was a battaile fought with the armie of the Vmbrians howbeit the enemies were rather discomfited and put to flight than slain for that they were not able to hold out and maintain fight long with such courage and animositie as they began and also neer the lake Meer Vadimon the Tuskans had levied a new armie according to a sacred law wherby one man had chosen another who as sworn brethren were to live and dye together where they fought a field not onely with greater number but also with more courage than ever at any time before and with such heate of anger and malice one against the other they encountred that on neither side they thought of discharging shot and launcing darts but began at first with their very swords to go to handstrokes and the conflict being right fiercely begun increased still and waxed hoter in the very medley and continued for a good while so doubtfull that the Romanes thought they dealt not with Tuskanes so often by them defaited and vanquished but with some new nation more warlike than they No shew of flight on neither side downe go the formost and lay dead before their Standards and least that the ensignes should be left naked and bare and without defendants the second raunge and ward of the battaillon came in place to supply the first and so still new succours and fresh were set even as farre as from the rereward behind destined for the last help and utmost refuge And to that extremitie of travel and perill they proceeded that the Romane horsemen abandoning their horses alighted on foot were faine to go to the footemen in the forefront of the vaward over armor and over dead bodies lying all spread upon the ground which new troup battaillon risen and sprung as it were afresh to reenforce and strengthen their distressed fellowes disordred the squadrons and ensignes of the Tuskanes The other legionarie souldiours wearied as they were followed hard and seconded their violence and forceable charge and at length brake through the ranks of their enemies Then the Tuskanes as stiffe as they stood afore began to have the worse and certain bands gave side and reculed and when they once turned back they fell plainely to take their heeles and run away This was the first day that overthrew and laid along the puissance of the Tuskanes who abounded so long in wealth and fortunate prosperitie Their whole floure and strength which they had was in this battaile slaine and at the same vie their camp woon and ransaked With like hazard and glorious successe in the end was the warre managed with the Samnites soone after who besides all other preparations and ordinarie furniture of warre gave order that their armie should glitter and shine againe with a new kind of garnishing their harnesse and armours For having divided their forces in two armies the one had laied their sheelds with gold the other with silver The forme and fashion whereof was this that upper part wherewith the brest and shoulders are covered was broader and the head of it of even heigth but the nether end growing downeward to the bottome was more pointed wedgewise for to weld it more nimbly Their brest stomack was fenced with spounges the left leg armed with a good greeve their morions with high crests made a shew of tall stature The souldiers aforesaid with guilded sheilds ware cotes of sundrie colours the other with silvered white linnen and these had the leading of the right wing or point of the battaile but they of the left The Romanes had a notice and knowledge alreadie what preparation there was of brave and goodly armour and their Captaines had taught them afore That a souldier ought to be dreadfull and terrible not dight and decked in his damasked gold and silver but trusting in the sharp edge of yron and steele and a good heart and courage withall and as for that other furniture it was rather a good bootie than armour of prooâ—e faire and resplendent before men come to the sharp but foule and unseemely amongst bloudie wounds The true ornament and beautie of a souldier is valour and hardinesse as for all those braveries they went commonly with victorie and to conclude that a rich enemie would serve well for a good prize to the conquerour were he never so poore and needie With these speeches after that Curfor had animated his souldiers he leadeth them into the field himselfe he put in the right wing the left he committeth to the conduct of the Generall of horse So soone as they charged one another and buckled together a great conflict and hardie had they with the enemie and no lesse emulation there was betweene the Dictator and him striving avie whether of them twaine should begin the victorie But as hap was first Iunius disordred the enemie and from the left point which he commanded he charged right lustily the right wing of the enemies saying ever and anon That he offered sacrificed unto the Devill and infernall spirits those souldiers of theirs consecrated alreadie unto them after the manner of the Samnites and decked accordingly in white liverie bright silvered armour suting in colour thereunto and withall advanced forward his standerds brake their araies and made the battaile to shrinke evidently recule Which when the Dictator perceived How now quoth he shall the victorie begin at the left wing and shall the right wherein the Dictator fighteth in person come behind and follow the battaile of another and not cary away with it the greatest part of the victorie Herewith he setteth on his souldiours yet gave the horsemen no place in manhood to the footemen nor the service of the Lieutenants was inferiour to the Captaines themselves and chiefe commaunders M. Valerius on the right point P. Decius on the left both Consular men put themselves forward rode out to the horsemen aranged in the wings exhorted them to take part with them in honor and charged acrosse upon the sides and flanks of the enemies Whiles this new terror upon the former had on every side entred the battaile of the enemies and the Romane legions to terrifie them the more had redoubled a fresh shout and charged them with great furie then began the Samnites to flie amaine Now were the fields overspread with the bodies of slaine men strewed thick with armour erewhile so brave glorious and at the first the Samnites in great affright recovered their tents but being there were not able so much as to keepe them for they were woon and rifled before night and fire set upon them The Dictator by a decree of the Senate triumphed and the said armour which was taken from the enemie made the goodliest pageant of all other in the pomp of triumph which caried so stately a shewe and magnificent that the guilded shields were devided amongst the warders of the companie of Bankers and Goldsmiths to the beautifying of their Hall and Market
of their owne nations and that for the most part by meanes of interpretors intermingled for the same purpose with them the trumpets sounded and the hornes blew from the Romane hoast And such a wonderfull shout arose from thence that the Elephants turned upon the Mores and Numidians of their owne side especially in the left point of the battaile Whome Masanissa seeing once affrighted hee soone redoubled their feare and riding upon them with a hote charge laid naked the battaillon of footmen on that side and cleane without the aid of their Cavallerie Howbeit some few of the Elephants driven without feare full upon the enemie made foule worke among the rankes of the light armed Velites and overthrew a number of them not without many a wound and much hurt done to themselves For the Velites leaping againe nimblie to the squadrons after they had made way for the beasts fearing they should bee troden underfoot by them let flie their javelines at them from both sides lying open as they did like butts to the shot on either hand Neither lost they any time who were in the vauntguard before the ensignes nor gave over flinging their darts at them untill they were driven by a voley of shot lighting upon them from all parts cleane out of the Romane battaile and then they turned head also upon the very horsemen of the Carthaginians in their owne right point and forced them to run away Laelius for his part seeing the enemies in disarray and sore troubled charged upon them with his horses encreased their fright So as now the Carthaginian battaillon was disfurnished and stript of their horsemen on both wings By which time the Cavallerie joined battaile whose hope was now quailed and strength abated and therefore not able to make their parts good Besides another thing there was a small matter to speake of but yet in fighting-time and in the very medley of great consequence and importance The shout and crie from the Romans was ever alike and consonant in all parts and therefore the greater and more terrible but the enemies made dissonant noises according as they differed in language being as they were of many and sundrie nations The manner of the Romanes fight was sure and stedfast by reason of the peise of their owne bodies and the weight of their armour bearing still and preasing hard upon the enemies but they on the other side shewed more swiftnesse and agilitie than force and violence And therefore at the very first shocke the Romanes incontinently enforced their battaillon to recule and lose their ground Afterward they fell to shouldering and knocking them with the pikes and bosses of their bucklers which done they set foot forward a good round pace and gained some ground of them marching on still and no man seemed to make head against them whiles they that were hindmost in the files perceiving once that battaillon to goe on and win ground still put forward the formost which was the very thing that availed much and was of great efficacie to put the enemies to flight But the second battaillon which consisted of Africanes and Carthaginians were so farre from seconding and upholding the auxiliarie straungers thus dismarching that contrariwise for feare least the Romanes by killing them in the forefront who stood to it lustily and made resistance should come as farre as to them behind they likewise reculed and gave backward Whereupon the aid-souldiours also suddainely shewed their hin-parts and turning their face upon their owne fellowes some of them retired for refuge into the second battaillon others fell to killing of them that would not receive them within their rankes good reason they had for as a while before they had no helpe at all of them so then they were altogether excluded and shut out from them So as now the Carthaginians had to deale at once in two medlies shuffled together whiles they were compelled to close come to handfight both with their enemies and also with their owne fellowes Yet notwithstanding for all they were either so affrighted or so angrie with them receive them they would not in no hand into their battaillon but keeping their rankes and files close together they cast them ato side to the wings and the void ground without the place of conflict and all because they would not intermingle any souldiors thus skared upon running away and many wounds with that battaillon which stood still sure ynough and as yet unfoiled But the place where a little before the auxiliaries were raunged was so full of slaine bodies and weapons and armour thrumbled one upon another that the Romanes had welneere more adoe to passe that way now than they should have had through the preasse of the enemies standing thicke together And therefore the formost of the Hastati following after the enemies every one as well as he could over the heapes of bodies and armour on the earth and through the slipperie filth of the bloud made a pelmell of their own ensignes and confusion of their rankes Whereupon the ensignes also of the Principes began to wave when they saw the battaile afore them so wandering and inconstant Which Scipio when hee once perceived commaunded in all hast to sound the retreat unto the Hastati and when hee had withdrawne as many of them as were wounded and hurt and bestowed them in the rereward hee brought the Principes and the Triarij to the out-wings and flankes thereof to the end that the middle battaillon of the Hastati should bee more sure and strong By this meanes there began a new medley For now were they come to their verie enimies indeed such as for armour and weapons of all sorts for practise and experience of warfare for fame and renowne of worthie exploits and last of all for greatnesse either of hope or perill were equall and comparable unto them But both in number and also in courage the Romans were superiour for that alreadie they had discomfited the Cavallerie put to flight the elephants beaten back the vaward and were readie now to encounter with the maine battaile Now Laelius and Masanissa having had the horsemen in chase a good way whom they had compelled to flie as is beforesaid returned in good time and charged hotely upon the taile of the enemies battaile And this assault of theirs it was that strucke the stroke this did the deed and amazed the enemies Many of them were environned and killed in the place many fled and were scattered over the plains and open fields and by the horsemen who had taken up all the avenues raunged all about were caught up here and there and so slaine Of Carthaginians and their Allies were killed thatday above twentie thousand and welneere as many taken prisoners of militarie ensignes there were gotten a hundred thirtie three and eleven Elephants besides alive Of the conquerours there died about two thousand Anniball with some few horsemen made shift to escape out of the tumult and
in all made up the number of five hundred As for the left wing it seemed to need no such succours by reason it was flanked with the river and high steepe bankes howbeit in that side there were planted foure troupes of horsemen Thus you see all the forces that the Romanes had besides two thousand Thracians and Macedonians medled and blended together who followed as voluntaries and were left for the guard of the campe and sixteene Elephants which they bestowed in the arreregard for the defence of the Triarij For over and besides that they were not like to hold out against the kings Elephants which were in number fiftie and foure you must consider that those of Africke are not able to match them of India say they were in number equall either because in bignesse the Indians exceede the other as in truth they are much greater by ods or surpasse them in courage and stomacke But the kings armie was composed of divers nations different as well in armes as in souldiours Hee had of Macedonians sixteene thousand footemen heavily armed after their manner called Phalangitae these made the maine battaile and in the front stood divided in tenne squadrons parted and severed one from the other by two Elephants placed betweene Withinforth behind the forefront the battaile was displaied in two and thirtie rankes of souldiours This was the strength of the kings armie and as in other respects so especially in regard of the Elephants surmounting aloft over all the souldiours represented to the eye a feareful and terrible sight For besides that they were high and loftie of themselves their crested head-stalls with plumes upon them their turret upon their backs and in every turrets foure men standing in glittering armour besides the maister and governor himselfe made the apparence and shew far greater On the right wing he placed close unto the Phalangites a thousand and five hundred horsemen of the Gallogreeks unto whom he adjoined three thousand launces in complet armour mounted upon bard horses and those men of armes they themselves called Cataphracti To these were added another wing of a thousand horsemen which they named Agema Medes they were elect and chosen men together with more horsemen of the same region mingled of many nations one with another Close unto them in the arrieregard was set a troupe of sixteene Elephants On which side also in a wing somewhat farther drawne out stood the king his owne cohort bearing the name of Argyraspides by occasion of the silvered shields which they bare After them followed 1200 Dacians archers on horseback Then three thousand footemen lightly armed and composed partly of Candiots and partly of Tralleans in number almost equall and 2500 Mysians attended upon the archers And the utmost side and taile of that wing was guarded with foure thousand Cyrtean slingers and Elymean archers sorted together On the left wing likewise there stood fast unto the Phalangites aforesaid 1500 horsemen Gallograecians and two thousand Cappadocians armed after the same manner sent from king Ariarathes Then the Auxiliaries of all sorts 2700 besides three hundred launces in complet harnesse upon barbed horses armed at all pieces and 1000 other horsemen As for the Cornet of the kings it was more lightly armed as wel themselves as their horses but their setting out and furniture otherwise all one And these were Syrians for the most part with Phrygians and Lydians together Before this cavallerie went the chariots of foure wheeles and drawen by as many horses armed with sharp and trenchant hookes like fith blades and the camels called by them for their swiftnes Dromedaries Vpon these were mounted the Arabian archers who also were armed with keene swords foure cubits long that sitting as they did so aloft they might notwithstanding reach their enemie Then after these were set another multitude equall to that in the right wing whereof the formost were certeine horsemen called Tarentines and after them 2500 Gallograecian horse Likewise of Neocretians a thousand and of Carians and Cilicians one with another 1500 armed alike As many Trallians and three thousand targuatiers These were Pisidians Pamphylians and Lycians and last of all the succors in the arrieregard of Cirteans and Elymeans in like number as they that were placed in the right wing with sixteene Elephants also distant a prety way asunder The king himself in person had the conduct of the right point of the battaile and ordeined Seleucus his sonne and Antipater his brothers sonne to commaund the left The maine battaile in the mids was committed to the leading and governance of three captaines to wit Minio Zeusis and Philip the maister of the Elephants There was a certeine mist arose in the morning and as it waxed farther day gathered aloft into thick clouds and made the weather darke besides by the South wind it resolved into a small drisling raine which wet and drenched all This did little harme to the Romanes but contrariwise was much hurtfull to the kings side For albeit the aire was dim and darke yet by reason that the Roman battailons tooke up no great compasse of ground they could for all the aire was overcast discerne from one end to the other and the moisture that fell dulled nothing at all to speake of either the swords or javelins of them that were heavily armed whereas the kings armie being embattailed so broad had much ado and hardly could see from the middle of the maine battaile to the wings of each hand and much lesse discerne from one skirt and flanke of the battailon to the other Moreover the dropping weather slugged their bowes softned their slings and loups of their darts Their sithed chariots also wherewith Antiochus made full account to breake the arrayes of his enemies turned to the disorder and fright of themselves Now these chariots aforesaid were in this manner armed for the most part certeine sharpe pikes they had about the spire-pole bearing forward from the spring-tree ten cubits in length like unto hornes with which pointed pikes they would pierce through whatsoever they encountered Also at each end of the said spring-tree there were two blades stood out the one of just and even heigth with it the other lower and bearing downeward to the ground the former was devised to cut through whatsoever came neere the side therof the other to reach and teare them that were fallen to the earth or came under the chariot Semblably at both ends of the axeltree without the nave of the wheele there were two such like hookes fastned and bended divers wayes These chariots thus armed the king had placed in the front of the battaile as we said before because if they had bene set either in the midle or the reregard they should have bene driven through their owne battailons Which Eumenes perceiving one that knew well enough the manner of that kind of service and how dangerous it was in case a man rather frighted the horses than charged them directly by ordinary warlike
to guard their carriage fortified within a double pallisado of strong stakes The morrow after when they had well discovered by their espials the way before them they joined themselves with the vauntguard In this battell over and besides a great part of their pillage lost and a number of camp-followers and lackies slaine with some souldiours also for that there was skirmishing every where throughout the chase there died Q. Minutius Thermus and a right great losle there was of him for he was a man of much valour and execution That day the armie marched as farre as to the river Herbus From whence they passed through the confines of the AEnians neere unto the temple of Apollo whome the inhabitants name Zerynthius And there they met with another streight passage about a place called Tempyra as rough and combersome under foot as the former But for as much as there were no woods about it it yeelded no good place for ambushes Howbeit the Thrausians a people likewise of Thrace assembled together hoping also to light upon the like bootie But by reason that the vallies lay naked and open so as if any beset the narrow waies they might be discovered a farre off the Romans were lesse afraid and troubled For say that they were to fight in some place of disadvauntage yet they might arraunge themselves in battell ray in open field and joined in close fight hand to hand Being therefore embarrelled in squadrons thicke and strong they charged the enemie with a great shout and crie and at the first shocke forced them to recule and lose ground and afterwards to turne back and flie And in the rout they were beaten downe and killed for even their owne streights which they seized for their vantage empeached and hindered themselves The Romanes having gotten the victorie encamped neere a village of the Maronites called Sare The next day they marched through the champian open countrey Priaticus where they sojourned three daies to take in come partly from out of the fields of the Maronites which willingly of themselves they conferred upon them and partly out of their owne ships which followed after well furnished with all kind of provision From this giste they made but one daies journey to Appolonia and so passing through the territorie of the Abderites they came to Naples All this way they journeied peaceably through the Colonies of the Greeks But the rest behind if it were not daungerous unto them for any hostilitie yet suspected still it was all the whiles that they passed night and day through the middest of the Thracians untill at length they came into Macedonie The same armie conducted sometime before by Scipio that very way found the Thracians more gentle and tractable for no other cause but that they had lesse store of pillage and bootie with them to set their teeth on water and fingers on itching And yet even thenalso as Claudius writeth there were a fifteene thousand Thracians that encountered Mutines the Numidian as hee marched before the avauntguard to discover the coasts and hee saith that he had in his companie foure hundred Numidian horsemen and some few elephants also that his sonne with an elect wing of a hundred and fiftie horse brake through the middest of the enemies who also within a while after when his father Mutines having placed the elephants in the middest and the horsemen in the flankes joined in battell with his enemies charged them upon the backes and put them in great feare by meanes of which slorme and tempest as it were of the Cavallerie they never came so farre as to deale with the barrell of the footmen Cn. Manlius led his armie through Macedonie into Thessalie and marching on by the way of Epirus arrived at Apollonia where hee abode all winter For hee made not to light a matter of winter sailing that hee durst take the sea and hazard the passage at that time of the yeere The yeere almost expired M. Valerius the Consull returned out of Liguria to Rome for the creation of new magistrates having atchieved no such memorable exploit in his province during the time of his government as might have yeelded any colourable reason of his long slay in that he came more tardie than the usuall manner was to the assembly for an election of Consuls for holden it was upon the 12 calends of March wherein were created Mar. Aemylius Lepidus and C. Flaminius The next day after these Pretors were elected namely Ap. Claudius Pulcher Ser. Sulpitius Galba Q. Terentius Culleo L. Terentius Massaliota Q. Fulvius Flaccus and M. Furius Crassipes After the election of magistrates the Consull proposed to the Senate as touching the provinces and governments of the Pretors And the LL. decreed that two of them should remaine at Rome to minister lawes and execute justice other two should bee employed out of Italie in Sicilie and Sardinia two in Italie to wit at Tarentum and in Gaule Immediatly before they entered into office they were enjoyned to cast lots and Ser. Sulpitius had the jurisdiction of the citizens and Q. Terentius of strangers and aliens L. Terentius took the charge of Sicilie Q. Fulvius of Sardinia Ap. Claudius was to govern Tarentum M. Furius to rule Gallia It fortuned the same yeere that L. Minutius Mytilus and L. Manlius were delivered to the Carthaginian Embassadors by the hands of the Faeciall heralds at the commandement of M. Claudius Pretor of the citie for the time being and transported over to Carthage for that the voice and speech went That they had beaten the said embassadours A bruit and rumour there was of a great Senate ordained to both the new Consuls the province of Liguria that day on which they propounded unto the Senate to Consult about the provinces and the affaires of the Commonweale But Lepidus the Consull opposed himselfe against this their act and ordinance alleadging That it was a shameful indignitie that both the Consuls should be shut up and enclosed within the vallies of Liguria whereas for two yeers alreadie M. Fulvius and Cn. Manlius had raigned like kings the one in Europe the other in Asia in steed of Philip and Antiochus And if quoth he it bee the pleasure of the Senate that there should bee armies maintained in those parts more meet ywis it were that Consuls should have the command conduct thereof than those privat persons As for them they raunge about those nations terrifying them with threats of warre against whome there hath beene none proclaimed making merchandise and selling peace among them for summes of money Now if it bee requisite and needfull to keepe two armies for the government and defence of those provinces like as M. Fulvius and Cn. Manlius Consuls succeeded M. Atilius and L. Scipio Consuls so C. Livius and M. Valerius the Consuls ought to have entred in place of Falvius and Manlius At leastwise now when the AEtolian warre is finished and brought to an end Asia recovered and conquered
would hardly beleeve the messenger that brought the newes for that continually all the former daies the enemie used not to be seene untill the fourth houre of the day and now the sun was but newly risen Howbeit afterwards I say when about the gates there were thicker alarmes given and more and more running from thence and that now there was no doubt at all of the matter there grew an exceeding trouble and hurliburly The marshals colonels captaines and centurians betooke themselves into the quarter about the Pretours pavillion and the souldiours ran every man to his owne tent Perseus had embattailed his men lesse than halfe a mile from the rampier about a little hill which they call Calicinus King Cotys had the charge of the left wing with all those of his owne nation The rankes of the cavallerie stood marshalled alunder one from the other by reason that the light armed souldiours were bestowed betweene In the right wing were placed the Macedonian horsemen and the Cretensians likewise entermingled among them Milon of Berrhaea led these light armed soldiours but Meno of Antigonia commanded the horsemen and the whole regiment of that part Next to those wings the cavallerie of king Perseus was arraunged together with the selected aid-souldiours of many and sundrie nations and the same were conducted by Patrocles of Antigonia and Didas the governour of Paeonia In the middest of all was the king himselfe having about him band called Agema and certaine cornets of horsemen named the sacred wings Before him he planted the slingers darters who both together amounted to the number of 400 and over them he appointed for to be their leader one Ion of Thessalonica Timanor the Dolopian In this manner as is before said stood the kings forces embattailed The Cos. having put his infanterie in order of battaile sent out his cavallerie likewise with the light armed companies who were set in array before the campe C. Licinius Crassius the Consuls brother had the leading of the right point with all the Italian horsemen and the footmen lightly appointed intermingled among them M. Valerius Lavinus in the left commanded the horsmen of the Greeke associats together with the light armed soldiers of the same nation Q. Matius conducted the battailon in the mids with certain extraordinary chosen men of armes Before their guidons 200 horsemen of the Gaules stood in ordinance of the auxiliaries of king Eumenes three hundred Cyrtians four hundred Thessalian horse Not far from thence were raunged somewhat above the left point king Eumenes himselfe and his brother Attalus with all their power were planted behind even betweene the rereward and the trench Thus stood both battailes much after this manner arraunged and having of either side a like strength in manner of horsmen and light-armour they encountred and charged one another and then the conflict was begun by the forlom hope of loose shot to wit the flingers and darters that went before And first of all others the Thracians faring like wild and savage beasts who had been long pent up within some grates and cages with a mightie crie advaunced forth and ran upon the Italian horsemen in the right wing to the end that they might trouble and amase them being otherwise a nation fearlesse as well by nature as for long experience and practice of warre *** The footmen with their swords assaied to cut off the heads of their pikes and one whiles they bought their horses and another whiles they ran them into their flankes Perseus rode into the mids of the battaile and at the first shocke forced the Greekes to turne aside and give way and when the enemie pressed moreover hard upon them behind behold the Thessalian horsmen who were placed in the rereguard for succour and stood somewhat apart and severed from the left wing who at first were beholders onely of the fight as keeping without the daunger of the charge afterwards stood them in verie good stead even as they were the point to goe downe and have the worse For as they retired leisurely without breaking their rankes after that they once joyned with the aids of Eumenes they both yeelded the opportunitie to their allies who were disbanded in the rout to retire in safetie within their rankes and also espying their owne vantage when the enemies pursued not so thick in troupes they adventured to put themselves forward beyond and so stated many of those their allies whome they encountred and received in their flight Neither durst the kings men being now also disarraied and dispearsed here and there in following the chase come to hand-fight and joyne battaile with those continuing so well in order as they did and marching firme and strong together whereas the matter had been dispatched and the warre brought to a finall end in case the king who want the better in horse-fight had never so little come in with helpe and succour For as heo encouraged his souldiours to fight there came in place very sidy and in passing good time the Phalanx which Hippias and Leonaius because they would not be behind-hand in this hardie enterprise brought of their owne accord in great hast so soon as ever they heard of the winning-hand of the Cavallerie And whiles the king wavered in doubtfull suspence betweene hope and feare of this so great an adventure Evander the Cretensian whose service Perseus had used in the await laid for king Eumenes at Delphi seeing that main barrell marching heavily armed under their ensignes ran unto the king and earnestly advertised him to take hee least that presuming too much and bearing himselfe over confident of this good speed of his he brought not unadvisedly the maine chaunce of all his estate into a needlesse and unnecessarie hazard For if quoth he you can be content with the happie fortune of this faire day and so rest either you shall have the meanes to make and honourable peace or else if you had leiser prosecute the warre to win exceeding many allies to beare armes with you in the field who no doubt will follow the traine of your good fortune To this way stood the kings mind ever and thither hee soone enclined Therefore having commanded Evander for his good advise hee commaunded the ensignes to retire and the footmen to returne into the campe likewise to sound the retreat unto the guidons of the men of armes In this battaile 200 Romane horsemen that day lost their lives and no sewer than two thousand footmen and fast upon two hundred of the Cavallerie were taken prisoners Of the kings side there died not past 200 horsemen and fortie of the other After that the victorious enemies were upon their return into the camp all were journd and glad in generall but above the rest the Thracians shewed themselves in joy for this their victorie over insolent for they returned singing full merily and carried the heads of their enemies fixed upon their speare points But the Romanes were not
had to their lodgings The morrow after faith was plight and contracted betweene them and the same confirmed by covenant and they were dismissed to bring their forces and to shew them before him and so they quartered and lodged in the same camp with the Romanes until by their guidance direction they came unto the enemie The armie of the Carthaginians next unto them was under the conduct of Asdruball neere unto the citie Baetula Before his camp he kept certaine standing guards of horsemen Vpon them the light armed forlorne hope of archers and dartars of the Romane hoast which went before the battaile to skirmish likewise they of the forefront and vaward charged forcibly with their shot yet so contemptuously and in skornefull wise even presently upon their travaile in journey and before they had chosen a peece of ground to encampe in that it was soone seene what hart there was in both parts For the Cavallerie of the enemies fearefully fled and were driven into the camp but the Romanes advaunced with banners displaied hard to the very gates and so for that day their stomacks were onely up and provoked to a fight and then the Romanes pitched their tents Asdruball in the night retired his armie to a mount which in the top had a broad plaine Behinde this hill there ran a river the fore-front thereof and the sides all about the skirts were compassed as it were with a steepe banke standing plumbe upright There lay under this hill top another plaine lower than the other which also was enclosed round about with the like banke as difficult for ascent as the former The next day Asdruball after he saw the enemies standing arraunged before their campe sent downe his Numidian horsemen the light armed Ilanders also of the Baleares and likewise the Africanes Then Scipio rode about all the regiments ensignes and rankes of his armie marshalled as they stood in battaile wise and shewed unto them their enemies how they despaired afore-hand to fight on equall and even ground how they taking the vantage of the hils braved and shewed themselves presuming and trusting upon the place and not upon their owne valour and strength of armes Howbeit quoth hee Carthage had higher wals and yet the Romane soldiours were able to skale and get over neither hills nor castle no nor the very sea stood in their way then nor stopped them of their entrie And as for these high places which the enemies are possessed of they happily may serve their turnes well when they shall take their flight and leape from off the steepe bankes and runne downe-hill apace and so get away But I trow I shall debat them there and lay a blocke in their way on every side Whereupon he commaunded two squadrons the one to keepe the streights of the valley through which the river runneth the other to beset the passage that leadeth from the cittie into the fields and crosseth overthwart the hill side abovesaid Himselfe led the light appointed vantcurriers who the day before had discomfited the guards and wards of the enemies to affront the light armed souldies that were quartered in the neather brow of the hill And first they passed through the roughes were not impeached nor hindered otherwise than by the difficult avenues But afterward when they were come within shot at the very first they were welcommed with a mightie voley of all sorts pouring as it were like haile upon them Himselfe answered them againe and recharged upon them letting drive and discharging the stones which lay strewed all over the ground and were such in manner all as might be welded and flung from them with ease And not onely the soldiers but lackies horse-boies such as followed the camp were intermingled amongst the armed companies And albeit the ascent up the hil was hard and they were pelted and almost overwhelmed with darts and sâ—ones yet being so inured as they were to clime walls and resolute withall they mounted up first to tâ—e top and so soon as they had gotten some even ground where they might have sure footing they found the enemie who was light and nimble and able to runne to and fro and to save himselfe and shift well when he was farre off all the time that they skirmished aloufe and plaied upon one another with light shot now that they came to close fight and to handstrokes not able to stand his ground and so they drave him from his place and with great slaughter chased him and set him backe to the very battaile that stood upon the higher hill Then Scipio having given commaundement to these for to follow on the traine of their victorie and to enter up still upon the maine battaile of the enemies parted the rest of his forces togither with Laelius willing him to coast along and wheele about on the right hand of the mount untill hee found some way of easier ascent himselfe on the left hand fetched no long circuit and compasse untill he came crosse overthwart the flanke of the enemies Hereupon first began their battaile to be disordered whiles they were desirous to turne their wings to oppose their ranks and squadrons against the noises and shouts which rung every where about them In this tumultuous trouble Lelius also was gotten up and while the enemies drew backward and gave ground because they would not be charged behind on their backe the vaward of their part was displayed and lay open and so the Romanes even of the middle battaile also had a lane and spacious roume to get up and enter upon them who never had beene able to have gained the ground and woon the plaine above considering the disadvantage of the steepe banke so long as the rankes had stood unbroken and the elephants were opposed against them before the ensignes in the forefront Downe went the enemies now on every side and were pittiously killed and Scipio who with his left wing encountred the right charged and plaied especially upon the naked sides of the enemies And so by this meanes they had no way left them to flie and escape cleare For the Romane guards on both hands as well on the left as the right had beset all the avenues And as for the gate of the campe the Generall himselfe and the other captaines and officers of the campe had taken it up as they fled that way besides the combersome trouble of the Elephants whom being now affrighted they feared no lesse than their enemies So there died of them 8000. Asdruball who before the conflict had made sure worke with all the money and taken it with him sent the elephants before having rallied as many as he could of them that fled escaped out of the campe he made hast along the river Tagus toward the mountaine Pyrenaeus Scipio being now maister of the enemies campe after he had given to the souldiours all the pillage and spoile but onely the prisoners such as were free men when he came to take
him he drew forth certaine cohorts out of the right wing where he saw they were liker to stand still than to fight and wheeled about behind the enemies battaile and so unwares not only to the enemies but also to his owne men he charged upon the left flanck of the enemies and he bestirred himselfe so nimbly that when he had shewed himselfe on the sides presently he played upon their backs in such sort that now on all hands affront behind and on their flancks downe went the Spaniards and Ligurians and were hewen in peeces yea and the execution reached to the very French There with them was least ado and smallest fight of all for a great many of their fellowes had abandoned their colours and being slipt away in the night lay asleepe all over the fields and such as were there weery with travaile and watching as having bodies that of all things can not away with labour and paines taking were skarce able to beare their corselets on their backs Besides now it was high noone and what with drought and heate together they stood gaping for aire and yeelded their bodies agood either to be massacred or taken captive As for the Elephants there were more of them killed by the hands of governors and guiders that sate upon them than by the enemie that fought against them For their manner was to have about them a carpenters chissell and a mallet and when the beasts began once to rage and to run upon their owne fellowes their maisters would set the said chissell betweene their eares even in the very joynt where the nape of the neck and the head meet together and with his mallet to drive it as hard as he could this was found to be the readiest and most speedie way to kill so mightie and huge a beast when they were past all hope to rule them and keepe them in order And the first inventor and practiser of this feat was Asdrubal a famous and memorable captaine as in many other respects so especially for this battaile He it was that held out to the end exhorting his souldiours to fight fighting also himselfe and adventuring all dangers he it was that when his men were weery and drew back by reason of long toyle and labour incensed them againe one while by faire words and intreatie another while by sharpe checks and rebukes he reclaimed them againe when they were running away he renewed the medley in divers places when it slaked and gave over And at the very last when he saw evidently that the enemie had the honor of the day because he would not remaine alive after so great an armie diffeated that followed his standard and were induced by the reputation and name that went of him he set spurres to his horse and rode among the Squadrons of the Romane horsemen and there as beseemed Amilcars sonne and Annibals brother fighting right manfully was slaine Never during the time of this warre in one field were there so many enemies killed and it seemed now that for losse of captaine and overthrow of armie they might well cry quittance with them for the diffeature at Cannae Slaine there were 56000 enemies 6400 taken prisoners and a rich bootie and pillage gained of all sorts besides gold and silver Moreover there were recovered of Romane citizens above foure thousand who had bene taken prisoners and were among the enemies That comfort they had to make amends for the souldiours that died in this battaile for they woon not the victorie without bloudshed in this field wherein to the number almost of eight thousand Romanes and allies together lost their lives And the conquerours themselves had so much their fill of bloud and slaughter that the next morrow when word was brought unto Livius the Consull that divers Cisalpine Gaules and Ligurians which either were not at the battaile or escaped out of the execution and were going away in one companie all together without a certaine leader without ensignes without any order or commaund and might all be put to the sword and utterly destroyed if there were but one cornet of horsemen sent out after them Nay quoth he let some remaine alive to tell the newes both of our enemies losse and ruine and of our owne vertue and valour And Nero the very next night after the battaile marched with more speede backward than he came thither and within sixe daies returned againe so farre as to his standing leaguer and the enemies All the way as he marched he was not in deed so resorted unto and frequented by so many men by reason that there went no harbengers or messengers before but his comming was welcommed with so great gladnesse and mirth that for very joy the people were welneere besides themselves As for Rome it cannot be uttered and expressed in words sufficiently how men were affected the one way or the other neither how pensive the citie was in doubtfull expectation of the event nor how joyous and jocund againe upon the newes and tidings of the victorie For never one day after the rumour once was blowne thither that Claudius the Consull was gone forth in his expedition from the sun-rising unto the setting departed either Senatour out of the Counsel-chamber from attendance upon the magistrates or the people out of the common-hall The dames of the cittie because other helpe they could yeeld none betooke themselves to their beads and devotions and in every Church went up and downe and plied all the gods with praiers with vowes and humble supplications As the cittie was thus perplexed in suspence first there came some flying newes that two horsemen of Narnia were come out of the battaile and returned to the campe which lay to guard and keepe the streights and passages of Vmbria who had brought word thither that the enemies were defeated At the first they rather lent their eares to heare these tidings than bent their minds to entertain the same as being greater than they might in heart conceive and more joyfull than they could assuredly beleeve the exceeding swiftnes of the rumor hindered the credit therof because it was reported withall that the battel was fought but two daies before Then were letters broght from L. Manlius Acidmus sent out of the campe which confirmed the arrivall of those horsemen of Narnia Those letters were brought through the common place unto the Tribunall of the Pretour wherupon the lords of the Senate were sent for out of the Councel-house But the people kept such a thrusting and thronging about the doore of the Senat that the messenger could not passe thither but was haled and pulled by the people questioning with him and calling hard upon him that the letters should be read at the market crosse and in the Rostra before they were opened in the Senat. But at the last they were restrained by the magistrates and caused to void and hardly could the joy bee conteiued among so unruly people who had no measure nor rule of their
many of barley A third embassage they had to Vermina who met the embassadors as farre as the utmost marches of his realme and to their disposition and discretion referred the drawing and penning of all conditions of peace as they would themselves saying withall that he held any peace whatsoever that he should have with the people of Rome for good and just So there were presented unto him certaine articles and conditions of peace and for the ratifying thereof he was enjoyned to send his embassadors to Rome Much about the very same time L. Cornelius Lentulus the Viz-pretor returned out of Spaine who having declared in the Senate his valiant and fortunate exploits that for many yeeres together he had atchieved in Spaine and in consideration thereof demaunded that it might be lawfull for him to enter the citie in triumph the Senate judged that his noble acts deserved no lesse than he sued for but they had no such precedent from their auncestours that he should be allowed to triumph who had warred neither as Dictatour nor Consull nor Pretour and as for Lentulus in qualitie of Viz-pretour only and not of Consull or Pretour he tooke upon him the charge of the province of Spaine Howbeit in the end they came downe to this point that he should ride into the citie on horseback as Ovant But T. Sempronius Longus a Tribune of the Com. interposed his negative alleadging that they had as little example to shew for that and no practise or custome at all of their auncient predecessours But in fine the Tribune gave place to the generall accord of the LL. and was content to be over-ruled So after the order set down by the Senat L. Lentulus entred Rome in that solemnitie pomp before named He presented in shew of the pillage that he had gotten 44000 pound weight of silver 2450 pound weight of gold To his souldiours he distributed out of the spoile 120 Asses apeece Now was the armie of the Consull translated alreadie from Arretium to Ariminum and five thousand Latin allies were passed out of France into Etturia Therefore L. Furius departed from Ariminum made hast by taking great journeis to come against the Gaules who then laid siege to Cremona and encamped within a mile and an halfe from the enemie Meanes and opportunitie he had to do a notable exploit and win a good hand of the enemies if immediatly upon his first comming he might have assailed their campe for they vagued to and fro in scattering wise up and downe the countrey a foraging and had left no sufficient guard for the defence of their camp But he feared greatly that his souldiours were wearie and tired because the companies marched apace thither in exceeding great hast Howbeit the Gaules being called back by the hooping hollaing of their fellowes let go their bootie which they had in manner as good as in their hands and returned to the camp and the morrow after raunged themselves in battaile ray The Romanes were not behind for their parts albeit they had hardly time enough to set themselves in order the enemies ran so sodainly and made such hast to fight The right wing for the armie of the allies was divided into wings was placed in the vantgard the two Romane legions in the rereward M. Furius led the right wing M. Cecilius had the conduct of the legions and L. Valerius Flaccus all three Lieutenants commaunded the Cavallerie The Pretour kept with him two Lieutenants Cn. Lectorius and P. Titinius by whose meanes he might looke about from every part and be readie to oppose himself against all sodaine attempts whatsoever of the enemies At the first the Gaules hoped that with their numbers they should be able to tred downe and trample under their feet that right wing of allies which was in the forefront and to that effect they reduced their multitudes into one place charged upon it with all their might maine together But seeing that enterprise sped not well they endeavoured to environ the corners sides to compasse the enemies round about which they thought they might soone do being so many as they were in comparison of so few which when the Pretor perceived to the end that he also might spread out his battailons at large he displaied the two legions in the rereward so as he compassed on both hands that wing which sought in the vaward and therewith vowed two chappels to Iupiter if that day he might be so fortunate as to vanquish his enemies To L. Valerius he gave direction that of one side he should with the Cavallerie of the two legions on the other side with the horse belonging to the allies charge upon the wings of the enemies not suffer them in any case to enclose the battaile about Herewithal himself also espying the middle battailon of the Gauls to be but thin by reason they were stretched out from thence to the corners points of each hand commanded his souldiers to keepe close together to advance forward and break through their ranks So were the wings of the Gaules by the horsmen discomfited and they in the mids repulsed backe and chased by the footmen and when the enemies thus at once on every hand were beaten downe and killed they shewed their backs and fled as fast as they could to the campe The horse pursued them in the rout and chase and anon the legionarie footmen made after also and gave an assault upon their campe There escaped from thence not all out sixe thousand slain there were and taken prisoners above 35000 with seventie banners and ensignes and more than two hundred French wagons charged and laden with much pillage In this conflict Amilcar the Generall of the Carthaginians lost his life and three noble men of the French leaders of marke and name The Placentine captives to the number of two thousand men of free condition were delivered againe to them of their owne colonie This was a goodly victorie and upon the letters which came with tidings thereof to Rome received there with great joy and ordained it was that a solemne procession should be held for the space of three daies Of Romanes and allies one with another there died in this battaile two thousand most of them were of that right wing upon which the enemies in the beginning of the conflict most of all discharged their furie Albeit the Pretour had brought the warre to a good passe and in manner finished it yet the Consull also C. Aurelius having accomplished his necessarie affaires at Rome made no stay but took his journey into Fraunce and received the victorious armie of the Pretor The other Consull who came into his province but a little before the end of Autumne wintered about Apollonia The Roman gallies which from the Armada that lay in dock at Corcyra were sent as is aforesaid to Athens with C. Claudius were no sooner arrived at Pyreaeum but they mightily comforted the allies whose
in the ships and streightly he charged that they should be rigged and ready appointed against the third day and willed with all two of the embassadors to report so much to Bilistages and the Ilergetes As for the yong prince his sonne he deteined stil with him used him graciously and bestowed savours rich gifts upon him bounteously The embassadors tooke not their leave nor departed before they saw the souldiers embarked and thus by making relation hereof as a thing assured and past all per adventure they filled the heads not of their own friends only but also of the enemies with the bruit of Romane aids comming neere at hand The Consull now when hee had set this countenance of the matter and made sufficient semblance to serve his purpose gave order that the souldiers should be disbarked again set a land and himselfe seeing now that the time of the yeere approched commodious for action and execution of martiall affaires dislodged and remooved his standing winter campe within a mile of Emporiae From whence as any occasions and opportunities were presented he led fourth his souldiers a for aging and boothaling into the enemies land sometime one way and sometime another leaving alwaies a competent guard to defend the campe Ordinarily their manner was to steale out by night to the intent that both they might go on still farther from their leagre and also surprise the enemies at unawares and unprovided by which meanes not onely his new and raw soldiers were exercised but also many of his enemies were caught up and came short home where upon they durst no more peepe out of their forts and holds of delence Now after he had made sufficient proofe of the hearts as well of his owne men as of his enemies he commanded all the marshals colonels horsemen and centurions to assemble before him and unto them he made this speech The time quoth he is now come that you so often have wished for in which you may shew at full your vertue and valour Your service hither to hath beene more like the manner of forraiers than warriours but now shall ye come to a maine battaile and as enemies fight hand to hand with professed enemies From henceforth you may if you will not wast their fields onely and spoile their territorie but ransacke the pillage of rich and wealthie cities Our fathers before us and auncestours in times past when as in Spaine there were both Generals and armies of Carthaginians having themselves no leaders and commaunders no souldiers and forces there yet would they needs have this article among others capitulated in the accord and composition with the Spaniards That the river of Iberus should limit their seignorie and dominion Now at this day when two Pretours and a Consull when three entire Romane armies have the government and charge of Spaine now I say after ten yeeres space almost wherein no Carthaginians have set foot and been seene in all these quarters of both provinces we have lost our seignorie on this side Iberus This must yee recover and win againe by force of armes by manhood and valiancie yee must I say compell this nation more rash and inconsiderate in rebelling than constant and resolute in maintaining warre for to receive once more the yoke of subjection which they have shaken from off their neckes Having exhorted and encouraged them in this manner he gave them to understand that he would set forward in the night and lead against the enemies campe And so he let them depart to refresh their bodies At midnight after he had devoutly taken with him the signes and approbations of the birds for his better speed he put himselfe in his journey because he might be seazed of some place to his liking before the enemies should descrie him hee set a compasse in his march and led his souldiors cleane beyond their campe And having by day light set his companies in battell array he sent out three cohorts even close to the rampier and trench of the enemie The barbarous people wondering to see the Romans shew themselves behind at their backe ran too and fro to take armes Meane while the Consull held his men with these and such like speeches My souldiours quoth he there is no other hope now left but in cleane strength and valour and I of verie purpose have wrought it so Betweene us and our campe the enemies are encamped all behind at our backe we have our enemies land The bravest courses are ever safest namely to build and ground our hope surely upon vertue And here with all hee gave order that the cohorts aforesaid should retire of purpose to traine foorth the barbarous people by making semblance of retreat and flight And so fell it out in verie deed as he thought and supposed for they imagining that the Romanes for verie feare were retired issued forth by heapes out of the gate and bespred with armed men all the ground that lay betweene their owne campe and the enemies battel And whiles they made great hast to embattell themselves the Consull who was alreadie arranged in battell ray in all respects well appointed charged upon them before they were marshalled and set in order First he put forth the cornets and wings of horsemen from both points and flankes of the battaile but they of the right side were straightwaies repulsed and by their hastie and fearefull reculing caused the footmen also to be mightily affraid Which the Consull perceiving he commaunded two elect cohorts of footmen to wheele about the right flanke of the enemies and to shew themselves at their backes before the other companies of foot encountred and charged one another This sodaine terror affrighted the enemies but set all upright again and recovered the battaile of the Romans which through the feare of the Cavallerie began to shrinke and goe downe Howbeit the horsemen and footmen both of the right point were so troubled and so farre out of order that the Consull was forced to plucke some of them backe with his owne hand and turne them with their faces affront the enemie Thus all the while that the shot lasted the skirmish was doubtfull so as now the Romanes in the medley had much adoe to make head and stand to it in the right side whereas the fright and flight first began But on the left and all affront the barbarous had the worst and with great horror they looked behind and saw their enemies how they played upon their backs rested not After they had done with flinging their iron darts and launcing their fierie javelins they drew their swords and herewith began the conflict afresh They were not wounded now from a farre off by blind chaunce and hap-hazard they knew not from whence but foot to foot they stood and hand to hand they coped and let drive one at another no hope at all was now but to trust in pure strength and maine force The Consull seeing his men wearied encouraged and
to purvey forage and fewell were directed to those very quarters whereas the parlie abovesaid should be kept The Colonels thought it the surer place for them because they were to have the Consuls guard also opposed for their defense against the enemie howbeit they set another Corps de guard of their owne consisting of 600 horsemen neerer to the camp Now by reason that Attalus assured the Consull so certeinely that their Princes would come and that the matter might be soone knit up and dispatched he departed out of the camp with the same guard of horsemen as before and when he had marched almost five miles forward and was not far short of the place appointed he discovered all of a sodaine the Gaules riding full gallop against them in most furious maner as enemies whereupon he staied the march and made a stand commaunding the horsemen to make readie their weapons and resolve to fight The first charge shock he received right valiantly stepped not back one foot but afterwards as the multitude preased stil upon him he began to give ground recule but so as he brake not the ranks of his troups But in the end when they found more danger in longer stay than commoditie and help in keeping their arraies they all at once turned their horse heads fled When they were disarraied once the Gaules pursued hard and killed them and no doubt a great part of them had died for it but that the forragers guard of 600 horse aforesaid came in to reskue them For they hearing a far off the fearesull cry of their fellowes made readie their armour horses and being fresh and in hart entred upon the fight that was given over by their wearied and discomfited companions whereupon fortune quickly changed and the feare turned from the loosers to the winners for at the first encounter the Gaules were put to flight and withall the said foragers fewellers came running out of the fields and from all parts made head affronted the Gaules in so much as they could neither flie readily nor escape surely because the Romans with their fresh horses followed them in chase and they themselves were alreadie tired few therfore went away with life not one was taken prisoner for the greater part by ods paid derely by the losse of their lives for violating this their parly under the colour of truth and fidelitie The Romanes whiles their stomacks were inflamed with anger the very next day came against them with the puissance of all their forces But the Consull emploied two whole daies himselfe in viewing and discovering the situation nature of the hill because he would not be ignorant of anything requisit Vpon the third day after he had first taken the auspices presages of the birds and afterwards killed a sacrifice he led forth his armie devided into 4 battailons Two of them were to mount up the mids of the hill and the other two he set in the sides to flanke the wings of the Gaules and to march up against them The Tectosages and Trocmians who were the whole floure and strength of the enemies made their maine battaile in the mids consisting of 50000 men and because ther was no use of horse among those rough uneven rocks the cavallerie alight on foot to the number of 10000 those they put in the right wing The Cappadocians with Ariarates and the auxiliarie Morzians who arose to the number almost of 4000 men held the left The Consull like as before in the mount Olympus marshalled his light armour for skirmish in the forefront of the vaward and gave order to have ready at hand as great store of darts other shot of al sorts as he had before When they approched one another all things answered both of the one side the other like as in the former conflict saving that the courage of the victors increased in regard of their fortunat successe and the harts of the enemies were much abated and daunted For albeit themselves had not yet beene foiled and vanquished yet they tooke the overthrow and loste of their countrymen for their owne And therefore as the beginning of the battaile was sutable so the issue was semblable For the Gaules battaile was overspred and covered againe as it were with a cloud of light shot And not one of them durst run forth out of his raunge for feare he should discover his whole body and lay it open to take all that came and keeping still together as they did the thicker they stood the fairer marke they were for the enemies to levell at and the more wounds they received The Consull perceiving they were alreadie of themselves troubled and supposing that if he set forward and presented unto them the ensignes of the legions they would immediatly all of them file received the light armed loose shot the rest of the auxiliarie souldiers within his own ranks siles and then advanced his legions The Gauls affrighted with the fresh remembrance of the late defeature overthrow of the Tolistobogians carying also about themselvs the darts sticking in their bodies weary besides with long standing afoote and overcharged likewise with many a wound could not abide so much as the first onset and shout of the Roman legions Then began they to take their heeles and flie toward their camp but few of them recovered it and gat within the rampier and other defences The greater number fled here and there on both hands and dispersed themselves into all parts as it tooke them in the head and as every man in this confused fright caught a way by himselfe The conquerors followed them still even hard to the very camp and all the way charged upon their backs and bear them downe Which done they staid and stuck still in the camp for desire of pillage and there was not one that followed one foot after The Gauls in the wingsstood to it longer by reason that it was later ere they were set upon but able they were not to abide the first charge and shot of the Romanes darts The Consull who could not possibly pluck those out of the camp that were once entred in for greedines of spoiling and rifling the tents sent out those immediatly that were in the wings to follow the enemies in chase still forward These pursued them a certeine space howbeit in this flight for in truth it was no fight at all there were not above eight thousand that left their carkases behind them all the rest recovered the other side of the river Halys Many of the Romanes remained that night within the enemies camp the rest the Consull brought back againe to his owne The next day he tooke accoumpt and survey of the prisoners and prizes which was so great as a man would conceive that a nation of all others most gree die of pilling and spoiling might possibly rake and heape together for so many yeeres as they held all those parts within the
aids which came into the Romanes from all the States of Greece but most of the particulars were so small as now they are growne out of remembrance The Appolloniates sent three hundred horsemen and a hundred footmen From the Aetolians there came to the mountnance of one Cornet of horsemen even the whole Cavallerie that the said nation could make Likewise all the Cavallerie of the Thessalians which exceeded not the number of three hundred that served in the Romane campe and quartered apart The Achaeans sent one thousand men of their youth armed for the most part after the Candiot maner And much about this time C. Lucretius also the Pretour who had the conduct of the ships that anchored in the rode of Cephalenia after he had given charge to M. Lucretius his brother to make saile with his fleet beyond the cape of Malea and so to passe to Chalcis himselfe went abourd unto a trireme galley and sailed toward the gulfe of Corinth for to be seized first of the countrie of Baeotia and to prevent all matters there Hee made way but slowly because of the infirmitie and weaknes of his bodie M. Lucretius being arrived at Chalcis and advertised that P. Lentulus lay against the cittie of Haliartus sent a messenger commanding him in the name of the Pretor to raise the siege and dislodge from thence The leiutenant not withstanding he had set into that service with the help of the youth of that part of Boeotia which tooke part with the Romans retired from before the wals The levying of this siege gave occasion of a new enterprise for incontinently M. Lucretius besieged and invested Haliartus with his owne sea-forces to the number often thousand fighting men together with two thousand souldiours from king Eumenes wherof Athenâ—eus had the charge and as they were now upon the point to give an assault the Pretour came in unto them from Creusa And very neere to that time there arrived also at Chalcis certaine ships from the allies namely two Quinquereme galeaces of Carthage two trireme gallies from Heraclea in Pontus foure from Chalcedon as many from Samos and five quadrireme gallies of Rhodes All these vessels the Pretour sent backe againe to the allies and cased them of that charge because there was no sea-service to bee performed in any place Q. Martius also came by sea to Chalcis after he had woon Halops and assaulted Larissa called Cremaste This was the state of Baeotia when Perseus as hath bene said before lay encamped at Sycurium who after he had from every coast thereabout gotten together all the graine that he could come by sent certaine companies to give the wast unto the territorie of the Phoceans supposing the Romanes might be surprised when they should be drawn farre from their owne campe to the succouring of their distressed associates But perceiving that they stirred never the more for all that tumult he dealt among his souldiours all the prey but onely of men and women now the bootie stood most upon cattaile wherewith they made good cheere After this but neere about one the same time the Consull king Perseus both debated in their counsell how and where they should begin the warre The king had taken great heart and courage by occasion that the enemie suffered him to make such havocke and doe his pleasure in the Pheraeans territorie And therefore his resolution was to march directly against the Romane campe without giving more time and making any farther delay The Romanes likewise for their parts were of opinion that all forslacking now would greatly prejudice their reputation among the consederates who tooke it exceedingly to the heart that they had not succoured the Pheraeans As they fate consulting what to do now Eumenes and Attilius both were present at this counsell there came a messenger in post hast with newes that the enemie approached nere at hand with a mighty army Wherupon the counsell breake up and presently the signall was given to arme And advised it was in the meane while that there should goe forth a hundred horse and as many darters and foot out of king Eumenes his companies Perseus about the fourth houre of the day being come within a mile and somewhat more of the Romane leaguer commanded the ensignes of the footmen to stand Himselfe in person with the men of armes and light armed souldiours advaunced forward and so together with king Cety and the captaines of the other auxiliaries they two marched before Now when they were within halfe a mile from the campe they might discover the horsemen of their enemies Two corners they were most part Gaules under the conduct of Cassignatus besides the loose and light armed forlorne hope to the number wel-neere of a hundred and fiftie and those were partly Mysians and partly Cretensians Here at the king made a stand not knowing well the number of the enemies and anone out of the regiment that hee had with him hee crew two wings of Thracian horse as many Macedonians likewise two cohorts of Cretensian as many Thracian footmen Hereupon ensued a skirmish but for as much as they were matched even in number and no succour came in to rescue from the one part of the other it ended likewise in doubtfull ballance of victorie Of Eumenes his part there died about thirtie in which number Cassignatus the commander of the Gauls was slaine So for that time Perseus retired his forces to Sycurium but the next morrow the king marched with them againe to the selfe same place and much about the foresaid houre Certaine carts and waines laden with water followed after and by reason that for a douzen mile space all the way was water-lesse and full of dust withall hardly bestead as it should seeme they had ben for very drought and thirst in case they had been charged put to skirmish at the time when they were first in fight But considering that the Romans kept quiet yea and had reduced their corps de guard within their rampier Perseus likewise retired with his forces into his campe This did the enemies for certain daies together hoping ever that the Romane cavallerie would charge upon the taile of the arriere guard in their retreat when by that occasion the skirmish was once begun and that they had trained and drawne them farre from their campe then they mought with ease wheresoever they were turne upon them and make head having the ods of them in horsemen and light armed souldiours But the king seeing this would not speed encamped neerer unto the Romanes and fortified the compasse of halfe a mile From whence betimes in the morning by the breake of day after hee had embattailed his infanterie in the usuall place he led all his cavallerie and light armed men toward the campe of his enemies The Romanes seeing a greater dust raised by more in number and the same neerer than ordinarie it had beene were mightily afraid within their campe But at the first they
unbound her head let her haire loose and pittiously called upon her dead spouse by name This lamentable wailing of the sister presently upon victorie and amid so great and publicke joy moved the prowd and haughtie young man to wrath and drawing out his sword there with ran the silie damsell through and with these bitter words rebuketh her also Get thee hence quot he to thy spouse with thy unseasonable and foolehastie love forgetfull as thou art of thy two brethren dead and him that is alive forgetfull of thy native countrey and the honour therof and so with a mischeefe goe she what ever she be that shall bewaile an enemie of Rome A cruell and horrible fact this seemed as well to the Senatours as to the commons but his late and fresh desart made it the lesse trespasse yet for all that was hee apprehended and brought before the king The king that hee might not seeme the authour of a judgement so unpleasant and odious unto the people and consequently of punishment according to the doome assembled the people together and said I ordaine Duumvirs to sit upon Horatius in triall of a criminall cause of felonie and to judge him according to the law in that case provided The tenor of the law runneth thus in a dreadfull kind of forme THE MAGISTRATES CALLED DUUMVIRS SHALL IVDGE THE PARTIE ACCVSED IN A CAPITAL ACTION OF FELONIE IF HE SHAL APPEALE FROM THE DUUMVIRS LET HIM TRAVERSE HIS APPEALE IF THEY OVERTHROW HIM THEN HOODWINKE HIM OR COVER HIS HEAD HANG HIM UPON A CVRSED GALLOW TREE BY A ROPE AND STRANGLE HIM HAVING WHIPPED AND SCOVRGED HIM BEFORE EITHER WITHIN THE POMOERIE OR WITHOUT By vertue of this law were the Duumvirs created who by the rigour of that law thought they might not quit so much as a guiltlesse person and having once condemned him then one of them gave sentence and said I judge thee O Publius-Horatius a murtherer and enemie to the state of Rome Goe Lictor therefore and bind his hands together Then came the Lictor and cast a cord about them But Horatius by the advise of Tullus a gentle and mild interpreter of the law I appeale quoth he So upon his appeale was the matter debated and to be tried before the people who were not a little troubled in deciding or judging this cause and most of all in regard of Publius Horatius the father crying out and saying That he deemed his daughter was justly and worthily killed otherwise hee would himselfe have punished his sonne by his fatherly authoritie Beseeching moreover that they would not now make him childlesse whom erewhile they saw with a goodly companie of children about him And there with all the old father embracing the young man and shewing the spoiles of the Curiatij set up and hanging in that verie place which now is called Pili Horatia i. Horatius his pillar And can yee indeed O ye Romanes quoth hee abide to see him bound under a gallowes yea and whipped and tormented whom a while afore yee beheld to march in great glorie and jolitie for his atcheeved victorie So unseemely and foule a sight as which the Albanes themselves can hardly suffer Go Lictor goe bind those hands fast which armed a little before wan the people of Rome their dominion Go I say and hoodwinke his head who saved and delivered this cittie from bondage hang him by the necke and strangle him upon a cursed tree scourge him and spare not either within the circuit of the wals so it bee among those javelins and spoiles of the enemies or without the wals so it bee within the compasse of the Curiatian sepulchres For to what place can you lead this young gentleman where his honourable acts may not save him from so unworthie and shamefull punishment The people could no longer endure either the teares of the old father or the constant resolution of the youth his son who shewed himselfe still the same not to change for any danger So they quit him in the honorable regard rather of his prowesse valor than in the right and equity of his cause Yet to the end that the murder so manifest and openly knowne should be in some sort expiate and satisfaction made therefore his father was charged to purge his sonnes sinne and make amends at the expences of the cittie Who having performed certaine purgatorie sacrifices which afterward belonged to the house and familie of the Horatij put a rafter or beame crosse overthwart the street and caused the young man with his head covered to goe under as under a yoke or gallowes which remaineth yet unto this day from time to time at the cittie charges repaired and they call it Sororium Tigillum i. the Sisters beame And in that verie place where Horatia was wounded and fell downe her tombe was erected of foure-square stone But not long continued the Albanes in quiet and peace For the common people finding fault and greatly discontented that the whole state of the weale publike was put into the hands of three souldiors infected so and poisoned the vaine and shittle head of the Dictator that for as much as plaine and upright dealing sped no better he began to win againe the hearts of his commons by crooked meanes and indirect courses Seeking therefore warre in time of peace as before in time of warre he sought peace and seeing his people had more heart than hand and their strength not answereable to their stomackes hee stirred up other nations openly by way of proclamation and defiance to make warre and reserved his owne men under a colour of league and consederacie for to practise treason and falshood The Fidenates a colonie of the Romanes having made the Veâ—entians partakers of their counsell and combined with the Albanes to forsake the Romanes when time came and turne unto them brake out and tooke arms When Fidene had thus openly revolted Tullus sent for Metius and his power from Alba and setteth forward against his enemies and passing over the river Anio encamped neere the confluent where both streames meet together Betweene which place and Fidene the armie of the Veientians had crossed the Tyber who put themselves in the right wing of the battell fast by the river and the Fidenates in the left neerer to the mountaines Tullus directly opposeth his owne forces against the Veientians and placeth the Albanes to affront the Fidenates The Albane captaine having as little heart as honestie and truth neither durst keepe his standing nor openly turne unto the enemie but by little and little withdraweth himselfe toward the mountaines and when hee thought hee had gained vantage ynough hee mounted up the hill with all his companies and with a wavering mind to spend the time displaieth his ranckes His intent and purpose was on what side fortune seemed to give the better with them to joine and take their part The Romanes that stood next perceiving their flanckes naked by reason of the departure of their
rather upon fatnes are growne wanton and unrulie than for any want unpatient and discontent and all this mischiefe no doubt is sprung of this that they have liberttie to appeale For so long as it is in their power to flie for helpe unto those that have faulted as well as they well may the Consull threaten and give out menacing words as for anie rule else or command they shall have none among them Come on therfore let us create a Dictatour from whom they cannot make their appeale Then shall this furious rage which now setteth all on a light fire be soone husht and quite extinguished Let me see then who dare beat a Lictour when he shall well know that he alone whose honorand majestie he shall offend and abuse hath power to scourge him and take away his life Many men thought this sentence of Appius to be verie hard and cruell yea and dangerous withall in regard of the late precedent of Virâ—inius and Vetusius That other likewise of Largius was thought inconvenient in taking away all keeping of credit with the creditours The opinion and advise of Virginius was supposed as well in one respect as in another most indifferent and meane betweene both But by reason of the faction are regard of private benefit which alwaies hath done hurt and ever will to publicke councell Appius prevailed and he missed verie little but he himselfe had beene made Dictatour Which if it had come to passe it would surelie have estranged and alienated quite the hearts of the Commons in that most busie and dangerous time when it happened that the Volscians Aequians and Sabines were all up at once in armes But the Consuls and elder Senatours had great care and consideration to chuse such a one as might by mildnesse of his owne nature alay and qualifie the exceeding rigour and sternnesse incident to soveraigne and absolute authoritie They elect therefore to be Dictatour Marcus Valerius the sonne of Vólesus The Commons albeit they saw well enough this Dictatour created for to curbe them yet having got by this brothers law the benefit of Appeale they feared no severe and insolent proceeding from that house and name The Edict besides that the Dictatour set forth which was welneere all one with that other of the Consull Servilius much confirmed and selted their minds For supposing now they had more hold both of the man and also of his authoritie and that they might with more confidence relie themselves on the one and the other they gave over all debate entered their names into the muster booke so there were enrolled full ten legions The like armie for number was never levied afore Of which legions the Consuls had the conduct of three a peece the Dictator commanded the other foure and high time it was for the war might not be deserred any longer The Aequians had alreadie invaded the territorie of the Latines their Embassadors were petitioners to the Senat either to send succour or to give them leave to put on armour themselves for the defence of their confines frontiers It was thought the safer surer way that the Latins without arming themselves should be defended than to permit them again to take weapon in hand So the Consull Vilucius was sent thither he staied them from further for aying wasting For the Aequians were departed out of the plains trusting rather in the vantage of the ground than in their weapons stood upon their guard kept themselves safe from danger upon the high tops of the hils mountains The other Consull who was gone against the Volscians because he would not also loose any time drew the enemie forth by wasting the countrie especiallie to encampe himselfe neerer and so at length to fight a field Now was there a plain in the mids betweene both camps where each armie stood before their rampiers embattailed and ranged in array with banners displaied readie to fight The Volscians were somewhat more in number where upon they began battaile disorderedly and as if they set light by the enemie But the Romane Consull neither aduanced forward nor suffered his men once to shoute and answere againe but charged them to stand stiâ—l with their javelinâ— fast in the ground untill the enemies were come within the reach of hand fight and then to lay about them lustilie with their swords all that euer they could The Vollscians out of breath with running and shouting charged the Romanes who seemed for feare to stand astonied but after they once perceived that they were hotly reen countered by them againe and saw their swords glittering in their eies they were troubled therewith as if they had beene entrapped and fallen into some traines laied for them and so turned their backes And by reason they came running before to battaile their strength would not hold out now to run cleare away The Romanes contrariwise because against the beginning of the fight they had stood quiet were fresh of body soon overtooke them thus overtoiled woon their campe by force after they had driven the enemies out from thence chased them into Velitree and entred the towne pelmell one with another in a medley the Victor togither with them that were vanquished More bloudshed there was by execution of them one with another of all ages and fexes as they came in their way than in the verie battaile A verie few euen such as without weapon yeelded themselves were spared and pardoned Whiles these things were a doing amongst the Volscians the Dictator discomfited and put to slight the Sabines with whom he had much cruell warre yea and forced them to abandon and quit their campe For hauing sent his horsmen into the maine battile of the enemies which they had but slightly strengthened within-forth and bestowed the ranks there very thin and all to stretch out the wings on both sides more at large he brake their arraies and when they were once disordered the footemen came in upon them and in the same brunt were they masters of their campe and so the war ended There was not in those daies a braver battaile sought and more renowned setting aside that onely at the lake Regillus The Dictatour rode in triumph unto the cittie Over above the accustomed honours both he and his posteritie after him were allowed a certaine place in the great Race or Theater called Circus for to behold at ease the solemne games and there was set the yvorie chaire of estate called Sella curalis The Volscians thus vanquished lost the territorie about Velitre and new inhabitants were sent thither from the cittie to people and to till the grounds so that it became a Colonie Some what after this there was a field fought with the Aequians but in truth full against the Consull his will for that they were to climbe up a steep hill to their disaduantage for to meete with the enemie But the Souldiours blaming him for trifling out and making delaies to
appointed was come he sickened and died Whose funerall praises when as the Tribunes went about to hinder the Commons would not suffer that the death of so worthie a man should bee defranded of the due honour and solemne obsequies and gave audience as quietly and attentively to the commendation of the man now dead as they did afore to his accusation while he was alive and with a goodly traine attended his corpes to the grave The same yeare Valerius the Consull made a voiage with an armie against the Aequians and seeing he could not traine the enemie forth to fight he made a brava do to assaile the campe but there sell such a terrible storme and tempest from heaven with haile and thunderclaps that hee was disappointed of his enterprise And that which made it more strange and wonderfull he had no sooner sounded the retrait but the weather proved so faire and calme againe that hee made some scruple and matter of conscience to give a second assault unto the trench as if it had been defended by the speciall power and providence of God So all the heat of warre turned to the wasting onely of the countrey The other Consull Aemilius warred with the Sabines And even there also because the enemies kept within their walled townes the territories were spoiled But afterwards the Sabines raised with the firing not onely of their villages and hamlets but also of the good townes and burroughes whereof in those partes there were many and those well peopled encountred the sorraiers and after a doubtfull skirmish they departed asunder and the morrow after raised their campe retired themselves backe into a place of more securitie which the Consul taking for a sufficient argument and proofe that the enemies were defeated left them so and dislodged likewise without any end of the warre During these warres and whiles discord continued in the citie at home were T. Numitius Priscus and A. Virginius created Consuls Now seemed it that the Commons would no longer abide the deferring of the law Agraria And as they were about to put it to a jumpe and to trie the utmost by extremitie they took knowledge partlie by the smoke flame of the villages on fire and partly by the running away of the villagiers that the Volscians were neere at hand Which occurrent repressed and kept downe the sedition which was now come to ripenes and readie to breake forth For the Consuls forced by the Senate immediatly to the war by taking the serviceable youth with them out of the citie reduced the rest of the Commons to more quietnesse And the enemies verilie made no further attempt but after they had given a false alarme and set the Romanes in a foolish feare dismarched away as spedelie as they could Then Numitius went to Antium against the Volscians and Virginius against the AEquians where having welneer received a great losse defeature by a train laid for him such was the prowesse and manhood of the soldiours that they recovered all againe which by the negligence of the Consull had like to be lost But better was the conduct and government of the armie against the Volscians For there at the first skirmish the enemies were disaraied put to sight and chased as far as to Antium a citie for that time of right great puissance importance The Consull durst not assault it but wan from the Antiates Cenon another towne but nothing so wealthy Whiles the AEquians and Volscians thus amused the Romane armies and kept them occupied the Sabines were come robbing and spoiling to the gates of the citie of Rome But within few daies after they themselves received more damage than they brought by occasion that both Consuls with two annies were entred in great anger into their consines In the end of the yeare some peace there was but disquieted as at all times before with the variance betweene the Nobles and Commons The Commons in a peevish and angrie fit would not be at the Election of the Consuls So by the Senatours onelie and their followers there were elected Consuls T. Quintius and Q. Servilius The like yeare to the former these Consuls had seditious and troublesome in the beginning but afterwards upon forraine warre quiet and still For the Sabines with a running campe having passed over the plaines of Crustuminum and put all to fire and sword about the river Anio were chased backe well neere from the gate Collina and the wals howbeit they drave away with them exceeding great booties both of people and cattel Whom the Consull Servilius followed hard with a power readie to bid battaile but could not overtake their maine armie in anie even ground meet to pitch a field in Howbeit he harried and wasted the countrie all about so as he left no corner cleere that felt not his fingers and returned with purchase of many rich prizes of all sorts Likewise among the Volscians they sped wel had a luckie hand by the good devoire both of captaine and soldior First they joined battaile vpon a plaine and sought with verie great slaughter and exceeding much bloodshed on both sides And the Romans who for their small number were more apt to seele the losse had lost ground and dismarched if that the Consull by making a lie for a vantage and crying that the enemies fled from the other wing had not encouraged them and renued the battel afresh And so by giving a new charge whiles they thought they had the better they got the better in very deed The Consull fearing again by preasing too hard upon the armie to enforce them to turne make head sounded the retrait Few daies passed between wherin they rested quiet as though there had been a secret truce agreed betweene them In which mean space a great sort of people from all parts of the Volscians and AEquians repaired to the camp thinking verify that if the Romans ware of them they would depart in the night season Wherupon at the third watch they came to make an assault upon their campe Quintius after he had quieted the tumult which upon this suddaine al'arme arose and given commandement that the soldiors should keep themselves within their pavilions brought forth a companie of Hernicks to guard the gates and caused certaine cornetiers and trumpetters on horsebacke to wind and sound before the trench and counterscarpe and so to hold the enemie in suspense and expectation untill day light The rest of the night all was so quiet within the campe that the Romans had time enough and good opportunitie to take their repose and sleep This shew of footmen in their harnish whom the Volscians imagined to be more than they were and all Romanes the neighing besides and noise that the horses made by reason of their strange riders that they were not used unto and the sound also of their trumpets and hornes that made them to set up their eares and to stamp and fare outragiously amused the enemies waiting ever
and shout as you will make when you first joine battaile and give the charge After that they had with exceeding cheerefulnesse shouted alowd God blesse us all quoth he I will fulfill your desire and bring you forth to morrow into the field for to fight So the rest of that day was bestowed in making their harnish and weapons readie When morrow was come the Sabines so soone as they perceived the Romanes raunged in battaile array came forth also themselves as readie and desirous of fight as they Here was a battaile strucke such as might beseeme two armies that trusted on both sides in their owne valour and made full account of that daies honour The one eager and greedie to recover their auncient glorie wonted evermore to have the upper hand the other prowdly bearing themselves upon a new victorie lately atchieved The Sabines besides mended their strength well with a stratageme for when they had equally devided their battaillons every way they reserved two thousand drawne out of therest extraordinarie without the ranckes apart Who in the verie time of the conflict should hotely charge the left point of the Romanes they advauncing overthwart with their ensignes and flanking them on the tone side pressed shrewdly upon that one point and overcharged it well neare environned all about Then the horsemen of two legions 600 almost in number alight on foote from their horsebackes and as their fellowes were even now readie to recule rush forward with all speed to the forefront and withall made head against the enemie And first they put life unto them againe for that they entred equally with the footmen into danger and bare even part thereof afterwards for very shame they gave more boldnesse and animated them to fight For abashed they were that horsemen should be put to double service in both kinds of fight on horse and on foote and professed footemen not able to countervaile the horsemen who had taken them to their feete So they advance forward to the battaile which on their part was abandoned make hast to recover the ground which they had lost And with a trice at one instant not onely the fight was renewed but also a battailon of the Sabines began to shrinke The horsemen closely among the rankes and files of the footmen gat againe to their horses and from thence rode speedily unto the other side reporting to their fellowes the victorie and withall sharpely charged the enemies who now were affrighted because the stronger wing of their side was discomfited neither were there any in this battaile also that were seene to performe better service than they The Consull as an overseer beheld all the maner of it praising those that stood to it manfully and rebuking where they fought but faintly They were not so soone chastised and reproved but presently they bare themselves like hardie men and did right good service and looke how much that praise excited some so much shame stirred up other Then with a fresh shout and outcrie they bent their whole force on all sides and compelled the enemies to turne their backs who were not able after this to abide the violence of the Romanes The Sabines scattered here and there all over the fields left their tents for a spoile to their enemies where the Romanes recovered againe not the goods of their Allies as before in Algidum but their very own which they had lost by the harrying and spoiling of their lands For this two-fold victorie atchieved in two sundrie battailes the Senate right sparingly such was their miserie decreed in the name and behalfe of the Consuls one daies thanksgiving and procession and no more But the people the second day likewise without order and warrant from authoritie solemnised the same in great numbers And this popular procession disorderly as it was and without formalitie was with more good will and better affection of men celebrated than the other The Consuls of set purpose as it was agreed afore came within the compasse of those two daies into the cittie and summoned the Senat to assemble in Mars field where as they were about to make some speech of their exploits and worthie actes the chiefe and principall lords of the Senat complained and shewed themselves grieved that the Senat was assembled for the nonce among the soldiors to strike a terror into them Wherupon the Consuls because they would give no occasion of quarrell and faultfinding called away the Senat from thence into Prata Flaminia where now the temple of Apollo standeth a place which even then they called Circus Apollinaris where they being denied triumph with one voice and generall consent of the Nobles L. Icilius a Tribune of the Commons propounded unto the people to know what they thought of the Consuls triumph And among many that stepped forth to crosse and dissuade the bill C. Claudius above all others cried out aloud that the Coss. intended to triumph over the Nobles and not over their enemies and that they sought a thanke by way of recompence for a privat favour done to the Tribune and not for an honourable reward for any vertue and worthie act For never quoth he aforetime was there held any treatie of triumph before the people but evermore it was referred to the Senat to consider and determine of that honour Neither had the Kings at anytime impaired the majestie of that highest court and degree what should the Tribunes then meddle so much and have their hand in all matters by vertue of their authoritie as to suffer no publike counsell at all to remaine in force For a cittie can never be counted free nor lawes equall and indifferent but when each degree and estate reteineth still their own priviledge and hold their proper preeminence When the rest of the principall Senatours had spoken much to the same effect all the Tribes notwithstanding in generall allowed by their suffrages that which the Tribune had propounded This was the first time that ever any triumph was granted by the voices of the people without the authoritie and assent of the Senatours But this victorie of the Tribunes and the cominaltie had like to have turned to a dangerons surfeit of licentious libertie by reason that the Tribunes conspired together and were fully agreed to be chosen Tribunes againe and to the end that their owne ambition should be lesfe seene above others they alleadged to the Coss. for a sufficient reason that they likewise should continue still in place of government the agreement and consent of the Senatours through whose holding togither and drawing in one line the liberties of the Commons to the great disgrace and reproch of the Consuls were infringed and indammaged For what would come of it say they if before the late lawes were fully established the new Consuls with their factious banding should set upon the new Tribunes for we must not looke to have alwaies such as the Horaty and Valery to be Consuls men that would not regard their own weale
Romane Generals yet could not they with all their solliciting persuade any to be seene to take part with them in publike action but they procured divers from all parts for hope of spolle voluntarily to aid and assist them The people of Fidene onely agreed to rebell And as though it had been in no wise lawfull to begin any warre but with some wicked heinous and execrable fact like as asore they had embrude their hands bathed their swords in the bloud of Embassadors so then they began with murdering their new received Coloners so banded themselves with the Veientians Then consulted the Princes and States of those two nations whether they should make Veij or Fidene the seat towne of the warre Fidene was supposed the fitter and more commodious So the Veientians passed overthe Tyber and translated the warre to Fidene Great feare was there at Rome to see the armie of their enemies removed from Veij emplanted at Fidene And being shrewdly danted by their late overthrow besides encamped even before the gate Collina On the wals were armed souldiors placed vacation in all courts of lawe was ordeined shop windowes thutte up and all more like a leager than a cittie Then sent the Dictatour the criers about into all streets and carrifours to summon the cittizens thus terrified to a generall assemb'y Where he rebuked them for carrying such wavering and doubtfull hearts upon so small accidents and events of fortune having received but a flight losse and finall foile and that not through the manhood of the enemie or cowardise of the Romane armie but onely through the disagreement and difference of the leaders Also for that they were affraid of the Veientian enemie whom five or sixe times afore they had put to the worst and vanquished and especially of Fidene which had been oftner in a manner won than asiaulted As for the Romanes and their enemies faith he they are even the same still that alwaies for so many hundred years they had been bearing the same minds the same bodily strength and the same armour and even my selfe am the same Mamercus Aemilius and no other who heretofore discomfited at Nomentum the Veientians and Fidenatians with the Faliscians power also adjoined unto them And as for A. Cornelius he will no doubt be the same Generall of horsemen in this battaile as in the former warre he was at what time he being a Knight Marshall flew Lars Tolumnius the King of the Veientians in the fight of two armies and brought into the Temple of Iupiter Feretrius the rich armour of him despoiled Wherfore ye ought to remember this that we have on our side triumphs spoiles and victorie whereas with the enemies remaineth the wicked and detestable fact of killing the Embassadours against the law of all nations also the massaker of the Fidenatian inhabitants in time of peace the breaking of truce and their revolting now seaven times to their ruine and overthrow Take weapon therfore in hand like men for I trust assuredly that so soone as we shall joine our campes together and encounter these most wicked enemies they shall have no long joie of the late shamefull discomfiture of the Romane armie And the people of Rome shall understand how much better they have deserved of the Common-weale who made me Dictatour now the third time than those who for clipping the Censors wings and abridging them of their kingly rule had disteined and disgraced my second Dictatourship with the shamefull blot of ignominie and reproch After this speech when he had made his vowes accordingly he encamped a mile and an halfe on this side Fidene flanked on the right hand with the hils and on the left with the river Tyber And commanded T. Quintius Pennus his lieutenant to gaine the hils afore and be possessed secretly of that cape or hill which was on the backe part of the enemies Himselfe the next morrow when as the Tuscanes full of pride and stomack for the prosperous successe of former daies which was much better than their service in fight came forth into the field after he had staied a while untill the scoutes and espials brought word that Quintius was gotten safely unto the hil top neare adjoyning to the castle or sort of the Fidenatians he advanceth forth his standerds and with his footmen ranged in battaile array marched against his enemies with full pace commaunding his Generall of the horsemen not to charge without his warrant for that he himselfe as need should equite would give the signall for the aide of his cavallerie to come in willing him then to quit himselfe like a brave Knight in remembrance of his glorious combat with a King of his rich present and oblation and of Romulus and Iupiter Feretrius Thus the legions assaile one another and encounter right hardily The Romanes kindled and enflamed with rancour and malice termed the Fidenatians wicked and godlesse wretches the Veientians robbers and theeves trucebreakers both polluted with the abominable murder of Embassadours steined with the execrable massaker of their cohabitants faithlesse and treacherous allies cowardly and dastardly enemies thus both in word and deed they satisfied their hatred to the full And at the very first shock forced their enemies to shrinke At which instant all at once there issued out of the open gates of Fidene a strange armie not heard of nor usuall before that day A mightie number armed with fire-works and shining all over with burning lights after a fanaticall and mad manner ran as if they were carried with spirits upon their enemies and with the uncouth fight of this kind of fight amased the Romans a pretie while Then the Dictator busie in fight having sent both for the Generall of the cavallerie with his troupes of horsmen and also for Quintius from the mountaines hastened himselfe to the left point which being terrified with a scarefire more like than a battail had given place unto the flame stepped backe Where with a loud voice he thus spake What wil ye be overcome with smoak like a swarm of bees leese your ground recule from your naked unarmed enemies wil ye not put out this fire with redoubled stroke of brandishing swords And will yee not every man for his part if we must needs fight with fire and not with weapons pull from them their torches and firebrands and fling them againe at their owne heads Go to I say like hardie men mindfull of the renowne of Romanes remembring the prowesse of your fathers and your owneselves Turne this fire upon your enemies cittie and consume Fidene into ashes with her own flames this disloiall Fidene which by no favors and good turns of yours yee were ever able to win pacifie The bloud of your Embassadors the bloud of your Coloners thither sent to people their cittie your frontiers and borders by them wasted put you in mind of no meaner revenge At the Dictatours commaundement the whole battaillon was moved and
minde of the Romane souldiour and made him to startle Which when the Centurians reported to Camillus as he was marshalling and setting his battailes in array and that in these termes to wit that the hearts of his souldiors were disquieted dismaied that they rooke themselves but slowly to their weapons made staying and hasting when they should come forth of their tents yea and that there were some of them overheard to say that They must fight one to an hundred and that so great a multitude of their enemies if theywere unarmed might hardly be encountred much lesse being so well armed and appointed he mounted presently upon horsbacke and rode before the ensignes and then turning himselfe a front his armie traversing betweene the rankes and arraies What heavinesse is this my souldiors quoth he what meanes this strange and unwonted lagging behind Why Know ye not your enemie Know ye not me Or know ye not your owne selves The enemie what is he els but the perpetuall matter and subject of your valour and glorie And yee againe are the men who under my conduct to say nothing of the winning of Falerij and Veij and of the slaughter of the Gaules Legions put to the sword by us even when our native cittie was by them taken and they masters thereof of late and but the other day made a threefold triumph upon a triple victorie over the same Volscians Aequians and people of Hetruria What Doe ye not agnize and accept me for your Generall because not as Dictatour but as Tribune I gave you the watchword and put out the banner of battaile For mine owne part I stand not much upon absolute and soveraigne commaund over you no more likewise should yee regard oughtels in me but mine owne selfe For never yet did my Dictatourship make me hautie and set me up aloft no more than my banishment abated my courage and cast me downe We are the same men still all of us and since we are come to this war furnished with the same meanes that we carried with us unto the former let us looke for the same event of our service no worse So soone as ye shall encounter and joine battaile with them performe each one that which he hath been taught and wonted to the journey surely will be ours and they no doubt shall run away Then after he had founded the battaile he alighteth from his horse and caught the ensigne-bearer that stood next him with his hand haled him forward against the face of the enemie crying estsoones alowd On afore with thy banner Port-ensigne and advance forward souldiour When they saw that Camillus in person a man well stept in yeares and thereby weake to performe the parts of bodily strength putting himselfe forth against the enemie all at once they pressed forward set up an outcrie and shouted every man calling upon his next fellow to follow their Generall for shame Over and besides some say that by the commandement of Camillus there was an ensigne flung into the very battaile among the enemies Whereupon they of the forefront bestirred themselves lustely to recover it againe And thereby were the Antiates first discomfited and the feare not onely came upon them in the vaward but entered also and reached as farre as the rereward that stood readie for supply And as the violent force of the souldiors provoked by the presence of their Captaine much troubled the enemie so nothing more daunted the hearts of the Volscians than the very sight of Camillus himselfe when they chanced to espie him So surely carried he the victorie with him which way soever he went And that appeared most evidently in this That when he saw the left wing at the point to give backe and run away he took himselfe in all hast to his horse rode thither with his light footmans buckler and with his onely presence renewed the fight shewing unto them how the rest of the battell had the better Now were the enemies put to the worst the victorie enclined to a side But their multitude both hindred themselves in their flight and also a long peece of worke the wearied soldiours of the Romanes had to put so great a number all to the sword But behold there fell a great tempest of raine all of a sodaine which powred down with so mightie windes and storms that it rather put them by the execution of assured victorie than parred any battaile or staied the fight Whereupon the retreat was sounded and the night ensuing whiles the Romanes were at rest made an end of the warre For the Latines and Hernicks forsooke the Volscians and departed home with as illspeed as their enterprise was bad The Volscians seeing themselves abandoned and left in the church by them upon whose trust and confidence they had rebelled quit the campe and field and put themselves within the wals of Satricum Whom Camillus at first began to besiege casting a trench and rampier about them raising bastillions platforms against the towne And seeing his munitions and fabricks by no sallying forth of the enemies impeached he supposed there was no such courage inthem that he should neede to stand so long about the hope of victorie and thereupon encouraged his men not to weare themselves out in a tedious and toilfull piece of service as if they lay at the siege of Veij assuring them that the victorie was in their hands alreadie and so with exceeding cheerefulnesse of his souldiours he set ladders upon everie side scaled the wals and entred the towne Then the Volcians flung away their weapons and yeelded themselves But the Generall his mind was bent upon a greater exploit and that was the winning of Antium being the seat towne of the Volscians and from whence the beginning of the last warre arose Howbeit because so strong a cittie might not be woon without great preparation of artillerie ordinance and engins of batterie leaving his colleague behind him with the armie he went himselfe to Rome to persuade with the Senate for to destroy and rase Antium utterly And whiles he was emparling with them such was the will of God I beleeve that Antium should stand still and continue longer there came embassadours from Nepet and Sutrium craving aid against the Tuscanes saying That it was more than high time that they were succoured and relâ—eâ—ed Vpon which occasion it fell out that Camillus was withdrawne thither from Antium For seeing that those two townes stood even against Hetruria as it were the very keies and bar-gates from thence both the enemies laboured to gaine them afore hand against the time that they went about to make new wars and the Romanes also held it a matter of great consequence to rescue and defend those frontier townes The Senat therfore thought good to be in hand with Camillus for to leave Antium and to undertake the war with the Tuscanes The cittie-legions under Generall Quintius were appointed unto him And albeit he rather would have
him Thus having set out and directed these counterfeit cornets of horse to skare the enemies with who as it fell out did more good in a manner than the other forces indeed at the first the vaward of the Gaules thought that the Romanes would not come downe on even ground but afterwards when they saw them upon a suddaine descended they also as desirous of fight ran on forward presently to joine battaile and began the fight before the captaines had sounded The Gaules charged the right wing more fiercely so that hardly they might have been abidden had not by good hap the Dictator been there in person Who called upon Sextus Tullius by name and rebuked him demaunding whether hee had given his word unto him that the souldiours should in that sort fight What is become quoth hee of these that with out-cries and open mouth called for battell Where are those threats now that they would begin to fight a field without commandement of the Generall Lo your Generall himselfe calleth upon you as lowd as he can to fall to your businesse and goeth armed before the ensignes in the vaward will anie now follow after that erewhile would needs lead the way afore Fierce I see well in campe fearfull in the field And no fable it was that they heard him speake Whereupon for very shame they were so pricked forward that without casting any perils or minding present danger they ran upon the darts and shot of their enemies This violence of theirs as if they had beene welneere out of their right wits at the very first troubled and disordered the enemies The horsemen that were sent out hard after them forced them to turne backe when they were once in disarray The Dictatour himselfe seeing the battell of one side to shrincke advaunced forward with the ensignes against the left wing unto which he saw the maine multitude to resort and gather together and withall hee gave the signe to them that were within the hils according as it was before agreed And when from thence also a new shout arose and that they were seene to march sidelong overthwart the hill toward the Gaules campe then for feare least they should be shut out from their hold they gave over all fighting and ran by heapes to their camp Where M. Valerius the Generall of the horsemen encountred and affronted them For hee seeing the right wing discomfited had set a compasâ—e about and ridden to the fortifications and munitions of the enemies Wherupon they fled to the mountaines and the woods Most of them were received by the counterfeit shew of horsemen and by the muletours caught up and came short home but as many of them as feare drave through into the woods were after the heat of the battaile was past cruelly slaine and hewen in peeces Neither was there any one setting M. Furius aside that triumphed more worthily over the Gauls than did C. Sulpitius He consecrated also in the Capitol a good weightie masse of gold gotten out of the Gaules spoile and compassed it within an enclosure of square stone The same yeare the Consuls likewise warred but with diverse fortune and successe For by C. Plantius the Hernickes were vanquished and subdued But his companion Fabius fought rashly and unadvisedly against the Tarquiniens The losse in the battaile received was not so much but that the Tarquiniens sacrified three hundred and seven Romane souldiours whome they tooke prisoners This foule and shamefull execution caused the ignominie of the Romanes defeature afore to bee much more notable and talked of abroad Besides this losse was the Romane territorie much wasted to helpe the matter withall by the Privernates and after them by the Veliternes who made sodaine inrodes into the countrie The same yeare also were two more Tribes added Pomptina and Publicia The votive solemne plaies or games likewise which Marcus Furius the Dictatour had vowed were then set foorth and perfourmed Then and never before was the first law put up to the people by P. Petilius a Tribune of the Commons and that by the consent and approbation of the Senatours against the excessive suit and ambitious standing for dignities By which law men supposed that the ambition principally of certaine persons new risen and of the first head who were woont to haunt faires and places of great resort for that intent was repressed and kept under But the yeare ensuing when C. Martius and Cn. Manlius were Consuls M. Duellius and M. Menenius two Tribunes of the Commons went through with a law and got it enacted which was not so well liked of the Senatours to wit concerning Vsurie of one in the hundred But the Commons were so much the more forward and better contented to grant and accept it Over and besides those new wars the yeare before entended the Falisci were declared new enemies and that for two quarrels pretended against them One for that their youth had served against the Romanes under the Tarquiniens the other because they had not delivered againe those Romanes which fled unto Falerij after their defeature and unluckie fight notwithstanding the Heraulds had made claime unto them and demaunded them This province fell to Cn. Manlius But Martius had the leading of an armie into the land of the Privernates which by reason of long peace was unfoiled yet and in very good stare and thereby enriched his souldiors with good prizes For to the plentie and store that there was found he added his owne bountie and liberalitie in that he set out nothing for the common treasurie but favoured the souldiors and gave them leave to better their owne private estate The Privernates lay strongly encamped before their own cittie and when he had assembled all his souldiors together Now quoth he I give unto you the enemies campe and their cittie for a bootie so you will promise me to quit yourselves like men and to be as readie to fight as to spoile Hereupon with a great crie they call for the Signall of battaile and so advancing forward and exalting themselves bravely and couragiously with assured hope of victorie to battaile they go There even before the ensignes in the vantgard Sext. Tullius of whom wee spake before cried out alowd Behold Noble Generall quoth he how thine armie performeth their word given unto thee and therewith laying downe his Iavelin with drawne sword confronteth the enemie Then follow after Tullius all they that fought in the vaward before the Standerds and at the first shocke put the enemies to flight followed the chase drave them into the towne And as they were scaling the wals the towne was rendred up into their hands So he triumphed over the Privernates By the other Consull there was no worthie exploit done but that as he lay encamped before Sutrium he proposed a law to passe by the Tribes a course never taken before and without example concerning a twentith part or vicesime to be levied of their goods that were made free The
ouerspred all about they could not possibly go to provide stakes to make a parapet or rampier nor begin to cast a trench When he perceived therfore that he neither could go forward nor stay and fortifie he removed all his baggage out of the ranges and set his men in battaile array The enemies doe the like and were not behind either in courage or in forces But this most of all heartned and encouraged them for that they being ignorant that the occasion of the enemies retreat was the disadvantage and straightnes of the place presumed that they did it upon feare and therefore they in terrible manner followed after them as if the Romanes had fled and beene affrighted And even that for a good while held the fight in doubtfull balance albeit the Samnites now a long time had not been used to abide so much as the first shout of the Romane armie when they give the charge But verily that day from the third houre unto the eight it is said that the battaile stood so equall and indifferent that neither the shout and crie was redoubled nor heard the second time after it was once set up at the first buckeling nor the ensignes were set forward or withdrawne backward but remained where they first were ne yet of any part were they seene to retire or recule but every man in his degree and place bending forward and preasing with his shield without breathing or looking backe still fought a front the same noise one resolution to die or fight it out and not to give over before utter wearines or darke night Now began the strength of men to faile now the speare point and edge of the sword began to turne and loose their force and now the captaines themselves were to seek for counsell and what to doe By what time all at once the Samnites horsemen hearing that the cariages of the Romanes with onely Cornet were gone a good way off from the armed souldiours without any other guard and fortification for greedinesse of spoile set upon them Which when a messenger in great hast and feare reported to the Dictatour Let them alone quoth hee let them encomber themselves with the spoile and spare not Then came others one after another windlesse with running crying out and saying that all was gone and that everie where the soldiours goods were rifled ransacked and caried cleane away Whereupon he sent for the Generall of horsemen See ye not quoth hee ô M. Fabius the battaile abandoned of our enemies Cavallerie They stand still and are encombred and pestered with our cariages Now therefore charge upon them disbanded as they are which usually happeneth to any multitude busie in pillage find them you shall no doubt few on horsebacke and as few with weapon in hand and whiles they are loding their horses with spoile kill them unarmed and make it a bloodie bootie to them and let them buie it full deerly as for me let me alone with the charge of the legions and footmen have you the honour of the horsemens service Then the Cavallerie raunged into a squadron as exquisitly and skilfully as possibly might be ran forcibly upon the enemies disarraied and clogged with cariage beating them down and making a miserable massacre of them in everie place For being as they were among packs fardels which they cast from them suddainly now lay against their feet to stumble on as they fled and in the horses way that were maskered and affraid they were not able well either to flie or to fight and so were slain When as the enemies Cavallerie were thus defaited and welneere all come to nought then M. Fabius wheeling about his wings of horsemen for to fetch a compasse set upon the Infanterie at their backs Wherupon arose a new fearfull crie which caused the hearts of the Samnits to tremble and quake The Dictator withall seeing formost of the enemies fighting in the front looking back ever anone their ensigns out of order and all their battailons waving and floting to and fro called hard upon his soldiors exhorted them to fight lustily cried unto the Colonels the sergeants of Bands and Caporals severally by name to reencharge and renew the medley againe with him Thus with a fresh and new shout they advance the standerds set forward the ensignes and the farther they march on the more perceived they the enemies to be troubled and in disaray And now by this time the horsemen also were within the sight of the formost in the vantgard and Cornelius looking backe to the bands and companies of his footmen making signe with hand and with voice as well as he could shewed and made demonstration unto them that they saw the guidons and targuets of their owne fellow horsemen Which when they once heard and saw withal presently as if they had forgot the battaile which they endured almost a whole day and felt no smart of their wounds they bestirred themselves against the enemie as lustily as if they had newly come out of their tents fresh and in heart and seene but now the signall and heard the sound of trumpet to a battaile Now were the Samnites no longer able to sustain the terror of the horsemen behind the violence of the footmen before but were either slaine in the mids between or skattered abroad in flight Such as staied and were environed about the footmen slew those who fled were trodden under the horse feet and killed among whom the Generall himselfe left his bodie on the earth This battaile above all other so quelled and daunted the hearts of the Sabines and crushed their forces that in all their Diets and Councels they mutterered and gave out That it was no mervaile that they sped so ill in all their affaires of armes the quarrell was so bad and ungodly and the warre begun so contrarie to a covenant of truce and having the verie gods and that justly more against them and greater enemies than men and that such a warre must needs cost some great overthrow and might not be expiate without some notable satisfaction Here onely was the difficultie and difference whether vengeance and punishment should be taken of the guiltie bloud of some fewe or the guiltlesse bloud of all And even then some there were that durst nominate the very authors of this war And one especially to wit Brutulus Papius whose name was by the common voice and consent heard above all the rest A noble and mightie man he was and without question the principall breaker of this last truce The Pretors being enforced therefore to determine as touching him what was to be done at length decreed That Brutulus Papius should be delivered to the Romanes and that together with him all the Romane pillage and their prisoners should be sent to Rome and that of all the goods unto which according to the covenant and composition the Fecials laid claime there should according to right and equitie restitution be made Then
and hazard all their forces at once in one battaile but that the Gaules should take the Samnites unto them and the Vmbrians joine with the Tuscanes The day of the battaile was appointed The Gaules and Samnites had the charge to maintaine the fight and in the time of battaile the Tuscanes and Vmbrians were commanded to assault the campe of the Romanes But these their dessignes and purposes were altered by reason of three Clusine fugitive traitors who by night stale away privily unto the Consull Fabius disclosed the intents and enterprise of the enemies who were sent away with rich rewards to the end that everie hower upon new plots and devises that should be determined by the enemies they would give them an ynkling and certaine intelligence The Consuls write unto Fulvius Posthumius that the one should advance come forward with his armie out of the Faliscane country and the other out of the Vatican directly unto Clusium and that with all their forces they should overrunne and destroy the enemies countrie The rumor of these rodes and invasions caused the Tuscans to remove out of the Sentinate territory to the defence of their own frontiers Hereupon the Consuls made speed to strike a battel in their absence And for two daies space they skirmished continually with the enemie and chalengedhim to the field but for those two daies no worthie deed of importance was atchieved A few on both sides were slaine and hereby were their courages rather provoked their stomacks whet to a full set battaile than any trial or hazard made of the maine chance Vpon the third day into plain field they come with all their power When both armies stood ranged in battaile aray there fortuned a Hind to be chased out of the mountains to run away before a Wolfe even through the mids of the plains between both armies then parted both these wild beasts asunder the Hind tooke her way to the Gaules and the Wolfe his course to the Romans The wolfe had way given him through all the rankes files but the hind was killed among the Gauls Then a Romane soldior one of the forefront who was to fight before the ensignes There will the flight qd he there will the slaughter bee where you see the beast sacred and dedicated to Diana lie dead but heere on this part the martiall wolfe consecrated to Mars having with victorie gone cleere away safe and unwounded hath put us in mind of our martial nation and of our first founder the sonne of Mars The Gaules put themselvs in the right wing the Samnites in the left Against the Samnites Fabius marshalled the first and third Legions in the right point and Decius the fifth and sixt in the left affront the Gauls For the second fourth served in Samnium under L. Volumnius Pro-consull At the first shocke and encounter the battaile was so indifferently fought and with so equall force that if the Tuscanes and Vmbrians had either shewed themselves in the field or assailed the campe the losse and overthrow must needs have light in either place where as they had bent their forces Howbeit although hetherto the conflict of battaile went equall and indifferent and that as yet fortune had not determined which way she would encline and give the victorie yet they fought not alike in the right and left wings For the Romanes under the conduct of Fabius rather warded the enemie warily and stood upon their gard than offered to charge lustily so as they maintained fight drew it at length untill it was verie late in the evening because the captaine was enformed and persuaded of the Samnits and Gauls both that being as they were in the first skirmish very hot and furious it was sufficient to keep off at length at staves end As for the Samnits their courages would abate fal by any long conflict and the bodies of the Gauls who of all other can least away with travaile heat especially would turne all to sweat and melt away who at the beginning fight more fiercely than men but in the end more faintly than women Against that time therfore when the enemy used to faile give over Fabius had kept his soldiors in breath reserved their strength fresh and lustie But Decius being verie eager and hot by reason of his youth and courage of heart laid on lustily at the first and spent upon the enemies all the force and vigor he had and for that the Infanterie seemed to fight but coldly he set the Cavallerie a worke and himselfe personally in the thickest throng and troupe of most valiantand hardie knights exhorted besought the formost gallants of those lusty youths to joine with him and to charge upon the enemie saying that they should cary away a double honor if by the meanes of the men of armes the victorie began at the left wing Twise they forced the Gaules horsemen to turne side and backe but when as they were engaged farther within and were now fighting hard pell-mell among the squadrons of the horsemen they beheld a new and strange kind of fight which troubled terrified them For the enemies standing all armed upon chariots and wagons with a great noise of their steeds rumbling of the wheles ran full upon them and mightly affrighted the horses of the Romans which had not been acquainted with such uncouth and strange dins So the horsemen who had the upper hand before and were at point of victorie were now with a foule feare discomfited scattered as if the hideous furies of hell and the divel himselfe had beene amongst them Whereupon they fled suddainly not looking before them were overthrowne both men and horse By this occasion the ensignes of footmen were distressed and disordred and many of those that were raunged in the front before the ensigns wereby force of horse wagons driven crosse through the battaillons troden under foot and their guts squashed out Here with all the battaillons of the Gauls footmen seeing their enemies thus scared followed on apace gave them no time of breathing Decius cried out aloud to his men Whether she yee Or what hope have yee to save your selves by flight Decius opposed himselfe against them that reculed and fled Decius rallied those that were disbanded and scattered but seeing that by no force or means he could stay them thus amased and astonied as they were he called upon his father P. Decius by name and said Why do I stay any longer the fatall death that is destined to my house and name It is given to our race and familie to be sacrificed in lieu of propitiatorie sacrifices for to assoile and save the publike-weale from dangers menaced threatned unto it Even now therefore will I offer the legions of the enemies to be sacrificed with my selfe to Dame Tellus and other infernall gods When he had spoken these words he commaunded M. Livius the high priest whom as he marched into the
had before his face for the ambushes lay close hidden both behind his back and over his head Anniball having once gotten the enemie as he would enclosed thus within the lake and the mountaines and environed with his forces gave the signall to them all for to charge who came downe every man the neerest way he could and so much the more were the Romanes affrighted and troubled with this sodaine occurrent by reason that the mist which arose out of the lake was setled thicker in the plaine than upon the hils whereby the companies and squadrons of their enemies comming out of many vallies were seene well enough one of another and therefore more jointly gave the charge all at once together The Romanes hearing the cry and shout which arose from all parts before they could well discerne and see perceived themselves compassed all about and surprised and were assailed both afront and on their flancks ere they could put themselves in battaile ray as they ought make their armour and weapons readie and draw their swords When all the rest were thus amazed and at their wits end the Consull alone for all this imminent danger shewed himselfe nothing daunted or afrayd but set in order the rancks and files which were shuffled and blended together according as time and place would give him leave and marshalleth his soldiers who turned every way as they heard the sundry and divers noyses and in the best manner he could devise he comforted and encouraged them willing them to stand to it and fight like men for that there was now no meanes else to escape All the vowes and invocations upon the gods for their help would not serve but only it was fine force and meere manhood must do the deede and they were to make way by dint of sword through the midst of their enemies battaillons and the lesse men feared the lesse danger commonly betided them Howbeit by reason of the noyse and hurliburly neither counsell nor commaund could be heard and so farre off were the souldiers from knowing their owne ensignes their rancks and places that scarcely their heart would serve them to take armes and to buckle them as they should fitly for fight in such sort as some of them were surprised and borne downe laden rather with their harnesse then covered and defended therewith And in so great a mist and darkenesse more use they had of eares than eyes for at the grones of their wounded fellowes at the blowes and strokes upon the bodies and armour resounding againe at the confused shoutes and shrikes of hardie and fearefull men one with another they turned their faces cast their eyes every way Some as they would have fled light into the prease of those that were fighting there were set fast some againe as they returned for to fight were borne backward by companies that ran away Afterwards when they had assayed in vaine every way to get forth and saw well that on both sides and flanks the mountaines and the lake that afront and behind the enemies battailons hemmed them in then they knew evidently there was no hope of life but in their right hand and force of armes Then every man became a captaine and encouraged himselfe to fight manfully so as the battaile began afresh not in order by the Principes Hastati and Triarij nor according to the accustomed manner whereby the avantgard should fight before the maine battaile and the standerds and behind them the arreregard and that the souldiour should keepe his owne legion his owne cohort band and companie but at a venture even as it happened so they went to it and buckled pell mell and as everie mans heart served him so hee marshalled himselfe to fight either before or behind Their courage and animositie was so ardent their spirits and minds so intentive to the medley that being as there was a terrible earthquake at that verie instant which overthrew and turned upside down a great part of many cities in Italie turned aside the courses of great rivers out of their channels drave their streams against the current forced the sea into fresh rivers yea and overturned mountains with mightie fals and laid them flat yet there was not a man who fought in that battaile that once heard or perceived it The conflict lasted almost three houres Sharpe it was in every place but about the Consull most cruell and looke in what part soever hee saw his men distressed and in hazard there courageously hee aided them By reason that the flower and bravest gallants followed him and was himselfe for his owne person goodly beseene in his rich armour he both assailed the enemie most furiously and also defended his owne cittizens as valiantly so long untill a certaine Insubrian a man of armes Ducarius was his name one that knew his visage well ynough This is quoth he to his countrymen the Consul that defeated our armie put to the sword our Legions wasted our territories and hee that destroied and sacked our citie Now will I offer him as a sacrifice out of hand to the ghosts and spirits of those our fellow citizens who by his meanes have been piteously slaine and therewith setting spurs to his horse hee rode through the thickest troupe and prease of his enemies and when hee had first slaine his Esquier outright who opposed his bodie betweene and set himselfe against him seeing him comming so furiously hee ran the Consull quite through the bodie with his launce And when he would rather than his life have disarmed and rifted him the Triarij stept with their targuets over his corpes and so kept him off Hereupon from hence first many began to flie but anone neither deepe lake nor high mountaine could impeach and stop their fearefull flight like blind men they ran and sought meanes to make escapes were the lane never so narrow were the hils never so steepe and craggie horse and man man and armour fell headlong one upon another A number of them seeing no way els to escape entred into the Lake by the first edges and shallow brimmes thereof waded so farre and went up so high that they left their heades and shoulders onely above the water Some there were who unadvisedly such was their feare sought to save themselves by swimming Which being an endlesse peece of worke and beyond all hope their wind and breath failing them they were either slifted and swallowed up of the goulfes or after that with too much hast they had over-laboured and toiled out themselves they did what they could to swimme backe againe and with much adoe to recover the land and there by the enemies horsemen who had taken the water were they killed every where and cut in peeces Sixe thousand or there about of the vaward who lustily brake through the mids maugre the heads of their enemies unwitting of all that was done behind escaped safe out of the gullet and having seized the top of a little hill there they
attaine in the end to true glorie Let them call you and spare not fearefull for carefull cold and slow for wise and considerate an ill souldiour and ignorant for a skilfull warrior and experienced But be not you dismaied I had leifer heare a wise and sober enemie to fear you than see foolish and brainesicke cittizens to praise you Adventure all things boldly Anniball will contemne you enterprise nothing rashly he shall dread you And yet my purpose is not neither speake I this that you should enter into no action at all but my meaning and advise is that in all your doings you be guided and directed by sage reason not haled and carried away with blind fortune Order the matter so that all things lie within your compasse and at your disposition Stand ever armed and upon your guard Have your eie about you stil and keepe good watch that neither you lose any opportunitie that shall present it selfe unto you nor yeeld unto the enemie any occasion for his advantage Take time and leisure you shall find all things cleere plaine easie and certaine Contrariwise hast maketh wast it is ever to seeke is foreseeth nought but is starke blind The Consull answered to these speeches with no lightsome cheere and gladsome countenance as confessing That all he spake was rather true in substance than easie in execution For faith he if the Generall of horsemen were so violent and not to be endured of you who were his Dictatour soveraigne Commaunder what course shall I take what shift may I make what power and authoritie sufficient am I like to have to sway against my seditious quarrelsome and headie Colleague For mine owne part in my former Consulship I hardly escaped a scouring and much adoe I had to passe through the light fire of the flaming peoples doome and heavie censure wherein I was well scortched and halfe burnt I wish all may be well in the end Howbeit if any thing shall fall out otherwise than well I had rather hazard the pikes and darts of the enemies and leave my life behind me among them than put my selfe to be tried againe by the voices suffrages of angrie testie citizens Paulus had no sooner delivered this speech but as the report goeth he went forth on his journie the cheese LL. of the Senat accompanied him The other Commoner Consull was likewise attended of his favourites the Commons more looked on and gazed at for their multitude and number than regarded for the worth and qualitie of their persons So soone as they were arrived at the campe and that the new armie was intermingled with the old they devided the whole into two camps and ordred the matter so that the new which was the lesser should be neerer to Anniball and in the old the greater number and the whole strength and floure of the maine forces should be quartered Then they sent away to Rome M. Atilius the Consull of the former yeare who excused himselfe by reason of his old age and desired to be gone But they gave unto Cn. Servilius the charge and conduct of one Romane Legion and besides of two thousand horsemen and footemen of their allies in the lesser campe Anniball notwithstanding he well perceived that the power of his enemies was reenforced by one halfe more than before yet wonderous joyfull he was at the comming of these new Consuls For not onely he had nothing left him of victuals which from day to day he brevited for to serve his present neede and no more but also there was no more to be had and nothing remained for to fill his hands with by reason that after the territorie was not safe to travaile in the come from all parts was conveighed unto the strong walled townes and there laid up so that as afterwards it was knowne for certaine he had scarce corne ynough for to serve ten daies and the Spaniards by occasion of the dearth and want were at the point to revolt unto the Romans if they might but espie a good and commodious time therefore Over and besides to the inbred rashnesse and overhastie nature of the Consull fortune also ministred mater to confirme him therein For in a certaine tumultuarie skirmish to stop and impeach the forragers and boothalers of Anniball and which began rather by chaunce as the souldiors happened to encounter one another than upon any considerate counsell aforehand or by direction and commaundement from the Generals the Carthaginians had the soile went by the worse for of them there were 1700 slaine but of Romanes and Confederates not passing 100. And when in the traine of victorie they hotely followed the chase in disarray the Consull Paulus who that day had the absolute commaund for they governed by turnes each one his day restrained and staied them Varro thereat chaufed and frounsed crying out alowd That hee had let the enemie escape out of his hands and if he had not thus given over the pursuit the warre might have been ended at once Anniball tooke this losse and dammage nothing neere the heart but rather made full reckning that he had caught as it were with a bait and fleshed the audaciousnesse of the foolehastie Consull and of the new souldiours especially For he knew as well all that was done amongst the enemies as in his owne campe namely that the Generals were not sutable nor sorting one unto the other and that of three parts of the armie two in a manner were but rawe fresh and untrained souldiours And therefore supposing he had now gotten place and time favourable unto him to contrive and compasse some stratageme the night following he led forth his souldiors carying nothing about them but their armour and abandoned the campefull of all things as wel privat goods and furniture as publike provision and beyond the next hils he bestowed secretly in ambush his footmen well appointed in ordinance of battell on the left hand the horsemen on the right and conveighed all his cariages into the mids between the two flanks to the end that whiles the enemie was busied in rifling and ransaking the tents forlorne as it were and forsaken by the flight of the owners and masters he might surprise him laden encombred with bag and baggage He left behind him in the camp many fires burning to the end that the enemies shold verily thinke and beleeve that under a pretended shew of an armie in campe his purpose was to hold and keepe the Consuls amused still where they were whiles himselfe in the meane time might gaine more ground and escape further away like as he had plaied by Fabius the yere before When day light was come and the Coss. saw first that the standing gards were gone and perceived as they approched neerer an unwonted silence they marvailed much But after they discovered certainely that the campe was abandoned and no person remaining behind there was running of all hands who could run fastest to the pavilions
the Gaules and Spanish men of armes encountred and ran ful upon the right hand of the Romans Cavallerie nothing at all after the order of horse-service for they were of necessitie to affront one another streight forward as having no roume left about them to fling out and ride at large being flanked on the one hand with the river and enclosed on the other with the battallon of footemen Whereupon I say they were forced to charge full butt from both parts directly before them so long as their horses stood close and thrust togither but at length when they began to stir winse the riders man to man fell to take hold and clasp one another every man to pluck his enemie besides his horse so as now they were driven much what to fight on foot This conflict was rather sharpe than long and to be short the Romane Cavallerie was discomfited and put to flight And anon as the horse made an end of their fight began the medley of the foote also At the first the Gaules and Spanyards equall to their enemies both in force and courage mainteined the conflict right hardily and kept their order and arraies At length the Romanes cast about and devised on what side and with what forme of a close battailon to force back that pointed squadron of the enemies raunged very thin and by so much the weaker and bearing out withall from the rest of the battaile Now when they had once driven them to recule and to give ground the Romanes preased on still at one instant and with the same violence perced through them as they fled for feare headlong untill they were entred as far as to the very midst of the vantgard maine battaile and finding none able to stand in their way and make resistance they gained in the end the very rereward of the Affricanes who having drawen in from both sides their skirts and wings stood together strong and firmely kept their ground The Gaules and Spanyards continued still in the midst somewhat advanced without the rest of the battaile Now when this pointed squadron was driven in by the Romanes and made even equal first with the front of the battaile and afterwards upon further enforcement gave way for them to passe in a lane through the midst thereof by that time the Affricanes charged upon their flanks and whiles the Romanes unwarily were engaged overfarre within them they came about them on the skirts within a while hauing stretched out spread their wings inclosed the enemies round on their backs also Hereupon the Romanes who had performed one battaile and conflict in vaine were forced to give over the Gaules Spanyards whom they had disarayed and put to flight and were to begin a fresh fight with the Africanes and that to their owne great disadvantage not only because they being enclosed and pent up in a streight roume were to deale with them that had compassed them all about and were at libertie but also because they being weried were to maintaine a new skirmish with those that were fresh in hart and lustie And now by this time in the left point of the Romanes battaile where the horsemen of their associates were marshalled to affront the Numidians they were falne to close fight which at the first these Numidians began but coldly and faintly after the deceitfull manner of Carthaginians unto whome they were sib and neere neighbours For 500 of them or thereabout having besides their usuall Iavelins darts which they commonly cary short daggers or skaines hidden under their cuirasse harnesse made semblance of riding away from their owne companies siding to the Romanes with their bucklers at their backs all of a sodain dismounted from their horses and throwing their bucklers targets speares at their enemies feet were received within the main battell and from thence conducted to the hindmost in the rereward were commaunded there to abide behind at their backe And untill such time as the medley joined on all sides they continued quiet But when they saw every mans eye and mind busied and occupied in the conflict then they caught up those bucklers that lay strewed and scattered among the dead bodies all abroad and plaied upon the battell of the Romans from behind and what with wounding their backes and cutting their hamstrings they made foule worke carnage among them and more than that raised a greater feare and tumult by farre Now when the Romanes in one place were frighted and ran away and in another fought for life armed only with despaire of all meanes to escape Asdruball who had the charge of that side caused the Numidian horsemen who fought but coldly with those that stood affront them to be withdrawn from the mids of the battell and sent them to pursue the enemies in the chase And to the Affricanes overwearie now with execution and killing rather than with any other fight hee joined the Gaules and Spanish footmen to assist them On the other side of the battell Paulus albeit at the very first shocke and encounter he was sore wounded with a bullet from out of a sling yet often times hee made head against Anniball and kept his battaillons close and thicke together yea and in diverse places renued the medley and evermore the Romane horsemen guarded and protected him But at the last they left their horses because the Consull his strength failed him to rule his owne and to 〈◊〉 him Whereupon there was one brought word unto Anniball that the Consull had commaunded his men of arms to light afoot Then qd Anniball as the report goeth Yea marry But how much gladder would I be if hee delivered them into my hands bound hand foot And surely the horsemen fought so after they were alighted as if there had been no doubt but that the enemies had the victorie Howbeit although they had the worse yet they chose rather to die in the place than to flie and the Victours angred at the heart with them for thus staying the accomplishment of the victorie went downe with them and killed outright all those whome they could not make to give ground and yeeld And yet a few such as were wearied with much toile overcharged with many wounds they enforced to recule Anon they were all disbanded and scattered asunder and as many as could recovered their horses and fled away Cn. Lentulus a Colonell seeing as he rode by the Consull sitting all agore bloud upon a stone Ah L. Aemylius quoth he whom the gods ought of right to regard and save as being the onely guiltlesse man and innocent of this daies worke and unhappie overthrow take here this horse of mine while some vigour and strength remaineth in you Able I am to mount you upon him to accompanie protect you also Come I say and make not this battell more cursed and sorrowful by the death of a Consull Without it ywis we have cause ynough alreadie and too much of dolorous
the fortune of a battell Aâ— those three gates that stood toward the enemie he raunged his forces devided into three battaillons gave order that all the cariages should follow after and that the lackies launders other camp-followers together with the feeble and sickly persons should carie stakes and pales for the rampier At the middle gate he placed the flour strength of the legions together with the Romane Cavallerie at the two gates of either hand he bestowed the new souldiours the light armour and the auxiliarie horsemen of allies The Nolanes were by streight commaundement forbidden to approch the gates or the wals As for the baggage carriages the ordinarie guard was appointed to attend thereupon for feare least while the Legions were busie in fight there should bee some assault made upon them In this order and array marshalled they were within the gates Anniball who likewise readie arraunged stood with banner displaied as hee had done for certaine daies together untill it was well toward noone first wondered at it that neither the Romane armie issued out of the gates nor any souldiours appeared upon the wals supposing afterwards that their usuall complors and conventicles were discovered and revealed and that for very feare they kept within and sat still sent backe part of his souldiours into the campe with commaundement in all speed to bring abroad into the open field before the vaunt guard all the ordinance and artillerie for to batter the cittie walls with assured confidence that if hee came hotely upon them and gave an assault whiles they thus lingered and issued not forth the Commons would make some tumult and stirre within the cittie But anon as every man was busily occupied running to and fro in hast about his owne charge before the vaunt guard and forefront of his battaile even at the point when hee advaunced forward to the walls all upon suddaine a gate was set open and Marcellus caused the trumpets to sound the al'arme and the souldiours to set up a shout commaunding the footmen first and then the horse to sallie out and with all the might and force they could to charge upon the enemie Soone had they terrified their main battell sufficiently made disorder there when at the two gates of each side P. Valerius Flaccus and Caius Aurelius two Lieutenants generall issued forth upon their flanckes and wings The horse-boies skullions and the other multitude abovesaid which was set to guard the carriages arose up and made a new outcrie shouted so as to the Carthaginians who contemned them before for their small number especially they represented all at once a shew of a mightie armie I dare not avouch that which some Authours sticke not to write that of enemies were slaine in this medley 2300 and that the Romanes lost but one onely man But what victory soever it was either so great or smaller surely a doubtie peece of service was that day atcheeved and I wot not whether I may truly say of the greatest consequence that any ever was during the time of that warre For as the time was then it was a greater matter for the Romanes albeit they were the conquerors not to be vanquished of Anniball than it was afterwards to vanquish him Anniball disappointed of his hope to win Nola retired to Acerre And Marcellus immediately having shut the gates and placed the guards and warders to keepe the same that no man might goe forth sat judicially in the market place to examine those that had used secret conference and parling with the enemies finding above seventie guiltie of this action pronounced sentence of death upon them as in case of treason Those he cut shorter by the head commaunded their goods to be confiscate And thus leaving the governement of the cittie to the Senat thereof he departed with all his forces and above Suessula encamped himselfe and there abode Anniball being come before Acerre first summoned the cittie to surrender voluntarily and without constraint but seeing them obstinate and not willing to relent he made preparation to lay siege unto the towne and to assault it But the Acerranes had better heart and courage than might and strength to resist him Therefore when they saw themselves like to bee entrenched all about and were past hope to defend and keepe the towne before the enemies had brought all ends of their trenches and sconces together they got between the trenches rampiers where they were not finished and stood not close together in the dead time of the night and escaped through the sentinels and watches that were slenderly looked unto and as well as they could making shift through by waies and blind lanes over hedge ditch as either their wits guided them or their feare carried them recovered those citties of Campania which they knew for certaine were not revolted but persisted true and fast unto the Romanes Anniball after he had put Acerra to the sacke and set it on fire having intelligence that the Romane Dictatour and the Legions were received at Casilinum and fearing least while the enemie lay so neere encamped some should have recourse also into Capua led his armie to Casilinum At the same time Preneste was held by 500 Prenestines with a few Romans and Latines who upon the newes of the overthrow at Cannae were retired thither These Prenestines by occasion that they were not levied and mustered at Preneste by the day appointed set out from thence somewhat too late and were come as farre as Casilinum before the rumour was bruited of the defeature before Cannae where they joined themselves with other Romanes and Confederates set forward from Casilinum and marched together with a good great companie but meeting by the way with the tidings of that unfortunat field turned back again to Casilinum And after they had spent certain daies there as well fearing the Campanes as suspected of them againe for they devised on both sides how to entrap one another and how to avoid each others trains having received also certain intelligence That in Capua there was treating about a revolt and that Anniball was there received they in one night set upon the townesmen of Casilinum killed them and got that part of the cittie which is on this side Vulturnus a river that runneth through it and devideth it into two parts and kept it still Their number was well encreased by the comming of a cohort of foure hundred and sixtie Perusines who likewise were driven to Casilinum by the same report and news which a few daies before had turned the Prenestines thither And surely there was sufficient almost of armed souldiers to man defend the wals of that part being of so small a circuit as they were considering the towne was flanked on the one side with the river And againe for the proportion of corne whereof they had small store they were men but too many Anniball being now not farre from thence sent before him the
the rumour of the winning of Carthage But when the thing was too too apparent could not be hidden and smothered they used all the words they could to elevate it and make the matter lesse than it was To wit that by a suddaine invasion and expedition of the Romans in one day as it were by stealth it chaunced that one of the cities of Spain was surprised that the insolent and foolish yong man bearing himselfe prodigally prowd jocound beyond all measure would seeme to make up the measure of so smal a catch that he hath gotten with a great shew of a brave victorie but when he shall heare once that there are three Generals comming toward him and three victorious armies of enemies he will soone pull in his hornes he will then tell us another tale when presently he shall call to remembrance with greefe of every vain in his heart the death of father of unckle and other progenitors These and such like speeches they gave out among the people and common sort knowing in their own conscience what a blow they had caught and how much their strength was decaied by the losse of new Carthage THE XXVII BOOKE OF THE HISTORIES OF T. LIVIVS of Padoa from the foundation of the Cittie of Rome The Breviarie of L. Florus upon the seven and twentith Booke CNeus Fulvius the Proconsull was slaine and with his armie utterly deffeated by Anniball at Herdonea But Cl. Marcellus the Consull had better fortune in a battell against him before Numistro From whence Annibal dislodged and departed by night Marcellus pursued after him and ever as he fell off followed him hard still untill he gave him battaile In the former fight Anniball had the better but Marcellus in the latter Fabius Maximus the father being Consull had the Tarentines yeelded up unto him by treason In Spaine Scipio fought a battaile with Asdruball the sonne of Amilcar at Batula and wan the field Among others there was a boy taken prisoner of roiall bloud and of incomparable beautieâ— whom he sent with rich gifts unto Masanissa his uncle by the mother Clau. Marcellus and T. Quintius Crispinus the Consuls who chaunced to goe out of their campe to discover as espials the countrie were forel aid by an ambush of Anniball and entrapped Where Marcellus was slaine Crispinus fled This book containeth also the wars and exploits atchieved by P. Sulpitius the Pretour against Philip and the Achaeans The Censors held a solemne survey and numbring of citizens and purged the citie In which survey there were found of Romane citizens 137108. By which account it was seene how many the people of Rome had lost by the adverse fortune of so many battailes Asdruball who with an armie had passed over the Alpes for to ioine with Anniball was slaine and with him 56000 men besides by the conduct of M. Livius the Consull but not without the equall good service of Cl. Nero the other Consull who being appointed to make bead against Anniball left the campe so as the enemie was not ware thereof and with an elect power of bardie men environned and enclosed Asdruball about and so diffeated him THus stood the affaires in Spaine In Italie the Consull Marcellus having recovered Salapia by composition wan by force two towns from the Samnites Maronea and Meles Where there were slaine three thousand of Anniball his souldiours who had beene left there in garrison Some good portion of the pillage was shared amongst the souldiours Of wheat besides there was found there 240000 measures called Modij of barly 110000. But the joy from hence was not so great as the losse and dammage received within few daies after not far from the citie Herdonea Cn. Fulvius the Pro-consull lay there encamped upon hope to regaine that citie which after the defeature at Cannae had revolted from the Romanes a towne neither seated in a place of suretie nor yet well furnished and manned for defence The captaine thereof Cn. Fulvius aforesaid was by nature ever negligent but growne much more retchlesse now presuming upon a vaine hope that h ehad of them within in that he perceived how the townsmen alreadie began to faile in their devotion faithfull allegeance to the Carthaginians especially after they heard that upon the losse of Salapia Anniball was departed out of those parts into the Brutians countrey Anniball had intelligence of all this brought unto him from Herdonea by secret messengers which as it caused him to have a carefull eic to the saving and keeping of a friend citie so it ministred good hope unto him for to surprise his enemie at unwares and unprovided Whereupon with his armie lightly appointed hee tooke long journies and made hast to Herdonea so as hee prevented almost the fame and bruite of his comming And to strike the more terrour into his enemie hee thither marched in battaile array The Romane Generall as adventurous and bold as he every way but nothing at all so polliticke nor so strong brought his forces forth in more hast than good speed and gave him battaile His fifth legion and the left wing or cornet of Cavallerie began the skirmish charged hotely But Anniball had given his horsemen direction that when the Infanterie was in the middest of skirmish with mind and eie wholly occupied that way they should wheele about and fetch a compasse and whiles some of them assailed the camp the rest should play upon the back of their enemies himselfe iterating eftsoones unto his men the name of Cn. Fulvius for likenes sake because two yeers before in the very same quarters he had vanquished another Cn. Fulvius who was Pretour also assured them of the like successe now in this conflict And verily this conceit and hope of his prooved not vaine and frustrate For when as in close fight and skirmish of the footmen many of the Romanes were fallen downe and slaine but so as yet the ranckes stood unbroken and the ensignes upright behold a suddaine fresh charge of the horsemen on their backe and a great shout of the enemies withall descried and heard from the campe first discomfited the sixt legion which being marshalled in the second battaillon had beene put in disarray before by the Numidians and then the fift and so consequently even those that fought in the forefront of the vaward before the ensignes Some fled amaine others were killed in the middest betweene where Cn. Fulvius himselfe with twelve Tribunes or knight marshals were left dead in the place Of Romanes and Allies how many died in that medley who is able to set downe for certaine seeing in some records I find the number fifteene thousand and in others not above seven thousand The conqueror Anniball was maister likewise of the camp and all the pillage there As for the towne Herdonea because he understood for truth that it minded to have revolted unto the Romanes and would not continue fast in their fidelitie if his backe were once turned after hee had
Anniball in hand with the Cannusines and sollicited them to revolt But hearing once that Marcellus approched hee dislodged from thence The countrie thereabout was plaine and open without any covert places to bestow an ambush and to lay traines in therefore he began to retire himselfe from thence into the wood-land parts Marcellus tracked him still and followed him hard at heeles and encamped close unto him and ever as hee had fortified and entrenched himselfe he brought forth his men into the field readie for battaile Anniball entertaining small skirmishes with certaine comets and troupes of horsemen and with light appointed footemen that launced darts and javelines thought it not necessarie yet to come unto a pight set battaile and venture all upon one throw Howbeit he was drawne to a fight maugre his head howsoever he labored to avoid it For being gone afore one night Marcellus overtooke him upon a plaine and open ground and as hee was pitching his tents he kept him from fortifying by charging his pioners and labourers on every side Wherupon they came to a very battel fought with all the forces they had on both sides and when it grew toward night they depatted asunder on even hand but before it was darke they had encamped not farre one from another and in great hast made shift to fortifie themselves The next morning by day light Marcellus came foorth into the field with all his power neither refused Anniball the chalenge having with many words comforted and encouraged his soldiers to remember Thrasymenus Cannae to cut the comb beate down tame this fell stomacke and lustie courage of the enemie who preaseth still qd he and seeketh upon us not suffering us to march on quietly in our journey nor to pitch our tents giving us no leave to breath our selves nor time to looke about us There is not a morning but so soone as the sunne is up in the horison to give light to the world the Romane armie is out in the field to give us battaile If we could draw bloud of him once and set him out of the field with bloud about his eares he would for ever after fight more quietly and take better leisure with him With these and such like comfortable words and effectuall remonstrances they were well animated as also provoked seeing themselves thus molested by the enemie who day by day never ceased to chalenge and brave them still whereupon they began a fierce and cruell battaile They had now continued fight above two houres and then began the Romane Cavallerie from the right wing and the extraordinarie souldiours that flanked the maine battaile to give ground and dismarch Which Marcellus perceiving he brought forward the eighteenth legion in the vaward And whiles some recule backe fearfully others come forward but slowly the whole battaile was put out of order and disaraied and so at length it was discomfited and for that feare surmounted shame they turned their backes and fled away a good Slaine there were in the conflict and in the rowt togither some 2700 citizens and allies one with another among whome there were foure Romane Centurians and two Colonels Marcus Licinius Marcus Fulvius Of militarie ensignes there were foure lost of that right wing which first shrunke lost ground and two others of that legion which came to succour their fellowes that gave backe and reculed Marcellus after that he was returned into the campe welcommed his souldiors with such a bitter sharpe Oration that the very words of the Generall in his angel and wrath were more heavie grievous unto them than the medley it selfe which they had unfortunatly endured all the day long before I yeeld praise yet and render thankes to the immortall gods quoth he as I may in such a case that our enemies having vanquished conquered you in the field and driven you in so great feare to run headlong within your trenches gates came not with all at once to assaile the camp For surely in the same fearful fright that you forsooke battel you would likewise have abandoned your tents pavilions What fearfulnes is this Whence commeth this terror What means this oblivion of yours How commeth it to passe that ye should so forger al on a sodain both your own selves them with whom ye have to fight Why surely they are the same enimies and no other whom the summer past you did nothing but either vanquish overcom or else pursue and follow in chase whom for these certain daies past ye have bene redie to tread on their heels as they fled and ran away before you both by day night whom in light skirmishes ye have discomfited whom no longer ago than yesterday you suffred neither to march forward nor to pitch their campe I forbear to speak I passe in silence those things which in good right ye may stand upon and make your boast I say nothing of that wherof ye ought to be ashamed and displeased with your selves namely how but even yesterday ye brake off the fight on even hand and retired out of the field when the enemie had gotten no advantage What hath this one night or what hath one day cut you off Are either your forces in this mean time abridged diminished or your enemies augmented encreased Now surely me thinkes I speak not to mine own armie nor to Roman soldiers Only yee carrie about you the same bodies and armor that ye were wont For if ye had born the same minds and hearts with you should the enemies ever have seene your backes should they have taken either banner from any companie or ensigne from cohort and squadron As yet the enemie never vaunted and made boast of the defeature of our Romane legions You are the very first that this day have given him the honour of discomfiting and putting to flight our armie Then they all cried out and besought him to pardon that daies default and to make triall once againe of his souldiours courages when and wheresoever hee would Mary and that I will quoth he my souldiours I will put you to it even to morrow I will bring you abroad into the field and after yee have gotten the victorie yee shall obtaine that pardon which now yee crave So he gave order that those cohorts which had lost their ensignes should have their allowance of barley in stead of wheat and as for those Centurions of the bands or companies whose banners were lost them he degraded in this manner Hee caused them to bee disarmed and their skeines to be drawne naked and taken from them and so let them go shake their eares And withall he made proclamation that the next day they should all present themselves in readines as well footmen as horsemen Which done hee dismissed the audience and they all confessed and acknowledged that they were justly and worthily thus checked and rebuked and that there was not that day one man in the Romane
battaile Then the Consull borrowing a little of his enemies cunning for that in so open hils there was lesse feare and suspicion of ambush gave order that five Cohorts of horsemen reenforced with as many bands of footemen should by night get over those hils and in the vallies behind sit downe closely with direction to T. Claudius Asellus a colonell of footemen and P. Claudius a captaine of allies whom he sent to conduct them at a certaine time to arise out of ambush and to charge the enemie himselfe by day light led forth all his whole power as well foote as horse into the field Within a while after Anniball likewise put forth the signall of battaile and all the camp over they set up a cry running all about to their armour and weapons Then footemen and horsemen both rushed avie out of the gates who could be soonest foorth and scattered as they were all over the plaine made hast to the enemies Whom when the Consull saw thus disordered he commaunded C. Aurunculeius a Tribune or Colonel of the third legion to put out the Cavallerie belonging to that legion for to charge the enemie with all the violence he could for that like sheepe they were so spred over the plaine without all forme and fashion and might be surprised discomfited and beaten downe before they could be brought into array and set in order of battaile Anniball himselfe was not come forth of the campe when hee might heare the noyse of them fighting together and hard at it and excited with this tumult hee led in great hast all the rest of his forces against the enemie By this the vaward and forefront of his battaile was frighted with the horsemen of the enemies yea and the first legion of the Infanterie and the Cavallerie of the right wing began to charge The Carthaginians disordered as they were fought at a venture as they chanced to meete either with footemen or horsemen The conflict grew hoter by reason of new supplyes and fresh succours and encreased still by the number of them that continually ran out to the medley And surely Anniball notwithstanding this tumult and troublesome feare had set and marshalled his men in good order as they were fighting which had bene no easie thing to do but that the armie was of old souldiours and their captaine well experienced and beaten to it if it had not bene for the shout of the cohorts and bands above-said which they heard at their backs as they from the hils behind ran downe upon them and set them in great feare least that they would thrust in betweene them and home and so shut them out of their camp Hereupon I say they were affrighted and began to flye here and there But the slaughter was the lesse because the camp was neere and farre they had not to run thither and save themselves in this their fearefull fright For the horsemen plaid upon their backs still and gave not over the cohorts from the open mountaines ran easily downe the hill and charged crosse upon their sides and flanks Howbeit there were slaine more than eight thousand men and above 700 taken prisoners nine ensignes woon and caried away of Elephants also whereof there was little or no use in a sodaine and tumultuarie skirmish foure were killed and two gotten alive Of Romane and Allies there dyed two hundred The next day after Anniball stirred not The Romane Consull having brought his armie forth into the field and seeing none to come abroad and make head against him commaunded the slaine enemies to be disarmed and despoiled the spoiles to be gathered up and the bodies of his owne men to be brought together into a place and buried For certaine dayes after continually he preassed so hard at the camp gates that he wanted but little of entring thither with banner displaied In so much as Anniball at the third watch of the night leaving behind him many fires burning and divers tents standing on that side especially which looked toward the enemies and some few Numidians to make a shew upon the Rampiar and at the gates dislodged and purposed to goe into Apulia The next morning by day light the Romane armie embatrailed approached the trench and rampiar The Numidians of set purpose shewed themselves in the gates and upon the rampiar and when they had a good while dallied thus and plaied with the enemie they mounted on horsbacke and spared no horse-flesh untill they had overtooke their fellowes The Consull perceiving that all was quiet within the campe and seeing not so much as those few appeare any where who in the morning betimes had walked their stations sent foorth two horsemeninto the campe as espials After he understood for certaine that all was safe and the coasts cleare he commaunded his ensigns to make an entrie And staying no longer there than whiles his souldionrs ranne up and downe to pill and spoile hee sounded the retreat and long before night brought his armie back again The next morrow after he set forward by the dawning of the day with long journeis following his enemies by the voice of the countrie tracing them by their footsteps hee overtooke them not far from Venusia There also was a skufling skirmish between them and not so few as two thousand Carthaginians slaine From thence Anniball ever marched by night and journied through the mountaines because he would give his enemie no vantage of fight untill he came to Metapontum From whence Hanno for hee was captaine of the garrison there was sent with some fewe in his traine into the Brutians countrie to levie a newarmie And Anniball after he had joyned those forces to his owne returned againe to Venusia by the same way that he came from thence and so forward he marched to Cannusium Nero never left the enemie but was readie to tread on his heeles and as he marched himselfe toward Merapontum hee had sent for Q. Fulvius to repaire into the Lucanes countrie because those parts should not be disfurnished of defence In this mean space there were foure French horsemen and two Numidians sent to Anniball with letters from Asdruball after he was removed from the siege of Placentia who having travailled in manner all the length of Italie through the mids of the enemies whiles they follow after Anniball in his retire unto Metapontum missed of their waie and light upon Tarentum where they were encountred by the forragers of the Romans that raunged about the fields by them were brought before Q. Claudius the Propretor At the first they entertained him with flim flams with doubtfull and intricate answeres but when the feare of the racke and other tortures had forced them to tell a truth they confessed that they had letters about them to deliver from Asdruball to Anniball With those letters sealed as they were they were committed unto L. Virginius a Colonell for to be conveied unto Claudius the Consul And two troupes or Corners besides of Samnite horsemen
to marke some old targuets of his enemies which hee had not as yet seene and their horses more lanke and leane than earst before And as hee guessed the number also was greater than ordinarie and usuall Suspecting therefore that which was indeed hee sounded the retreat in all hast and sent out presently to the river where they used to water to see if they might either light upon some and catch them prisoners or at leastwise take good markes by their eie whither any of them haply were higher coloured or looked sunburnt presently upon their late travell Also he gave them commaundement to ride aloofe about their campe and to spie whether the rampier were enlarged or set out farther in any place and to listen attentively whether the trumpet sounded single or double within the camp When all other circumstances besides were related in order affirmatively onely the not enlarging of the camp put them by their hint and gave the occasion that they were beguiled Two severall campes they were like as before the comming of the Consull the one belonging to M. Livius the other to L. Porcius And in neither of them were the rampiers and trenches set out any jot whereby they might put up more tents quarter themselves in larger roume But this one thing troubled this old experienced captaine acquainted so well as he was with the Roman enemies that his espials brought word how in the Pretors campe they sounded the trumpet once and in the Consuls twise For surely that was an evident argument that two Consuls were there And in thinking how the other Consull had departed from Anniball and given him the slip he mightily tormented himselfe And he could not once suspect and imagine that which was indeed the truth namely that Anniball was deluded and mocked in a matter of so great moment as to bee ignorant what was become of the Generall or of the armie to which he lay so close and neere encamped Surely thought he and without all question he hath received no small foile and overthrow in this fright dareth not make after and follow the enemie Nay hee feared much least all were lost and gone and that he should not come time ynough to helpe and succour him and that the Romans had gotten alreadie the same good hand in Italie which they had before in Spaine Otherwhiles he was persuaded that his letters never came to Anniball his hands that they were intercepted and so the Consull made hast to prevent him and give him the foile by the way Being perplexed with these carefull cogitations hee caused the fires to bee put out and at the signall given at the first watch to trusse up bag and baggage and to dislodge and be gone In this fearefull hast and nightly tumult the guides whiles they were slenderly looked unto small heed was taken of them one of them sat down and rested close in a secret lurking hole which he had before destined in his mind the other waded over the river Metaurus through the sourds that he was well acquainted with so got away made an escape So the armie left at randon without their guides first wandered over the fields and then diverse of them being wearie sleepie with over-watching laid them downe along here and there and left their colours with few about them Asdrubal commaunded them to march along the banke of the river and to follow it untill the day-light might direct them the right way so going a compasse in and out according to the winding reaches crancks of the river wandered a great while gained but a smal ground forward Now when day light once appeared he purposed to spie out the first place for convenient passage and there to get over But finding no fourds by reason that the farther it was from the sea the higher were the banckes from the water that kept in the river hee spent all the live-long day and gave the enemie time to follow after him And first Claudius Nero came with all the horsemen then Porcius followed hard after with the vaunt-coutriers and light armed footemen Whiles they made offer to charge their enemies in their march every way and plaid still upon them in so much as now Asdruball leaving to journey forward where in he seemed rather to flee than march was desirous to take a little hil along the river side and there to encamp and fortifie Livius was come also with all the maine power of footemen so armed and so orderly appointed and marshalled as they were not only provided to march in journey but readie also presently to give battaile But when they were all joyned together and aranged in battaile array Claudius had the leading of the right wing Livius commaunded the left and the Pretour tooke the charge and conduct of the maine battaile Asdruball seeing no other remedie but to fight never fortified his camp but in the fore-front before the vaward and in the very mids placed his Elephants about them in the left wing he opposeth the French against Claudius not so much trusting upon them as supposing verily that the enemie was afraid of them and in proper person he tooke up the right wing against Livius for himselfe and the Spaniards in whom being old beaten souldiours he reposed his most hope The Ligurians in the mids were bestowed behind the Elephants But the battaile was rather drawne out in length than stretched forth in breadth The Frenchmen were defended with the hill that bare out over them That front which the Spaniards kept encountred with the left wing of the Romanes And all the battaile of the right side which bare out from the conflict stood still and fought not The hill that was opposite against them was the cause that neither afront nor aflanke they could charge upon the enemie But betweene Livius and Asdruball there was an hote fight begun alreadie and cruell bloudshed on both sides There were both the Generall captaines there was the greater part of the Romanes as well foote as horse there were the Spaniards old and experienced souldiours skilfull also in the Romane manner of fight there were the Ligurians a tough nation and hardie in fight Against this battailon were the Elephants turned who at the first shock and onset troubled and disordered the vaward yea and began to force the ensignes to geve ground But after upon the noyse that grew greater and the battaile that waxed hoter they began to be unruly and travers betweene both battailes as it were doubtfull to whether side they belonged much like to ships left hulling and floting without their pilots and steeres-men Then Claudius cried out eftsoones to his souldiours To what end quoth he made we such post hast and tooke so long a journey But seeing that he laboured in vaine to avance his banners and mount up against the hill opposite unto him and perceiving that way how it was impossible to come unto the enemie and to enter upon
the Romanes went first in hand withall to reduce into the nature of a province yet it was the last of all others that was subdued and but lately in our daies even under the conduct and happie fortune of Augustus Caesar. There at that time Asdruball the sonne of Gisgo the greatest and noblest Captaine in all these warres next after the Barchine house returned from Gades and hoping by the help of Mago the sonne of Amilcar to wage warre afresh tooke musters throughout the farther part of Spaine and armed to the number of fiftie thousand foote 4500 horse And as for the Cavallerie all writers in manner do agree but for the Infanterie some write there were 70000 brought unto the citie Silpia There upon the open plaines fate these two Carthaginian captaines downe because they would not seeme to fall off and refuse battaile Sciâ—io when newes came unto him of so puissant an armie levied supposed that neither with the Romane legions he was sufficient to march such a multitude unlesse he opposed the aids of the Barbarous nations if it were no more but for shew and outward apparance nor yet was to repose such assured confidence in them as in the fundamentall strength of his armie that in case they should give him the slip when the time came the onely occasion of the overthrow of his father and unckle they might doe much hurt to the maine chaunce and totall summe of all And therefore he sent Sylianus before unto Colcas a lord over the signorie of eight twentie towns for to receive of him those horse foot which he had promised to levie in the winter time Himselfe departed from Taracon gathered some small aids of his allies that inhabit along the way as he marched and so came to Castulo Thither Syllanus brought also certaine auxiliaries to the number of three thousand foot and five hundred horse From thence he went forward to the citie Baetula being in all of cittizens and allies with footmen and horsemen togither one with another 45000 strong As they were pitching their tents and encamping Mago and Masanissa with all their Cavallerie set upon them and no doubt had troubled them mightily as they were making their defences but that certaine troupes of horsemen hidden behind an hill whom Scipio fitly for the purpose had there bestowed suddainly at unawares ran upon them and recharged them as they were losely ridden forward without order and array These had not well begun skirmish with them but they discomfited the forwardest of them and such especially as engaged themselves neere to the trench to impeach and annoy the pioners and laborours at worke but with the rest that kept to their colours and went orderly in their rankes the fight was longer and for a good while continued doubtfull But when the squadrons which stood readie appointed in their guards and stations were first brought forth and after them the soldiors also from their worke and fortifications were willed to take armes and still more and more continually came fresh and in hart in place of those that were wearied so as now from all parts of the campe there was gathered togither a full power and ran to the battaile then the Carthaginians Numidians turned their backs plaine and fled And at the first they went away by troupes and companies keeping their order and array still and not disbanded for hast or feare But afterwards when the Romanes began once more eagerly to play upon the hinmost of them so as now their furious violence could no longer be resisted then without all regard of rankes or files they forgat their array and ran on all hands by heapes seeking every man the next way he could to escape And albeit by this skirmish the Romanes were more encouraged a good deale the enemies hearts much daunted yet for certaine daies ensuing there never ceased excursions and bickerings mainteined by the horsemen and those that were lightly armed Now when by these small skuflings they had made sufficient triall on both sides of their strength Asdruball first lead forth his forces into the field then the Romans likewise came forward readie to receive them But when both armies stood without their campe arranged in battaile array neither of them gave the charge when the day drew toward sun-setting Asdruball first retired with his men into the campe and after him the Romane Generall likewise Thus continued they for certain daies togither Astruball was evermore the first that came abroad and the first againe that sounded the retreat to his souldiours wearied with long standing But of neither side they made out to skirmish or discharged any shot or gave alarmes set up a crie Of the one part the Romans on the other the Carthaginians togither with the Africanes stood in the maine battaile the allies of either side kept the wings those were Spaniards as well in the one armie as the other But in the front of the Carthaginian battel were the Elephants placed who afar off made a shew as if they had bene castles And throughout both armies this word went for currant that when the time came they would so fight as they stood day by day arranged namely that the maine battailes of the Romans and Carthaginians between whom was the quarell and occasion of the war with like courage of heart and force of armes would encounter and cope togither Scipio perceiving this once to go for good to be stifly setled in their opinions altered all for the nonce against the day that he minded indeed to give battaile And overnight hee gave a watch-word and token throughout all the campe that both horse and man should take their dinner before day and that the horsemen in armes readie appointed should hold their horses sadled and bridled Now before it was broad day light he sent out all the Cavallerie togither with the light armour to charge upon the Corps de guard and standing watch of the enemies And himselfe straight after advanced forward with the whole strength of the legions armed at all peeces And clean contrarie to the conceived opinion persuasion both of his own men and also of his enemies he strengthened the wings with Romanes and marshalled the maine battaile with the allies Asdruball raised with the clamour and shout of the horsemen leapt forth of his pavilion and perceiving a tumultuous alarme fearfull stirre of his owne men before the rampiar and trench and seeing afarre off the glittering ensignes of the legions and all the plaines over-spread with enemies presently made forth all his Cavallerie against their foresaid horsemen Himselfe with the battaile of footmen issueth out of the campe and made no chaunge nor alteration at all in the marshalling of the battailons otherwise than he had used the daies past The horsemen continued the fight along time doubtfully neither could it bee determined by it selfe because evermore as any of them were put backe which hapned on both
parts in manner by turnes they retired safely into the battaile of footmen Now when as the battels were not past halfe a mile asunder one from another Scipio sounded the retreat and opened his ranks received all the horsemen and light armed souldiours within the middle ward and having divided them in two regiments hee bestowed them for succours and supplies behind the wings Now when the time was come to joyne in medley hee commaunded the Spaniards and those were the maine battaile to take sure footing and go steedily togither faire and softly himselfe out of the right wing for that point he commanded dispatched a messenger to Syllanus Martius willing them to stretch out that wing on the left hand like as they saw him to draw it a length on the right with direction also unto them that they togither with the light horsemen and light appointed footmen should encounter and close with the enemie before that both battailes might meet and joyne togither Thus having enlarged out at full their wings they with three squadrons of footmen and as many cornets of horsemen togither with the light armed skirmishers advanced with full pace directly afront the enemies whiles the rest followed sidewaies a crosse Now there was a void peece of ground in the mids between by reason that the Spaniards ensignes went but slowly forward and the wings had bene in conflict alreadie when the floure and strength of the enemies battaile consisting of old beaten Carthaginian and Africane souldiors were not yet come within the darts shot neither durst they put in to succour them that were in fight for feare they should open the main battaile for the enemie that came directly against them Their wings were much distressed in the fight on every side For the horsemen the light armed souldiours and the skirmishers having wheeled about and set a compasse to environ them ran upon them on their flanks The cohorts of footmen charged upon them afront al to break off their wings from the bodie of the battell And as now in every respect the fight was unequall so the rable of camp-followers Baleare Ilanders raw untrained Spaniards opposed against the approved Romane and Latine soldiors pulled down a side The day went on stil Asdrubal his armie began to faint and no mervaile for they were surprised taken of a sodain betimes in the morning wer forced in hast to enter into the field go to battel before they had refreshed strengthned their bodies And to that purpose Scipio had drawne the day on length and trifled out the time that the battell might be late For it was the seventh houre or one a clocke after noone before the ensigne of footmen charged upon the side points And a good deale later it was ere the maine battailes fought and joined together so that the heat of the noone sunne the paine of long standing in armour and hunger and thirst came all together to enfeeble and spend their bodies before that they came to handstrokes and to buckle with their enemies which was the cause that they stood leaning and resting themselves upon their shields And over and besides all other troubles the Elephants also affrighted and madded with this tumultuous and disordered manner of fight of horsemen skirmishers and light armed souldiours together ran from the wings upon the main battell The captaines therefore themselves being thus tainted as well in courage of heart as in bodily strength gave ground and reculed Howbeit they still kept their arraies as if the whole battell had retired whole and sound by the commaundement of their Generall But when the winners and conquerours on the other part were so much more forward to charge upon them more hotely on every side because they saw them to lose their ground and shrinke backe so as their violence could not well be endured then albeit Asdruball held them still together and did what he could to stay their flight crying eftsoones alowd unto them that there were hils behind them and places of safe retreat if they would retire in good sort moderately and in orders yet when they saw their enemies presse so hard upon them killing and hewing in peeces those that were next unto them feare was above shame and so immediately they shewed their backe parts and ran away all at once as fast as they could Yet at first when they came to the root and foot of the hils they began to make a stand and rallie the souldiours againe into order of battell seeing the Romanes to make some stay of advauncing their ensignes up the hill But afterwards when they perceived them to come lustily forward they began againe to flie afresh and so in feare were forced to take their campe Neither was Scipio himselfe farre from their trench and rampier but in that very brunt had beene maister thereof but that immediately upon the hote gleames of the sunne when hee shineth in a waterie skie full of blacke and rainie clouds there powred downe such store of showers and tempests that hardly could he himselfe after his victorie recover his owne campe And some there were also that made it a scruple and matter of conscience to attempt any more for that day The Carthaginians although they had great reason to repose themselves and take their necessarie rest so wearied as they were with travell and sore wounded especially seeing the night was come and the stormie raine continued yet because their feare and present daunger wherein they stood gave them no time to loiter and slacke their businesse against the next morning that the enemies should earely assaile their campe they gathered up stones from out of the vallies neere about them and piling them one upon another amended the height of their rampier purposing to defend themselves by the strength of their fence seeing small helpe and remedie in force of armes But the falling away of their Confederates was the cause that their departure flight from thence seemed more safe than their abode there would have beene This revolt was begun by Altanes a great lord of the Turdetanes for he with a great power of his followers and retrainers fled from the Carthaginians to the adverse part Whereupon two strong walled townes together with their garrisons were yeelded by the captaines unto Scipio Asdruball therfore fearing least this mischeefe might spread farther now that their minds were once set upon rebellion dislodged about the midnight following and removed Scipio so soone as he was advertised at the breake of the day by those that kept standing watch in their stations that the enemies were gone having sent his horsemen before commanded the standerds and ensignes to bee advaunced and led so speedie a march that if they had gone streight forward and followed their tracks directly they had no doubt overtaken them but beleeving certaine guides that there was a shorter way to the river Baetis they were advised to charge upon them as they passed over But
suppresse these Ilergetes before I depart out of the province not for any present dandanger at all or feare of greater war that I see may spring from thence but first and principally that so ungracious and wicked a rebellion should not remaine unpunished and next because it might not be said that in a province so subdued as well by singular prowesse as rare felicitie there was left one enemie behind of the Romanes And therefore in the name of the gods follow after mee not so much to make just warre for yee are not to deale with enemies any way comparable unto you as to take vengeance of wicked men and to pusnish gracelesse persons When he had finished his speech he dismissed them with commaundement to be readie the next morrow to put themselves in the journey and after that he set once forward by the tenth day hee came to the river Iberús and when hee had passed over within foure daies more hee encamped in the sight of his enemies Now there was a plaine there environned round about with mountaines into which vale betweene he caused the cattaile and those were for the most part driven out of the enemies countrie for to be put forth to grasing and all to provoke the anger of the fierce and savage enemies and sent out withall the light appointed archers to guard them hee tooke order besides that when these were once in skirmish with the vantcurriers of the enemies Laelius with his Cavallerie should closely from some covert place give a suddaine charge And for this purpose there was a hill that bare out handsomely to hide the ambush of those horsemen And presently without any delay they came to a skirmish for the Spaniards made out to the cattaile so soone as ever they discovered them afarre off the archers againe and darters of the Romanes ran upon the Spaniards as they were busie in their bootie And at first they terrified them and skirmished with their shot but afterward when they had spent their arrowes and darts which were better to begin a fray than determine a battell they drew their naked swords and began to fight close together foot to foot And surely the medley of the footmen had been doubtfully decided but that the horsemen came upon them who not onely affronted the enemies in their face and trampled them all under their horsefeet that came in their way but also some of them having wheeled about fet a compasse along the hill foot presented themselves at the backe of the enemies so as they enclosed and shut up the most part of them in the middle betweene Insomuch as there ensued a greater slaughter than commonly upon light skirmishes by way of such rodes and excursions But the barbarous people by this discomfiture were rather kindled and enflamed to anger than daunted any way or discouraged And therefore because they would not seeme to have been dismaied and affrighted the morrow morning by day-light they shewed themselves in battell array The streight and narrow valey as is beforesaid was not able to receive and containe all their power for two third parts welneere of the infanterie and all the horse were come downe into the plaine field the rest of their footmen besides stood together quartered on the side of the hill Scipio judged that the skantnesse of the ground made for him both because it seemed that the Romane souldiours were more fitted to fight in a small roume than the Spaniards and also for that the enemies were engaged within that place which was not able to conteine the whole multitude and therefore he devised a new stratageme besides For considering that he could not in so narrow a space bring his owne cavallerie about to compasse and charge the wings and points of their battaile and that the horsemen which the enemies had arranged together with their infanterie would serve them in no steed he gave direction unto Laelius to conduct the horse as closely as he could about the hils and to keepe off the squadrons of the cavallery so farre as possibly might be from the medley of the Infantery Himselfe directly turned all the consignes of the footemen opposite against the enemies and marshalled the forefront with foure cohorts only because he could not stretch out the battaile any broader and then without delay he made hast to begin the conflict to the end that while the enemies were amused and occupied in fight they should be withdrawen from espying the horsemen as they traversed over the hils Neither had they an eye of them at all whiles they were brought about before they heard the noyse and tumult of them as they charged upon their backs So they fought asunder in two severall places and two battailes of foote and as many of horse encountred and joyned along the plaine because the streightnesse of the ground would not admit both horse and foote to fight together in one plot at once Now when as the infantery of the Spaniards could not help the men of armes and they againe were as little succored by the Cavallerie but that the footemen trusting upon the Cavallerie were without good direction put rashly to fight in the plaine ground and so beaten downe and slaine and the horsemen being enclosed round could neither abide the enemies footemen afront them for by this time their owne infanterie was overthrowne and diffeated nor yet endure behind them the hote assault of their horsemen they left their horses cast themselves into a ring and after they had stood so at defense a long time were slaine every one to the last man there was not I say one footeman or horseman left of all those that fought in the valley As for that third part which stood upon the hill side rather to behold the fight in a place of securitie than to take part with their fellowes in the battaile they had both time and space to shift for themselves and escape Among whom were the Princes also themselves in person Mandonius and Indibilis who were slipt away in the first of the medley before all the battailons were environed The same day was the campe also of the Spaniards forced and therein besides other pillage were taken prisoners almost three thousand men Of Romanes and allies there died in that fight upon a 1200 and above three thousand were fore hutt The victorie no doubt had bene obteined with lesse bloudshed if they had fought in a more large and open peece of ground where there had bene better scope to flye away Then Indibilis giving over cleane to thinke any more of warres and supposing nothing safer than to have recourse to the approved goodnes and clemencie of Scipio sent his brother Mandonius unto him who fell prostrate downe at his feete blaming much as the cause of their folly the fatall rage and furie of the time wherein not only the Illergetes getes and Lacetanes but also the Romane camp as it were by some contagious and pestilent infection fection
spare of that which was brought out of Italie the old ships he newly repaired and rigged and with them he sent Lelius into Africke for to prey upon the countrie and fetch in prizes the new which rid at Panormus hee drew up to land that they might all winter long lie upon drie gound and be seasoned because they were made in hast of greene timber When he had prepared all things necessarie for warre hee came to the cittie of Saracose which as yet was not in good order and well quieted since the great troubles of the late warres For the Greekes made claime for their goods granted unto them by the Senat of Rome which certaine of the Italian nation deteined and with-held from them by the same violence wherewith in time of warre they had possessed themselves thereof He supposing it meete and requisite to mainteine above all things the credit of the state partly by vertue of an edict commaundement and partly by a civill course and processe of law against such as were obstinate and avowed their wrongs done hee forced them to make restitution to the Syracusians This act of his pleased not onely them but also all the states of Sicilie and therefore they were more willing and forward to helpe him in the warres The same summer there arose in Spain great troubles raised by the meanes of Indibilis the Hergete for no other occasion or reason in the world but because in regard of the high admiration of Scipio all other captaines besides whatsoever were but despised Him they supposed to be the onely Generall that the Romanes had left now that all the rest were slaine by Anniball And hereupon it was thought they that when the two Scipioes were killed they had no other to send into Spaine but him and afterwards when the wars grew hot in Italie he was the onely man sent for over to match with Anniball And over and besides that the Romans had now in Spaine no captains at all but in bare name shew the old experienced armie also was from thence withdrawn All things are out of frame and in great confusion and none there but a disordered sort of raw freshwater soldiors And never they looked to have again the like occasion and opportunitie to recover Spaine out of their hands For hitherto they had been ever in subjection to that day either to the Carthaginians or the Romanes and not alwaies to the one or the other by turnes but otherwhiles to both at once And like as the Carthaginians have beene driven out by the Romanes so may the Romanes bee expelled by the Spaniards if they would hold together So that in the end Spaine being freed from all forraine warre might be restored for ever to the auncient customes and rights of the countrie With these and such like suggestions and discourses hee sollicited and raised not onely his owne subjects and countriemen but the Ausetanes also a neighbour-nation yea and other States and citties that bordered upon his and their confines so as within few daies there assembled together into the territorie of the Sedetanes according to an edict published abroad thirtie thousand foot and fast upon foure thousand horsemen The Romane captaines likewise for their part L. Lentulus and L. Manlius Acidinus least by neglect of the first beginning the warre might grow to a greater head joined their forces together and marching through the countrie of the Ausetanes as peaceably as if they had ben friends notwithstanding they were knowne enemies came to the very place where they were encamped and pitched themselves within three miles of the enemies At the first they assaied by way of Embassage to deale with them and to persuade them to lay aside all armes and hostilitie but they laboured in vaine Afterwards when as the Spanish horsemen gave charge suddainely upon certaine Romanes that were a foraging the Romanes also sent out from their Stations and corps de guard their Cavallerie to rescue so the horsemen skirmished but no memorable act to speake of was effected on the one side or the other The next morrow by sun rising the enemies all shewed themselves armed and in order of battell and braved the Romanes within a mile of their campe The Ausetanes were marshalled in the maine battaile the Ilergetes in the right point and certaine other Spanish nations of base meane account in the left between both those wings and the battell of either hand they left certaine wide and void places whereas when the time served they might put foorth their horsemen The Romanes having embattailed and put themselves in array after their old and usuall manner yet in this one thing followed the example of the enemies in leaving out certaine open waies between the legions for the men of armes to passe through But Lentulus supposing that the use of the horse service would be advantageous to that part which first should send out their Cavallerie into the battaile of the enemies that lay so open with spaces betweene gave commaundement to Ser. Cornelius a knight Marshal or Tribune to will and charge the Cavallerie to set to with their horses and to enter those open lanes betweene the enemies battaillons And himselfe having sped but badly in beginning the fight with footmen so rashly staied no longer but untill hee had brought the thirteenth legion which was set in the left wing opposite to the Ilergetes out of the rereward into the vaward for to succour and strengthen the twelfth legion which alreadie began to shrinke and give ground After that once the skirmish there was equall and fought on even hand hee advaunced forward to L. Manlius who in the forefront of the battell was busie in encouraging his men and sending supplies and succours into all parts where hee saw needfull shewing unto him that all was well and hole in the left point and that he had sent out Cornelius who with his horsemen would like a tempestuous storme come upon them and soon overcast and bespread the enemies round about The word was not so soon spoken but the Roman horsemen were ridden within the thickest of the enemies and not onely disordered the arraies and companies of the footmen but also at once shut up the waies and passages that the Spaniards could not make out with their horsemen And therefore the Spaniards leaving to fight on horsebacke alight on foot The Romane Generals seeing the rankes and files of the enemies disarraied themselves in fright and feare and their ensignes waving up and downe every ways fell to exhorting yea to entreating of their owne infanterie to recharge them with all their force whiles they were thus troubled and disbanded and not suffer them to come into order and reenforce the battell againe And surely the barbarous people had never beene able to abide their violent impression but that Indibiles himselfe their prince and lord together with the men of armes that were now dismounted on foot made head against the ensignes of the
a foule foile and disgrace was not only an occasion of a longer tract of time before he could force that one citie but also materiall and important for the maine progresse and proceeding of the whole warre which commonly dependeth upon the occurrences of light matters and of small moment in the beginning after he had rid and clensed the place which was choked up with the ruines of the halfe broken wall lying there upon heapes he reared a towne or frame of timber of a huge height to overtop the walls consisting of many stories and stoores one over another which conteined and caried a mightie number of armed men and drave the same upon wheeles and rollers close to the wall Moreover he sent out certeine ensignes one after another by turnes to breake through by force if it were possible that strong and close battailon of the Macedonians which they themselves call Phalanx But the place being so streight for that the breach of the wall was nothing broad the enemies had the vantage both in regard of the weapons which they used and of the forme of battaile wherein they were raunged For when the Macedonians standing close one to another with a continued roufe or fence or targuets over their heads opposed their pikes before them which were of an exceeding length the Romanes neither with their darts could hurt them afarre off nor with their swords drawn come neere them to fight close at hand or cut their pikes a two and if it chaunced that they whipt off or snapt any asunder yet the steele and truncheon thereof being sharp still at the point headlesse though it were among the other pikes that were headed served to make a sense as it were an haie or palaisade Over and besides that part of the wall that stood whole and sound still was a sure defence unto both flancks of the enemies neither had the Romanes any large roume at length to returne and from thence to fetch their beirre and so geve a violent charge which is the thing that usually breaketh and disordereth ranks Moreover there chaunced one thing by meere fortune that encouraged them within for as the towne aforesaid was in driving over a terrasse or banke whereof the floore was not fast and soundly hardned with the rammer one of the wheeles hapned to sinke in and make a deepe rut in the ground whereby the whole frame nodded so forward that the enemies without thought verily it was readie to fall and the armed souldiours standing upon it within quaked for feare and were put welneere besides their wits Thus when nothing that was provided might availe and come to any great effect the Consull was vexed at the heart to see himselfe so much overmatched in souldiours in armour and in manner of service and withall hee considered that hee had no helpe to force the citie and to win it in any shorttime nor could make meanes to passe the winter in those parts so farre from sea and left naked alreadie and wast by those calamities that follow warres Whereupon hee raised the siege and because there was no haven in all the tract and coast of Acarnania and Aetolia which was able both to receive and harbour all his hulkes that brought victuals for his armie and also to yeeld winter lodging for his legions he thought upon the Isle Anticyra within the countrey of Phocis which lying toward the gulfe of Corinth seemed to him most fit commodious for his purpose because they should not remove far from Thessalie the territories belonging to the enemies having besides Peloponnesus affront even over against them divided but by a small arme of the sea at their backe Aetolia and Acarnania and of ech side Locris and Baeotia At the first assault the Consull without any resistance wan Panopea in Phocis Anticyra likewise long endured not the siege Then Ambrysus and Hyampolis were received by composition Daulis by reason that it was situate upon an high hill could neither be scaled nor forced by instruments and engins of batterie But the Romanes by launcing their darts and shooting arrowes against them that were in guard trained them foorth to skirmish and after some light seusilings to no effect whiles one while they seemed to flie and other whiles to pursue they brought them to be so carelesse so negligent and so little respective that when the enemies fled backe within the gate they entred pellmell with them and so were masters of the towne Other small forts likewise of Phocis yeelded rather for feare than any force offered unto them Elatia kept their gates shut and made a countenance that unlesse they were driven thereunto they would receive within their walles neither Romane captaine nor armie Whiles the Consull lay at the siege before Elatia there was presented unto him the hope of a greater matter namely of withdrawing the nation of the Achaei from the kings alliance to the amitie of the Romanes For they had expelled and banished Cycliadas the chiefe of that faction that sided with Philip and Aristhenus who friended the Romanes and sought to be consedered with them was Pretour for the time Now the Romane Armada together with Attalus and the Rhodians rode at ancre in the haven of Cenchreae they all were agreed in common to assail Corinth But the Consul thought good before that they should put that designment in action to send embassadours to the State of Achaia promising if they would revolt from the king and turne to them to deliver Corinth into their hands for to be incorporate into the auncient league and councell of their nation And so by the advise of the Consull there were embassadors addressed to the Achaeans from his brother L. Quintius from Attalus the Rhodians and the Athenians And at Sicyone was there a counsell and Diet held for to give them audience Now the Achaeans were not all of one mind and alike affected The Athenians a dangerous an ordinarie and continuall enemie of theirs put them in feare of one side the Romanes they had in dread and horrour of an other To the Macedonians they were obliged and bound by many good turnes and favours as well old as new The king himselfe they held in jealousie for his crueltie and treacherie and casting a proofe and conjecture by those courses which he then tooke and by his practises for the time they foresaw well that after the war ended he would be intollerable and a very tyrant over them They were besides not onely ignorant what every man had said in the severall councels of every particular State and in the generall Diets of the whole nation when they were required to deliver their opinions but also uncertaine and unresolute among themselves in their owne minds what to will or wish Vnto men thus doubtfully disposed and unsetled the embassadours above said were admitted and license was given them to deliver their message First the Romane embassadour L. Calphurnius after him those that were for king
make account to fight with the Romanes in Asia yea and for Asia both by sea and land and no mean there is but that either himselfe must loose his kingdome or take from them their soveraigne siegnorie who affect and pretend to be LL. of the whole world He was the only man thought to forecast truly to foretell what would ensue Whereupon the king himselfe in person with those ships which he had readie rigged furnished failed to Chersonnesus with intent to strengthen those places with good garrisons if happily the Romanes should come by land The rest of the navie he commaunded Polyxenidas to prepare and put to sea And all about the Island hee sent about his pinnaces and brigantines as espials to discover the coasts C. Livius the Admirall of the Romane navie was arrived at Naples from Rome with fiftie covered ships At which place he gave commaundement That the open vessels which by covenant were due to bee sent from the allies of all that tract should meet From whence he sailed to Sicilie and passed the streights by Messana And when he had received sixe Carthaginian ships sent to aid him and called upon the Rhegines and Locrines and other associates comprised in the same league holding by the same tenure for that shipping which of dutie they were to find when he had also taken a survey of all his armada at Lacinium he weighed anker and put to the maine sea Being arived at Corcyra which was the first cittie of all Greece that he came unto hee enquired in what tearmes the warre affaires stood for as yet all was not thoroughly quiet in Greece and where the Romane fleet was After he heard that the Romane Consull and king Philip were about the pase of Thermopylae and there lay in guard that the fleet rid at anker in the pott and harbour of Pyraeeum he thought it good to use expedition and to make speed for all occasions whatsoever and incontinently determined to saile forward to Peloponnesus And having at one instant wasted Samos and Zacynthus as hee went because they chose r ather to band with the Aetolians he set saile for Malea and having a good wind within few daies hee arrived at Pyraeeum where the old fleet ankered At Scyllaeum king Eumenes met him with three ships who had been a long time at Aegina unresolved in himselfe whether he should returne to defend his owne kingdome for he heard that Antiochus made preparation at Ephesus for warre as well by sea as land or not to depart a foot from the Romanes upon whose fortune depended his whole state Aulus Attilius so soone as he had delivered to his successor five and twentie close ships of war losed from Pyraeeum and came to Rome So Livius with a fleet of eightie one ships armed at their beakeheads with brasen pikes besides many other smaller vessels which open as they were had brasen heads as is aforesaid or if they were without such pikes served for espials sailed to Delos Much about that time the Consull Acilius assailed Naupactum At Delos Livius for certaine daies was staied by contrarie winds for that quarter among the Cyclades is exceeding windie by reason that these Islands are devided asunder some with broader gulfes some with narrower Polexenidas being certified by the post-ships set in diverse places to discover that the Romane armada rid at anker neere Delos dispatched messengers to the king who leaving all matters which he enterprised in Hellespontus returned to Ephesus as fast as ever hee could make saile with his ships of warre piked at the head and presently called a counsell where it was debated whether hee were best to hazard a battell at sea or no Polyxenidas was of opinion That he should not slacke the time but in any wise give battell and trie a fight before that the fleet of Eumenes and the Rhodian ships were joined with the Romanes for so in number they should not bee much overmatched for all other things have the better as well for nimblenesse and agilitie of ships as for varietie of aid-souldiours For the Romane ships as being unworkmanly built they are heavie of steerage and unweldie loaden they are and fraught besides with provision of victuals as they are commonly that come into the enemies countrey But as for your ships seeing they leave all about them peaceable and quiet they shall be charged with nothing but with men and munition Besides the skill of these seas and lands of the winds in these quarters will be a great helpe unto you wheras the enemies must needs be much troubled for want of knowledge in them all The deviser of this counsell had credite given unto him on all parts and the rather for that hee was the man himselfe to put in execution the same counsell Two daies they made stay to set all things in order and readinesse the third day they set forward with a fleet of a hundred saile whereofleventie were covered the rest open and all of the smaller making and for Phocaea they shaped their course The king hearing that the Romane armada approched departed from thence for that he was not to bee present in person at the conflict upon the sea and went to Magnesia neer e Sipylus for to levie land-forces But his navie made saile to Cyffus a port of the Erythraeans to attend the comming of the enemie there as in a place more commodious The Romanes when the Northren winds were once laid for they were alost for certaine daies and locked them in salled from Delos to Phanae a haven towne of the Chians bearing toward the Aegean sea From thence they cast about with their ships to the citie and there having victualled themselves they crossed over to Phocaea Eumenes who was gone to Elaea toward his fleet within few daies after with soure and twentie covered ships and more uncovered returned to the Romanes whom hee found preparing and marshalling themselves a little short of Phocaea for a battell at sea Then set they all forward with a hundred and fiftie close covered ships and more open and without hatches and being with side Northeren winds at the first driven to the sea shore they were forced to saile single in ranke one after another But afterwards as the violence of the wind began to be allaied they assaied to crosse over to the haven Corycus which is above Cyssus Polyxenidas as soone as he heard that the enemies were at hand rejoiced that hee had occasion presented unto him of a navall battell and himselfe stretched forth the left point of his fleet embattelled farre into the sea willing the captaines of the ships to display the right wing broad toward the land and so with an even front he advaunced forward to the fight Which the Romane Admirall seeing strucke saile tooke down the masts and laying together all the tackling of the ships in one place attended their comming that followed after By which time there were thirtie in a ranke afront
with which because he would make them equall to the left wing of the enemie hee set up the trinkets or small sailes meaning to make way into the deepe commanding them that followed still to make head and direct their prows against the right wing neere the land Eumenes was the rere-admirall and kept the rereward close together but so soone as they began to bee troubled with taking down e their tackling he set forward with all speed and hast that hee could make and by this time were they in view one of the other Two Carthaginian ships led before the Romane navie which were encountred with three of the kings ships And considering the ods of the number two of the kings came about one And first they wiped away the oares on both sides then they shewed themselves alost with their weapons and bourded her and after they had either overturned or killed the defendants they were masters of that ship The other that was in single fight and assailed but by one seeing the other ship taken by the enemies fled backe into the maine fleet before shee was environned by the three enemies Livius chasing hereat and angrie at the heart advaunced forward with the Admirall ship afront the enemie against her those other two which had enclosed the Carthaginian ship aforesaid hoping to doe the like by this came onward which Livius perceiving commaunded the rowers to let their oares hang in the water on both sides for the more stay and steadinesse of the ship and likewise to cast their yron hookes fashioned like hands for to grapple the enemies ships as they approched and came neere unto them and when they were come to close fight in manner of land-service then to remember the valour of the Romanes and not to hold the kings slaves for men of any worth And with much more facilitie and ease than the two ships before conquered one this one for that gained two By this time the maine fleet on both sides encountred on all sides and fought pell mell Eumenes who being in the rereward came last in place after the conflict was begun perceiving that Livius had disordered the left wing of the enemies made head against the right where he saw them fighting on even hand not long after the left wing began to flie For Polyxenidas so soone as he saw himselfe without all question overmatched in valor of the soldiors caused the trinquets and all the cloth he had to be set up and purposed to flie amaine Those likewise that were toward the land and fought with Eumenes within a while did no lesse The Romans and Eumenes so long as the marriners were able to plie their oares and so long as they were in hope to annoy the taile of the enemies followed the chase lustily ynough but after that they perceived their owne ships charged heavily loaden with victuals follow after to no purpose to lag behind nor like to overtake them which were the swifter because they were the lighter staied at length their pursuit after they had taken 13 ships both with their soldiors mariners sunketen Of the Romane Armada there perished but one Carthaginian which at the first encounter was beset with two ships Polyxenidas never gave over flight but made way stil until he had recovered the haven of Ephesus The Romans abode that day in the place from whence the kings armada came purposing on the morrow to make fresh saile after the enemie And in the mids of their course they met with those 35 Rhodian ships covered conducted by Pisistratus their admirall and taking those also with them they followed the enemie even as far as Ephesus where in the mouth of the haven they rid in order of battel by which bravado having wroong as it were from the enemies a plaine confession that they were vanquished the Rhodians and Eumenes were sent home The Romanes setting their course for Chius first sailed by Phoenicus an haven towne of Erythraea and having cast anker that night the next day they weighed and arived within the Island close to the citie it selfe where having sojourned some few daies especially to refresh their rowers they passed forward to Phocaea Where leaving source quinquereme galeaces the fleet arrived at Canae and because the Winter approched the ships were laid up in their dockes on drie land and for their safetie were trenched and paled about In the yeeres end the Generall assemblie for election of magistrates was holden at Rome wherein were created Consuls L. Cornelius Scipio and C. Laelius For now all men had an eie to the finishing of the warre against Antiochus The next morrow were the Pretours also chosen namely M. Tuccius L. Aurunculeius Cneus Fulvius L. Aemylius P. Iunius and C. Atinius Labeo THE XXXVII BOOKE OF THE HISTORIES OF T. LIVIVS of Padoa from the foundation of the Cittie of Rome The Breviarie of L. Florus upon the seven and thirtith Booke LVcius Cornelius Scipio the Consull having for his lieutenant P. Scipio Africanus according as hee had promised that he would be lieutenant to his brother if Greece and Asia were ordained to bee his province whereas it was thought that C. Lalius for the great credite that hee was in with the Senate should have had that province given him tooke his voiage for to warre against Antiochus and was the first Romane that ever sailed over into Asia as captaine and commaunder of an armie Aemylius Regillus sought fortunately with the aid of the Rhodians before My 〈◊〉 against the voiall navie of Antiochus The sonne of Africanus taken prisoner by Antiochus was first home to his father M. Acilius Glabrio triumphed over Antiochus whome hee had driven out of Greece as also over the Rhodians Afterwards when Antiochus was vanquished by L. Cornelius Scipio with the assistance of king Eumenes the sonne of Attalus king of Pergamus hee had peace graunted unto him upon condition that hee should quit and forgoe all the provinces on this side the mount Taurus And Eumenes by whose helpe Antiochus was overcome had his kingdome enlarged To the Rhodians also for their helping hand certaine citties were given and graunted One Colonie was planted called Bononia Aemylius Regillus who vanquished the captaines of Antiochus in a navall battell obtained also a navall triumph L. Cornelius Scipio who finished the warre with Antiochus had the like surname given him as his brother and was called after Asiaticus WHen L. Cornelius Scipio and C. Laelius were Consuls after order taken for the service of the gods there was no matter treated of in the Senate before the suite of the Aetolians And as their embassadours were instant and earnest because the tearme of their truce was but short so T. Quintius who then was returned out of Greece to Rome seconded them The Aetolians relying more upon the mercie of the Senate than the justice of their cause and ballancing their old good turnes done to the Romanes to the late harmes and trespasses committed used
of armes without planting engins of batterie and other fabricks and besides that three thousand armed men sent from Antiochus for defense were entred into the citie presently they gave over the siege and the fleete retired to the Ilands having done no other exploit but only pilled the territorie about the citie This done it was thought good that Eumenes should have licence to depart into his owne kingdome that he might provide for the Consull and the armie all necessaries toward the passage over Hellespontus also that the Romane and Rhodian fleets should returne to Samos and there remaine in gard and have an eye unto Polyxenidas least he removed from Ephesus and made some attempt that way So the king returned to Elea the Romanes and Rhodians to Samos where M. Aemylius the Pretor his brother deparred this life The Rhodians after his funerall obsequies performed sailed to Rhodes with thirteene ships of their owne one quinquereme galeace of Cous and one other of Gnidos there to lye in rode readie to make head against the fleete which as the bruit blazed was aflote and comming out of Syria Two dayes before that Eudamus losed from Samos with the Armada thirteene ships sent from Rhodes under the conduct of Admirall Pamphilidas to encounter the said Syriak fleete taking with them foure other ships which were for the gard of Caria delivered from siege Daedala and other petie forts which the kings souldiers assailed Then it was advised that Endamus should incontinently set forward on his voyage And to that fleete which he had under his charge he adjoyned also foure open ships Being departed he made saile in all hast that he possibly could and arrived at the port called Megiste where he overtooke those that were gone before from whence they came in one band and traine jointlie together unto Phaselis and then they judged it the best way in that place to attend the comming of the enemie This Phaselis standeth upon the confines betweene Lycia and Pamphylia It lieth farre within the sea and is the first land that sheweth itselfe to them that saile from Cilicia to Rhodes and from thence a man may ken and discover ships under sayle a farre off for which cause especially this was chosen for a sit and convenient place wherein they might encounter the enemies fleete But by reason the aire was unholsome and the season of the yeere unhealthfull for it was midsommer and the smels and stinking savours such as they had not bene acquainted with many contagious diseases and maladies which they foresaw not began to spread commonly abroad and especially among the mariners for feare of which plague mortalitie they departed from thence and passed beyond the gulph of Pamphylium and being arrived in the river Eurymedon they received advertisement from the Aspendians that the enemies were already before Sida Those of the kings side had sailed but slowly in regard of the adverse season of the winds named Etesiae which keepe their set and certein time like as those do which they call Favonij Now of the Rhodians there were 32 quadtireme Gallies and 4 other triremes besides The kings fleet consisted of 37 and those of greater burden and wastie among which were three mightie Galleaces of 7 banks of ores on a side and four of 6 besides 10 ordinary trireme gallies There were others also that knew by a sentinell or watch-towre standing on a certein high place how the enemies were at hand The next morning by breake of day both these fleets set forth of the haven as if they would have fought that very day And after that the Rhodians had passed the cape which from Sida hangeth over into the sea then presently were they discovered of the enemies the enemies likewise descried by them The left-left-wing of the kings fleet flanked with them maine sea was commaunded by Anniball and Apolionius one of his gallants and courtiers led the right so as now they had managed their ships broad in a front-ranke The Rhodians advanced forward ordred in length casting their battaile into files In the vaward the Admirall ship of Eudamus was formost Caryeitus governed the reregard and Pamphilidas had the conduct of the middle ward Eudamus seeing the enemies battaile arraunged redy for conflict put forth into the open sea commanding those that followed after in order to keepe their array and so directly to affront the enemie which at the first caused some trouble for he was not so farre advanced into the deepe that all the ships could be set in array along the landside and besides himselfe making too much hast with five ships only encountred Anniball for the rest followed not after him because they were bidden to raunge afront Now the reereward had no roume left them toward the land and thus whiles they hastily were jumbled together the sight by that time was begun in the right wing against Anniball But at one instant the Rhodians cast off all feare as well in regard of the goodnes of their ships as of their owne experience and usuall practise in service at sea For their ships with great quicknesse and agilitie making saile into the maine sea made roume for every one that came after along the land side and withall if any one hapned to run upon a ship of the enemies with her piked beake head either it rent the prow or wiped away the ores or passing cleere through betweene the ranks and files turned againe and charged upon the poupe But the thing which terrified the enemie most was this That a great galeace of the kings which had seven bankes of ores on a side was bouged and tooke a leake with one onely knocke that it received by a Rhodian ship farre lesse whereupon the right wing of the enemie doubtlesse enclined to flye away But Anniball pressed Eudamus very much in the open sea most of all with multitude of ships for otherwise in all respects Eudamus had the ods and better hand of him by farre and certeinly he had compassed and enclosed Eudamus round but that a flag was put out of the admirall by which signall the dispersed ships are woont to rally themselves togither whereupon all those that had gotten the better of the enemy in the right wing made hast to joyn in one for to succour their fellowes Then Anniball also and the ships about him tooke their flight but the Rhodians were not able to make way after them and to mainteine the chase by reason that their rowers many of them were sicke and therefore the sooner weary Whereupon they cast ancre in the maine sea and stayed to eat and take some refection for to strengthen their bodies And in this while Eudamus espyed and beheld the enemies how they haled and towed by ropes at the taile of the open ships that went only with ores certaine other which were lame maimed sore brused and cracked and might see 20 others not much sounder than they to
the Romane fleet like as hee had before time the Rhodian armada neere unto Samos by seizing the mouth of the haven and empeaching their issue forth For this bay was in all respects like unto the other lying just betweene two capes which meet so neere and in manner enclose the mouth thereof that hardly two ships at once can goe forth together And to this purpose Polyxenidas intended in the night season to take possession and make himselfe sure of the said streights there to place ten gallies under either cape which standing there at the vauntage should from both points flanke the broad sides of his enemies ships in their going forth and withall out of his other vessels to disbarke and land armed souldiours like as he had done at Panormus and so at once to assaile them both by sea and land and make an end of them for all Which designement of his no doubt had taken effect but that the Romanes after that the Teians had promised them to doe whatsoever they should commaund thought it more commodious for the receiving of their provision of victuals to passe with their ships unto the other harbour which was before the cittie to the open sea Some say that Eudamus the Rhodian shewed the inconvenience and discommoditie of the other harbour by occasion that two gallies fortuned in that streight to bee so entangled that they brake one anothers oares with justeling together And among other motives the Pretour was induced to chaunge the harbour because from the land side there hee should lie within daunger considering that Antiochus himselfe was not encamped farre off Thus the fleet being brought about close to the cittie side the souldiours and marriners without the knowledge of any commaunders were disbarked for to dispose and dispense the victuals and wine especially to every ship But about noon-tide a certaine peasant of the countrey chaunced to bee brought before the Pretour who have intelligence That there was a fleet of ships which two dayes already rode at anker under the island Macris and that but a while agoe certain vessels of them were seene to weigh anker as if they would hoise up saile and bee gone The Pretour mooved at this sodaine occurrent commaunded the trumpets to sound the alarme and to give knowledge and warning that in case any were stragling abroad in the fields they should retire The Colonels he sent into the citie to gather the souldiors togither and the mariners that they might repaire to ship-board This alarme caused as great a trouble and confusion as usually is seene in a sodaine skarefire or when a citie is surprised by the enemies Here was skudding into the city to recall their fellowes there was running out of the citie to recover their shippes not knowing who commaunded by reason of the dissonant noise of men and sound of trumpet howbeit as hap was at length they ran all toward the ships but in such a hurlyburly and disorder that they scarcely knew their own vessels or if they did they could hardly for the croud and prease get thither and embarke themselves Neither had this affright passed cleere without daunger both by sea and land but that Aemylius gave direction to every one what to do and put out of the haven first himselfe with the Admirall ship into the open sea and there received every vessel as they followed one after another in their order and raunged them all affront and if Eudamus also with the Rhodian fleet had not staied at the shore to see good order that the soldiers might be set aboard without hurrying in fearefull hast and every ship goe foorth as it was fitted and made ready By this meanes both the foremost of the vaward were arraunged in the fight of the Pretor and the Rhodians also kept their order in the reregard in such sort as they put themselves into the open sea in as good array as if they had seene the kings fleet under saile But they were betweene the two promontories Myonesus and Corycus before they descried the enemie The kings armada came forward in long files two and two in a ranke who displaied and spred themselves also affront towards the wing in such wise that they might be able to compasse and enclose the right wing of the enemie Which Eudamus the arriere-admirall perceiving and seeing withall that the Romans could not possibly make head alike and extend themselves as broad as the enemie and were at the point already in the right wing to be environed made hast with his omne vessels for the Rhodian barkes were of all other in the whole fleet swifrest by farre and after he had fronted equally and matched wing for wing he made head with his owne ship against the very admirall of the enemies wherein Polyxenidas himselfe was abourd By this time the battell began between both the maine fleets all at once from every part Of the Romans side there sought fourescore in all where of two and twentie were Rhodians The enemies armada consisted of fourescore and nine all ships of the greatest wastie and making and had among them three galeaces of fixe banks of ores on a side and two of seven For goodnes and strength of ships as also for valiancie of souldiours the Romanes farre surpassed the Rhodians But for agilitie and nimblenes of their vessels for skilfull knowledge of pilots and expert cunning and redinesse of mariners the Rhodians were as much beyond them And those above all the rest that caried fire before them in their noses troubled and skared the enemies most and that stratageme and devise which had bene their only help and meanes of safetie when they were surprised and beset at Panormus was now the thing that stood them in best steed to win the victorie For the kings ships fearing the fire that threatned their very faces turned aside because they would not run afront with their proes so as they neither could themselves smite hurt the enemies with their brasen pikes in the beake head ne yet avoid them but expose their own broad sides open to receive all pushes and violence from them If any one fortuned to encounter and run upon them she was sure to be paid and sped with fire that was flung and cast into her and more running there was to quench the same than otherwise to fight Howbeit the resolute valour of the Romane souldiours which ever in warre prevaileth most was it that did the deede For after the Romanes by fine force had broken and cloven the maine battailon of the enemie in the very middest they turned about againe and presented themselves behind and plaid upon the backs of the kings ships whiles they fought afront and made head against the Rhodians and thus at one instant the battailon in the mids and the ships in the left wing that served king Antiochus were beset round about and sunke to the botome of the sea The right wing as yet entier and sound was more terrified at
to take care 〈◊〉 â—â—gard of what was done in those parts and this present time in which ye have set the mountaine 〈◊〉 to be the bound and limit whereunto your Empire extendeth in which you give free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immunitie to cities in which ye enlarge the confines of some take in the precincts 〈…〉 these cities with forfeiture losse of their territories punishing those with taxes 〈…〉 tributes in which I say you augment and diminish realmes give and take away kingdomes 〈◊〉 your good pleasure and in one word in which yee judge it a matter that concerneth you to 〈◊〉 that there may be a generall peace both on land and sea Were you of opinion indeed that Asia might not be counted free unless Antiochus had withdrawne his garisons which kept quiet within their fortresses and castles and stirred not forth and thought you withall that your 〈◊〉 graunted unto king Eumenes might bee assured unto him and the freedome likewise of the cities established unto them if whole armies of Gaules might raunge all about too and fro in those countries But why stand I so much arguing and reasoning in this manner as if I had not found the Gaules enemies but rather caused them to be our enemies O L. Scipio I call you here to witnesse into whose charge and government I succeeded whose vertue and felicitie withall I besought the immortal gods to vouchsafe unto me and my praier was not in vain and you likewise o Pab Scipio who with the Cos. your brother in the whole armie had the roume place indeed of an adjoinct lieutenant no more but caried the majestie of a Collegue joint companion speak frankly both of your upon your knowledge whether whole legions of Gauls served norm in the armie of Antiochus Tell us whether you saw them not in the field marshalled in both the points and flanks of the maine battell as the very flower strength of the whole puissance of Antiochus Say directly fought yee not with them slew you them not caried away their spoils as undoubted and lawfull enemies And yet both Senate decreed and people ordained war with Antiochus by name and not with the Gauls But I trow or els I am much deceived within this decree and ordenance they included all those besides that came to aid and assist him Of whom excepting Antiochus himselfe with whom Scipio had articled peace and alliance and yee also had expressely given order therfore they all were our enemies no doubt who had born arms against us in the quarrell and behalfe of the said Antiochus Now albeit the Gaules above all others were comprised in this number together with some pettie kings and tyrants besides yet I contracted accord and peace with others after I had forced them to suffer due punishment according to their trespasse as same forth as I thought it expedient for the honour of your Empire yea and I aslaied also to gaine and win the hearts of the Gaules if happily it had beene possible to have dulced and reclaimed them from their inbred fiercenesse and naturall crueltie But when I perceived that they were untractable untamed and implacable then and not before I resolved that it was high time to bridle and bring them into order by violence and force of armes Now that I have cleered the former point of my accusation as touching the enterprise of the war it remaineth that I yeeld you an account of the conduct thereof Wherein verily I would make no doubt to approve mine innocence and justifie the goodnesse of my cause if I were to plead I say not in the Senat of Rome but even at the counsell table of Carthage where as men say they make no more ado but trusse up hand crucie their Generals if they proceed to execution of any service in war with bad advise and counsell although the issue and event be never so good But in that citie which therefore useth the name of the gods both before they begin also when they proceed to the managing of all their affaires because no person should come to destract or deprave that malliciously which the gods have once approved and which citie in the grant and ordinance either of procession or triumph useth this solemn forme of words For that hee hath well and happily administred and managed the weale publicke In this citie I say If I were unwilling nay if I reputed it an odious matter and savouring too much of pride and arrogance to vaunt my selfe and boast of mine owne prowesse yet if in regard of the happie successe and felicitie of my selfe and mine armie in that without any losse of souldiours wee vanquished and subdued so great and mightie a nation I demaunded first that due honour and thankesgiving should bee rendred unto the immortall gods and then that I might my selfe and mount up the Capitoll in triumph from whence I descended to take my voiage after I had conceived and pronounced my vowes and made my praiers after the solemne and religious order would ye denie both me and the immortall gods also Yes marrie would you and why Forsooth I fought in a place of disadvauntage But tell mee then I pray you in what ground I might have fought with better vauntage considering the enemies were seized of the hill and kept themselves within their strength and fort I should have gone unto them if I had been willing to have vanquished and overcome them What how if they had been there within a strong cittie how if they had kept within the walls and would not have issued forth You must then have laid siege unto them and given the assault Must I so indeed And how I pray Fought M. Acihus I beseech you at Thermopylae in a place of advauntage Why did not T. Quintius after this manner dispossesse Philip of the high mountaines which hee held over the river Aous In faith I cannot yet devise what kind of enemies they either imagine to themselves they were or would have you to take and esteemed them to be If degenerate if effeminate if enervate with the delights and pleasures of Asia what danger was it to march up the hill against them with all disadvantage If redoubted and terrible for fierce courage and bodily strength denie yee triumph for so noble a victorie Envie my good LL. is blind and can skil of nothing but to detract and desame vertues to falsifie and corrupt the honors and rewards due therto Pardon me I beseech your HH and hold me excused if I have ben over long and tedious It is not I assure you any delight and pleasure that I take to put forth and glorifie my selfe but a necessitie imposed upon me in mine own defence to consute these crimes objected against mee which hath driven mine Oration out in length To proceed was it possible also that in Thrace I could make the passes within the forrests large and wide which naturally were streight narrow the ground
their fright upon this adverse conflict and unluckie soyle Now when they had gathered as they thought a sufficient power and tooke themselves strong enough and that the souldiors also desired to be doing with the enemie for to rase out and cancell the former ignomie and disgrace they encamped twelve miles from the river Tagus aforesaid and about the third watch of the night advanced their standards and marching in a foure square barrell by day-light they were come to the banke of the river now were the enemies lodged upon a litle mount beyond the water and incontinently in two places where the river shewed a fourd they waded through with their armes Calpurnius on the right hand and Quintius on the left All this while the enemies continued quiet and mooved not but in the meane time while as they wondred at their sodaine comming and devised how to trouble and disorder the souldiors as they should make hast to passe the river the Romans had transported over themselves and their bagge and baggage also yea and brought all together into one place And because they perceived by this time the enemie to stirre and remoove and had no time to fortifie their campe they put themselves in battell array In the mids stood the fifth legion of Calpurnius and the eight of Quintius which was the very slower and strength of the whole armie Now they had a faire open plain all the way betwene them and the enemies camp so as there was no cause to feare any ambush The Spaniards so soon as they espyed two armies of their enemies upon that side of the banke which was next to them all at once issued out of their campe and ran to battell to the end that they might surprise and empeach them before they could joyne and raunge themselves togither The fight was sharpe and hote in the beginning for the Spaniards of the one side were puffed up withthe conceit and pride of their late victorie and the Romanes of the other were galled and incensed for anger of a dishonour received which they were not used unto The battaile in the mids consisting of two most valiant and hardie legions fought right courageously which the enemies seeing that they could not otherwise force to recule and give ground began to charge upon them with a battailon in coinfashion close togither and still they pressed hard upon them in the mids more more in number and ever thicker raunged Calpurnius the Pretour seeing this battell distressed and in daunger sent with all speed L. Quintilius Varus and L. Iuventius Talva two lieutenants to either of the legions severally to encourage and exhort them to sticke to it like men and to make remonstrance relation That in them alone consisted all the hope of conquering keeping Spaine if they never so little yeelded backe and lost their ground there was not one of the whole armie that should ever see Italie againe no not so much as the farther banke of Tagus As for himselfe he tooke with him the Cavallerie of two legions and when he had wheeled a litle about and set a compasse with them he charged hotly upon the flanke of the foresaid strong battaillon of the enemies which assailed and urged still the maine battaile Quintius also with his Cavallerie flanked the enemies on the other side but the horsemen of Calpurnius fought more fiercely by ods than the other the Pretor himselfe in person was formost of them all for he was the first that drew bloud of an enemie so far engaged himselfe within them that hardly a man could know of which side he fought by his singular valiance the horsemen were mightily animated and by the valour of the Cavallerie on horsebacke the Infanterie also were enkindled to fight on foot The principall Centurions were abashed and ashamed to see the Pretour in person among the pikes and swords of his enemies and therefore every man for his part did his best put forward the port-ensigns willing them to advaunce their banners to the end that the soldiours might follow hard after Then began they on all hands to set up a fresh and lustie shout they tooke their biere and charged upon them as from the vantage of an higher ground by reason whereof they disarrayed them first and like a forcible streame they bare them downe before them so as they could not stand upon their feet and susteine this violence of theirs but fell one upon another As many as fled toward the campe the horsemen pursued and so entermingled themselves among the rout of the enemies that they entred peil-mell with them into their hold where they that were left for the guard thereof renued the fight so that the Roman horsmen were forced to light from their horses and whiles they maintained the medley the fist legion came to second them and consequently more and more succours as they possibly could ran to them downe went the Spaniards and were massacred in all parts of the campe and not above 4000 of them all fled away and saved themselves of which number about three thousand who still kept their armour seized upon a hill neere adjoyning the other thousand being for the most part armed by the halfes were scattered all over the fields The enemies were at first above five and thirtie thousand but after this battaile see how few of them were left and from them were woon 133 ensignes Of Romanes and allies there died few above sixe hundred of auxiliarie souldiors from out of the province about 150. Five martiall Tribunes were lost and certaine Romane gentlemen whose death espècially made it seeme a bloudie victory After which the armie abode within the enemies campe for that themselves had no time to fortifie their owne The next morrow C. Calpurnius in an open audience highly praised the horsemen and rewarded them with rich harnish and trappings declaring aloud That by meanes of their good service principally the enemies were discomfited and their campe forced As for Quintius the other Pretour he bestowed upon his men of armes small chaines and buttons of gold The Centurions likewise of both armies received gifts at their hands and namely those who sought in the maine battaile The Consuls having finished the levie of souldiours and accomplished all things requisite to be done in Rome led the armie into their province of Liguria Sempronius departed from Pisa and made a journey against the Apuan Ligurians where by wasting their territories and burning their townes and fortresses he made way into the forrest and opened the passages as far as to the river Macra and the port of Luna The enemies tooke a certaine mount an auncient hold where their auncestors sometimes had seated themselves but from thence they were by force disseized by reason that the Romanes overcame the difficulties of the avenues thereto Ap. Claudius likewise for his part was equall in valiance and good fortune to his colleague as having fought certaine prosperous battailes with the Ligurian
soudered with lead Both these chests had a superscription upon them in Greeke and Latine letters to this effect That in the one of them lay buried Numa Pompilius the sonne of Pompo sometime king of Rome and in the other were bestowed the bookes of the said Numa The owner of this ground opened these coffers by the advise and counsell of his friends and that which carried the title and inscription of the kings sepulture was found emptie without any shew or token of the reliques of a mans body or anything els by reason the bones and all were rotten and consumed in continuance of time after so many yeers past In the other were found two fardels wrapped within waxe candles or ceare-clothes conteining either of them seven bookes which were not only whole and sound but also seemed very fresh and new One seven of them were written in Latin as touching the Pontificiall law the other seven in Greeke entituled The discipline or doctrine of Philosophie such as those daies might affourd Valerius Antias saith moreover That they were the bookes of Pythagoras according to the common received opinion of Numa that he was the disciple of Pythagoras herein giving credit to a probable lie resembling a truth These books were first read by those friends of his who were present at the place where the chests were opened but afterwards as they came into more mens hands to be read it chaunced that Q. Petilius the lord cheefe justice of the citie desirous to peruse those bookes borrowed them of L. Petilius with whom he was familiarly acquainted by reason that the abovenamed Quintus Petilius had chosen the foresaid Lucius into the decurie of the Scribes and Secretaries Who after he had read the titles with the summaries and contents of every chapter and finding the most part thereof tending directly to abolish the state of religion then established said unto L. Petilius that he purposed to fling those bookes into the fire but before hee did so hee would permit him to use what meanes hee thought by order of law or otherwise would serve his turne to recover the said bookes out of his hands and good leave hee should have to take that course without his displeasure or any breach of friendship betweene them The Scribe or notarie aforesaid goeth to the Tribunes for their assistance the Tribunes put the matter over to the Senat before whom the Pretour said plainely That he was readie to take his corporall oth if he were put to it that those bookes ought neither to be read nor kept Whereupon the Senate judged that for such a matter the offer onely of the Pretors oth was sufficient and that the bookes should be burned with all speed possible in the open place of assemblies called Comitium but they awarded withall that there should bee paied unto Q. Petilius the right owner as much money for the bookes as the Pretour and the more part of the Tribunes of the Commons esteemed them worth The Scribe would touch none of the money but his bookes were burnt in the foresaid place before all the people in a light fire made by the ordinarie servitours attending upon the sacrificers The same summer there arose suddainely a great warre in higher Spaine The Celtiberians had gathered a power of five and thirtie thousand men a number more than lightly at any time before they had levied Now as Q. Fulvius Flaccus lord Deputie of that province Hee for his part because he was advertised that the Celtiberians put their youth in armes had raised and assembled as great aids of the confederates as he could but nothing came hee neere to the enemie in numbers of souldiours In the beginning of the Spring hee led his armie into Carpetania and encamped before the towne Ebura after hee had planted a meane garrison within it A few daies after the Celtiberians pitched their tents within two miles from thence under a little hill When the Romane Pretour perceived they were come he sent his brother Marcus Fulvius with two companies of the horsemen of allies in espiall to view the enemies campe willing him to approach as neere to the trench and rampier as hee could and to see what compasse the campe tooke but to forbeare skirmish and in any hand to retire in case he perceived the Cavallerie of the enemies made out against him According to this direction hee did in every respect And so for certaine daies together there was nothing done but onely these two companies of horsemen shewing first and afterwards retiring backe so soone as the Cavallerie of the enemies issued out of their campe At length the Celtiberians also came forth and advaunced forward with all their power as well horse as foot and having set them in ordinance of battell staied as it were in the middes betweene The whole ground was a smooth and even plaine fit to joyne a battaile in There stood the Spaniards I say expecting their enemies but the Romane Pretour kept his men within the rampier foure dayes togither and they likewise of the other side held the same place still in battaile array The Romanes all that while st irred not a foot The Celtiberians then seeing the enemies refused fight held themselves quiet also within their camp onely the horsemen rid forth and they kept a corps de guard to be in readines if peradventure the enemies should be busie come abroad Both of the one side and the other they went out at the back-side of their camp to purvey forage fewel and impeached not one another The Roman Pretor supposing now that after so many daies rest the enemies were borne in hand and hoped fully that hee would never begin first commanded L. Actlius to take with him the left wing of the cavallerie six thousand of the provinciall auxiliaries and to fetch a compasse about the hill which stood behind the enemies and from thence so soone as they heard a crie to run downe a maine and charge upon their campe And because they might not be dscovered in the night time they departed Flaccus the next morning by peepe of day sent out C. Scribonius a colonell of the allies against the enemies campe with the extraordinarie horsmen of the left wing whom when the Celtiberians beheld both approaching neere toward them and also more in number than uually they had bene they put forth all their Cavallerie at once out of the gates withal gave the signal to the Infanterie also to come abroad Scritonius according to the direction given him so soon as ever he heard the first noise shout of the horsmen turned the head of his horse and retired back full upon the campe therwith the enemies followed more freely first the horsemen and within a while the footmen also making full account to be masters of the Roman leaguer that day verily now were they not past halfe a mile When Flaccus supposed that they were trained farre enough from their owne camp for succouring
battaile of the enemies Behind the Cetrati was this legion and had affront them the Pavoisers called Aglaspides with rosplendent or shining shields L. Attilius who had bene Consull before time was commaunded to lead against the battailon of other Pavoisers called Leucaspides with white shields And that was the maine battaile of the enemies Against the right flanke from which quarter the skirmish first began about the river the Elephants were conducted together with a wing of consederate horsemen and from thence began the Macedonians to flie For like as many new devises inventions of men carrie some shew in apparance of words when they are first spoken of but come to practise trie them once and not to argue and dispute how they should be put in execution they vanish away without effect and prove just nothing even so at that time the Elephants bare a name only in the battaile without any use and service at all That violence of the Elephants such as it was the Latin allies seconded immediatly and forced the left flanke to recule Then the second legion was put forth and in the mids entred upon the Phalanx and put it to flight neither was there any cause of victorie more evident than this namely that many skirmishes there were in divers places which at the first troubled the Phalanx and afterwards discomfired it True it is that to abide the force thereof it is unpossible so long as it keepeth close united together and putteth forth their sharp pointed pikes bent thicke couched together breast-high but if a man by charging the same here and there force them once to turne about those pikes which for their length and heavie weight are unweldie hard to guide they soone are intangled catch one within another untowardly but in case it fall out so that there be any tumult made either aflanke or behind then there ensueth a generall trouble and confusion of all as if they all at once came tumbling downe like as it hapned then when as against the Romanes who assailed them by troupes in sundrie parts they were driven to break their battaillon into many peeces as it were so to make head affront the enemie But the Romanes espied where there was a breach made lane left between and there they would insinuate and wind in with their rankes and files who if they had run upon the front of the Phalanx close raunged altogither with their whole battaillon they had enwrapped and entangled themselves within their pikes which in the beginning of the conflict happened to the Peligni as they unadvisedly dealt with the targuetriers called Cetrati and had never been able to sustaine that battaillon united thicke and couched together But as there was a cruell carnage committed upon the companies of the infanterie in every place save only those that flung away their weapons and fled so the souldiours of the Cavallerie departed in manner safe and found out of the medley The K. himselfe was the first man that fled and now by this time was escaped beyond Pydna and with his corners of horsemen which they call Sacred made hast to Pella Anon after followed Costacus and the Cavallerie of the Odrysians consequently other troupes and companies of Macedonian horsemen departed and kept their arraies unbroken for that the Phalanx or battaillon of the footmen between which kept the conquerors occupied in execution put them quite out of remembrance to pursue the men of arms A long time continued the massacre of this Phalanx afront aflanke and behind In the end they who escaped the hands of the enemies fled without weapons to the sea some took the water stretching forth their hands to them that were abourd in the ships most humbly besought them for to save their lives and when they saw the small pinnaces and cockbotes making apace on all hands toward them from the ships they imagining that their comming was to catch them for their prisoners rather than to kill them outright waded farther into the water yea and some swimmed forward but when they saw they were by them of the botes slaine in all hostile manner like enemies as many as could swam backe againe to land where they met with a fouler mischiefe and were worse plagued than before for the elephants driven by their governours to the shore trode them under foot and crushed their guts out All men generally agreed in this point That never at any one field were so many Macedonians defeated and killed by the Romanes for twentie thousand men were there slaine and to the number of six thousand who fled to Pydna out of the battaile came alive into the enemies hands five thousand besides were taken prisoners as they fled scattering and disbanded here and there Of the victors there died not above an hundred and the more part by farre of Pelignians but a greater number somewhat were hurt and wounded And if the battaile had begun sooner that the winners might have had day enough to follow the chase upon their enemies all their forces had been utterly defeated and devoured by the sword but now the night comming upon them as it covered and shadowed the enemies that fled so it caused the Romanes not to be so hastie and forward in pursuit considering they were not acquainted with the coasts of the countrey Perseus fled to the forrest Pieria by the port rode way with a great number of horsemen and his roiall traine about him So soone as he was entred the forest where the way divided into sundrie and divers parts seeing that the night approached hee turned out of the high beaten way with very few of his most loyall and faithfull friends The horsemen being thus abandoned and left destitute of their leader slipt some one way and some another home into their own cities certain of them but very few recovered Pella before Perseus himselfe because they rode a direct and readie way The K. was much troubled and vexed untill midnight almost what with feare and what with difficultie to find out the way When he was come to Pella Eactus the governour thereof and the kings pages were ready attendant at the court to wait upon him and doe him service but contrariwise of all those friends who escaped safe out of the battaile and chaunced by variable adventures to come into Pella there would not one come at him notwithstanding they were oftentimes sent for Three onely bare him companie in that flight of his to wit Evander of Crete Neon a Boeotian and Archidamus the Aetolian Fearing therefore least they who refused to come unto him would soone after enterprise some greater matter against him with those three he fled still forward about the fourth watch of the night After him there followed upon five hundred Cretensians Toward Amphipolis he went but he departed in the night from Pella making all the hast hee could to passe over the river Axius before day-light supposing that the Romanes would give
horsemen he committed to the conduct of two other Lieutenants C. Ceditius and Trebonius As for Sp. Nautius he charged him in all hast to take off the packsadles from the Mules and to mount the cohorts of the light armed footemen that serve in the wings upon their backs and with them to fetch a compasse and to seize upon an hill there in sight and in the heate of the medley to shew himselfe from thence and to raise as great a cloud of dust as possible he could Whiles the Generall was occupied hereabout there arose some warbling amongst the chicken-maisters touching the auspice or presage of that day in so much as they were overheard of the Romane horsemen who supposing it a matter of good consequence and to be regarded advertised Sp. Papyrius the Consuls nephew or brothers sonne that there was some doubt and question about the Auspice The youth borne in those dayes when there were no Atheists nor lectures red of despising God and religion enquired farther into the matter because he would not certifie anything whereof he was not sure and when he had found out the truth gave knowledge thereof to the Consull who sayd thus unto him God blesse thee my sonne and be not thou dismayed thereat but fight hardly more valiantly and do thy best devoir As for him that hath the charge and oversight of the birds Auspice if he have made a wrong report and given up a contrary presage or false signe all the mischiefe and perill light upon his owne head for his lewd lie As for me I was told of a Tripudium and that the birds fell hartily to their meat and I hold it for a luckie auspice and token of good successe unto the people of Rome and the armie and for no other This said he commanded the Centurions to set those pulletors in the forefront of the battaile The Samnites also for their part set forward their ensignes and their battaillons follow after gallantly set out in gorgeous armour and brave apparell in such sort as the very sight of the enemies represented a magnificent and stately shew to the beholders But see what hapned before the first shout given before the first vollie of shot and encounter the principall pulletier chaunced to be stricken with a Iavelin launced at aventure and at randon and fell downe dead even before the ensignes Which being reported unto the Consull Behold the handie worke of God quoth he the gods are present in this battaile the guiltie person hath his due reward And as the Consull was a speaking these words so just before him a Raven set out a wide cleere throate cryed with a lowd note at which Augurie the Cos. rejoyced and avowed that the gods appeared never in mens affaires more evidently And herewith he commanded the trumpets to sound and to set up a lustie shout them followed a cruell and terrible fight on both sides but with harts and courages farre unlike The Romanes were ravished and carried on end to the battaile with anger hope and heate of conflict greedie of bathing their swords and embruing their hands in the enemies bloudshead But the Samnites many of them by force of necessitie and constraint of a blind and superstitious religion even against their wils were forced to make resistance and defend themselves rather than to fight and offend the enemie Neither had they susteined and held out the first shout charge and shock of the Romanes as having now for certain yeares past bene used evermore to go away defeated and vanquished but that a mightier feare imprinted and setled in their heart rootes held them perforce from running away for they ever had continually represented in their eye the whole furniture of that secret sacrifice of those armed sacrificers and priests with naked swords of that hideous butcherie of men and of brute beasts lying slaine one with another in their bloud intermingled together of the altars besprinckled and stained with the lawfull sheading of the one the detestable effusion of the other of the dreadfull and horrible execrations and to conclude of that frantick furious and detestable forme of words composed and devised to the detestation and malediction of their line and race Being fast bound I say with these bonds for fleeing away they stood to it and stirred not back fearing their owne countrymen more than the enemies The Romanes from both points and from the middle and maine battaillon charged hotely beat them downe killed and cut them in pieces thus amazed and astonied as they were with dread of gods and awe of man Small resistance made they as who only feared to flye and run away so as by this time there was execution and havock made of them almost to the very Standerts At which very instant there appeared overthwart from the one side a dust as if a mightie armie had raysed it in their march namely Sp. Nantius or as some say Octavius Metius who had the leading of certaine Cohorts called Alarie mounted upon Mules which for the nonce made a dust greater than sonâ— that number they were For those varlets and new horsemen as they sat on their Mitles and Sumpter beasts drew after them trailing on the ground roughes of tâ—ees full of branches and leaves and first there appeared in the fore-front as it were through a duskish and dimme light their armbur and guidons but the dust behind them rising higher and thicker made shew of a troupe of horsemen flanking an armie of footemen wherewith not onely the Samnites but Romaties also were deceived And the Consull himselfe to avow the errour and beare them downe it was so cried alowde amongst the formost ensignes so as his voice reached unto his enemies That Cominium was woon and his brother Consull was come with victorie and therefore they should endeavor and enforce themselves to get the day before that canother armie should win the honour out of their hands Thus cried out on horsebacked galoping among the ranks too and fro Then he commaunded the Colonels and Centurions to make a way for the mein of armes Himselfe afore handwissed Trebonius and Cedilias that when they ofpied him to beare his speare upright to shake it then they should with all the might they had put forth the Cavallerie and charge the enemies Everie thing was done at a becke according as they were directed and enstructed before hand The waies were made wide betweene the files The horsemen fling out and with speare in rest charge upon the middle battaillon of the enemies and brake their arraies whersoever they charged Volumnius and Scipid seconded them with the Infanterie and while they were disarmed overthrew them and bare them to the ground Downe went these linnen Cohorts now when God and man fought against them and were discomfited and as well those that tooke the oth and the other that were unsworne fled amaine and without respect of one thing or other feared none but their enemies All the
footmen that escaped the bartaile were beaten into their campe at Aquilonia The gentlemen and the men of armes fled toward Bovianum The Cavallerle of the Romanes pursued the horsemen and the Infanterie chased the footmen The wings tooke divers waies the right toward the campe of the Samnites the left unto the towne Volumnius was somewhat before and got the campe Scipio found more resistance in the cittie not for that vanquished men as they were had more courage and resolution but because that wals are stronger to endure an assault and better to keepe outarmed men than a plaine trench and rampier For from the courtine with stones they beat and repulsed the enemie Scipio foreseeing well enough that they should be longer about the assault of a strong and sensed town unlesse he dispatched the matter quickly went through with it in their first affright and confusion before they tooke heart againe demaunded of his soldiors If they could take it well and abide to see the campe woone by the other point of the battaile and themselves being likewise conquerors to be repelled from the citie gates When they all cried No and said they would never endure that disgrace himselfe with his target over his head approched the gate the other following after under a target sense rush into the cittie thrust downe the Samnites about the gate and gat to the walles but to engage themselves farther into the cittie they durst not being so fewe as they were The Consull himselfe at the first knew nothing of all this but was occupied about the retreate and rallying of his men for now the sunne was well neere down and the night comming on a pace caused everything even to the verie victours to seeme dangerous and suspicious But when he was advanced farther he saw on the right hand the campe taken and on the left he heard a confused crie and blunder in the citie compounded of the noise of fighting men and frighted persons and even at that instant it fortuned that they skirmished at the gate Then he rode on neerer and neerer and saw his owne men upon the wals howbeit nothing yet fully performed but through the rash adventure and foolehardines of some few an overture onely made and some advantage gotten of performing a great peece of service and a worthie exploir Whereupon the commaunded the forces that were retired to be called and with banner displaied to enter the cittie So soone as they were in they tooke the next quarter to the gate and for that the night approached there they rested and went no farther But even in that verie night the enemies abandoned the towne There were slaine that day before Aquilonia 30340 Samnites and 3870 taken prisoners and of field ensignes they went away with 90. Moreover this is reported and recorded of Papyrius that there had not beene lightly seene a Generall in any battalle more lightsome cheerfull and merie were it of his owne naturall disposition or upon assured confidence of victorie Vpon which courage and resolution he could not be revoked from battaile albeit there was some question and scruple about the Auspice and even in the hottest time and dangerous point of the conflict at what time as the manner is to vow temples to the immortall gods he vowed unto Iupiter Victor If so be that he defaired the Legions of the enemies to present him with a cup of sweet and pleasant mead before he dranke any strong and headie wine of the grape which vow the gods accepted and liked of and turned the ill presage of the Auspices to good The other Consull has as good speed at Cominium For at the breake of day he approched with all his forces to the wals of the towne and invested it round about and set strong gards at the gates for feare they should yssue or sally foorth And even as he was about to give the signall of assault there came a messenger post from his fellow Cons. who in great affright brought word of the comming of twentie cohorts to the 〈◊〉 or them within the citie which both kepe him short from giving the assault and caused him to call backe againe part of his forces which were arranged and readie under the counter scarp to assaile the defendants Then he gave charge to Decius Bruius Scava one of the Lieutenants to take the first legion and twentie cohorts of the wings and other horsemen to make head against the reskue of the enemies aforesaid and whersoever he met them there to empeach them yea and if occasion served to give them battaille and in no case to suffer that power to come to Commium Himselfe commaunded that ladders should be reared on everie side of the towne and under a ferise of targets approched the gates So that in one instant the gates were burst open and the wals skaled on every part The Samnites as their hearts served them well enough to keepe the enemies from enterance before they saw any armed men upon the wals so after they perceived that they were assailed not aloofe with stones and darts but fast by and with hand strokes and how that they who hardly and with great difficultie from the plain gat up the wals having now gained surmounted the place which they most feared before could fight at ease from aloft with their enemie who was not able to match them in the even ground quit their towers and wals and gathered all together in the market place and there for a while tried the utmost hazard of battaile But afterwards throwing downe their weapons 15400. of them yeelded themselves to the Consull his mercie There were slaine 4380. Thus went the game at Cominium and thus at Aquilonia In the mid way between these two citties where a third battaile was looked for the enemies were not to bee found And when they were seven miles off from Cominium they had a countre-maund from their owne countriemen and were called away and so came not to the reskue neither in the one battaile nor the other In the shutting in of the evening when it began to bee darke being within the sight of the campe of one hand and Aquilonia on the other they might heare a like noise and crie from both parts which caused them to pause But afterwards when they were over against the campe which was fired by the Romanes the flame spreading farre abroad declared the diffeature of the Samnites more evidently and staied them there for going farther In which verie place they laid them downe here and there in their armour as they were and passed a restlesse and unquiet long night expecting and yet fearing the light of the day At the dauning whereof and so soone as it began to peepe while they were uncertaine and doubtfull what way to take they hapned to be discovered by the Cavallerie of the enemies and suddainly in a fearefull amaze and affright they tooke them to their beeles and fled in great disorder Those horsemen having pursued