charged both in Front and Flank by the Spaniards Gauls and Elephants and when all were pressed in the Reaâ—e by Mago and his men out of the Ambush then fell the Romans by heaps under their enemies Swords and were beaten down as well fighting as flying so that of thirty six Thousand there escaped no more than ten thousand of all sorts The remainder of this broken Army was collected by Scipio who got therewith into Placentia stealing away the same night which was very rainy Sempronius eâ—caped with great danger and fled to Rome where he did his Office in choosing new Consuls for the year following and then returned to his Province with a fresh supply against Hannibal The Winter proved very sharp and unfit for service which well pleased the Romans who lay warme in Placentia and Cremona Yet did not Hannibal suffer them to lie very quiet but vexed them with continual Alarms assaulting divers places and taking some He also wan the Lygurians to him who to testifie their faithfull love presented him with two Roman Questors Treasureâ—s two Collonels and five young Gentlemen the Sons of Senators These and all his other Prisoners Hannibal held in streight places loaden with Irons and misserably fed But their followers he intreated courteously and sent them to their own Countries without ransome protesting that he undertook the War in Italy to free them from the oppression of the Romans By these meanes he drew many to his party and assistance But some of the Gauls fearing that their Country should be made the seat of War conspired against his Life others discovered the danger to him who yet soon after were ready to practice the same which enforced Hâ—â—nibal to use Perukes and false Beards the better to conceal himself from them At length when Summer was come he resolved to leave these giddy Companions and so passed the Appeniâ—â— Hills that he might approach nearer to Rome So away he went having his Army much recruted with Ligurians and Gauls and to prevent the obstructions in the ordinary way he chose to travel through the Fennes of Tuscany In those Marshes and Bogs he lost all his Elephants save one with one of his own eyes through the moistnesse of the Aire and by lodging on the cold Ground Yet at last with much ado he recovered the firme and fertile Plaines and Quartered about Arretium where he somwhat refreshed his weary Army and heard newes of the Romane Consuls C. Flaminius and Cn. Servilius were newly chosen Consuls for this year The first a tractable man wholly governed by the Senate the other a hotheaded man who fearing some obstruction gat him out of the City before the day of Election that he might as soon as he was chosen take possession of his Office fearing least he should lose his Honour which he hoped to gain in the War The Senators were so displeased at this that they sent for him back but he neglected their Command and hasted to meet with the Carthaginians whom he found at Arretium Hannibal was well pleased with the fiery disposition of this Consul and therefore provoked him by many indignities hoping thereby to draw him to fight ere Servilius came with the rest of the Army For which end he put to Fire and Sword all the Country round about him even under the Consuls nose By this Flaminius thought his Honour to be much empaired and therefore advanced towards the enemy Many advised him to stay for his Colleague but he would not be perswaded Then he commanded the Army to march All the Territory of Cortona as far as to the Lake of Thrasymene was on a light fire which whilst Flaminius thought to quench with his enemies bloud he pursued Hannibal so unadvisedly that he fell with his whole Army into an Ambush from thence he was charged unaware from all sides so that he knew not which way to turne nor how to make resistance There was he slain in that place accompanied with the carcasses of fifteen thousand of his Countrymen About six thousand of his Vantguard took courage out of desparation and breaking through their enemies they recovered the tops of the Mountains but being discovered there Maharbal was sent after them who overtook them by night in a Village and surrounded them with his Horse and so they yielded rendering up their Armes upon promise of life and liberty This accord Hannibal refused to confirme and so made them all Prisoners At this time he had about fifteen thousand Prisoners all that were not Romans he set free without ransome still portesting that for their sakes he came into Italy But the Romans he kept in streight Prison and held them to hard meat Presently after the Battell of Thrasymene C. Sempronius with four thousand Horse came neere to Hanaibals Camp He was sent from Ariminum by Servilius the other Consul to encrease the strength of Flaminius but coming too late he only encreased the misadventure Hannibal sent out Maharbal to intercept him who finding them amazed at the ill newes of the late losse charged and brake them killing almost half of them and drew the rest simply to yeild to mercy Servilius hearing of the overthrow and death of his Colleague hasted to Rome for the defence of it Greatly were the Romans amazed at these disasters and their aproaching danger Wherefore they had recourse to a remedy which had been long out of use and that was to choose a Dictator whose power was above the Consuls and scarcely subject to the Controll of the whole City And now they chose Q. Fabius Maximus the best reputed man of War in the City and Fabius chose M. Minutius Rufus Master of the Horse who was as the Dictators Leiutenant The first act of Fabius was the reformation of somewhat that was amisse in matter of Religion then were the Walls and Towers of Rome repaired and fortified the Bridges upon Rivers were broken down and all care taken for the defence of Rome it self Four Legions the Dictator raised in hast and from Ariminum he received the Army which Servilius had conducted thither With these he marched apace after Hannibal not to fight but to affront him He always lodged upon high grounds and of hard accesse knowing that the Roman Horse were far inferior to the Numidians Hannibal in the mean while pursued his Victory and ranged over all the Countries using all manner of cruelty towards the Inhabitants especially those of the Roman Nation of whom he put all to the Sword that were able to bear Armes Passing by Spoletum and Ancona he encamped upon the Adriatick shores refreshing his diseased and over-traveled Army and armed his Africans after the Roman manner and made his dispatches for Carthage presenting his Friends which were very many with part of the Spoils that he had gotten Having refreshed his Army cured his wounded and fed his Horses he followed the course of the Adriatick Shore towards Apulia a Northern
man whose name is Mago and therewith he fell a laughing which all the Souldiers also took for a good Omen In this great day the Carthaginian excelled himself expressing abundance of Military skill and of greâ—tnesse of spirit and courage He so marshalled his Army that all hands were brought to fight where every one might do the best service His Darters and Slingers he sent before to encounter the Roman Velites His Africans Armed after the Roman manner made the two Wings very deep in File Between these he ranged the Gauls and Spaniards armed the first with broad Swords and the other with short and well-pointed Blades The Gauls were strong of Body and furious in giving the Charge but soon wearied spending their violence at the first brunt The Spaniards were lesse eager but more wary These Hannibal caused to advance leaving void the place wherein they had stood and into which they might fall back if they were over-hardly pressed Between the left Batallion by the River side were the Gauls and Spanish Horse under Asdrubal On the right Wing was Maharbal with the Numidian Horse Hannibal himself with his Brother Mago led the Rear His Army this day was ten Thousand Horse and fourty Thousand Foot His enemies had two to one against him in Foot and he five to three against them in Horse The Roman Army was marshalled after their usuall manner On the right hand were the Roman Horsemen under the Consul Paulus On the left Wing was Varâ—o with the rest of the Horse which were of the Latines and other associates and Servilius had the leading of the Battel The Sun was newly risen and offended neither part the Carthaginians having their faces Northward and the Romans Southward After some light Skirmishes between the two Forlorns Asdrubal brake in upon the Consul Paulus and after a rough charge and much execution done the Roman Horse were overborn and driven by plain force to a staggering recoil When the Battels came to joyning the Roman Legionaries found work enough and more than enough to break that Body upon which at first they fell yet at last Hannibals men were forced to a hasty retreat But whilst the Legions following their supposed Victory rushed on upon those that stood before them and thereby engaged themselves deeply within the principal strength of the enemy the two African Battalions on either side advanced so far that getting beyond the Rear of them they almost wholly inclosed them Asdrubal having broken the Troops of the Roman Horse followed them along upon the River side beating downe and killing most of them without regard of taking Prisoners The Consul Paulus left his Horse and cast himself amongst the Legions as hoping by them to make good the day But he failed of his expectation Yet did he cheer up his men as well as he could both by Words and Example slaying many with his own hands The like did Hannibal amongst his Carthaginians in the same part of the Battel but with better successe For the Consul received a blow from a Sling that wounded him much and though a Troop of Roman Gentlemen did their best to save him from further harm yet was he so hardly laid at that by wounds and weaknesse he was compelled to forsake his Horse whereupon all his company also allighted Hannibal being near and seeing this said pleasantly I had rather he would have delivered them to me bound hand and foot meaning that he had them almost as safe as if they had been so bound All this while Varro with his associates in the left Wing was marvelously troubled with Maharbal and his Numidians who beating up and down upon the great Sandy plain raised a foul dust which by a strong South wind was driven into the eyes and mouths of the Romans These using the advantage both of their number and lightnesse wearied the Consul and his followers exceedingly neither giving nor sustaining any charge but continually making offers and then wheeling about Yet at the first they seemed to promise him a happy day of it For when the Battels were even ready to joyn five hundred of these Numidians came pricking away from their fellows with their Shieldes on their backs as was the manner of those which yeilded and throwing down their Armes yielded themselves Varro had no leasure then to examine them but bad them to rest quietly behind his Army till all was done These crafty marchchants did as he bad them for a while till they had oportunity to put their designe in execution Under their Jackets they had short Swords and Poniards with which and other weapons that they gathered up of those that were slaine they flew upon the hindmost of the Romans whilst all eyes were bent another way where they did much mischief and raised great terrour Thus Hannibal in a plain ground found meanes to lay an Ambush at the back of his enemies The last blow that put an end to all was given by the same hand that gave the first Asdrubal having routed and slain all the Roman Horse save the company of Aemilius that joyned themselves to the Foot did not stay to charge upon the face of the Legions but fetching a compasse he came up to the Numidians with whom he joyned and gave upon Terentius This fearfull cloud prognosticated a dismal storme wherefore Terentius his followers having wearied themselves much in doing little and seeing more work towards than they were like to sustain thought it their safest not how to use a Victory and God had otherwise determined When Hannibal had sacked the Roman Camps and trused up the spoils he dislodged and marched away to Samnium finding a disposition in many People thereabouts to forsake the Romans and to make aliance with him The first Town that opened their Gates to him was Cossag where he laid up his Baggage and leaving his Brother Mago to take in other pâ—aces he hastened into Campania He dismissed all his Prisoners that were not Romans without ransome whereby he won the affections of most of the Common People in Italy to incline to him He also gave leave to his Roman Prisoners to send to Rome to procure their ransome with whom he sent Carthalâ— the General of his Horse to see how Rome stood affected to peace The Senate commanded Carthalâ— to depart out of their Territories and refused to redeem their Prisoners probably because they wanted Mony wherewithall to do it Campania is a most pleasant and fruitfull Country and Capua the chief City in it rich and wealthy the Citizens despised now the unfortunate virtue of the Romans and sent Ambassadours to Hannibal with whom these Articles were agreed upon That the Campans should be absolutly free and Governed by their own Lawes That no Citizens of theirs should be subject to any Carthaginian Magistrate in War or Peace and that Hannibal should deliver to the Campans three hundred Roman Prisoners such as themselves should choose whom they might exchange for their Gentlemen
they that were neer him asked him what that meant He answered that it betokened that the Enemies braines were troubled and beclouded who having places of advantage hard by them yet encamped in the plaines Indeed the Lacedemonians waited there for their Allies who yet failed them For all of them having at leasure considered of the speech of Epaminondas at Sparta began to distast the ambition of the Lacedemonians Epaminondas seeing his advantage caused his Army to march with speed and wan the straights by the City of Coronea and encamped there Cleombrotus understanding that the Thebans had possessed themselves of that passe despairing to recover it he made his Army to march a great compasse about the Country of Phocide going along the Sea Coast through a dangerous and troublesome way and so at the last he entered into the Country of Boeotia and as he went he took in some little Towns and certain Gallies that lay upon the Coast and at the last arrived at Leuctres and there sate down to refresh his men who were overwearied with their tedious march Then did Epaminindas presently advance that way to meet them and having passed over some little Mountaines he discovered them in the plain of Luctres where his men were much amazed to see so great an Army of their Enemies The six Counsellors came together to consider whether they should go forward and fight few against many or else retreat waiting for some beter advantage In this Councel their opinions fell out to be equall Three judged it best to retreat the other whereof Epaminondas was one thought it best to fight and with these three Pelopidas who was Captain of the Sacred Band joyned whereupon they all agreed to give them Battel Epaminondas seeing his Souldiers somewhat affirighted at the former ill signes to put courage into them he suborned some that were newly come from Thebes to scatter a report that no man could tell at Thebes what was become of the Armes that hung up in the Temple of Hercules but it was commonly said that the Demigods their Ancestors had taken them away to aid their posterity at this present time He caused another also who was newly come from Trophonius hole to report that the God which gives his Oracles therein commanded him to tell the Boeotians that when they had overcome their enemies in the plain of Leuctres they should celebrate yearly Playes to the honour of Jupiter and to gain the more credit to these devices Leandridas a Spartan that was banished out of his own Country and now was assisting the Boeotians being brought before the Souldiers he encouraged them to fight valiantly that Day For he swore unto them that the Lacedemonians had many Oracles biding them to beware of Leuctres Epaminondas also assembling his Army encouraged them with strong and lively reasons to shew their valour so that at lasty Souldiers being freed from their superstitious feares longed for nothing more than to come to blowes Epaminondas ever concluded his Orations to them with these Words O worthy men embrace sacred Death Advance your selves to a most honorable and famous Fight for your Country for the Tombes of your Ancestors and for your Holy things Just at this very time there came to the Thebans an aid of five hundred Horse and fifteen hundred Foot all Thessalians conducted by Jason This Jason endeavored to have made peace with both parties but could not prevail Also as Cleombrotus retired with his Army out of Boeotia he met a great supply of Lacedemonians and their Allies brought to him by Archidamus the Son of Agesilaus These he sent before thinking to daunt the courage of the Thebans with the sight of them and himself with the rest of his Army suddenly returned into the plain of Leuctres being fully resolved to fight and the Boeotians for their part shrunk not an inch back and so on both sides they set their men in Battel array Epaminondas ordered his Battel after a new fashion never before practised by any Captain For having chosen out of his Army the best and most valiant Souldiers he placed them together in one of the Points of his Battel where himself meant to fight in Person seconded by Pelopidas and his three hundred chosen men called the Holy Band In the other Point he placed his weaker men commanding them expresly not to abide the charge of their enemies that should assaile them in Front but fair and softly retire when they saw them come near them and it fell out as he wished and he hoped to determine the Battel by the virtue and prowess of those where he had placed all the flower and choice of his Army Now the sign of Battel being given the Lacedemonians advanced with the two Horns of their Battel ordered in the form of a Crescent On the contrary one of the wings of the Battel of the Boeotians began to give back and the other with great fury ran to charge the enemy in the Flank and soon they were come to the Swords point At the first because either side fought desperately the Victory for a time stood doubtfull But at last Epaminondas his Troop brake in amongst the Lacedemonians and slew most of those that were about Cleombrotus Yet while the King was alive he kept back the Thebans from the victory being accompanied with all the flower of his Army who fought very valiantly about him But after he fell dead to the ground having received and given an infinite number of wounds then thronged they together on all sides and there was a bloody and cruell fight about his Body where were heaps of men slain one upon another and though Epaminondas did all that possibly he could yet the Lacedemonians made such resistance that at last they forced the Thebans somewhat to give back whereby they conveyed the Body of the King out of the presse But this continued not long For Epaminondas both by his words and example did so raise up and encourage the hearts of his men that they fought like Lyons and gave so fierce a second charge upon their enemies that they wholly routed them and made them fly for life and Epaminondas fiercely pursuing the flying enemy made a great slaughter of them and obtained the most glorious victory that ever Captain won having in a pitched Field overcome the most Noble and warlike Nation of all Greece and that with a far smaller number of men than his enemies had He also rejoyced more in this than in all his other victories because it happened to him in his Fathers life-time and he often used to say that of all the honest and happy Fortunes that befell him nothing joyed his heart more than that he had vanquished the Lacedemonians at Leuctres his Father and Mother living to see it and indeed he that day did not onely preserve their lives but of all his Citizens besides the Lacedemonians having fully resolved utterly to destroy the Thebans Epaminondas used at
all other times to come abroad fine and neat and with a pleasant countenance but the next day after this Battel he came out very sad heavy and pensive and when his Friends asked him whether he had heard any ill news which occasioned this posture he said No but said he I perceive by my self yesterday that being overjoyed with the victory I obtained my heart was more elevated than it ought and therefore to day I correct that joy which yesterday exceeded its due bounds He knowing that it was the manner of the Spartans as much as possible to conceal their losses he suffered them not to carry away all their dead Bodies together but every City one after another by which it appeared that there were four Thousand of them slain But of the Booetians there were not found above three hundred dead This Battel was fought in the beginning of the second year of the hundred and second Olympiade The Lacedemonians having by this overthrow lost the greatest part of their honour which they had maintained so long yet lost not their courage but to keep their youth still in heart and to take away all fear from such as had escaped they sent Agesilaus with an Army into Arcadia who was contented to take a few small Towns of the Mantineans and so to return home again Some say that Lycomedes Captain of the Arcadians making an inrode neer to Orchomene slew in an encounter Politropus Captain of the Lacedemonians and two hundred Spartans with him which provoked the Lacedemonians against them and thereupon the Arcadians finding themselves too weak for them they sought alliance and aid from the Thebans Sure it is that these two States were now at enmity which occasioned the Arcadians and Thebans to joyn together who with their Allies being led by Epaminondas entered into Laconia with an Army of fourty thousand men besides thirty thousand others that followed the Camp At this time the Athenians sent Captain Iphecrates with twelve thousand men to aide the Lacedemonians But before their coming Epaminondas was entered into Laconia and had sacked all the Country which had not been wasted by any enemy for six hundred years before The Spartans seeing their Country thus plundred and destroyed were desirous to have gone out with such Forces as they had but Agesilaus would not suffer them telling them how dangerous it was for them to leave their City and to set upon such a potent and numerous enemy This made them quiet and Epaminondas in the mean time marched with his Army towards the River Eurotas which at that time was risen very high because of the Winter raines He endeavoured all he could to draw forth Agesilaus to a Battel who beholding Epaminondas a great while marching with his Army in Battel aray along the River side at the Head of his Troops he wondred at his boldnesse and Valour but would by no meanes adventure out of his Fort So that when this Army had plundred all Laconia Epaminondas led them back again laden with a very rich Booty And though Agesilaus was commended for pteserving his City in safety yet Epaminondas had by this inrode and especially by his Victory at Leuctres so impoverished the Country that Sparta could never after recover that losse nor grow into that reputation and power which it had before Yea notwithstanding the aide sent by the Athenians and the skill and experience of Iphicrates Epaminondas returned with his Army intire as he came Epaminondas that he might keep the Lacedemonians still underfoot and heape new troubles upon them gave Counsell to the Arcadians and their Allies to re-edify and replenish with People the City of Messina which the Lacedemonians had long before destroyed and when all the whole Councel had given their consents to it he forthwith by diligent enquiry sought out all that had been ancient Inhabitants in that City and in the space of eighty five Dayes having repaired the ruined Houses he raised again one of the most Noble and ancient Cities of Grâ—ece and left there a strong Garrison for their security This gat him as much if not more love and honour than any other service which he had ever done The Lacedemonians being freed from a great fear by his departure made an agreement with the Athenians leaving to them the chief command by Sea and reserving to themselves that by Land And afterwards by the assistance of the Athenians and that aide which came to them out of Sicily by little and little they recovered their Towns again The Arcadians to stop their proceedings assaulted the City of Pallene in Laconia and taking it by storme put all the Garrison therein to the Sword then razed the Town and plundred all the Country there abouts And expecting that the Lacedemonians would seek revenge they sent for aid to the Thebans who sent Epaminondas and the other Counsellers to assist them with six thousand Foot and five hundred Horse The Athenians having intelligence hereof sent their Army under the Conduct of Chabrias who marched directly to Corinth where he met with a good supply of Souldiers from the Megarians Pallenians and Corinthians so that now he had a Brigade of ten thousand men These intended to fortifie and stop all the passages and entrances into the Country of Poloponesus The Lacedemonians and their Allies joyning also with them made up an Army of twenty thousand men And accordingly beginning at the City of Cencrees unto the Haven of Lecheum they blocked all the wayes from one Sea to an other with mighty great peices of Timber laid acrosse and with a marvelous deep ditch and this great work was followed with such speed both by reason of the great multitude of labourers as also through the forwardnesse of them that prosecuted it with such earnestnesse that they had quite finished it before the Boeotians could arrive there Epaminondas when he came thither viewing this fortification perceiving that the easiest place to storme it was that which the Lacedemonians themselves guarded he sent to give them defiance though they were thrice as many in number as he was yet for all this they durst not come out but kept close under their fortification Notwitstanding he assaulted them in it and at last drave them out In the heat of the fight every one doing his best some assailing others defending Epaminondas chose out the valiantest men in all his Army and bravely charging the Lacedemonians he forced them to give back and in dispite of them he entred into Peloponnesus which of all other his Noble exlpoites was the most wonderfull and memorable action From thence he marched to the Cities of Epidaure and Troezen and so pillaged all the Country But he staied not to take any of the Towns because they had strong Garrisons in them Yet he put Sicyone Phuente and some other Towns into such fear that they yeilded themselves to him This being done he went to Corinth and overcame the
water But he was greatly assisted by those of Vivarets and Lionois for though many of them had transported themselves and their goods into Daulphine thinking to defend the Banks against him yet such as remained being willing to free their Country from such unwelcome Guests they helped him to make Boats informed him of a better passage higher up the River and sent him Guides When his Boats were ready he sent Hanno the Son of Bomilcar up the River to the Foard and himself in the mean time made a shew of entering the Foard below that Hanno charging the Gauls on their own side and himself at the same time passing the River in their faces might win the further Bank which was done accordingly though with some difficulty and thereby the enemies were dispersed Having passed this first brunt and overcome both the rage of the River and those that defended it he was visited by the Princes of the Cisalpine-Gauls that inhabited Piemont and Milan who had lately revolted from the Romanes These informed him that the passage over the Alps was not so difficult as report made it and gave him Guides with many other encouragements Yet found he himself extreamly encombred by the Savoyards and lost more of his Carriages and Carthaginians than he could well spare For he was twice strongly assaulted by them before he could recover the plaines on the other side He was fifteen dayes passing over the Alps wherein besides the trouble of his enemies he was much assaulted by foule weather and Snow it being now the begining of Winter But the fair and fertile plaines which they now were entring into with the assistance and encouragment of the Cisalpine Gauls gave them much comfort having nothing else of difficulty remaining but that which from the begining they made account to overcome by their proper valour and resolution namely the Romane Armies and resistance The Romane Ambassadours who had denounced War at Carthage in their return homewards took Spain in their way with a purpose to draw into their Alliance as many Cities and Princes as they could The first that they attempted were the Volcians from whom they received this answer that they would never joyn with them who had forsaken the Saguntines in their greatest need and that themselves had found the Cathaginians such good neighbours that they meant still to adhere to them From Spain the Ambassadours passed through Gaul perswading them not to suffer Hannibal to passe through their Countery and gloried much in their own strength But the Gauls laughed them to scorn and had scarce patience to hear them speak Telling them that they meant not to set their own Houses on Fire to save the Romanes from burning That the Carthaginians had never offended them as the Romanes had done who had already forced some of them out of their habitations and made others Tributaries who were as free as themselves With these unpleasing answers the Ambassadours returned home carrying no good newes of friends like to help them but rather that the Gauls intended to take part with their enemies And accordingly when the Cisalpine-Gauls heard that the Carthaginians had passed Iberus and were marching towards Rome the Bâ—ij and Insubrians rose up against the Romans Their quarrel was the late planting of Roman Colonies at Câ—emona and Placentia within their Territories Relying therefore upon the Carthaginian succour which they thought to be at hand laying aside all regard of those Hostages that they had lately given to the Romans they fell upon those Colonies The Towns they could not win but they forced the Romane Comissioners which were abroad to fly into Modena where they besieged them But the Gauls having little skill in besieging Cities grew weary and were desirous of Peace This they did on purpose to draw on some meeting that laying hands on the Romane Deputies they might with them redeem their Hostages and it fell out in part according to their wish For Ambassadours comming to them from Rome to treat with them they made them Prisoners Manlius the Praetor hearing of this outrage marched with his Army to relieve the besieged But the Gauls laid an Ambush in his way that falling upon him utterly routed him and slew most of his Army except a few that escaped into a defensible place upon the River Po. This being heard of at Rome C. Atilius the other Praetor hasted with an other Army to relieve the besieged But as the Gauls were too hasty so the Romans were too slow in the begining of this War For they could not believe that Carthage which had almost servilely endured so many indignities from them in the late peace durst be so bold on a suddain as to attempt the Conquest of Italy itself Wherefore they appointed one of their Consuls to make War in Spain and the other in Africk Titus Sempronius went into Africk with one hundred and sixty Gallies of five to an Oare which preparations seemed to threaten Carthage her self P. Cornelius Scipio the other Consul hasted towards Spain and by the way touching at Massilia he was there informed that Hannibal had passed the River Rhodanus whom he had thought to have found busy in Spain Hannibal also heard of the Consuls arrivall with whom he meant to have nothing to do Yet both sent forth Scouts Hannibal sent out five hundred Numidians and Scipio three hundred of his best Horse They met and fought and the Romans had the better of it But when Scipio drew neer thinking to have meâ— with the Carthaginians he found that they were gone three dayes before with an intent to see the Walls of Rome Scipio hereupon sent his Brother Cn. Cornelius Scipio into Spain with the greatest part of the Army against Asdrubal and himself with the choisest returned baâ—k and landing at Pisa he marched through Tuscany and Lumbardy where he drew together the broken Bands of Manlius and Atilius who were lately beaten by the Gauls intending therewith to oppose the enemy thinking to find them tired with their long Journey Five moneths Hannibal had spent in that tedious march from Carthagena When he had passed Rhodanus he had in his Army but thirty eight thousand Foot and eight thousand Horse the rest having perished with Diseases Enemies Rivers and Mountaines Having newly passed the Alps and scarce refreshed his wearied Army in Piemont he sought the friendship of the Taurini who being at this time in War with the Insubrians his good Friends the Taurini refused it whereupon he besieged their chiefe Town and in three dayes wan it the spoil whereof did much incourage his Army and the others Calamity terrified their Neighbours Most of those parts would willingly have joyned with Hannibal but when the Consul Scipio came amongst them they began to be better advised This wavering affection amongst the People made the Generals to hasten to a Battel Their meeting was aâ— Tieâ—nunâ— now Pavia where each of them wondred at the others expedition The
that were Hostages with the Romans Then did Hannibal hasten towards Capua leaving Naples that he had thought to take in by Scalado but found the Walls too high and himself not fully furnished for a Siege At Capua he was intertained with great solemnity and Pomp all the Town being so earnestly in love with their new Guests that they murthered all the Romans that at present they could come by The same course with these of Capua ran the other Cities thereabout except Nola Nuâ—eria Naples Cassiliâ—e and Acenae which yet stood out for the Romans Rome it self was in great fear of Hannibals coming at the first report of the overthrow at Cannae and the grief of that losse was so generall and immoderate that it much hindred their provision against apparent danger All the Senators found work enough to quiet the Peoples lamentations Courriers were sent forth to bring them certain tidings how things went whereof when letters from the Consul Varro had fully informed them they were so amazed that they ran into Barbarous Superstition and by the advise of their Southsayers they buried two men and two women alive in the Ox-market Ambassadours also were sent to the Oracle at Delphi to enquire with what Prayers and Supplications they might pacifie the Gods and obtain an end of their calamities In the midst of these extremities they called home their Consul Terentius that he might name a Dictator and all sorts of people went forth to meet him and welcome him home which was done to hold up their reputation M. Junius was chosen for the Dictator and T. Sempronius Master of the Horse These fell presently to the â—â—ustring of Forces and raised four Legions and a thousand Horse yet were they faign to take some that were very 〈◊〉 and they encreased their number by adding to them eight thousand sturdy Slaves to whom liberty 〈◊〉 promised if they would deserve it by their manly service The Dictator also Proclaimed that whosoever were in debt and could not pay it or that had committed 〈◊〉 capitall offence should be pardoned if they would 〈◊〉 in the War 〈◊〉 to Arme these they were faign to take down out off their Temples the spoiles of their enemies 〈…〉 had been there 〈◊〉 The Dictator having dispatched all needfull businesses in the City took the Field with twenty five Thousand men with whom he marched into Campania and did little more then to keep Hannibal from spoiling the Country Marcellus one of the Roman Praetors lying at Oâ—tiâ—a with a Legion and fifteen hundred Souldiers newly taken up with whom he should have gone into Sicily hearing of the overthrow at Cannae sent his new livied men to Rome for the defence of it and with his Legion marched to Nola to help the Citizens there Hannibal had many Friends in Nola amongst the common People and therefore brought his Army thither and on a day seeing the Walls unmanned he bad his Souldiers bring their Lâ—dders and scale them But whilst they did it and were in confusion Marcellus with his men issued out at three severall Gates and set upon the Carthaginians expecting no such thing and did such execution amongst them that this was accounted a Victory and reputed the bravest act in all those Wars from whence they concluded that Hannibal might be overcome From thence Hannibal went to Acerrae where being refused entrance he laid Seige to it on every side wherewith the Citizens being terrified before his works were finished they stole out by night and left the Town empty which Hannibal sackt and burnt then hearing that the Dictator was about Cassiline thithâ—â— went he but found him not only many companies of the Roman Confederats were gotten into the Town and kept it The Citizens were affected to Hannibal and would faign have been free from there Guests who finding their intent in a night slew all the Citizens and fortified a part of the City against the enemy Hannibal gave diverse assaults to it but was still repelled with losse and many sallies they made with variable successe Hannibal mined and they countermined so that he was thriven to enclose them that he might win it by Famine T. Sempronius Gracchus Master of the Horse lay up the River with the Roman Army and would faign have relieved the Besieged but durst not venture Barrels of Corn he sent floating down the River to relieve them which being discovered came into Hannibals hands Gracchus cast abundance of Nuts into the stream which faintly sustained the Besieged At length when all their food was spent and whatsoever green thing grew under the Walls the Carthaginians plowed up the ground and the besieged presently sowed it with Rape-seed Hannibal admired their patience and said That he meant not to stay there till the Rapes were grown and therefore whereas he had intended to have made them an example for their obstinacy he was now content to grant them their lives upon an easie ransome and so quietly dismissed them The time of the year now being come Hannibal retired into Capua where he wintered and where as some say his Army was corrupted with the pleasures and plently there and made more effeminate than before About this time Hannibal sent his Brother Mago to Carthage with the joyfull newes of this great Victory He told the Carthaginian Senate with how many Roman Generals his Brother had fought how many Consuls he had chased wounded or slain How the Romans who never used to shun a Battel were now grown so cold that they thought their Dictator Fabius the only good Captain That not without reason their spirits were thus abated since Hannibal had slain above two hundred and six Thousand of them and taken above fifty Thousand Prisoners He told them how many States in Italy followed the Fortune of those great Victories He told them that the War was even at an end if they would follow it close and give the Romans no time of breathing He wished them to consider that the War was carried into an enemies Country that so many Battels had diminished his Brothers Army that the Souldiers that had deserved so well ought to be well rewarded and that it was not good to burden their new Italian Friends with exactions of mony Corn c. But that these must be sent from Carthage Lastly he caused the Gold Rings taken from the fingers of the Roman Knights that were slain to be powred out before them which being measured filled three Bushels This errand of Mago for the present found extraordinary good welcome And large supplies were voted to be sent to him But his old enemy Hanno obstructed them and the too much Parsimony of the Citizens was the cause that there was very little done and that which was done came too late However Mago brings the news of the great supply which was decreed to be sent which much rejoyced Hannibal and his new confederats The Spring drew on when the supply
Thessalians amongst them men very skilfull in their Bowes who so plyed the Athenians that they wholly brake them and put them to the rout yet in their flight they did not run amongst their Footmen which made them somewhat recover their Honour which they had lost by running away On the contrary part as they fled they met with some Companies of Negropont whom the Arcadians had sent to take in certain Hills hard by the plain where the Battel was fought whom they put all to the Sword The men at Arms of the Thebans seeing them turn their backs did not pursue them at all but presently gave charge upon a great Battalion of Footmen forcing them all they could to break and run through them So the fight was very cruel and sharp yet in the end the Athenians were forced to quit the place whereupon a Collonel of Horsemen of the Elians who stood as a reserve to guard the Rere defended them and encountering with the Boâ—otians he resisted them and made them give back which reinforced the fault of the left point of their Army But in the right point after the Horsemen had charged one another the fight was soon determined For by reason of the great number of men at Armes of the Thebans and Thessalians the Mantineans and their partakers were soon put to rout and haveing lost a great number of their men they sheltered themselves under the Battalion of their Footmen and this was the issue of the fight between the Horsemen As for the infantry after they came once to the Sword it was a marvellous bloody and cruel fight For never before that time was there so many Greeks in the Field one against another nor so great and expert Captains nor such valiant Souldiers as were now The two Nations that at that time bare the name to be the bravest Footmen in all the world to wit the Thebans and Lacedemonians were now set in Front one against the other and they began to charge neither sparing Life nor limb The first charge they gave was with their Pikes which being soon broken with the huge blows they gave each other then they came to it with their Swords and lustily laying about them Body to Body Death raged in every place and there was a mighty carnage made for neither part shrunk back or gave over with wearinesse but stood to it like undaunted men And so continued this dangerous Fight for a long time by reason of the valiantness of either party the victory stood doubtfull for a great while and it could not be judged which side was like to have the upper hand For every one that fought had this resolution in his heart not to fear Death whatsoever befell them But rather desiring to make proof of their utmost Valour they willingly parted with their lives to lye in the Bed of Honour By reason whereof though the fight was sharp and cruel yet the event remained for a long space so uncertain that it could not be discerned to which side the Victory should fall But at last Epaminondas seeing no other remedy but that the issue of this doubtfull fight depended upon his own virtue and valour he resolved with himself to adventure his life upon it and presently gathering about him all the best and choisest men of his Army and of them having compounded a Company of stout and resolute Blades he ran with great fury into the thickest and greatest press of all his enemies marching himself the foremost man in all his Troop with a Spear in his hand with the which at the first blow he gave he slew the Captain of the Lacedemonians and straightway the rest of his company began to assail their enemies But Epaminondas laying about him like a Lion slew so many in the place where he stood with his own hands that at last he opned the Battel of the Lacedemonian whom he pursued laid on them so lustily that they being unable any longer to defend themselves against the irristable fury of himself and his followers were enforced to give back and leave the place to the Boeotians who yet followed them at their heels beating them down so eagerly that in a short space the whole Field was covered with dead Bodies lying on heapes one upon another But in the end the Lacedemonians seeing that they could no way save themselves gathered courage out of despair and a Company of them joyning together all set upon Epaminondas throwing an infinite number of Darts at him of which some he avoided others he received upon his Target but yet there were many that stuck in his Body which he pulled out and fought with the same weapons against those that had thrown them at him At last when he had done more than a man and beyond all humane strength thereby to win Honour to his Country by gaining them the victory a certain Lâ—coâ—ian called Anticrates thrust him into the breast with a Dart with such force as breaking the wood he left the iron Head sticking in his Body Having received this deadly wound he fell immediately to the ground But then was there a more cruel fight about him than ever there was before which occasioned great slaughter on both sides till the Thebans by fine force made their enemies to flie for their lives and when they had pursued them a while they returned back to their Camp that they might keep the dead Bodies in their power which was a certain signe that the victory was theirs and then they sounded a retreat and so the Battel ended Both sides challenged the victory and made Triumphs for it The Lacedemonians did it because the Athenians had slain those of Negropont that were sent to seize upon the Hils before mentioned and kept their Bodies in their power The Thebans on the other side having overcome the Spartans had the Bodies of them that were slain in the Battel in their power which was by far the greater number wherefore they said that they were the Victors Thus both standing upon their tearms it was a good while before either would send a Trumpet or Herauld to the other for leave to bury their dead Yet at last the Lacedemonians sent first and then they all betook themselves to give the dead an Honourable Burial And as for him that had killed Epaminondas he was highly esteemed and honoured for his valiant act and the Lacedemonians gave him many rich Presents and made him and his Posterity free from all publick Taxes and contributions in the Common-wealth As for Epaminondas he was brought yet alive into his Tent how beit his Physitians and Surgeons being called together to dresse his wounds they all concluded that so soone as they plucked the head of the Dart out of his Body he must needs die And truly he made a most noble and worthy end For first he called for his Target-bearer who was alwayes at his hand in the Battel and asked him Is my Target safe He brought it