and to require him speedily to return with his Army for the safeguard of Italy which accordingly he did Scipio and Hannibal were now so near that fight they must e're they could part and therefore each of them encouraged their Souldiers by the best Arguments they had Hannibal assuring his men that there was no mean betwixt Victory and Death When the Armies approached near each to other Scipio sent forth his Horsemen of the Gauls to begin the fight lining them with his Darters for their assistance himself with his men at Arms followed slowly in good order The Gauls being in their Generals sight behaved themselves gallantly and were as bravely opposed but their Darters at the very first ran cowardly away without casting a Dart for fear of being trodden down by the enemies Horse Yet did the Gauls maintain it stoutly and did more hurt than they received neither was Scipio unmindful to relieve them wherefore he adventured him self so far that he received a dangerous wound and had there perished if his Son afterwards called Africanus had not brought him off Whilst the Romans were busie in helping their Consul an unexpected storm assailed them at their backs Hannibal had appointed his Numidian Horsemen to charge the Romans in their Flank so and to compass them about whilst he with his men at Arms sustained their charge and met them in the face The Numidians performed it well cutting in pieces the scattered Foot that ran away at the first encounter and then falling on the backs of those that charged Hannibal by this impression the Romans were shuffled together and routed betaking themselves to their heels and leaving to their enemies the honour of the day Scipio perceiving how things were like to go almost stole the Retreat with most of his Footmen yet unbroken and recovered the Bridge over Ticinus but notwithstanding his hast he lost six hundred of his men which brought up his Rear and should have broken down the Bridge It was two dayes after e're Hannibal could pass the River Scipio in the mean time refreshing his men and easing himself of his wound in Placentia But when Hannibal presented them Battel again and they durst not accept of it the Gauls which before assisted the Romans out of fear took courage and left them and thinking that now the time was come for the recovery of their Liberty that night they fell upon the Roman Camp wounded and slew many especially of those that kept the Guard with whose Heads in their hands they fled over to the Carthaginians and presented their service Hannibal received them exceeding courteously and sent them to their own homes that they might perswade the rest of the Nation to become his Confederates The same night the Consul stole a retreat as he had done before but not with the like success For Hannibal had an eye upon him and e're he was gone far he sent his Numidians after him and himself followed with the Body of his Army Then had the Romans received a great blow but the Numidians greedy of prey fell to ransacking their Camp and thereby gave them liberty of escaping only some in the Rear were either slain or taken Prisoners Scipio being unable to travel by reason of his wound and judging it meet to stay for the coming of his fellow Consul intrenched himself strongly upon the Banks of the River Trebia which so diminished his Reputation that every day more of the Gauls fell to Hannibal amongst whom came in the Boij that brought with them the Roman Commissioners Hitherto they had kept them as Pledges wherewith to recover their own Hostages but now they delivered them to Hannibal as tokens of their affection to him Hannibal being in great want of Victuals he attempted the taking of Clastidium wherein the Romans had laid all their Store and Ammunition and a Brundusian that had the keeping of it surrendred it to him for a little money The news of these disasters coming to Rome filled the Senate and People with a desire of revenge their Foot wherein their greatest strength lay being yet entire they therefore hasted away Sempronius with his Army who by speedy marches came to Scipio upon the Banks of Trebia The Consuls took Counsel what was fittest to be done now that their Armies were conjoyned Sempronius was eager to fight before Scipio recovered of his wound that he might get the whole glory of the Victory He also feared the election of new Consuls his time being almost expired But Scipio perswaded the contrary by many arguments yet would not Sempronius be taken off wherewith Hannibal was exceedingly pleased who feared nothing so much as delays To further the desire of Sempronius the Gauls that inhabited near to Trebia complained of injuries done to them by the Carthaginians Indeed they neglected to supply Hannibal with necessaries and therefore he was bold to be his own Carver Hereupon Sempronius sent forth a thousand Horse which coming unlooked for upon Hannibals Forragers who were heavy laden they cut many of them in pieces and chased the rest even to their Camp This indignity made the Carthaginians to sally out who caused them to retire faster than they came Sempronius relieved his own men and Hannibal did the like So that at length the Roman Army was drawn forth and Battel offered if the Carthaginians had not refused it This Victory for so the Consul would name it made the Romans very desirous to try it out in open Field notwithstanding Scipios diswasion from it This Hannibal was informed of by the Gauls that were in the Roman Camp therefore he resolved to secure the Victory by adding a Stratagem to his Forces He found in a hallow place overgrown with Reeds a fit Trench to cover an Ambush Therein he cast his Brother Mago with a thousand choise Horse and as many Foot The rest of his Army when he had well fed and refreshed them he led into the Field and marched towards the Consuls Early in the morning he had sent over the River some Numidian Horsemen to brave the enemy and draw him forth to a bad Dinner before he had broken his Fast. Sempronius readily embraced the opportunity of fighting and forthwith sent over the River in a miserable cold day his Footmen who were almost to the Arm-holes which together with the want of Food did much enfeeble them The Romans were stoing in Foot having in all thirty six thousand The Mass of those were ranged in a gross Battalion guarded on the Flanks with three thousand Horse thrusting their light armed and Darters in loose Companies before the rest in the nature of a Vaunt-guard The Carthaginians equalled them in Foot and exceeded them in Horse when therefore the Roman Horse were broken by the Numidians when their Foot were charged both in Front and Flank by the Spaniards Gauls and Elephants and when all were pressed in the Rear by Mago and his Men out of the Ambush then
and of greatness 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 vvith broad Swords and the other vvith short and vvell-pointed Blades The Gauls vvere strong of Body and furious in giving the Charge but soon vvearied spending their violence at the first brunt The Spaniards vvere less eager but more wary These Hannibal caused to advance leaving void the place wherein they had stood and into vvhich they might fall back if they vvere overhardly pressed Between the left Batallion by the River side vvere the Gauls and Spanish Horse under Asdrubal On the right Wing vvas Maharbal vvith the Numidian Horse Hannibal himself vvith his Brother Mago led the Rear His Army this day vvas ten thousand Horse and forty thousand Foot His Enemies had two to one against him in Foot and he five to three against them in Horse The Roman Army vvas marshelled after their usual manner On the right hand vvere the Roman Horsemen under the Consul Paulus On the left Wing vvas Varro with the rest of the Horse vvich were of the Latines and other associates and Servilius had the leading of the Battel The Sun was newly riâ—en and offended neither part the Carthaginians having their faces Northward and the Romans Southward After some light Skirmirshes betvveen the tvvo Forlorns Asdrubal brake in upon the Consul Paulus and after a rough charge and much execution done the Roman Horse vvere overborn and driven by plain force to a staggering recoil When the Battels came to joyning the Roman Legionaries found vvork enough and more than enough to break that Body upon vvhich at first they fell yet at last Hannibals men vvere forced to a hasty retreat But vvhilst the Legions follovving their supposed Victory rushed on upon those that stood before them and thereby engaged themselves deeply vvithin 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 vvholly inclosed them Asdrubal having broken the Troops of the Roman Horse follovved them along upon the River side beating dovvn and killing most of them vvithout 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 vvell as he could both by Words and Example slaying many vvith his ovvn hands The like did Hannibal amongst his Carthaginians in the same part of the Battel but vvith better success For the Consul received a blovv from a Sling that vvounded him much and though a Troop of Roman Gentlemen did their best to save him from further harm yet vvas he so hardly laid at that by vvounds and vveakness he vvas compelled to forsake his Horse vvhereupon 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 vvhile Varro vvith his associates in the left Wing vvas marvellously 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 lightness 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 Shields on their backs as was the manner of those which yielded and throwing down their Arms 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 Marchants did as he bad them for a while till they had opportunity to put their design in execution Under their Jackets they had short Swords and Poniards with which and other Weapons that they gathered up of those that were slain 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 means 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 A milius that joyned themselves to the Foot did not stay to charge upon the face of the Legions but fetching a compass he came up to the Numidiâ— ns with whom he joyned and gave upon Terentius This fearful Cloud prognosticated a dismal storm wherefore Terentius his followers having wearied themselves much in doing little and seeing more work towards then they were like to sustain thought it their saffest way to secure themselves by present flight The Consul also was as careful to provide for his own security as were they Now he found that it was one thing to talk of Hannibal at Rome and another to encounter him Close at the heels of him and his flying Troops were Numidians appointed by Asdrubal to the pursute as fittest for that service Asdrubal himself with his Gauls and Spanish Horse fetching a compass fell upon the backs of the Romans who were almost surrounded and much distressed before Here began a miserable slaughter the vanquished multitude thronging each other not finding which way to turn Aemilius who could not sit his Horse before whilst the spaces were open by which he might have withdrawn himself was now unable to fly his way being stopt by a throng of his miserable followers and heaps of Bodies that fell apace in that great Carnage In this terrible overthrow dyed all the Roman Foot save two or three thousand who escaped into their lesser Camp and the Night following about four thousand Foot and two hundred Horse fled into Canusium The Camps were both yielded to Hannibal by those who yet remained in them Terentius the Consul recovered Venusia with seventy at most in his Company the rest of his Troops were scattered over the Fields and gathered up by the Numidians and made Prisoners There died in this great Battel of Cannae besides the Consul Paulus two of the Roman Questors twenty one Collonels eighty Senators or such as had born Office amongst whom was Servilius the last years Consul and Minutius late Master of the Horse and about eight thousand were taken Prisoners Hannibal lost about four thousand Gauls fifteen hundred
the many Victories which they had gotten over those that far exceeded them in number He bad them look on their Enemies and see whether they were not by far fewer than that huge Army they had â—laughtered at Cannae He bad them remember that it was the Father of this Scipio whom they had made to run away c. Wherefore he intreated them upon whose virtue he meant wholly to repose himself that they would strive that day to make good their honour and to purchase the fame of Men Invincible When the Armies drew neer the Numidian Horse-men on both sides began to Skirmish the Trumpets and other Instruments sounded to Battel Hannibals Elephants which were always an uncertain kind of help were to break upon the Romans But some of them ran back upon their own Horse which they so disordered that Massanissa taking the advantage before they could re-ally charged them and drave them quite out of the Field The rest of these Beasts made a great spoil amongst the Roman Velites but being wounded they ran back upon the right point of their own Battel and disordered the Carthaginian Horse that were in the Wing vvhich gave such advantage to the Roman Horse that charging them vvhen they vvere in disorder they drave them away likewise Then did the Battels of Foot advance and ran one at the other and the Mercenaries at the first seemed to have the better of the Romans But at length the Roman Discipline prevailed against boisterous strength And whereas the Romans were seconded by their Friends these Mercenaries received no help from those that should have seconded them For the new raised Africans when they saw the Mercenaries give back they retired also which made the hired Souldiers think themselves betrayed whereupon they declined the fight The Carthaginian Battel was herewith more terrified than before so that refusing to give way to the Mercenaries they fell out amongst themselves and forbore to make head against their Enemies Thus were many of them beaten down and slain through their own indiscretion And this gave the Romans such advantage that they made a great slaughter both of the Carthaginians and Mercenaries who could neither sight nor easily flie Such as could ran towards Hannibal who kept his ground and would not stir to help these run-aways Then did Scipio advance against Hannibal who intertained him after another manner than ever he had been received in his Life before All the former days work seemed but a Pastime in comparison of this The Romans were encouraged because they had prevailed all the day before they were also far more in number But Hannibals old Blades were fresh and the better men They fought with such obstinate resolution that no man gave back one Foot but rather chose to die than to lose their ground so that for a long time the Victory was uncertain But the return of Massanissa and Laeli is with the Horse from the pursute of the Enemies was to the Romans most happy and in a needful time These upon a suddain charging Hannibal upon the Reer overbore them with meer violence and put them to rout Hannibal with a few Horse saved himself by flight and staid not till he came to Carthage where coming into the Senate he told them plainly that there was no other way left but to make such a Peace as could be procured Amongst other things it was agreed that the Carthaginians should pay to the Romans two hundred Talents a year for fifty years together Which mony when it came to be collected there was pitious lamentation amonst the People the Roman Yoak beginning to pinch them already that some of the Senators could not forbear Weeping but Hannibal could not refrain from Laughter For which Asdrubal Haedus one of Hanno's faction checked him saying that it ill becommed him to laugh since he had been the cause why all others did Weep He answered that Laughter did not always proceed from Joy but sometimes from indignation Yet said he My Laughter is more seasonable and less obsurd than your Tears For you should have wept when you gave up your Ships and Elephants and when you bound up your hands from use of Arms without the good leave of the Romans This miserable condition keeps us under and holds us in assured servitude But of these things you had no feeling Now when a little mony is wrung from you you are very sensible of that God grant that the time come not wherein you shall acknowledg that it was the least part of your misery for which you have shed these Teares Afterwards Hannibal in the Civil administration of the City gave an overthrow or two to the Judges which at that time bore all the sway in Carthage having all the lives goods and fame of the rest in their power Shortly after Hannibal was chosen Praetor by virtue of which Office he was superiour to them for that year He sent upon an occasion for one of the Treasurers to come to him but he proudly refused whereupon Hannibal sent a Pursevant for him and brought him in Judgment before the People accusing not only him but the rest of the Judges for their insolency and unbridled Power withall propounding a Law that the Judges should be chosen from Year to Year He found also that they had robbed the Treasury which caused the Taxes to be laid upon the common People whereof he made such plain demonstration that they were compelled to restore with shame what they had gotten by Knavery This so irritated his Enemies who were of the Roman Faction that they complained to the Roman Senate that the Barchine Faction grew strong again and that Hannibal would shortly be in Arms For he was like a Wild Beast that could never be tamed that he held secret intelligence with King Antiochus who was an enemy to the Romans c. Hereupon the Senate sent three Ambassadors to Carthage to demand Hannibal but he kept such good espial upon the Romans that he was informed of their intentions against which he was never unprepared And therefore when Night was come he stole out of the City accompanied with two Friends whom he could trust and having Horses in a readiness he rode all Night and came to a Tower of his own by the Sea side and having provided a Ship in a readiness he bad Africk farewel lamenting the misfortune of his Country more than his own and shaped his course to Tyre which was the Mother City of Carthage There he was intertained Royally in whose worth and honour the Tyrians thought themselves to have interest because of the affinity between the Cities Thence went he to Antiochus who was exceeding glad of his coming intending War against the Romans To him Hannibal gave excellent advice how he might carry on his War against the Romans vvith best advantage but Antiochus hearkned more to his Courtiers than to him and so was shamefully beaten by the Romans at
them but went presently and charged his Infantry and especially where they had no guard of Horsemen by which means they might be the easiler compassed about Thus they being charged by these in the Flank and in the Van also by the tenth Legion finding themselves contrary to their expectation compassed about by their Enemies whereas they thought to have environed them they could no longer make resistance but were put to the rout also When Pompey saw the dust flying up in the air and thereby conjectured the flight of his Horsemen he was like a man amazed and at his wits end forgetting that he was Pompey the Great and so retiring into his Camp he fat silent for a good while till such time as his Enemies entered pell mell into it together with his men that fled and then he said no more but What! Into our Camp And so rising up he put on a Gown fit for his sad condition and secretly stole out of the Camp His other Legions also fled and Caesars men made a huge slaughter of the Tent keepers and of their Servants that guarded the Camp there were slain about six thousand But at the taking of the Camp Caesars Souldiers plainly saw the madness and folly of Pompeys men For their Pavillions and Tents were full of Nosegays and Garlands of Mirtle and their Couches covered with Flowers their Tables full of Bowls of Wine as men prepared to sacrifice for joy rather than to arm themselves to fight When Pompey was gone a little way from his Camp he forsook his Horse having very few with him and perceiving that none pursued him he walked fair and softly on Foot having his head full of thoughts For he for thirty four years together used always to be Victorious and therefore now it was strange to him to flie He now law how in one hours space he had lost all that Glory and Riches which he had purchased by so many great Victories He that not long before was followed and obeyed by so many thousand men of War by so many Nations and Horsemen by such a great Fleet upon the Sea was now faln into a low and poor estate with so small a train that his very Enemies who sought him knew him not When he had thus passed the City of Larissa he came into the Valley of Tempe where being a thirst he fell down on his belly and drank of the River then rising up he went and came to the Sea side and lay all Night in a Fishers Cottage The next Morning by break a day he went into a little Boat upon the River having some Freemen with him and as for his Slaves he dismissed them and bad them go boldly unto Caesar and not to be afraid Thus rowing up and down the shore side in this little Boat he espied a great Ship in the Sea lying at Anchor which was ready to sail away The Master of the Ship was one Peticius a Roman who though he was not acquainted with Pompey yet he knew him well by sight Some of the Marriners told Peticius that they saw a little Boat coming towards them wherein were some men that held up their hands and made signs to them Peticius looking knew Pompey and commanded his Marriners to let down the Boat wherewith giving Pompey his hand he received him into the Ship and those that were with him and then hoised Sail. With Pompey their were both the Lentuli and Faonius Presently after they espied King Dejotarus coming in a Boat towards them and making signs to be taken in which accordingly they did At Supper time the Master made ready such meat as he had aboard And Faonius seeing Pompey for want of attendants washing himself he ran to him and anointed him and ever after waited upon him doing such Offices as Servants do to their Masters washing his Feet and preparing his food for him Pompey then passing by the City of Amphipolis sailed to the Isle of Lesbos to fetch his Wife Cornelia and his Son who were at Mitilene and having there cast Anchor in the Rode he sent a Servant into the City to his Wife whose Message did not answer her expectation For she had still been put in hope by Letters of her Husbands good success and that the War was well ended The Messenger finding her thus confident thought not fit to salute her but rather by his Tears discovered the great misfortune of Pompey and at last told her that she must dispatch quickly if she would see her Husband with one Ship only and that not his own but borrowed The young Lady hearing this fell down in a swound before him but after she was come to her self remembring that it was now no time to weep and lament she went speedily through the City to the Sea side There Pompey meeting her took her in his Arms and embraced her But she finking under him fell down and at last said Out alas Wo worth my hard Fortune not thine good Husband who now see thee with one poor Ship who before thou marriedst me the Unfortunate Cornelia was wont to sail in these Seas attended with five hundred Alas Why art thou come to see me and didst not rather leave me to my accursed destiny seeing my self am the cause of this thy evil Alas How happy had I been if I had died before I heard of the death of my first Husband Publius Crassus slain in the Parthian War And how wise had I been if according to my determination I then had slain my self whereas I yet live to bring this misfortune upon Pompey the Great To this Pompey answered Peradventure my Cornelia thou hast known a better fortune which hath also deceived thee because she hath continued longer with me than her manner is But since we are born men we must patiently bear these troubles and once more try what she will do For it is not impossible for us again to change this adversity for prosperity no more than it was to fall from our late prosperity into this Calamity When Cornelia heard him say so she sent into the City for her houshould stuff and Family The Metilenians also came to salute Pompey praying him to come and refresh himself in their City But Pompey refused and advised them to obey the Conquerour for said he Caesar is of a just and curteous Nature Then Pompey turning to Cratippus the Philosopher who came amongst the Citizens to visit him made his complaint to him and reasoned a little with him about Divine Providence Then taking his Wife and Friends he hoised sail and departed staying no where but to take in fresh provision and water The first City that he touched at was Atalia in the Country of Pamphilia Thither came to him some Gallies out of Cilicia and many of his Friends and Souldiers insomuch as he had now sixty Senators in his Company Then understanding that his Army by Sea was yet whole and that Cato
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 escaped 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 warm 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 faithful love presented him with two Roman Questors Treasurers 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 miserably fed But there 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 means 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 Hannibal 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 Appenine 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 moistness of the Air and by lodging on the cold Ground Yet at last with much ado he recovered the firm and fertile Plains and Quartered about Arretium where he somewhat refreshed his weary Army and heard news of the Roman 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 hot-headed 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 lest 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 impaired 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 blood 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 turn 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 rendring up their Arms upon promise of life and liberty This accord Hannibal refused to confirm 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 protesting 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 Battel of Thrasymene C. Sempronius with four thousand Horse came neer to Hannibals 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 news of the late loss charged and brake them killing almost half of them and drew the rest simply to yield 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 approaching 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 Control 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 Lieutenant The first act of Fabius was the reformation of somewhat that was amiss 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 access knowing that the Roman Horse were far inferiour 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 Arms. Passing by Spoletum and Ancona he encamped upon the Adriatick shores refreshing his diseased and over travelled 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 Province of the Kingdom of Naples spoiling all that lay in his way Yet took he not one City in all those Countries Indeed he assaied Spoletum but finding it