Senate at Rome were much amazed at Hannibals arrival in Italy wherefore they sent presently to Sempronius and the other Consul now in Sicily to give him notice of it and to require him speedily to return with his Army for the safegard of Italy which accordingly he did Scipio and Hannibal were now so near that fight they must ere they could part and therefore each of them encouraged their Souldiers by the best arguments they had Hannibal assuring his men that there was no mean betwixt Victory and Death When the Armies approached near each to other Scipio sent forth his Horsemen of the Gauls to begin the fight lining them with his Darters for their assistance himself with his men at Armes followed slowly in good order The Gauls being in their Generals sight behaved themselves gallantly and were as bravely opposed but their Darters at the very first ran cowardly away without casting a Dart for fear of being trodden down by the enemies Horse Yet did the Gauls maintain it stoutly and did more hurt than they received neither was Scipio unmindfull to relieve them wherefore he adventured himself so far that he received a dangerous wound and had there perished if his Son afterwards called Africanus had not brought him off Whilst the Romans were busy in helping their Consul an unexpected storm assailed them at their backs Hannibal had appointed his Numidian Horsemen to charge the Romans in their Flank and to compass them about whilst he with his men at Arms sustained their charge and met them in the face The Numidians preformed it well cutting in pieces the scattered Foot that ran away at the first encounter and then falling on the backs of those that charged Hannibal by this impression the Romans were shuâ—â—ed together and routed betaking themselves to their heels and leaving to their enemies the honour of the day Scipio perceiving how things were like to goe almost stole the Retreat with most of his Footmen yet unbroken and recovered the Bridge over Ticinus but notwithstanding his hast he lost six hundred of his men which brought up his Reare and should have broken down the Bridge It was two dayes after ere Hannibal could passe the River Scipio in the mean time refreshing his men and easing himself of his wound in Placentia But when Hannibal presented them Battel again and they durst not accept of it the Gauls which before assisted the Romans out of fear took courage and left them and thinking that now the time was come for the recovery of their liberty that night they fell upon the Roman Camp wounded and slew many especially of those that kept the Guard with whose Heads in their hands they fled over to the Carthaginians and presented their service Hannibal received them exceeding courteously and sent them to their own homes that they might preswade the rest of the Nation to become his confederates The same night the Consul stole a retreat as he had done before but not with the like successe For Hannibal had an eye upon him and ere he was gone far he sent his Numidians after him and himself followed with the Body of his Army Then had the Romans received a great blow but the Numidians greedy of prey fell to ransacking their Camp and thereby gave them liberty of escaping only some in the Reare were either slain or taken Prisoners Scipio being unable to travel by reason of his wound and judging it meet to stay for the coming of his fellow Consul entrenched himself strongly upon the Banks of the River Trebia which so diminished his reputation that every day more of the Gauls fell to Hannibal amongst whom came in the Boij that brought with them the Roman Commissioners Hitherto they had keept them as pledges wherewith to recover their own Hostages but now they delivered them to Hannibal as tokens of their affection to him Hannibal being in great want of victuals he attempted the taking of Clastidium wherein the Romans had laid all their Store and Amunition and a Brundusian that had the keeping of it surrendred it to him for a little money The newes of these disasters coming to Rome filled the Senate and People with a desire of revenge their Foot wherein their greatest strength lay being yet entire they therefore hasted away Sempronius with his Army who by speedy marches came to Scipio upon the Banks of Trebia The Consuls took counsel what was fittest to be done now that their Armies were conjoyned Sempronius was eager to fight before Scipio recovered of his wound that he might get the whole glory of the Victory He also feared the election of new Consuls his time being almost expired But Scipio perswaded the contrary by many arguments yet would not Sempronius be taken off wherewith Hannibal was exceedingly pleased who feared nothing so much as delayes To further the desire of Sempronius the Gauls that inhabited near to Trebia complained of injuries done to them by the Carthaginians Indeed they neglected to supply Hannibal with necessaries and therefore he was bold to be his own Carver Hereupon Sempronius sent forth a thousand Horse which coming unlooked for upon Hannibals Forragers who were heavy laden they cut many of them in pieces and chased the rest even to their Camp This indignity made the Carthaginians to sally out who caused them to retire faster than they came Sempronius relieved his own men and Hannibal did the like So that at length the Roman Army was drawn forth and Battel offered if the Carthaginians had not refused it This Victory for so the Consul would name it made the Romans very desirous to try it out in open Field notwithstanding Scipios diswasion from it This Hannibal was informed of by the Gauls that were in the Roman Camp therefore he resolved to secure the Victory by adding a Stratagem to his fortes He found in a hallow place overgrown with Reeds a fit trench to cover an Ambush Therein he cast his Brother Mago with a thousand choise Horse and as many Foot The rest of his Army when he had well fed and refreshed them he led into the Field and marched towards the Consuls Early in the morning he had sent over the River some Numidian Horsmen to brave the enemy and draw him forth to a bad Dinner before he had broken his Fast. Sempronius readily embraced the oportunity of fighting and forthwith sent over the River in a miserable cold day his Footmen who were almost to the armeholes which together with the waâ—t of food did much enfeeble them The Romans were strong in Foot having in all thirty six thousand the Masse of those were ranged in a grosse Battalion guarded on the Flanks with three thousand Horse thrusting their light-armed and Darters in loose Companies before the rest in the nature of a Vauâ—â—guard The Carthaginians equalled them in Foot and exceeded them in Horse when therefore the Roman Horse were broken by the Numidians when their Foot were
man whose name is Mago and therewith he fell a laughing which all the Souldiers also took for a good Omen In this great day the Carthaginian excelled himself expressing abundance of Military skill and of greâ—tnesse of spirit and courage He so marshalled his Army that all hands were brought to fight where every one might do the best service His Darters and Slingers he sent before to encounter the Roman Velites His Africans Armed after the Roman manner made the two Wings very deep in File Between these he ranged the Gauls and Spaniards armed the first with broad Swords and the other with short and well-pointed Blades The Gauls were strong of Body and furious in giving the Charge but soon wearied spending their violence at the first brunt The Spaniards were lesse eager but more wary These Hannibal caused to advance leaving void the place wherein they had stood and into which they might fall back if they were over-hardly pressed Between the left Batallion by the River side were the Gauls and Spanish Horse under Asdrubal On the right Wing was Maharbal with the Numidian Horse Hannibal himself with his Brother Mago led the Rear His Army this day was ten Thousand Horse and fourty Thousand Foot His enemies had two to one against him in Foot and he five to three against them in Horse The Roman Army was marshalled after their usuall manner On the right hand were the Roman Horsemen under the Consul Paulus On the left Wing was Varâ—o with the rest of the Horse which were of the Latines and other associates and Servilius had the leading of the Battel The Sun was newly risen and offended neither part the Carthaginians having their faces Northward and the Romans Southward After some light Skirmishes between the two Forlorns Asdrubal brake in upon the Consul Paulus and after a rough charge and much execution done the Roman Horse were overborn and driven by plain force to a staggering recoil When the Battels came to joyning the Roman Legionaries found work enough and more than enough to break that Body upon which at first they fell yet at last Hannibals men were forced to a hasty retreat But whilst the Legions following their supposed Victory rushed on upon those that stood before them and thereby engaged themselves deeply within the principal strength of the enemy the two African Battalions on either side advanced so far that getting beyond the Rear of them they almost wholly inclosed them Asdrubal having broken the Troops of the Roman Horse followed them along upon the River side beating downe and killing most of them without regard of taking Prisoners The Consul Paulus left his Horse and cast himself amongst the Legions as hoping by them to make good the day But he failed of his expectation Yet did he cheer up his men as well as he could both by Words and Example slaying many with his own hands The like did Hannibal amongst his Carthaginians in the same part of the Battel but with better successe For the Consul received a blow from a Sling that wounded him much and though a Troop of Roman Gentlemen did their best to save him from further harm yet was he so hardly laid at that by wounds and weaknesse he was compelled to forsake his Horse whereupon all his company also allighted Hannibal being near and seeing this said pleasantly I had rather he would have delivered them to me bound hand and foot meaning that he had them almost as safe as if they had been so bound All this while Varro with his associates in the left Wing was marvelously troubled with Maharbal and his Numidians who beating up and down upon the great Sandy plain raised a foul dust which by a strong South wind was driven into the eyes and mouths of the Romans These using the advantage both of their number and lightnesse wearied the Consul and his followers exceedingly neither giving nor sustaining any charge but continually making offers and then wheeling about Yet at the first they seemed to promise him a happy day of it For when the Battels were even ready to joyn five hundred of these Numidians came pricking away from their fellows with their Shieldes on their backs as was the manner of those which yeilded and throwing down their Armes yielded themselves Varro had no leasure then to examine them but bad them to rest quietly behind his Army till all was done These crafty marchchants did as he bad them for a while till they had oportunity to put their designe in execution Under their Jackets they had short Swords and Poniards with which and other weapons that they gathered up of those that were slaine they flew upon the hindmost of the Romans whilst all eyes were bent another way where they did much mischief and raised great terrour Thus Hannibal in a plain ground found meanes to lay an Ambush at the back of his enemies The last blow that put an end to all was given by the same hand that gave the first Asdrubal having routed and slain all the Roman Horse save the company of Aemilius that joyned themselves to the Foot did not stay to charge upon the face of the Legions but fetching a compasse he came up to the Numidians with whom he joyned and gave upon Terentius This fearfull cloud prognosticated a dismal storme wherefore Terentius his followers having wearied themselves much in doing little and seeing more work towards than they were like to sustain thought it their safest not how to use a Victory and God had otherwise determined When Hannibal had sacked the Roman Camps and trused up the spoils he dislodged and marched away to Samnium finding a disposition in many People thereabouts to forsake the Romans and to make aliance with him The first Town that opened their Gates to him was Cossag where he laid up his Baggage and leaving his Brother Mago to take in other pâ—aces he hastened into Campania He dismissed all his Prisoners that were not Romans without ransome whereby he won the affections of most of the Common People in Italy to incline to him He also gave leave to his Roman Prisoners to send to Rome to procure their ransome with whom he sent Carthalâ— the General of his Horse to see how Rome stood affected to peace The Senate commanded Carthalâ— to depart out of their Territories and refused to redeem their Prisoners probably because they wanted Mony wherewithall to do it Campania is a most pleasant and fruitfull Country and Capua the chief City in it rich and wealthy the Citizens despised now the unfortunate virtue of the Romans and sent Ambassadours to Hannibal with whom these Articles were agreed upon That the Campans should be absolutly free and Governed by their own Lawes That no Citizens of theirs should be subject to any Carthaginian Magistrate in War or Peace and that Hannibal should deliver to the Campans three hundred Roman Prisoners such as themselves should choose whom they might exchange for their Gentlemen
they declined the fight The Carthaginian Battel was herewith more terrified then before so that refusing to give way to the Mercenaries they sell out amongst themselves and forbore to make head against their Enemies Thus were many of them beaten down and slain through their own indiscretion And this gave the Romans such advantage that the made a great slaughter both of the Carthaginians and Mercenaries who could neither fight nor easily fly Such as could ran towards Hannibal who kept his ground and would not stir to help these run-wayes Then did Scipio advance against Hannibal who intertained him after an other manner than ever he had been received in his life before All the former dayes work seemed but a Pastime in comparison of this The Romans were incouraged because they had prevailed all the day before they were also far more in number But Hannibals old Blades were fresh and the better men They fought with such obstinate resolution that no man gave back one Foot but rather chose to die than to lose their ground so that for a long time the Victory was uncertain But the return of Massanissa and Laelius with the Horse from the pursute of the Enemies was to the Romans most happy and in a needfull time These upon a suddain charging Hannibal upon the Reer overbore them with meer violence and put them to â—ouâ— Hannibal with a few Horse saved himselfe by flight and staid not till he came to Carthage where coming into the Senate he told them plainly that there was no other way left but to make such a Peace as could be procured Amongst other things it was agreed that the Carthaginians should pay to the Romans two hundred Talents a year for fifty years together Which mony when it came to be collected there was pitious lamentation amongst the People the Roman yoak begining to pinch them already that some of the Senators could not forbear weeping but Hannibal could not refrain from laughter For which Asdrubal Haedus one of Hanno's faction checked him saying that it ill becommed him to laugh since he had been the cause why all others did weep He answered that laughter did not alwayes proceed from joy but sometimes from indignation Yet said he My laughter is more seasonable and lesse obsurd than your teares For you should have wept when you gave up your Ships and Elephants and when you bound up your hands from use of Armes without the good leave of the Romans This miserable condition keeps us under and holds us in assured sevitude But of these things you had no feeling Now when a little mony is wrung from you you are very sensible of that God grant that the time come not wherein you shall acknowledge that it was the least part of your misery for which you have shed these teares Afterwards Hannibal in the Civill administration of the City gave an overthrow or two to the Judges which at that time bore all the sway in Carthage having all the lives goods and fame of the rest in their power Shortly after Hannibal was chosen Praetor by virtue of which Office he was superiour to them for that year He sent upon an occasion for one of the Treasurers to come to him but he proudly refused wherupon Hannibal sent a Pursevant for him and brought him in Judgment before the People accusing not only him but the rest of the Judges for their insolency and unbridled power withall propounding a Law that the Judges should be chosen from year to year He found also that they had robbed the Treasury which caused the Taxes to be laid upon the common People whereof he made such plain demonstration that they were compelled to restore with shame what they had gotten by knavery This so irritated his Enemies who were of the Romans Faction that they complained to the Roman Senate that the Barchine Faction grew strong again and that Hannibal would shortly be in Armes For he was like a wild Beast that could never be tamed that he held secret intelligence with King Antiochus who was an enemy to the Romans c. Hereupon the Senate sent three Ambassadors to Carthage to demand Hannibal but he kept such good espiall upon the Romans that he was informed of their intentions against which he was never unprepared And therefore when night was come he stole out of the City accompanied with two Friends whom he could trust and having Horses in a readinesse he rode all night and came to a Tower of his own by the Sea sâ—â—e and having provided a Ship in readinesse he bad Africk farewel lamenting the misfortune of his Country more than his own and shaped his course to Tyre which was the Mother City of Carthage There he was intertained Royally in whose worth and honour the Tyrians thought themselves to have interest because of the affinity between the Cities Thence went he to Antiochus who was exceeding glad of his coming intending War against the Romans To him Hannibal gave excellent advice how he might carry on his War against the Romans with best advantage but Antiochus hearkned more to his Courtiers than to him and so was shamfully beaten by the Romans at which time he admired Hannibal as a wise man yea as a Prophet who long before had foreseen and foretold him what now was come to passe and when it was too late wished that he had followed his Counsel To be brief Antiochus was forced by the Romans to sue for Peace which at last the Romans yeilded to Provided amongst other things that Hannibal might be delivered into their hands Hannibal getting an incling of this fled to Gortina in Creet where he lived a long time very quietly but at length he fell into the envy of many by reason of his great wealth whereupon he filled certain great chests with Lead and deposited them in the Temple of Diana there as if he kept the Treasure for a dead lift and thereupon the People having such a Pledge as that of him looked lesse after him But he in the mean time stole away to Prusias King of Bythinia having first molten his Gold and powered it into some hollow Statues of Brasse which he carried away with him Shortly after there fell a War between Prusias and Eumenes King of Pergamus Prusias being encouraged to break his League and to make War upon him by his confidence in Hannibal whom he had there to mannage his War for him The War therefore grew hot betwixt them both by Land and Sea But Eumenes by the assistance of the Romans overpowred Prusias in both And whereas Prusias was but weak of himself Hannibal procured him the assistance of some other Kings and States and those of very Warlike Nations and amongst them the aide of Philip King of Macedonia who sent him Philocles his General with a very considerable Army to help him When Prusias had received an overthrow from Eumenes by land he sought to try his
water But he was greatly assisted by those of Vivarets and Lionois for though many of them had transported themselves and their goods into Daulphine thinking to defend the Banks against him yet such as remained being willing to free their Country from such unwelcome Guests they helped him to make Boats informed him of a better passage higher up the River and sent him Guides When his Boats were ready he sent Hanno the Son of Bomilcar up the River to the Foard and himself in the mean time made a shew of entering the Foard below that Hanno charging the Gauls on their own side and himself at the same time passing the River in their faces might win the further Bank which was done accordingly though with some difficulty and thereby the enemies were dispersed Having passed this first brunt and overcome both the rage of the River and those that defended it he was visited by the Princes of the Cisalpine-Gauls that inhabited Piemont and Milan who had lately revolted from the Romanes These informed him that the passage over the Alps was not so difficult as report made it and gave him Guides with many other encouragements Yet found he himself extreamly encombred by the Savoyards and lost more of his Carriages and Carthaginians than he could well spare For he was twice strongly assaulted by them before he could recover the plaines on the other side He was fifteen dayes passing over the Alps wherein besides the trouble of his enemies he was much assaulted by foule weather and Snow it being now the begining of Winter But the fair and fertile plaines which they now were entring into with the assistance and encouragment of the Cisalpine Gauls gave them much comfort having nothing else of difficulty remaining but that which from the begining they made account to overcome by their proper valour and resolution namely the Romane Armies and resistance The Romane Ambassadours who had denounced War at Carthage in their return homewards took Spain in their way with a purpose to draw into their Alliance as many Cities and Princes as they could The first that they attempted were the Volcians from whom they received this answer that they would never joyn with them who had forsaken the Saguntines in their greatest need and that themselves had found the Cathaginians such good neighbours that they meant still to adhere to them From Spain the Ambassadours passed through Gaul perswading them not to suffer Hannibal to passe through their Countery and gloried much in their own strength But the Gauls laughed them to scorn and had scarce patience to hear them speak Telling them that they meant not to set their own Houses on Fire to save the Romanes from burning That the Carthaginians had never offended them as the Romanes had done who had already forced some of them out of their habitations and made others Tributaries who were as free as themselves With these unpleasing answers the Ambassadours returned home carrying no good newes of friends like to help them but rather that the Gauls intended to take part with their enemies And accordingly when the Cisalpine-Gauls heard that the Carthaginians had passed Iberus and were marching towards Rome the Bâ—ij and Insubrians rose up against the Romans Their quarrel was the late planting of Roman Colonies at Câ—emona and Placentia within their Territories Relying therefore upon the Carthaginian succour which they thought to be at hand laying aside all regard of those Hostages that they had lately given to the Romans they fell upon those Colonies The Towns they could not win but they forced the Romane Comissioners which were abroad to fly into Modena where they besieged them But the Gauls having little skill in besieging Cities grew weary and were desirous of Peace This they did on purpose to draw on some meeting that laying hands on the Romane Deputies they might with them redeem their Hostages and it fell out in part according to their wish For Ambassadours comming to them from Rome to treat with them they made them Prisoners Manlius the Praetor hearing of this outrage marched with his Army to relieve the besieged But the Gauls laid an Ambush in his way that falling upon him utterly routed him and slew most of his Army except a few that escaped into a defensible place upon the River Po. This being heard of at Rome C. Atilius the other Praetor hasted with an other Army to relieve the besieged But as the Gauls were too hasty so the Romans were too slow in the begining of this War For they could not believe that Carthage which had almost servilely endured so many indignities from them in the late peace durst be so bold on a suddain as to attempt the Conquest of Italy itself Wherefore they appointed one of their Consuls to make War in Spain and the other in Africk Titus Sempronius went into Africk with one hundred and sixty Gallies of five to an Oare which preparations seemed to threaten Carthage her self P. Cornelius Scipio the other Consul hasted towards Spain and by the way touching at Massilia he was there informed that Hannibal had passed the River Rhodanus whom he had thought to have found busy in Spain Hannibal also heard of the Consuls arrivall with whom he meant to have nothing to do Yet both sent forth Scouts Hannibal sent out five hundred Numidians and Scipio three hundred of his best Horse They met and fought and the Romans had the better of it But when Scipio drew neer thinking to have meâ— with the Carthaginians he found that they were gone three dayes before with an intent to see the Walls of Rome Scipio hereupon sent his Brother Cn. Cornelius Scipio into Spain with the greatest part of the Army against Asdrubal and himself with the choisest returned baâ—k and landing at Pisa he marched through Tuscany and Lumbardy where he drew together the broken Bands of Manlius and Atilius who were lately beaten by the Gauls intending therewith to oppose the enemy thinking to find them tired with their long Journey Five moneths Hannibal had spent in that tedious march from Carthagena When he had passed Rhodanus he had in his Army but thirty eight thousand Foot and eight thousand Horse the rest having perished with Diseases Enemies Rivers and Mountaines Having newly passed the Alps and scarce refreshed his wearied Army in Piemont he sought the friendship of the Taurini who being at this time in War with the Insubrians his good Friends the Taurini refused it whereupon he besieged their chiefe Town and in three dayes wan it the spoil whereof did much incourage his Army and the others Calamity terrified their Neighbours Most of those parts would willingly have joyned with Hannibal but when the Consul Scipio came amongst them they began to be better advised This wavering affection amongst the People made the Generals to hasten to a Battel Their meeting was aâ— Tieâ—nunâ— now Pavia where each of them wondred at the others expedition The
drew neer in good order to relieve them and doing therein the office of a good Citizen regarding more the good of his Country than the disgrace which he had wrongfully sustained Upon Fabius his approach Hannibal retired Fearing as he said to be well wet with the cloud that had hung so long upon the Hil-tops Minutius forthwith submitted himself to Fabius by whose favour he acknowledged that his life was preserved Thence forward the War went on slowly whilst Fabius his Dictatorship lasted and the year following also when he had delivered up his charge to the Consuls that followed his instructions With little pleasure did they of the poorer sort in Rome hear the great commendations which were given to Fabius by the principall Citizens because the War was not finished nor much done tending thereto And this affection was very helpfull to Terentius Varro in his suit for the Consulship and farther to help him he had a kinsman Bibius Herennius Tribune of the People He boldly affirmed that Hannibal was drawn into Italy and suffered there to range at his pleasure by the Noblemen that without a Plebeian Consul the War would never be ended c. By which perswasions the multitude were won to be wholly for Terentius to the great vexation of the Nobles who could not endure such an upstart But nothing could hinder the choise of Terentius Wherefore the Nobles to ballast this hot-headed man set up L. Aemilius Paulus a gallant man and a brave Captain to stand for the other Consuls place and he easily carried it These new Consuls Varro and Paulus omitted no diligence in preparing for the War wherein though Varro made the greater noise boasting what wonders he would do if he could but once see Hannibal yet the care and Prudence of Paulus did tend much more towards the effecting of it He wrote to the two old Consuls to forbear fighting and yet to ply the Carthagians with daily Skirmishes and so to weaken them by degrees that when he and his Fellow Consul came with the new Army they might find the four old Legions well accustomed to the Enemy and the Enemy well weakned These new Consuls raised an Army of above eighty thousand Foot and six thousand Horse Hannibal all this while lay at Geryon where all his provision and store was The Romanes to be neer him lodged about Canusium laying up most of their provisions in the Castle of Cannae This place Hannibal wan and thereby not only furnished himself but compelled his enemies to want many necessaries Hereby he also enabled himself to stay in that open Country fit for the service of the Horse Of this mishap when Servilius had informed the Senate it then seemed needfull to them to adventure a Battell with the Carthaginian rather than to suffer him thus to root himself in Italy When all things were ready in the City and the season of the year commodius the two Consuls with their Army set forward against Hannibal This was done with great solemnity Sacrifices and solmne Vowes were made to Jupiter and the other Gods for good successe and Victory and the Generals were accompanied with a great number that brought them out of the City and dismissed them with Friendly leave-taking and good wishes These new Generals arriving at the Camp dismissed M. Atilius one of the last years Consuls because of his age and retained Servilius with them as their Assistant Aemilius laboured to encourage his men telling them that the enemy had stole all the former Victories by his Ambushes that otherwise the Romans were far beyond them in Valour c. and therefore he exhorted them to play the men and to do their best This set them on fire to be dealing with the Carthaginians and herein Varro concurred with them longing for an oportunity to get the honour which he promised to himself having now such a numerous Army By this means the Romans fell into a great inconvenience by the disagreement of of their Generals Varro would fight and Aemilius would not for the present hoping for better advantage ere long when the enemy should be forced to dislodge out of the plain Country The Consuls command in in turnes every day Aemilius lodged six miles from Hannibal where the ground was uneven Terentius the next day descended into the plaines his Colleague beseeching him to stay but could not prevaile He sat down neer to the Carthaginian who yet gave him but a rude welcome and intertainment The Carthaginian Horse and light Armature fell upon the Roman Vant-Courriers and put the whole Army into a tumult whilst it was yet in its march but the Carthaginians were beaten off though not without losse The next day Aemilius who could not securely draw back the Army encamped upon the River Auâ—â—us sending part of his Forces over the River where they encamped themselves with the rest he fortified and kept within his Trenches Varro was perswaded that it concerned him in honour to make good his word to the People of Rome When therefore it was his turne to Command 〈◊〉 the break of Day he began to passe the River withâ—out staying to bid his Colleague good morrow But Paulus came to him labouring by all meanes to disswade him Terentius had nothing to answer but that his honour was engaged Hannibal had twice or thrice bâ—aved them which must not be endured When Aemilius perceived that he could not prevaile he was carefull that what must be done might be done well Ten thousand Foot he caused to be left behind in the Camp opposite to the Carthaginians to the intent that Hannibal might be forced to do the like or else when they were in fight these might fall upon his Camp and take it with all the wealth therein which would much distract the Carthaginians This done the Consuls drew forth their Army over the Water and ranged them in order of Battell This Hannibal was very glad of and therefore without any delay passed over the River also leaving in his own Camp enow to defend it and no more To encourage his men he told them how fit the ground was wherein they were to fight and that therefore they were to thank the Gods who had so infatuated the enemies as to choose such a place where the stronger in Horse was sure to pervail Besides said he These are the men whom you have beaten as often as you have seen them and now you are to fight for their Cities and all the Riches that are in them and ere many houres passe ye shall be Lords of all that the Romans enjoy This set his men on fire to be at it and at the same time came his Brother Mago whom he had sent to view the countenance of the enemy to whom he said What newes What worke are we like to have Work enough answered Mago for they are a horrible company As horrible a many as they be said Hannibal I tell thee that amongst them all there is not one
Pelopidas did so lift up and encourage the Thebans that they became more famous than 〈…〉 were before The year following Artaxerxes King of Persia intending to make War against Aegypt and therein to intertain diverse strangers laboured to make Peace amongst the Grecians in hope that they being at Peace amongst themselves would be the more willing to have Souldiers leavied amongst them For which end he sent Ambassadours to all the Townes of Greece to preswade and intreat them to be at Peace amongst themselves The Greeks were very willing to harken hereto being wearied on all sides with such long Wars and so were easily drawn to make Peace wherein it was especially agreed and concluded that all the Cities of Greece should be free and use their own Lawes and Commissioners were sent abroad to withdraw all the Garrisons where any were kept Unto this the Thebans only refused to agree that every Town should severally capitulate for it requesting that the Towns in the Country of Boeotia should be comprehended under the City of Thebes but the Athenians mightily opposed themselves against this and Calistratus one of their Orators made a notable Oration about it before all the States of Greece Epaminondas on the contrary made an excellent and vehement speech in defence of the right of the Thebans insomuch as this controversy was left undecided and the Treaty of Peace was universally agreed to amongst all the other Grecians the Thebans only excepted who were not comprised in it At this time the Athenians and Lacedemonians who had long contended amongst themselves about the Principality of Greece now agreed that the one should command by Sea and the other by Land And therefore they could not endure that the Thebans should aspire to be chief which made them seek to dismember the other Towns of Boeotia from them the rather for that the Thebans being strong and lusty of Body and much encouraged by their late Victories over the Lacedemonians would now contend with them for their superiority having a wonderfull confidence in the Wisdom and Prowesse of their Captaines especially of Epaminondas Matters resting thus doubtfull the Citizens of Plataees a Town of Boeotia were desirous to enter into League with the Athenians promising that if they would send them Souldiers they would put the Town into their hands But the Governours of Boeotia having intelligence of it and being desirous to prevent the Athenians brought a party of Souldiers against it who came before Plataees before the Citizens heard any newes of them so that part of them were surprised in the Field by the Horsmen and the rest fled into the Town where having no aid they were faign to accept of such tearmes as it pleased the Thebans to grant them which were presently to depart the Town with bag and baggage and never to returne again into the Country of Boeotia Then did they raze the City to the ground and saked the Town of Thespies which also was at enmity with them The Ambassadours of Persia again solicited the Greeks to a Generall Peace and Commissioners from every Town were to meet at Sparta about it Epaminondas was yet scarce known having laboured to conceal himself and in all his exploits of War had ever preferred the advancement of his great Friend and Companion in Armes Pelopidas before himself He was now chosen by the Thebans to go to Sparta where finding that the other Commissioners did much comply with Agesilaus he spake boldly and plainly not only in behalf of the Thebans but for all Greece also making it evident to all that War still encreased the greatnesse of Sparta only which kept all the other Towns of Greece under He therefore advised them to establish a firme Peace which would last the longer when all comprized in it should be equals Agesilaus perceiving all the Commissioners to be very attentive to and well pleased with this speech he asked him aloud if he thought it just and equal that all Boeotia should be set at liberty Epaminondas resently and boldly asked him if he thought it not also iust and reasonable that all Laconia should be set at liberty Thereupon Agesilaus in great anger stood up and commanded him to answer plainly if they should not restore all the Towns in Boeotia to their Liberty and Epaminondas answered him as before This so displeased Agesilaus who had an old grudge to the Thebans that immediatly he put their Name out of the List of those that should be comprized within the Treaty of Peace and proclaimed open War against them and now there was no remedy but the Thebans must bear the whole brunt alone for there was no one Town that durst send them any aid because they were all sworn to the Peace insomuch as all judged them to be utterly undone Friends pittied there estate and their enemies rejoyced verily believing that they could never stand before the Lacedemonians Then did the Lacedemonians send King Cleombrotus with an Army towards Thebes who being come neer to Chaeronea with ten thousand Foot and a thousand Horse he pitched his Camp there staying for his Allies The Thebans being informed of the approach of the enemy chose Epaminondas to be their Captain Generall giving him the charge of this War with six other Counsellers to be assisting to him Now there came Oracles to Thebes from all parts some promising Victory and others threatening their overthrow and Epaminondas commanded them to set those on the right hand of the chaire for Orations that promised Victory and the other on the left hand which being so disposed of he gat up into the chaire and said to his Citizens If you will be obedient to your Captains and valiant against your enemies these Oraoles on the right hand belong to you But if through faintness of heart ye refuse dangers those on the left hand shall be your Portion Then did he list the Names of all the Thebans which were able to bear Armes and chose out of some parts of Boeotia such as he thought fittest for the Wars His Presence exceedingly cheered up his Army and all the time that he was Captain the Thebans never saw in their Campany of those which they call sudden feares He used to say that there was no Death more honest and desirable than to die in the Wars and that the body of a Souldier should be hardened to endure any labour or paines He could not abide fat men and therefore cashired a whole Company of them as unprofitable burdens in his Army He had in all but six thousand fighting men and as they marched forwards they met with some unlucky signes as many esteemed them but he valued them not thinking that a resolution to fight in a good cause ought to be much stronger and of more force to raise up in him good Hope than these evill signes that appeared to make him fear the worst As he was marching towards the Lacedemonians they heard it Thunder and
charged both in Front and Flank by the Spaniards Gauls and Elephants and when all were pressed in the Reaâ—e by Mago and his men out of the Ambush then fell the Romans by heaps under their enemies Swords and were beaten down as well fighting as flying so that of thirty six Thousand there escaped no more than ten thousand of all sorts The remainder of this broken Army was collected by Scipio who got therewith into Placentia stealing away the same night which was very rainy Sempronius eâ—caped with great danger and fled to Rome where he did his Office in choosing new Consuls for the year following and then returned to his Province with a fresh supply against Hannibal The Winter proved very sharp and unfit for service which well pleased the Romans who lay warme in Placentia and Cremona Yet did not Hannibal suffer them to lie very quiet but vexed them with continual Alarms assaulting divers places and taking some He also wan the Lygurians to him who to testifie their faithfull love presented him with two Roman Questors Treasureâ—s two Collonels and five young Gentlemen the Sons of Senators These and all his other Prisoners Hannibal held in streight places loaden with Irons and misserably fed But their followers he intreated courteously and sent them to their own Countries without ransome protesting that he undertook the War in Italy to free them from the oppression of the Romans By these meanes he drew many to his party and assistance But some of the Gauls fearing that their Country should be made the seat of War conspired against his Life others discovered the danger to him who yet soon after were ready to practice the same which enforced Hâ—â—nibal to use Perukes and false Beards the better to conceal himself from them At length when Summer was come he resolved to leave these giddy Companions and so passed the Appeniâ—â— Hills that he might approach nearer to Rome So away he went having his Army much recruted with Ligurians and Gauls and to prevent the obstructions in the ordinary way he chose to travel through the Fennes of Tuscany In those Marshes and Bogs he lost all his Elephants save one with one of his own eyes through the moistnesse of the Aire and by lodging on the cold Ground Yet at last with much ado he recovered the firme and fertile Plaines and Quartered about Arretium where he somwhat refreshed his weary Army and heard newes of the Romane Consuls C. Flaminius and Cn. Servilius were newly chosen Consuls for this year The first a tractable man wholly governed by the Senate the other a hotheaded man who fearing some obstruction gat him out of the City before the day of Election that he might as soon as he was chosen take possession of his Office fearing least he should lose his Honour which he hoped to gain in the War The Senators were so displeased at this that they sent for him back but he neglected their Command and hasted to meet with the Carthaginians whom he found at Arretium Hannibal was well pleased with the fiery disposition of this Consul and therefore provoked him by many indignities hoping thereby to draw him to fight ere Servilius came with the rest of the Army For which end he put to Fire and Sword all the Country round about him even under the Consuls nose By this Flaminius thought his Honour to be much empaired and therefore advanced towards the enemy Many advised him to stay for his Colleague but he would not be perswaded Then he commanded the Army to march All the Territory of Cortona as far as to the Lake of Thrasymene was on a light fire which whilst Flaminius thought to quench with his enemies bloud he pursued Hannibal so unadvisedly that he fell with his whole Army into an Ambush from thence he was charged unaware from all sides so that he knew not which way to turne nor how to make resistance There was he slain in that place accompanied with the carcasses of fifteen thousand of his Countrymen About six thousand of his Vantguard took courage out of desparation and breaking through their enemies they recovered the tops of the Mountains but being discovered there Maharbal was sent after them who overtook them by night in a Village and surrounded them with his Horse and so they yielded rendering up their Armes upon promise of life and liberty This accord Hannibal refused to confirme and so made them all Prisoners At this time he had about fifteen thousand Prisoners all that were not Romans he set free without ransome still portesting that for their sakes he came into Italy But the Romans he kept in streight Prison and held them to hard meat Presently after the Battell of Thrasymene C. Sempronius with four thousand Horse came neere to Hanaibals Camp He was sent from Ariminum by Servilius the other Consul to encrease the strength of Flaminius but coming too late he only encreased the misadventure Hannibal sent out Maharbal to intercept him who finding them amazed at the ill newes of the late losse charged and brake them killing almost half of them and drew the rest simply to yeild to mercy Servilius hearing of the overthrow and death of his Colleague hasted to Rome for the defence of it Greatly were the Romans amazed at these disasters and their aproaching danger Wherefore they had recourse to a remedy which had been long out of use and that was to choose a Dictator whose power was above the Consuls and scarcely subject to the Controll of the whole City And now they chose Q. Fabius Maximus the best reputed man of War in the City and Fabius chose M. Minutius Rufus Master of the Horse who was as the Dictators Leiutenant The first act of Fabius was the reformation of somewhat that was amisse in matter of Religion then were the Walls and Towers of Rome repaired and fortified the Bridges upon Rivers were broken down and all care taken for the defence of Rome it self Four Legions the Dictator raised in hast and from Ariminum he received the Army which Servilius had conducted thither With these he marched apace after Hannibal not to fight but to affront him He always lodged upon high grounds and of hard accesse knowing that the Roman Horse were far inferior to the Numidians Hannibal in the mean while pursued his Victory and ranged over all the Countries using all manner of cruelty towards the Inhabitants especially those of the Roman Nation of whom he put all to the Sword that were able to bear Armes Passing by Spoletum and Ancona he encamped upon the Adriatick shores refreshing his diseased and over-traveled Army and armed his Africans after the Roman manner and made his dispatches for Carthage presenting his Friends which were very many with part of the Spoils that he had gotten Having refreshed his Army cured his wounded and fed his Horses he followed the course of the Adriatick Shore towards Apulia a Northern