym selfe at large on the sea makyng signes that the other foure shyppes whych folowed hym shoulde doe likewise so they hauyng prepared them selues hoysed vp their streamers and rushed in among the Romans which kept a long the banke side for to suppresse the Carthaginenses as they should haue issued but afterwarde it was a great hinderance and let to them selues for certaine causes whiche I shall shewe As soone as the two Nauies wer met the Pretor making signes oute of hys shippe to the other the Romanes were impaled on eyther side the skirmishe continued long and terrible withoute any inequalitie for there were the worthiest souldiers of both the armies yet the Carthaginenses preuailed not onely bicause their shippes were swifter and their rowers more skilfull but by kéepyng at large on the seas where they myghte scoure abroade at their pleasure or if it chaunced any of them to be intrapped with their ennimies immediately launching into the déepe they were at libertie where yf the Romanes dyd pursue them incontinentely they were agayne coaped wyth an other companie to their gret daungers and oft times the losing of their shippes If any of their fellowes were in daunger they easily rescued them ploddyng wyth theyr pumpes forward Now the banke was a maruellous hinderaunce to the Romanes being caught vp in such a straicte corner that they coulde neyther retyre when néede did require nor yet ayde those whiche were in daunger whiche are chief impediments in a conflict on the sea For it was impossible that they shoulde passe thorough the chiefe troupe of their ennimies and resiste their force their shyppes beyng suche slugges and theyr rowers so vnexperte The Consull perceyuyng that he was like to take the foyle and also seyng parte of hys shyppes sore beaten by the shore and dyuers drowned broughte to vtter despaire fledde awaye before all the reste and other thirtie shyppes the whiche stoode next vnto him folowed after All the rest of the numbre of foure score thirtene were taken by the Carthaginenses sauing those which were perished Adherbal was greatly praised of the Carthaginenses for this noble and worthy act which through his hautie courage and singular wisedome had ouerthrowen his enimies But Appius Claudius was greately dispraised with many opprobrious words for behauyng him selfe so imprudently and bringing the Romanes in suche daunger Finally being reiected from his Consulship was with greate ignominie reproche and dishonor iudged to death The Romans although they acknowledged this their simple cutte and sore repulse yet nothing obliuious of their pristinate valiantnesse incontinently prepared a newe nauie and freshe souldiers sending them into Scicilieâ— vnder the gouernaunce of Lucius Iunâ—us then Consull commaundyng hym to supporte those which besieged Lilybeum with victuals and other necessaries Iunius the new Consul departed to Messana with the thrée score beackte shippes where he gathered all the Galleys which were in Scicilye sauing those that laye at Lilybeum which made a Nauie of an hundreth and twenty sayle beside the hulkes and cartes prepared for cariage amounting nighe to foure score of which he delyuered almost halfe with certaine other beakt vessels to the Questor commaunding him to conuey the victualls to the camp remayning still him selfe to receyue the others which were coÌ„ming from Messana and the graine out of the Countrey About this tyme Adherbal sent the Romane captiues the prises which he had taken to Carthage appointed Carthalon ruler ouer thirtie sayle making him set towardes his enimies and warning his to take all such shippes as he could take whole vnbroken and to burne the remnant He him selfe folowed after with thrée score shippes Carthalon departing at night very spedely sodainly entred on the Roman nauie which lay in that hauen of Lilybeum and put them to their pinch for the watch making a sodaine out cry and great vprore Imilcon perceiued the noise and in the dawning espying them present called all his souldiers out of the citie and inuaded his enimies The Romanes being thus circumuented on euery side were in great peril but that Carthagmean captain taking part of their shippes and setting the rest on fire departed from thence and sayled towardes Heraclia to stop the viands which were comming that waye to the Campe. As he was in this exployte his scoutes made relation to him that there was great store of shippes at hande He hearing these newes made no delayes but set forwarde to méete them contemning the Romans for the great ouerthrow which he had lately giuen them The Romans also hauing knowledge of the Carthagienses
ouerthrowes and considering with him selfe of what effecte and force it was to be experte on the water with the great emolumente thereof he spente not the time slouthfully neither in luskish loytering but continually exercised his rowers and Mariners suffering none to lye ydle by which their diligence it came to passe that within small tract of time they were very expert and apt for the naual warre The Carthaginenses hauing knowledge of their presence made ready their fleete fraighting it with corne and other necessaries to the sustentation of them which besieged Erix Hanno was appointed Captaine of these shippes and departed immediately to Hiâ—ronâ—sum from thence to the tentes of Amilcar vndiscryed of his enimies preparing there to disloade and deliuer the victualls Lutacius hauing knowledge of their comming misdeeming their couÌ„sayle for it was not harde to coniecture picked out the most hardy felowes of the whole Armye and went to Egusa being not farre distaunt from Lilybeum where he exhorted and incoraged his Souldiers as the tyme permitted commaunding them to make readie againste the nexte morning to giue battayle to the Enymies The nexte daye in the morning Lutacius very well perceiuing howe the winde serued his Enimies at will and was contrary to him also seing the Sea stormy and boisterous douted what was best to doe Yet afterwarde considering if he coped with them whilst the storme indured that he shold onely match with Hanno and the shippes pestered with traficke but if he prolonged and taryed vntyll the sea were calme the ships discharged that he should not onely haue to doe with a coÌ„pany of quicke light souldiers chosen out of the whole armie but also with Amilcar who was greatly feared at that preseÌ„t considering these things though the waters were bothe boysterous against him he determined to encounter with his Enimies comming with full sayles against the Carthaginenses ready to assayle them They perceiuing theyr entrance to be stopped by the Romans hauing likewise their fléete ready for battayle let downe their sayles and set towardes their Enimies encountering either other with valiant courages but as this conflict differed in all points from that at Drepanum so likewise there chanced a contrary ende The Romane fléete was passing swift they had vnloded all things sauing necessaries for the warres their rowers had ben long exercised which made them plyant agreable to battayle they had also the chosen and best Souldiers of theyr whole armie But the Carthaginenses were troubled otherwise their ships were fraighted which made them vnfit for the battaile their rowers were vnpicked fellowes altogether rude without knowledge in the warres their souldiers were new and not acquainted with daungers for they had not regarde to the waters so much as they were accustomed supposing the Romanes would neuer haue meddled with the Seas through which theyr sluggishnesse and secure lyuing as sone as they encountred they hadde the foyle fiftie of their shippes were frushed and souncke seuentie taken full fraughted the rest by a sodayne chaunge of winde laued them selues by flying to Hieronesum After this battayle the Consul with all his Nauie returned to Lilibeum where he deuided the spoyle and captiues amongst his souldiers Ther were taken aboue ten thousande Carthaginenses beside those which perished in the conflicte The Africans though they were very prompt and giuen to the warres yet after this terrible ouerthrow they were vtterly discoraged for diuerse causes for they were not able toayde those in Scicilie with necessaries their nauie being loste and the Romanes ruling euery corner of the seas yet they toke it for a haynous offeÌ„ce to forsake their worthy Souldiers they had no worthy Captaines to sende againste their Enimies Waying these things they dispatched an ambassador with al conuenient spéede to Amilcar auctorysing him to doe what he thought best for the preseruation of their country Amilcar perfourmed the office of a politike worthie captaine for as long as there was any hope of recouering their honour he neuer eschewed any trauayle or danger but with great industry labour sought it forth he neuer ceased more than his aduersaries to restore their worship wheÌ„ he perceiued ther was no more hope of recouering the same like a moderate wise man he gaue place for the time sending ambassadors to the Consul to intreate for peace And verely it is no lesse the tokeÌ„ of a good expert general as wel to marke the time in which he must forbeare his Enimies as to know what time is expedient to assaile them Neither did Lutacius the Consul coÌ„temne or reiect their request acknowledging that trouble peril dauÌ„ger that the Romans were vexed with all by reason of the continuall warres So at the lengthe peace was taken vpon these conditions First if it pleased the Senate and people of Rome Secondaryly that the Carthaginenses should depart quite out of Scicilye and neuer after that to war against Hyeron neither to molest the Syracusans or any of their friendes Thirdly that they should dismisse and sende home all the captiues without raunsome Fourthly that they should paye within twenty yeares space to the Romans two thousande and two hundreth talentes of tryed and pure money When these conditions and agréements were sent to Rome they wold not ratifie them but sent ten Commissioners with the common consent which comming into Scicilie chaunged the former pactions in maner nothing at all but taking shorter dayes for paying of the money adding thereunto a thousande talents Also that they should not only depart quite out of Scicilye but out of all the Ilands betwixte it and Italye According to this prescript order was the firste warre finished that the Romans hadde with the Carthaginenses for the principalitie of Scicilie It endured foure and twentie yere without intermissioÌ„ or peace It was the loÌ„gest warre and greatest that euer I hearde of in whiche they foughte at one méeting with the number of fiue huÌ„dreth Quinqueremes aboue of either syde Another tyme with few baiting of seueÌ„ hundreth by diuers other noble conflicts worthy to be written of whiche I passe by and leaue vntouched The Romanes lost in that warre seuen hundreth Quinqueremes biside those which were drowned and broken the Carthaginenses about fiue huÌ„dreth So that they which before wondred at the armies fléetes and naual warrs of Antigonus Ptolomeus after this betwixt the Romans and the Carthaginenses couÌ„ted them as trifles and nothyng For if any consisider the gret difference betwixt Quinqueremes those Trieremes which the Persians vsed against the Grecians and the Lacedemoniâ—ns against the Atheninans verily he shal wel vnderstaÌ„d that there was neuer sorer conflictes nor greater armies on the seas which is a manifest probation of those thinges that I spake of in the beginnyng that the Romanes neyther by fortune nor chance as the Grecians suppose obtained such honour and ample dominions that in continuance they enioyed the moste parte of the worlde but by their propre vertue