Captaines saw their Men thus resolute and desirous to fight and that Xantippus sayd the time was â—itting and conuenient they suffred them to prepare to battell and gaue him leaue to do all at his pleasure Who after he had taken charge of the Captaines hee orders the battell before the whole Army hee sets the Elephants one after another After which hee causeth a Legion of Carthaginians to march with some distance and placeth the strangers vpon the Wings Then he ordereth the brauest among his foote to fight of eyther side betwixt the Wings of the Horse-men The Romans seeing the Carthaginians in battell stayed not to doe the like yet fearing the Violence of the Elephants they set in Front the most actiue of their men re-inforcing their Reare with many Ensignes and diuiding their Horse-men vpon the Wings Their Ordonance was lesse then formerly but more close for feare least the Elephants should open them But as the Romans had set a good order against the Elephants so they had neglected to keepe themselues from inclosing For as the Carthaginians had a greater number of Horse so the close Ordonance gaue them an easie meanes to breake and seperate them The two Armies being in battell either attending who should first Charge suddainly Xantippus causeth the Elephants to beginne the Charge and breake the Enemies rankes and that the Horse-men of both Wings should withall charge furiously The Romanes cause their Trumpets to sound after the manner of the Country and charge where the Enemies forces were greatest It is true that the Roman Horse-men terrified with the multitude of their Enemies abandoned the two Wings And the Foote-men of the lest Wing wauing from the Fury of the Elephants and making no account of the forreigne Souldiers charged the right Wing of the Carthaginians with great fury and put it to flight pursuing them vnto their Fort. On the other side they which indured the charge of the Elephants were broken and trodden vnder their feete by heapes It is true that the whole Ordnance continued for a time in battell for that their supplies beeing in the Reare were very close But after that the Romane Legions set in the Reareward and compassed in of all sides by the Carthaginian Horse-men were forced to make resistance there and that they who as wee haue sayd were appointed to make head against the Elephants were by them repulsed into the thickest of the enemies Battalion where they were defeated and slaine â— then the Romans beeing assaulted on all sides some were beaten downe and slaine by the intollerable fury of the Elephants and others by the Horse-men in the same place where they had their first posture giuen them some few of them seeing no more hope sought their safety by flight of which considering that the Country was very plaine some were defeated by the Elephants and the rest by the Horse-men And some flying with Marcus Attilius were taken to the number of fiue hundred The Carthaginians lost that day but fiue hundred Aduenturers strangers whom the left Wing of the Romanes had defeated But of all the Romane Army there escaped but two thousand with their Ensignes who as we haue sayd pursued a troupe of enemies into their Fort. All the rest were cut in pieces except Marcus Attilius and a few Men which fled with him in regard of those Ensignes which beyond all hope escaped they came vnto Aspis Finally the Carthaginians after the spoile of the Dead retired to Carthage with the Consull and other Prisoners making great ioy and tryumph If we shall duely consider this we shall finde many things profitable for the conduct of Man First Marcus Attilius serues for a faire example to all the World that it is a great folly and indiscretion to put his Hope in Fortune vnder the colour of good successe and enterprises brought to an end according to our desire Who of late after so many tryumphant Victories had not any compassion of the Carthaginians being reduced to extremity refusing to grant them peace which they craued with so much humility hath beene presently after reduced to that constraint as to make the like request Moreouer that which Euripides hath formerly spoken so well that the good Councell of one man alone doth vanquish a great Army hath beene this day verified by that which hath happened In truth one man alone and the Councell of one man hath vanquished and defeated an Army formerly invincible raising and restoring a Towne lost and the hearts of so many desolate men Beleeue mee I haue thought good to relate these actions for the benefit and instruction of the Readers of these Commentaries For as there are two meanes easily to correct and amend our errours whereof the one is his owne Misfortune and the other the example of another mans Miseries there is no doubt but the first hath greater efficacy but it is not without the losse and preiudice of him to whom it happens And although the second be not of so great force yet it is the better for that they are out of danger and therefore no man imbraceth the first meanes willingly for that they cannot helpe it without their owne trouble and losse As for the second euer man followes it willingly For wee may see by him without any hazard or losse what wee ought to follow for the best Wherefore if wee consider it well we shall finde that experience by the remembrance of another mans faults seemes to be a very good doctrine of a true life Without doubt it is that alone which makes the good Iudges of reason without any losse But wee haue discoursed sufficiently of this Subiect The Carthaginians hauing ended their affaires happily and to their content they reioyced in many sorts both in giuing thankes vnto God and sacrificing after their manner or in vsing amongst themselues a mutuall beneuolence and courtesie Soone after that Xantippus had raised the hearts of the Carthaginians hee returned into his Countrey as a man well aduised For the Prowesse and Valour of men and their Vertues are many times the cause of great enuy and detraction Against the which Cittizens that are well allied and haue many Friends make easie resistance But strangers which haue not that support are easily ruined and defeated They say hee went away for some other reason which wee will deliuer when it shall be fitting After that beyond all hope the Romans had receiued Newes of the defeate of their Army in Affricke and the taking of the Consull And that the remainder of their men was besieged in Aspis consulting presently of the safety of those which were remaining in Affricke they appointed an Army to bee raised to goe thither with all speede In the meane time the Carthagaginians besieged Aspis striuing to force it with hope soone to haue this remainder of the Battell But the Vertue and Courage of the Romans which defended it was so great as all the Enemies attempts could not
by reason of the Ford it seemed good for that the Riuer diuided it selfe in two They suddainly cut downe wood and made floates sufficient to passe the men and other things necessary By this meanes they past the Rhone without danger or impeachment Afterwards they recouered a place strong by nature where they refresht themselues a day for the toile which they had taken aswell for their march by night as for the paines they had indured being all attentiue to affect their enterprize in time Hannibal likewise made hast to do the like with the rest of the Army But he was troubled to passe the Elephants being thirty seauen in number The night following they which had past the Rhone marching along the Riuer side at the breake of day approached neere vnto the Barbarians who as we haue sayd were there assembled Hannibal on the other side hauing his men ready commaunds them all to be reâ—olute to passe and that they should put the Horse-men prepared for the Combat in Boates to the end that being past they might serue if necessity required And that the most actiue and nimblest foot-men should enter into the Skifs And to the end they might passe with more ease and safety and might the better breake the vehemency of the Waues he placed Boates aboue the Riuer to breake the Violent and swift course He also caused three or foure Horses to be tyed to the Poope to swim it ouer and there were two men set of either side of the Poope By this meanes the greatest part of the Horses had bin past in the first Voyage The which the Barbarians seeing they came out of their Fort and runne vnto the shore in a great throng and without order as if they should easily defeat the Enemies But after that Hannibal had stayd a little and seeing his men approach by the smoake that they cast according to his appointment he gaue a signe to his whole Army to passe the which the Carthaginians seeing they laboured with all their power to passe the Riuer with great cries and to breake the Violence of the streame so as euery one laboured to passe first When as the Carthaginians held the two Bankes and past the riuer with great noise the Gaules endeauouring with great fury to ressist them crying and singing after their manner The Charge was terrible for the time and the Combat horrible to see All the Gaules were run downe vnto the Riuer and had left their Tents Hanno arriues presently with his Troupe whereof one part fals vpon their Campe and the other Charges them in the reare The Gaules being amazed at this suddaine accident recouer a part of their Campe to keepe it from the Enemies the others were no lesse attentiue in the Combate When Hannibal saw his enterprize succeed so happily he incourageth his Souldiers putting them in minde of their auncient prowesse and perswading them to repulse the Enemies couragiously Whereupon they fall vpon them with great fury Finally the Gaules retired into their Villages with a shamefull flight for that they had begun the battell without order and had bin terrified by the surprize which Hanno made with his Legion When as Hannibal had at one instant vanquished the Riuer and his Enemies he causeth the rest of his Army to passe at leasure And being all past in a short time he planted his Campe without feare of the Gaules and spent the night in peace vpon the Riuer side Three dayes after he was aduertised of the entry of the Roman Consull with his Army at Sea into the mouthes of Rhone Wherefore he sent fiue hundred Numidians to discouer the Enemies to view their numbers and to learne what they resolued In the meane time he giues order vnto the maisters of the Elephants to be carefull to passe the Rhone And hauing drawne his men together he causeth the Kings to be called who were come vnto him from Gaule which lyes beyond the Poe. Who speaking vnto the whole Campe by an Interpreter aduised them to passe the Mountaines promising that both themselues and the rest of the inhabitants of Gaule should giue them both aide and assistance That the waies were safe and well furnished with all things necessary And that moreouer the mountaines were not very difficult to passe and they should finde the places where they were to goe abounding in all things Besides they should finde such Allies whose Courage in times past was not a little feared by the Romans After these or the like words the Kings presently retired Then Hannibal entring into the Assembly he shewes them first their Actions past wherein following his Councell and opinion they had bin alwaies Victorious And that Fortune had neuer bin auerse vnto them Moreouer he intreates them to be of good courage being assured that they had ended the greatest of their Labours hauing past so dangerous a Riuer considering the good affection of their Allies who were ready and prepared Finally that they should lay the burthen of affaires vpon him shewing only their Obedience where it should be needfull with a remembrance of his Vertue and Prowesse which he had performed with so great resolution His speech being ended seeing the ioyfull Countenance of his men carrying the shew of resolution he commended them all Then hauing made his prayers vnto the gods according to their manner he retired and sent them away to feed giuing them charge to be ready to part the next day The Company was scarce dismist when as the Numidians who as wee haue sayd had beene sent to discouer returned defeated and broken by the Enemy for as they encountred neere vnto their Campe the Roman Cauallery whom Scipio had sent for the same cause they charged one another with such fury as there were slaine seauen score Horse as well Romans as Gaules and aboue two hundred Numidians The Romans pursuing the Carthaginians vnto their Campe where hauing diligently obserued all they returned to the Consull and reported certaine newes of the Enemy and of the Combat they had with the Numidians Which things being heard Publius Cornelins seeing that his stay there would bee of no great moment imbarkes his Baggage and parting with all his Troupes along the Bankes of Rhone and makes haste as if hee would giue battell to the Enemy Three dayes after that Hannibal had made his Oration to the Souldiers at the breake of day hee sets all his Horsemen vpon the Sea-shore as it were for a guard and causeth the Foote-men to march a slow pace being parted from their Campe vsing the greatest diligence he could possible to passe the Elephants For the effecting whereof hee tooke this aduice Hee made prouision of many floats and tied two together from the Land vnto the Riuer being fifty foote broade to the which they added two others on the side of the Bankes The which they tied fast vnto Trees which were vpon the Bankes to the end they might swimme safely their length
a manner are inaccessible Where Hannibal being arriued hee found two Brothers in quarrell for the Kingdome and their Armies fronting one another But being called by the eldest and increased to restore him to his Fathers inheritance he obeyed him thinking it would assist him much in his Enterprize And when hee had chased away the younger and put him in possession of his Realme hee had not onely store of victuals and abundance of all things for a recompence But moreouer they were furnished with all sorts of Armes and other furniture whereof the roughnesse of the cold Mountaines forced him to make prouision His Army and himselfe were likewise conducted safely by the King and his forces through the Sauoyards Countrey vnto the Mountaines which was a great benefit to him When he in ten daies after his departure from the Rhone had march't labou◠an hundred miles he began to ascend the Mountaine where he was in great danger It is true that whilest the Carthaginians past the Plaine the Lords of Sanuoy suffered them to goe on quietly partly fearing their Horse-men and partly the Gaules forces which did accompany them But when as they were retired to their houses and that the Carthaginians began to ascend the rough and steepe Mountaines then they drew together in great multitudes and seiz'd vpon the passages by the which Hannibal must of necessity goe And if they had layed seattering ambushes in the Valleyes and had charg'd them suddainly without doubt they had made a great slaughter of the Carthaginians But being discouered by Hannibal they did not so much annoy the Enemy as themselues For when he found that they held all the passages he causeth his Army to stay and lodging among the Rocks and hollow places he sent some no the Gaules that were with him to visite the places and to discouer the Enemies intention and and preparations Being aduertised by them that the Enemy stayed there onely in the day and that by night euery man retired to his house to a Towne which was neere by he vsed this inuention At the breake of day hee recouers the Hills with his whole Army as if he had an intent to force through the Enemy But when he was neere vnto them he setled his Campe and fortified himselfe And when hee found the Villains of the Mountaines had retired themselues from their Hills he makes many fires in his Campe leauing the greatest part of his Army there and steales through the streights with the best and ablest men of his Army staying vpon those Hills which the Enemy formerly held This done when the Villaines of the Mountaines saw it 〈◊〉 the breake of day they made a stand for a time But finding that the baggage and the multitude of Horse-men disordered the Army in the streights thinking likewise that the least amazement were sufficient to defeated them they charge them in diuers places by the inaccessible Rocks Then the Carthaginians were not so much annoyed by the Enemy as by the difficulty of the place for that the Horses and baggage made a great spoile of men and goods For as the streights were of either side sleepe and like a Gulfe many Horses fell with their burthens a wonderfull height The Horses being strucke or hurt were wonderfully troubled the way being narrow falling partly for feare and partly for the griefe of their hurts The which Hannibal seeing and thatthere was no hope in flight after the losse of his baggage he descends with great fury from the place where he had remained all night And although he gaue a great defeate to the Enemy yet he slew many of his owne For the motion increasing on either side many fell Finally after that the Sau. yards had beene slaine some in fighting and some in the route Hannibal past the rest of his Horse and baggage with great paine and trouble And hauing drawne together the rest of his Army hee marcht to the Citty from whence the Sauoyards had sallied the which he tooke without resistance finding no man in it It was a great reliefe vnto him for all things necessary not onely for the present but for the future for he carried away a great number of Horses and Prisoners and victualled his Army for three daies with Corne and Cattell Amazing the other Inhabitants of the mountaines who durst not make the like attempt Which was a thing more to be esteemed He staied there one day and parting with his Army he march't but little the two daies following and on the fourth he was againe in great danger He was come vnto a place among the Mountaines very well peopled with Inhabitants who altogether had Conspired to deceiue the Carthaginians Wherefore they go to meet Hannibal carrying Garlands of Flowers which is a signe of friendship and peace among the Barbarians like vnto the Caducei among the Grecians Hannibal did not thinke it fit to giue credit easily vnto them and inquires what their will and intent was Who answered that they did like well of the taking of the Towne and the defeate of the Gaules who were Enemies vnto them And as for themselues they would obey his will and would not do nor suffer any ourrage promising to giue him Hostages for the assurance of their promises And although that Hannibal was long in suspence what to do yet he considered that he might happily pacifie the Barbarians if he accepted these Conditions and if he refused them they would declare themselues his Enemies Wherefore in giuing them a gracious answer he makes shew to receiue their Alliance And when they had not only giuen him Hostages but furnished him with abundance of Victuals and put themselues into his hands Hannibal had so great Confidence in them as he made no doubt but to make vse of them for Guides in difficult places When they had marcht two daies and were come vnto a streight Valley hauing the Mountaine on one side the Carthaginians were in danger to be wholy defeated For that the Barbarians fallied from all sides out of their Ambushes If Hannibal who had not yet so great confidence in the Gaules and who fore-saw future things had not put the Elephants and Horse-men in the foreward and had followed in the Reare with the force of his foot-men hauing an Eie ouer all By this supply the losse proou'd the lesse yet it was great both of Men Horses and Baggage for the danger was so great as Hannibal was inforced to continue a whole night there with halfe his Army without his Cauallery of Baggage For that the Enemy held the top of the Mountaine which was very neere vnto them rolling downe pieces of the Rocke into the Army and sometimes casting stones The day following when the Gaules began to grow cold he recouered the Mountaine ioyning with his Horse and Baggage Then the Gaules presented themselues no more to Battell charging like Theeues sometimes in the foreward sometimes in the Reare as time and place gaue
before their eies how much the kindnesse and Clemency of the Carthaginians was to be esteemed Moreouer he propounded vnto him the expectance hee should haue of their gifts and presents to whom he had sent the Children and that there was not any man would forget so great a benefit After he had held this kind of Speech and others to the same end he returned to Sagont as soone as he had perswaded Bostar to that which he desired appointing a day when hee should ioyne with those which should carry backe the Hostages The night following he goes to the Enemies watch and hauing spoken to some Spanish Souldiers of the Allies they lead him vnto the Captaines Where hauing vsed much speech what profit it would be for the affaires of Spaine if the Hostages fell into their hands in the end hee promiseth to deliuer them The Romans giuing a willing eare vnto him weighing the greatnes of the action take his faith promise him theirs with great rewards And after they had aduised of the place and day when they should attend to receiue the Hostages he returnes Afterwards he takes with him such as seemed fit for this businesse and goes to Bostar Where receiuing the Hostages he goes out of Sagont as it were to flie the enemies Watch But hauing past their Campe a little hee leads them all into an Ambush which they had prepared as not knowing any thing The Romans gaue great rewards to Acedux and made vse of him to carry backe the Hostages to their Townes as he had resolued with Bostar sending men with him to make them fauourable Acedux went with them and by this perswasions caused many to enter into League with the Romans by the meanes of these hostages laying before their eyes their mildnesse and great courage and detesting the iealousies and cruelty of the Carthaginians propounding himselfe for an example Bostar after the losse of the hostages by the aduice of a Childe repented too late And then the season of the yeare forced both Armies to goe and winter after that fortune had fauoured the Romans in this enterprize of the hostages Behold the present estate of the affaires of Spaine Hannibal being aduertised by his Spies of the great prouision of Corne within Lucerna and Geryona and that moreouer Geryona was a very good place hee resolued to winter his Army there And passing the Mountaine of Lyburna hee drawes to those places Being come to Geryona fiue and twenty miles from Lucerna hee began first to summon the Inhabitants to yeeld vsing faire promises and assuring them of his faith But losing his time hee besieged the Towne the which hee tooke presently and slew all the Inhabitants preseruing the greatest part of the houses to serue him for Garners then hee planted his Campe close vnto the Towne being well ditched and pallisadoed This done hee sends two parts of his Army to gather in the Corne and continued in battaile with the third part as well to guard the Campe as to preuent all oppression of those which gathered in the Corne. They brought in dayly a wonderfull quantity for that the Region was very large and the number of the people in a manner infinite and haruest was now at hand But Marcus Minucius Commander of the Romans in the beginning followed the Carthaginians by the Mountaines hoping hee should sometimes encounter the Enemy in some bad passage But being aduertised that they gathered in the Corne after the taking of Geryona and had seated their Campe neare vnto it hee goes into the plaine and recouers a high Hill vpon the way where hee planted his Campe and there hee studied by what policy hee might fall vpon those which were in battaile But when as Hannibal found the Romans to bee so neare hee sent onely the third part of his Army for Corne and kept the two other parts in the Campe. After which hee plants himselfe nearer vnto the Enemy about two miles from Geryona to the end hee might seeme to bee carefull to defend those which gathered the Corne if they made any attempt against them In the meane time there was a little Hill betwixt the two Campes which was very fit and conuenient for the Carthaginians if they could take it and dangerous for the Romans Hannibal sent Numidians thither in the Night who tooke it But when as Minucins at the breake of day saw that they held it hee puts forth those that were lightly armed and giues an assault vnto the Hill The Combate for a time was very fierce and cruell but in the end the Romans had the best successe for they wonne the Hill by force whither presently the whole Army retired Hannibal continued for some dayes within his Campe for that the Romans were still in front But soone after necessity forced him to send some to feed the Horses for the Baggage and others to the Haruest to the end that as hee had resolued he might not consume that which hee had gotten but might draw together some great quantity of Corne to Winter hauing alwayes a great care the Army should not haue neede of any thing in that time especially the Horses and sumpters for that all his hope and confidence was in the Cauallery Minucius seeing the Enemies dispersed and wandring vp and downe hee drawes his men to field and marching directly against their Campe puts them in battaile and sends the Horse-men with the best Foote-men against the Forragers giuing them charge to kill all and not to receiue any to mercy Hannibal surprized with this suddaine accident durst not put his men in battaile neither could hee succour those that were disperced The Roman Horse-men with those that were lightly armed made a great slaughter of their Enemies thus scattred They likewise which were with Minucius grew so resolute and couragious as they durst in a manner force the Enemies Fort and besiege them Hannibal finding himselfe destitute of counsell and helpe kept himselfe within his Fort which hee guarded with great difficulty when as Asdrubal gathering the Souldiers together which fled to the place where their Campe had formerly beene neere vnto the Walles of Geryona came to succour him with about foure thousand men Then resuming a little courage he comes out of his Fort sauing his Army from that present danger with great difficulty Minucius hauing made a great slaughter before the Emies Fort and not much lesse in the field he retired with a wonderfull hope for the future And three dayes after hee lodged in the Campe abandoned by the Enemies For Hannibal fearing left the Romans by night should lodge in the Campe which he had left neere vnto Geryona and so get all the spoiles he returned thither with speed with his whole Army After this defeate the Carthaginians were more wary how to forrage and goe for Corne and contrariwise the Romans more hardy to vndergoe dangers In the meane time the newes of the victory was according to the vsuall manner
this day is for Townes and treasure if you gaine this battell you shall be Lords of all Italy Finally after so many labours and dangers being deliuered by this alone you shall purchase the felicity of the Romans You shall bee the Head and Emperours of all the World For the effecting whereof there is not any neede of words but of effects By the will of the Gods before it be long you shall all see by experience that I am a man of my promise After these Remonstrances 〈◊〉 commended their resolution he planted his Campe vpon the Riuer-side where the Enemies greatest forces lay The day following hee commaunds them to treate themselues well and to prepare themselues to battaile for the day following And therefore at the third day he passed the Riuer at the Sunne-rising and put his men in battaile But Emilius seeing that his Forces were not equall in that place and knowing that Hannibal would dislodge for want of victuals came not out of his Fort. When as Hannibal had stayed some time there seeing that hee had in vaine called the Enemies forth to fight he retired the rest of his Army to the Campe and sent the Numidians to charge those which came from the Romans lesser Campe to water which they kept and detained from them pursuing them with great cries vnto the Fort. Whereat Varro disdaining much that the Roman Campe should bee annoyed by these men was the more inflamed and encouraged vnto battaile The whole multitude wished nor desired nothing more so much the expectance in all things is tedious And as in the meane time the newes were come to Rome that although the Armies were not lodged in a place to giue battaile yet they were one right against another and that there were dayly encounters all the World entred into great heauinesse and care Certainly the Romans hauing receiued lately wonderfull great losses feared much the future Euery man fore-casts with him selfe what the Romans fortune would bee after the defeate of this Army All the World poured out threats against the Sybils Bookes they saw nothing in the Temples and priuate houses but prodigies and strange signes And therefore the whole Citty was addicted to Prayers to sacrifices to the Gods and to Ceremonies for the Romans are great obseruers as well in publique as in priuate in the time of Warre neither doe they let passe any thing out of their rememberance which in reason they ought to doe Varro to whom the authority belonged the next day at the Sunne-rising drawes forth the Armies out of both the Campes without the priuity of his Companion And parting with those which were in the great Fort hee ioynes vnto them those that were in the lesser Then putting his men in Battaile hee places the Roman Horse-men vpon the right wing which was neerest vnto the Riuer Next to the which continuing the order hee disposeth of the Foote-men with the greatest number of Ensignes and the closest Bands and the Horse-men of the Allies were vpon the left wing and in Front those that were lightly armed They were with their Allies to the number of fourescore thousand Foote and about sixe thousand Horse Hannibal passing the Riuer at the same time sends them of Maiorque and Minâ—rque with those that were lightly armed before and passing the rest of the Army at two places hee plants himselfe before the Enemy ordring the Horse-men of Gaule and Spaine neere vnto the Riuer vpon the left wing against the Roman Horse-men After which he sets Foote-men in the midst of the Affricans who were armed to proofe and after them the Gaules and Spaniards and finally the rest of the Affricans and on the right wing he lodgeth his Numidian Horse-men When he had put his whole Army in order he placeth in the midst the Troupes of Gaules and Spaniards he ordered them in a crooked forme and a weake figure meaning that the Affricans should vndergoe the danger before them as a safegard to the Battaile The Affricans were armed in such sort as you would haue taken it for a Roman Battalion by reason of the Armes which they had gotten at Trebia and at the Lake of Perouza The Gaules and Spaniards carried the like Targets but their Swords differ'd For the Spaniards were short and therefore easie werewith they did both thrust and strike But the Gaules were long and without points It was a strange and terrible thing to see the Gaules naked aboue the waiste and the Spaniards attired in shirts of Linnen wrought with purple after the manner of their owne Countrey There were ten thousand Horse and aboue forty thousand Foote with the succours that came from Gaule Lucius Emilius led the right wing and Tarrentius Varro the left Marcus Attilius and Cneius Seruilius gouerned the Battalion in the midst And as for the Carthaginian Captaines Asdrubal led the left wing Hanno the right and Hannibal was in the middest with his Brother Mago The Romans looked towards the South and the Carthaginians to the North but neither of them were annoyed with the Sunne After they had giuen warning to battaile the encounters and skirmishes were for a time equall But when as the Gaules and Spaniards of the left wing had charged the Romans the Combate was fierce and cruell so as they did not charge and recharge but ioyning together they did fight Foote to Foote and man to man after they had left their Horses There the Carthaginians vanquished and slew most of the Romans fighting valiantly and with great courage In regard of the rest they slew them retiring neare the Riuer without any mercy or compassion And then the Foote-men receiued those that were aduantagiously armed charging one another The Spaniards and Gaules resisted the Romans valiantly for a short time but being forced they retired breaking their Lunary order Then the Roman Battalion pursuing with great courage did easily disorder the Enemies Rankes for that of the Gaules was weake as hauing fortified the hornes being in the midst of the danger Wherefore the hornes and the midst were not equall so as the midst of he Gaules Battalion aduanced farre vpon the hornes like an halfe Moone the crookednesse turning towards the Enemie Finally the Romans pursuing them marcht thorough without any resistance so as at their coÌ„ming they had vpon their Flancks the Affricans that were best armed who couering themselues with their Targets charg'd their Enemies vpon the sides thrusting with their swords So as by the prouidence of Hannibal the Romans were inclosed among the Lybians by the encounter which they had made against the Gaules They did not fight by Battalion but Man to Man or by troupes turning against those which charged them vpon the Flancks And although that Lucius Emilius who commaunded the right wing had beene in the Combat of the Horsemen Yet hee was safe and well meaning therefore that in giuing courage his deedes should bee answerable to his words
time very fearefull These are no strange things but vsuall and well knowne vnto those that doe obserue them Wee likewise see many men in hunting to bee wonderfull hardy against the cruellest sauage Beasts that can bee found whom if you leade to the Warre against the Enemy would be found Cowards and faint hearted You shall likewise finde many in the Warre which are resolute to fight man to man but in pitcht Battaile are of no esteeme It is certaine that the Horse-men of Thessaly being ioyned together are not to bee forc't in a Battaile but if you charge them by small Troupes it is easie to cut them in peeces the which is contrary in the Etoliens They of Candy are the most actiue men in the World as well for Combate at Sea and Land for Ambushes Robberies Rapines surprizes in the Night and for all manner of deceipts But in a pitcht Battaile they are faint-hearted Cowards and of no seruice To whom the Acheins and Macedonians are quite contrary I haue deliuered these things in few words to the end that no man should maruaile nor giue lesse credit to the History if sometimes wee shew that one and the same man hath carried himselfe diuersly in the like affaires Let vs now returne where wee left After the assembly had beene made at Megalapolis of able men for the Warre the Messeniens came againe to the Acheins intreating them to helpe and assist them being so apparently wronged by the Etoliens and desiring withall if it were their good pleasure to bee receiued into their league hereafter to beare the necessary charges for the preseruation thereof The cheife of the Acheins make answere that as for the alliance they could not hearken vnto it for that it was not in their power and ability to receiue or fauour any one without the consent of Philip and the other Allies For that the accord continued yet firme which had beene made in the time of the Cleomenique Warre vnder the command of Antigonus betwixt the Acheins Epirotes Phocenses Macedonians Beociens Arcadians and Thessalians And yet they would willingly giue them succours so as they will giue their Children for hostages vnto the Acheins promising neuer to make peace nor any accord with the Etoliens without the consent of the Acheins It is true the Lacedemonians had drawne downe an Army neere vnto Megalopolis not so much in regard of their Alliance as to see the euent of the Warre When as Arate had thus concluded with the Messeniens he sends an Embassie to the Etoliens signifying vnto them to retire their Army out of the Messeniens Countrey and that hereafter they should doe them no wrong nor touch the Acheins Countrey And if they did otherwise hee declared himselfe their Enemy Scope and Dorimache hauing heard the Embassadours charge and being aduertised of the preparation of the Acheins thought good to yeeld vnto Arate Wherefore they sent Letters presently into Cylene to Aristo chiefe of the Etoliens requiring shipping and two daies after they parted causing the Baggage to march before taking their way towards the Elienses a people which had beene alwayes faithfull to the Etoliens But Arate thinking simply they had gone away as they had resolued gaue leaue to all his Bands to retire vnto their houses and went directly to Patras accompanied onely with three thousand Foote and three hundred Horse which were vnder the charge and command of Taurion to cut off the Enemies retreate Dorimache being aduertised and fearing they should hinder the passage hee sent all the booty with a good Conuoy to the ships giuing charge to those which had the conduct that they should come and meete him at Rhie where he had resolued to imbarke When he had conducted the booty a little way hee presently turnes head and comes to Olympia Being there aduertised that Taurion was about Clitoria with his Troupes fearing that he should not be able to imbarke at Rhie without fighting or danger hee held it best to fight presently with Arate who had but small Troopes and was ignorant of his Enterprize Hee conceiued that hee should make his retreate safely that way which he had resolued if he defeated the Enemy in running the whole Prouince before the Acheins should make a new head and if they fled the Combate for feare hee should passe where hee pleased without danger Dorimache moued with these reasons seated his Campe neere vnto Methydrie which is not farre from Megalopolis The Acheins aduertised of the comming of the Etoliens made so little vse of those things which were visible as they forgot nothing that might augment and increase their folly First in leauing Clitoria they planted their Campe neere vnto Caphies And when as the Etoliens parting from Methydrie had pastat Orchomene the Acheins marcht by the Countrey of the Caphiens being inclosed with a Riuer as with a Rampier The Etoliens fearing to fight with the Enemy according to their first resolution as well for the difficulty of the places for there were before the Riuer Ditches and inaccessible places as for the comming of the Acheins They marcht vnto Oligâ—rte in good order being loath that any one should force them to runnne into danger When as the Bands of Horse-men followed them vpon a Plaine neere vnto them Arate sent the Foot-men that were lightly armed after the Horse-men vnder the conduct of Acarnane giuing them charge to fight with them and to trie the Fortune wherein hee committed a great errour for seeing hee had an intent to fight he should not haue charged them in the Reare for that they were not farre from the Mountaines but in front before they should haue gotten the top By this meanes the Battaile had beene in the Plaine Whereby vndoubtedly the Etoliens had beene defeated by reason of their kind of Armes and order Contrariwise Arate by bad aduice left vnto the Enemies the opportunity of the place and of time which was offred him When as the Etoliens saw the Acheins march they vsed all diligence to gaine the Mountaine making haste to ioyne with their Foote-men Arates men not duely considering what had beene done and being ignorant of the Enemies enterprize when they saw the Horse-men runne they sent those that were lightly armed of two wings thinking it had beene a flight and giue them charge to succour the Horse and Foote Then Arate marched with the rest much discontented making a long wing The Etolien Horse-men approaching to the Foote of the Mountaines began to march a slow pace and called downe their Foote-men with great cries who comming suddainly to succour them and seeing they were not fewer in number then the Enemy they turned head against the Achein Horse-men and charged them for that they had an aduantage in the number of men and the opportunity of the place The Combate was fierce on either side and the victory for a time was in suspence Finally the Achein Horse-men were repuls'd And when
in the Reare he pursued the rest and tooke them and their Towne At the same time Cereâ— being one of Ptolomes Commander left it By the meanes whereof Antiochus gained many other Captaines For soone after Hippolochus of Thessaly came to yeeld himselfe to him with three hundred horse And when he had put a Garrison into Aâ—tabyre he proceeded in his iourney pursuing his enterprize and in passing the Country tooke Pelle Came Gepre In the meane time the people of of Arabia agreeing together followed his party Autiochus growing into greater hope drawing victuals from them went farther into the Country and presently tooke Gallate with the Garrison of the Abillatins of whom Nicie a Kinsman and Allie to Nemne was Commander And although that Gadare which at that time seemed impregnable for its scituation held out yet hee tooke it suddainly in besieging it and setting vp his Engines And hauing newes afterwards that a good number of Enemies were drawne together into Rabatamassane a Towne of Arabia and spoyled all the Arabians Countrey which held his party he went suddainly thither with his Army and planted his Campe neere vnto the Mountaines among the which the Towne is scituated And when vpon a view he had discouered that it was not to be forced but in two places he set vp his Engines and other things necessary to force a Towne whereof he gaue the charge to Nicarchus and Theodote and in the meane time attends his other affaires These men carefull of the Battery striued with emulation who should first ouerthrow the Wall whereupon a great part fell sooner then they could imagine This done they fought continually day and night striuing to lose no time And although the Siege continued long yet they could not preuaile in regard of the multitude of men which defended it vntill that a Prisoner shewed them a little Riuer where the besieged fetch their water the which they stopt vp with Pallisadoesâ— stones and such like things Then being out of hope of water they yeelded to the Enemies By this meanes the King hauing it in his hands he gaue it in guard to Nicarchus with a sufficient strength and he sent Hippolichus and Ceree who as we haue sayd had abandoned Ptolomy into the Countrey of Samaria with fiue thousand Foote giuing them charge to continue there for the defence thereof and to preserue all the people which were vnder his obedience From thence he parts with his whole Army and comes to Ptolomais to passe the Winter there When the Pednelissenses had beene the same Summer besieged by the Selgenses and were in great danger they sent to demand succours from Acâ—eus When he had heard them willingly and promised to doe it they endured the Siege with great courage growing more resolute by the hope of succours Finally Acheus sent Gâ—rsyere with sixe thousand Foot and fiue hundred Horse giuing him charge to vse all diligence to succour the Pednelassenses The Selgenses aduertised by the Spies of his comming recouered the streights which are about a place which they call Eschelle with the greatest part of their Army and stop vp all the passages Garsyere entring by force into Myliade and planting his Campe neare â—nto a Towne called Candois he vsed this stratagem seeing that he could not passe for that the Selgenses kept all the passages He began to raise his Campe and to retire making shew that it was impossible for him to succour the Pednelissenses for that the streights of the Country were held by the Enemy The Selgenses thinking they had beene gone as men despairing to be able to succour them retired some to the Campe the rest returned to the Citty to recouer Victuals But Garsyere comes suddainiy backe to the streights whereas finding them abandoned he set men to guard them vnder the command of Captaine Phayle and from thence hee comes with his forces to Perge whereas staying some time hee sent Embassadours to Pamphilia and the other Townes to acquaint them with the insolency of the Selgenses and to solicite them to enter into league with Acheâ—s and to succour the Pednelissenses The Scâ—genses at the same time sent a Captaine with an Army hoping to chase Phayle from the streights But for that matters succeeded otherwise then they expected and lost many of their men in fighting they gaue ouer their Enterprize yet for all this they did not raise their Siege but were more attentiue then before to set vp their Engines In the meane time the Ettenenses which inhabite the Mountaines aboue Syde sent eight thousand men armed to Garsyere and the Aspendiens foure thousand The Sydetes made no shew to send any succours for that they were Friends to Antiochus and hated the Aspendiens Garsyere came to ednelisse accompanied with the Troupes of the Allies thinking at his comming to raise the Siege But when he saw that the Selgenses were nothing amazed he set himselfe downe neere vnto them The Pednelissenses were so opprest with want of Victuals as they could no longer endure the hunger wherefore Garsyere seeing it necessary to vse diligence prepared two thousand men euery one laden with a Mine of Wheat and sent them by night to the Towne The Selgenses aduertised hereof charged them presently and slew the greatest part of them and tooke all the Wheate Wherewith they grew so glorious as they not onely besieged the Towne but they attempted the Enemies Campe. It is the custome of the Selgenses to bee alwaies bold and audatious Wherefore in leauing sufficient forces in their Campe they suddainly assailed the Enemy in diuers place And when the Alarum grew hot so as the Campe was forced in some places Garsyere amazed at this great and suddaine accident and hauing no great hope hee caused the Horse-men to goe forth by a certaine place which was not guarded whom the Selgenses thinking they had fled for feare of being defeated did not pursue nor made any accompt of them These Horse-men turning a little about charged the Enemy suddainly in the Reare fighting with great fury Then Garsyeres Foot-men who seemed to wauer turned head being re-united and fell vpon the Enemy By this meanes the Selgenses being thus enuironed in the end fled The Pednelissenses taking courage hereat made a sally and beate them out of the Campe which had the guard In the chase Garsyere made a great â—laughter for there were aboue ten thousand men slaine of those which remained the Allies retired to their houses and the Selgenses to their Countrey taking their way by the Mountaines The next day Garsyere parts with his Army and makes haste to passe the Mountaines and to approach the Towne before that the Selgenses being amazed with this fresh flight should prouide for any thing Who being full of heauinesse and feare as well for the little hope they had of succours from their Allies considering the losse they had made with them amazed with this fresh misfortune were in great doubt of safety
should desire according to his power and as reason should require Attalus therefore gaue Hellespont to the Egosages for their abode and after he had intreated the Lampsacenes the Alexandrians and Ilienses courteously for that they had kept their faith he went to Pâ—rgâ—mo with his Army In the beginning of the Spring when Antiochus and Ptolomy had made their preparations for the Warre they made haste to draw their Armies to Field Ptolomy parts from Alexandria with aboue three score and ten thousand Foote and fiue thousand Horse with three score and thirteene Elephants Antiochus hauing newes of their comming hee suddainly drawes his men together His Army consisted of fiue thousand Dains Carmaniens and Ciliciens lightly armed vnder the leading of Bittace a Macedonian and of twenty thousand men after the Macedonian manner whereof the greatest part were Argyraspides who were leuied throughout the Realme vnder the command of Theodote of Etolia who committed the Treason The number of the great Battaillion was about twenty thousand of whom Nicarchus and Theodote surnamed Hemiolia had the leading Moreouer there were two thousand Agreens and Persians Archers and Slingers with whom were a thousand Thracians ouer whom Menedemus Alabandeus was Captaine Moreouer fiue thousand Medians Cissiens Cadyssiens and Carmains which Accius the Sonne of Aspasian of Media had vnder his charge In regard of the Arabians and their neighbours they were vnder the command of Zabdibel to the number of ten thousand men or more On the other side Hippulochus of Thessaly had the leading of fiue thousand Grecians Mercenaries and Eurilochus of fifteene hundred Candyots Zelysgorgyne had a thousand Candyots newly leuied to the which were ioyned fiue hundred Lydiens with Slings Lysimachus the Gaule had a thousand Cardaces Finally the whole Cauallery amounted to sixe thousand Horse of which Antipater the Kings Nephew had the charge of foure thousand and Themison of the rest By this meanes Antiochus his Army consisted of three score and two thousand Foote sixe thousand Horse and a hundred and two Elephants Ptolomy taking his way by Damietta hee made that Towne subiect vnto him at his entrance From whence after a plentifull distribution of Corne among the Souldiers hee parted and passeth Cassia and Bathra comming by the desert Countries Being come to Gaza and hauing assembled his Army he marcht slowly in the Countrey planting himselfe on the fift day within fifty Furlongs of Raphia which is a Towne scituated behind Rhinococure and first of those of Syrria which looks towards Egypt At the same time Antiochus armed with his Army and passing that Towne by night he planted his Army within ten furlongs of his Enemy In the beginning they kept themselues distant so far one from another But some few daies after Antiochus desiring to get some place of aduantage and to giue courage to his men hee lodged neerer vnto the enemy so as there were but fiue Furlongs betwixt the two Campes So as going to forrage and to Water there were many encounters on the other side sometimes the Foote-men and sometimes the Horse-men skirmished betwixt the two Campes trying the Fortune of the Warre At the same time Theodote shewed the great courage of a true Etolâ—en For being by long experience acquainted with the Kings manner of liuing hee entred at the breake of day into the enemies Camp and could not be discouered by his Countenance for that it was yet darke Neither did hee differ much from them in his Apparrell for that they vsed diuers fashions of habits Hauing formerly obserued the place where the Kings Tent was planted for that they had fought often neere vnto the Campe hee went directly to it When hee had past vnknowne and was come secretly to the Tent in the which the King did vsually eate and drinke Where casting his lookes carefully about him he saw him not for he was lodged in a place retired behind it so as hee wounded two that were lodged there and killing Andrew the Kings Phisition hee retired without danger to his Campe bringing his enterprize to an end by his hardy courage But deceiued in his fore-sight for that hee had not well obserued the place where as Ptolomy did vsually lye When the Kings had continued in Campe fiue daies together one before the other they resolued in the end to giue Battaile Ptolomy beginning to draw his Army out of his Fort Antiochus suddainely did the like And they planted their two chiefe Battalions in Front one against the other armed after the Macedonian manner Behold the order which Ptolomy held for the two Wings Polycrates was in the right Wing with the Horse-men that were vnder his charge Betwixt the which and the great Battalion were the Candyots placed neere vnto the Horse-men After which was the Kings battalion and subsequently those that were armed with Targets whereof Socrates had the Commaund And finally the Lybians armed after the Macedonian manner Vppon the right Wing was Echecrates of Thessaly hauing with him his Troupe of Horses After which were appointed the Galates and Thracians and then Phoxide with the Mercenaries of Greece being followed by the great Battalion of the Egyptians Hee had also placed forty Elephants on the left Wing with the which Ptolomy were before the right Wing neere vnto the horse-men that were hired Antiochus on the other side placed on the right Wing with the which hee was resolued to fight in Battaile against Ptolomy threescore Elephants Of which his companion Philip had the Charge After these hee orders two thousand Horse vnder the leading of Antipater and sets the Candyots in Front neere vnto the Horse-men Then hee appoints the Mercenaries of Greecâ— and after then were fiue thousand men who armed after the Macedonian manner had Byttice for their Captaine As for the left Wing hee placed two thousand horses in Front vnder the Commaund of Temison Neere vnto which hee sets the Cardaces and Lydien Horse-men and after them three Thousand men lightly armed vnder the charge of Menedemus in whose Reare were the Cissiens Mediens and Carmaniens And after them the Arabians were ioyned to the great Battalion Finally hee sets before the left Wing the rest of the Elephants giuing them for their Guide one Myisce a Houshold seruant to the King The two Armies being thus in battaile the Kings beganne to encourage their Troupes being accompanied with their Captaines and friends commending the valour of the Souldiers both in generall and particular And hauing great hope of their Battalions they propounded great benefits which would redowne by the Victory Ptolomy had with him his sister Arsinoe with Andromachus and Soâ—ibius who encouraged the Souldiers And Theodote and Nicarchus were with Antiochus for that of either side they were the Commaunders of the two great Battalions They were both of one humour to make Speeches vnto their men and yet neither of them had done any thing worthy of fame or praise to be propounded for that they were newly
And to a ciuill man that wherein they Discourse of the Actions of Nations Citties and Potentates whereunto applying our selues plainly and disposing all our Treaty to these things wee direct and guide our selues by a certaine kinde of Discourse as wee haue formerly promised It is true wee direct most Readers to that which is not much pleasing and delightfull Finally wee haue at large deliuered the cause why in reproouing the other parts of a History wee will thus write the Actions There is no hinderance that for the better expressing and declaration wee should not briefly aduertise the Reader heereof But as many of these things are related in diuers manners of Genealogies Fables and Collonies and moreouer of Races Alliances and Possessions it will be necessary for him that would Write to speake consequently of strange things as proper which were an infamous thing Or if he will not hee must labour in vaine in promising publiquely to pursue and Comment of those things which haue bin sufficiently declared and deliuered to posterity by the ancient For this cause and for many others we haue left them receiuing a relation of Actions For that first that as many new things offer themselues often so it is very necessary to vse a new kinde of Discourse The which happens not in the beginning of the Relation so as we deliuer the subsequent Actions And secondly for that this kinde hath beene before and is most profitable by the which the experience of things and Policies haue so much preuailed with vs as they which haue a desire to know the Actions may helpe themselues by an easie way in all that which happens by the course of time Wherefore hauing no such regard to the pleasure and delight of those which shall reade and peruse our Commentaries as to the profit of the Hearers we haue leauing the other parts fixed vpon this Finally they which shall diligently consider of our Commentaries wil be more certaine witnesses When as Hannibal had inclosed the Campe of Appius Claudius being at the siege of Capoua at the first hee vsed skirmishes seeking to draw the Enemy to Battaile But when as no man presented himselfe in the end he besieged them which was an Enterprize wherein hee was frustrated aswell as of the first although the Horse-men of the Wings assailed them in Troupes casting Darts into their Campe with great cries And the foote-men charge them by Bands labouring to breake the Pallisado Yet they could not diuert the Romans from their former resolution repulsing those which assailed the Pallisadoe with great strength and Courage And being well armed they went not out of the Campe with their Ensignes Hannibal bearing these things impatiently and the rather for that the Romans could not any way bee annoyed from the Towne studied what order he might take for the present Affaires For my part I thinke that the case falling out thus seemes to haue made not onely the Carthaginians to doubt but all other men to whom the knowledge thereof hath come Who will not wonder hearing how the Romans haue often beene vanquished by the Carthaginians and durst not present themselues nor fight with them haue not abandoned their Fort beeing in the open field It is certaine that in times past they had alwayes Camped onely at the bottome or foote of Mountaines against the Enemies But now being in a faire Plaine and in the openest place of all Italy besieging a strong Towne they were assailed by them of all sides against whom they durst not once thinke or immagine to make head being so much disheartned And although the Carthaginians preuailed continually fighting yet they were no lesse annoyed by the vanquished Finally I hold this to be the cause that they consider the Enterprize one of another That is to say that the Troupes of Hannibals Horse-men purchased the Victory to the Carthaginians and a defeate to the Romans Wherefore the vanquished made suddaine sallies after the fight They also lodg'd their Troupes in such a place as the Horse-men could not annoy them The case falling out thus neere vnto Capoua was common to them both The Romans in trueth durst not come foorth to fight beeing terrified with the Enemies horse They kept themselues within their Fort knowing well that the Cauallery vanquishing them in fight they could not annoy them The Carthaginians likewise could not with reason stay long with so great a number of Horses For that the Romans had for that â—ause wasted the whole Countrey Neither could they giue order to haue Hay and Barley brought on Horse-backe so great a way vnto their Cauallery and Sumpters Neither durst the Carthaginians besiege the Enemy without Horse being fortified with Ditches and Pallisadoes Against the which in fighting without Winges vppon an equall danger they should hazard an vncertaine Fortune They feared likewise that the Roman Subiects would ioyne with them and succour them and that cutting of their necessary Victualls they would draw him into great distresse Hannibal considering these things hauing opinion that they could not raise the siege directly he takes another aduice Finally he makes his reckoning that if in stealing away suddainly he should shew himselfe about Rome he might do something that might be profitable for the Carthaginians affaires the inhabitants beeing amazed with such a new accident Or if that did not succeede hee should force Appius Army to raise the sâ—ege to succour and supply their Countrey or else foorth-with diuide themselues so as they which should succour the Country and they which remained at the siege would be easie to vanquish Considering these things hee sent a certaine Lybian messenger to Capoua perswading him to retire to the Romans and so into the Citty prouiding wisely by this meanes that his Letters might bee safely carried He feared much that the Capouans seeing his departure would yeilde following the Romans party as destitute of hope For this cause hee acquaints them with his intention by Letters for the which he sends the Lybian after the departure of his Army to the end that knowing his resolution and dislodging they should maintaine the siege couragiously When as they which besieged Capoua had intreated the people of Rome for assistance that Hannibal held them besieged they were all in great doubt and feare for that the present Affaires required a finall end and therefore they sought by frequent Embassies and attempts to assist that party concerning the Generall The Capouans on the other side after they had receiued the Letters by the Lybian and knowne the Carthaginians aduice hold good against the Enemy resoluing to aduenture and trie their Fortune Wherefore Hannibal hauing fedde his Army the fifth day after his comming and leauing fires burning he rais'd his Campe so as he was not discouered by the Enemy Taking then the difficult way by the Saunitide discouering gaining by his Cauallery the nearest places to his way he past the Riuer of Annion secretly whilest that the Inhabitants of Rome were
to arme Asdrubal being then forced to drawe the valiantest of his men to field against the Romans being yet fasting without preparation and in haste both the Foot-men and Horse-men and to plant his Army of Foot-men not farre from the Mountaines and the Ordonance in the Plaine as they had beene accustomed The Romans stayed some time but for that the day was well aduanced and that the Combat of either side was vncertaine and equall and that there was danger that they which should be prest turning head would retire vpon their Battalions then Scipio retiring the Skirmishers by the space betwixt the Ensignes he diuides them vpon the wings after those which had beene formerly appointed Then he giues order to assaile the Enemy in Front first to the Iauelings and then with Horse-men and being a Furlong from the Enemy he commands the Spaniards which were in Battaile to march in the same order and that they should turne the Ensignes vpon the right hand and they of the left doing the contrary And when he began on the right side Lacius Marcus and Marcus Iunius led three braue Troups of Horse-men on the left hand and before were those which were lightly armed and accustomed to the Warre with three Bands of Foot-men the Romans call a Band of Foot-men a Cohort to whom the Targetteers ioyned on the one side and the Archers on the other In this sort they marched against the Enemy making by this meanes an attempt with effect considering the continuall repaire of those which ioyned with them by files As by chance these men were not farre from the Enemy and that the Spaniards which were on the wing were farther off as they which matched a slow pace they make an attempt vpon the two Battalions of the Enemy drawne in length with the Roman forces according to that which had beene resolued in the beginning The following alterations by the meanes whereof it happened that they which followed ioyned with the former encountring the Enemies in a direct line had betwixt them diuers orders so as the right Battalion had on the left side the Foot-men mingled with the Horse For the Horse-men which were on the right wing mingling with the Iauelings of the Foot lightly armed laboured to inclose the Enemies The Foot-men on the other side couered themselues with their Targets They which on the left hand were in the Troups charged with their Iauelings and the Hors-men accompanied with the Archers with their full speed By this motion there was a left wing made of the right wing of the Horse-men and of the most valiant Souldiers of the two Battalions But the Commander made no great accompt being more carefull to vanquish the enemy with the other Battalion wherein he had good iudgement We must know things as they are done and vse a fit obseruation according to the occasion offered By the charge of these men the Elephants assailed by the Archers and the Horse-men with Darts and Iauelings and tormented of all sides were wounded making as great a spoile of their Friends as of their Enemies For they ran vp and downe and ouer-threw men of all sides breaking the Carthaginian Battalions In regard of that of the Lybians which held the middle part and was of great seruice it stood idle vnto the end For not able to succour those which on the wings abandoned the place by reason of the Spaniards charge nor remaining in their station doe that which necessity required for that the Enemies which they had in Front did not giue them Battaile It is true that the wings fought for a time valiantly Considering that all was in danger And as the heare was vehement the Carthaginians brake seeing that the end of the Combate succeeded not according to their desire and that their chiefest preparation was hindred The Romans on the other side had the aduantage both in force and courage and in that principally that by the prouidence of the Generall the best furnished among the Carthaginians were made vnprofitable Wherefore Asdrubal being thus prest retired in the beginning with a slow pace from the Battaile Then turning in Troupe he recouered the neighbour Mountaines And when as the Romans pursued them neare they posted to their Pallisadoe If some God had not preserued them they had suddainly lost their Fort. But for that the disposition of the Aire changed and the raine fell continually with violence the Romans could hardly recouer their Fort. And although that Publius Scipio had sufficient experience of the Warre yet he neuer fell into so great a doubt and perplexity the which happened not without reason For as wee may fore-see and preuent exteriour causes and discommodities of the Body as cold heate labour and wounds before they happen and cure them when they come being on the other side difficult to fore-see those which proceed from the Body and are hardly cureable when they happen we must iudge the same of policies and Armies It is true there is a speedy meanes and helpe to preuent the Warres and Ambushes of Strangers when they are contriued But against those which the Enemy doth practise in the State as seditions and mutinies the Phisicke is difficult and requires a great dexterity and singular industry in the gouernment of affaires But in my opinion one aduice is necessary for all Armies Cities and bodies politique which is that in that which concernes the things aboue mentioned they neuer suffer too much sloth and idlenesse especially in time of prosperity and the abundance of all things necessary Scipio as a man of excellent diligence and consequently industrious and actiue to mannage great affaires propounded a certaine course to decide the present combustions after he had assembled the Captaines of thousands He gaue order that they should promise vnto the Souldiers the restitution of the victuals and taxes and to giue credit to his promise they should leuie the ordinary taxes ordained in Cities diligently and openly for the reliefe of the whole Army to the end it might be apparent that this preparation was made for the institution of their Victuals And that moreouer the Milleniers should command the Commissaries of the Victuals and admonish them to haue a care and to take charge of the Victuals and that conferring among themselues they should make knowne if part of them or altogether would vndertake it He sayd that they must consider of that which was to be done The others thinking of the same things had a care of the Treasure And when as the Milleniers had made knowne the things which had beene ordayned Scipio being aduertised imparted vnto the Councell that which was to be done They concluded that they should resolue on the day when they were to appeare So as the people should be sent backe and the Authors seuerely punished who were to the number of fiue and thirty And when the Day was come and the Rebels there present as well to obtaine pardon as for their Victuals
all amazed and terrified by these accidents The Authors of these mischiefes being whipt and slaine and drawne through the midst of them the rest were assured in common by the Commander and Princes that no man hereafter should be punished by any man for the remembrance of this fact Wherefore they came all to the Milleniers and sweare absolutely to obey the Commandments of the Princes and not to consent to any thing against the City of Rome When as Scipio had corrected the Mischiefe newly growne hee settles his Army in its former estate Then suddainly drawing it together within Carthage he made his complaints of the rashnesse and wickednesse of Andobale towards them and after he had made a long speech of his disloyalty he incensed the hearts of many against the sayd Potentate Finally he put them in minde of their encounters against the Spaniards and Carthaginians whilest they were vnder the Carthaginian Commanders Of whom as they had beene alwayes victorious there was no cause he sayd to be in doubt or feare but that comming againe to fight with the Spaniards vnder Andobale they would be defeated Wherefore he sayd he would make no more vse of the Spaniards to fight and that hee would vndergoe the danger with the Romans alone to the end it may be manifest to all the world that wee haue not chased the Carthaginians out of Spaine with the helpe of Spaniards but by a Roman vertue and that by our owne dexterity wee haue vanquished them with the Celtiberians This Speech being ended hee perswaded them to liue in Concord and that they would vndertake this present danger if euer they vndertooke any with great assurance In regard of the meanes of the victory he assures them that with the helpe of the Gods he will take order The Commons conceiued so great a courage and confidence as all of them carryed a countenance like vnto those which behold their Enemies and prepare to fight His words being ended hee sent backe the assembly The next day hee raiseth his Campe and marcheth and being come on the tenth day to a Riuer he passeth it foure dayes after then he plants himselfe before the Enemies hauing recouered a certaine Plaine betwixt his Campe and theirs The day following he sent forth towards the Enemy vpon the Plaine some Cattell which followed the Army and commands Caius to keepe certaine Horse-men in a readinesse and to the Chiefe of the Milleniers to prepare Archers and Slingers When the Spaniards had fallen suddainly vpon the Cattell he sent certaine Souldiers that were Archers The Combat beginning and the Souldiers running vnto it on either side in good numbers there grew a great Skirmish of Foot-men neare vnto the Plaine When a fit occasion was offred to assaile the Enemy and that Caius had his Horse-men ready as he had commanded him he chargeth the Foot-men and repulseth them from the Plaine to the places neare vnto the Mountaines to the end they might be scattred and slaine in great numbers When this happened the Barbarians were moued fearing that being vanquished in skirmish before they came to the Battaile they should seeme to haue fainted wherefore at the Sun-rising they drew their Army in good order to Field preparing for the Battaile Publius Scipio was ready to giue it But when hee saw the Spaniards descend without reason into the Plaine and not onely to put their Hors-men in order but also their Foot he stayed to the end that a greater number might assemble in this order of Battaile hauing confidence in his Cauallery and much more in his Foot-men for that they should come to an equall Combat and fight hand to hand and that the Armes and men which he had were more excellent then the Spaniards But for that it seemes necessity prest him he directed his Army against those which were in Battaile against the Mountaine drawing foure Cohorts out of the Campe towards those that were descended into the Plaine Finally Caius Lelyus led his Horse-men against the Enemy by the Hils which come from the Campe vnto the Plaine and chargeth the Spaniards Horse in the Reare and in fighting stayes them to the end they should not succour their Foot The Enemies Foot being destitute of the helpe of their Cauallery in whom hauing put their trust they had descended into the Plaine were forced and annoyed in the Combate the which likewise happened to the Horse-men For when as inclosed in the streight they could not fight at ease their defeate was greater then that of the Enemy for that their Foot-men were on the side and their Enemies in Front and their Horse-men were charged in the Reare The Combat being after this manner they which descended were in a manner all defeated They which were ioyning vnto the Mountaine fled They were the most valiant and the third part of the Army with whom Andobale escaped recouering a certaine Fort. Scipio hauing ended the Warres of Spaine drew to Tarracona to carry a great triumph of ioy and a glorious Victory to his Countrey Desiring them to be present at the Creation of Consuls hee sayles to Rome being accompanied by Caius deliuering the Army to Iunius and Marcus hauing giuen order for all the affaires of Spaine Of King Antiochus IT was in truth Ewthydemes Magnes to whom he answered saying that Antiochus laboured to chase him out of his Kingdome vniustly and that he had not rebelled to the end he might enioy the Principality of the Bactrians And when he had vsed a long speech tending to that end hee intreated Teleus that by his meanes he might obtaine a truce and that he would informe Antiochus that hee did not enuy his royall Name For that if he did not yeeld to his accords neither of them should liue in safety For there was a great descent of Tartariens which would be dangerous to either of them and if they entred the Region it would vndoubtedly be reduced vnder the subiection of Barbarians These words being ended hee sends Teleus to King Antiochus When the King had long ruminated to what end this businesse would tend he heard the proposition which was made by Teleus concerning a truce When Teleus was returned going and comming often from the one to the other Euthydemes in the end sent his Sonne Demetrius to confirme the Accord Whom when the King had receiued graciously and holding the Young man worthy to reigne as well for his outward shew as for his excellent dexterity of Eloquence hee first promiseth to giue him one of his Daughters and to his Father the Name of King Finally after hee had past in writing the Pactions and Accords sworne he raiseth his Campe and sends Victuals freely to his Army When hee had receiued the Elephants which Euthydemes had sent hee passeth Mount Caucasus and after that hee came into India he renewed the League with Sophasine King of the Indies where after he had receiued an hundred and fifty Elephants and had againe giuen Victuals
sends those which were vnder the charge of Archidamus and of the Eupolemus and two Tribunes with fiue hundred Horse and two thousand Foote At whose comming they which in the beginning did but skirmish resuming courage presently put on another kind of Combate The Romans relying vpon their Succours double their forces for the fight And although the Macedonians defended themselues brauely yet they sent vnto the King being prest and annoyed by their Armes and for their refuge recouered the tops of the Mountaines And when as Philip had no hope but that they should be able that day to giue Battaile with all their Forces for the fore-sayd Causes hee had sent many of his men to forrage But when he was aduertised of that which happened by those which hee had sent and that the mist was past hee sent Heraclides the Gyrtonien Chiefe of the Thessalian Horse and Leon Commander of the Macedonian Cauallery Hee likewise sent Athenagórus with all the Mercenaries exept the Thracians Who being come to the Ambush and the Macedonians much re-inforced they made head against the Enemy and repuls'd the Romans from the Hills The Dexterity of the Etolien Horse did much hinder the Enemies from turning head They fought in truth with great courage and confidence The Etoliens in regard of the Foote-men are faint both in their Armes and Ordonance for a Combat in Field But their Horse-men are excellent aboue all the other Grecians in particular and separated Combats Wherefore it happened that for that they had stayed the violence and fury of the Enemy they could not so soone recouer the Plaine but stayed for a time in Battaile But when as Titus saw not onely the most valiant and his Horse-men retire but also his whole Troupes to bee dismayed hee drawes his whole Army to Field and puts them in order vpon the Hills At the same instant they which were in Guard ran hastily one after another to Philip crying out vnto him Sir the Enemies flye lose not this occasion The Barbarians seeke vs not This day is yours imbrace the time and by this meanes they â—nâ—ire and stirre vp Philip to Battaile although the scituation of the place did not content and please him For the sayd Hills which they call Dogs-head are rough difficult of all sides and high Wherefore when as Philip had formerly fore-seene the vnequalnesse of the places hee had not in the beginning made any preparation vnto Battaile But beeing then prouoked by the great confidence of the aduertisements hee drawes his Army with all speede out of the Fort. In regard of Titus hee orders his Troupes and Bands for the Battaile and followes them close which began the Skirmish making remonstrances vnto the Battalions as hee turned His Speech was short plaine and intelligible to the Hearers Propounding then the cause hee sayd vnto his Souldiers Are not these O Companions the same Macedonians who formerly holding in Macedony the top of the Mountaines towards Heordia you haue forced with Sulpicius and chased from thence with the defeate of the greatest part of them Are not these the same Macedonians who being seazed vpon the difficult places of Epirus and leauing no hope of approach you haue chased by your prowesse and forced to flye into Macedony abandoning their Armes What reason is there then that you should feare the same men with whom you are to enter into an equall Combate To what end doe we propound vnto you precedent actions to consider on but that in regard of them you should fight more confidently Wherefore Companions attend the Battaile with resolution giuing courage one to another I hold for certaine that with the good pleasure of the Gods the end of this Battaile will soone bee the conclusion of the precedent When Titus had vsed these Speeches hee commands the right Wing of his Army not to budge setting the Elephants before them And assailes the Enemy with great courage with the left Wing being accompanied by the most valiant They which among the Romans had began the Fight shewing their courage prest the Enemies hauing beene relieued by some Troupes of Foot-men And when as at the same time Philip saw that the greatest part of his Army was in order of Battaile before the Pallisadoe hee marcheth taking the Targetteers and the Battalion of the right Wing and ascends the Hills with speede giuing charge to Nicanor whom hee called Elephant to command the rest of the Army to follow close As soone as the first had recouered the top hee defends the Battalion setting the Targets before and seazed vpon the higher Countrey And when as the Macedonians prest the Romans much vpon the two flankes of the Hills he discouered the tops to bee abandoned As he fortified the right Wing of his Army it happened that the Souldiers were much annoyed by the Enemy For when they they which were best armed were ioyned vnto the most valiant of the Romans and succoured them in this fight they prest the Enemies much and flew many As the King was there in the beginning and saw the Combat of the valiant men not to be farre from the Campe hee reioyced againe when hee saw them decline and to haue neede of Succours hee was forced to send them and at that instant to hazard a Battaile although that many of the Troupes of his Army were yet vpon the way and approached to the Hills And in taking the Souldiers hee rankes them all as well on foote as Horsebacke on the right Wing commanding the beares of Burtheâ—s and the Battalions to double the Front of their Rankes and to stand close vpon the right hand This being done when as the Enemies ioyned with them hee commanded the Battalion that bending downe their Iauelings they should match in order and mingle with the strongest At the same instant when as Titus had retired those which had bagunne the Fight to the spaces which were betwixt the Ensignes he chargeth the Enemy The Combat beginning on eyther side with great fury and clamour all crying together yet those which were without the fight crying vnto the rest the Battaile was made very horrible and cruell and it shewed the force of the Combat Philips right Wing carryed it selfe valiantly in this Battaile charging the Enemy from aboue hauing an aduantage in their order which finally for the present fight was much more commodions in regard of the diuersity and seuerall sorts of Armes In regard of the rest of the Army some were ioyned vnto the Enemy fighting a farre off others shewed themselues vpon the left hand hauing gotten the toppes of the Hils When as Tytus saw and did well perceiue that his men could not indure the force of the Enemies battallion and those of the right wing to be repuls'd and some seaine and others to retire by degrees and that all his hope of safety consisted in the right Wing hee goes speedily vnto them and considers the Enemies order When hee saw some succeed in their places
iudgement The Cape whereon Carthage stands is ioyned to Affricke like vnto a crooked backe and is very stony with Mountaines full of wood whereas the wayes are very vneasie and inaccessible they being most of them made by the hand of man And therefore Matho had seized vpon all the little Hills that were vpon the way and had planted good Garrisons Moreouer hâ—e passed the Riuer which they call Machera the which hath high banks and a very swift course and cannot be past but by a Bridge vpon the which stands the Towne of Sephyra the which Matho did likewise hold By this meanes the paâ—â—ages of Affricke were not onely shut vp from the Carthaginian Army but also from a priuate person The which Amilcar considering and trying all meanes to passe into Affricke in the end hee vsed this inuention Hee had obserued that sometimes the course of this Riuer was so stopt by the Winde as the mouth of it ouerflowed and made in a manner a great poole and at that time it had no great fall into the Sea Wherefore hee was of opinion that at this season they might passe it neere vnto the Sea Hee kept this secret and onely made necessary preparation for the Army to march Hee carefully attended the opportunity of the time and then appointed his Army to part secretly in the Night and to passe the Riuer But at the breake of day the Enemy and they that were in the Towne were wonderfully amazed at this passage In the meane time Amilcar march'd with his Army directly to those which held Sephyra When as Spendius had the news that Amilcars Campe had past he presently makes haste with his forces to succour his men Behold how the two Campes succoured one another There were 10000. men in Sephyra neere vnto the Bridge and about 15000 in Bisarthe These thinking they might easily compasse in the Carthaginians if they all marcht against them at one instant some in front and the other at their backes suddainly they tooke courage and marcht against Amilcar with all their Troopes who 〈…〉 the fore-ward then the Horse and the Souldiers that were lightly armed and vpon the Reare 〈…〉 But when hee saw the Enemies charge his men couragiously he presently changed the order of his Army and turned it quite contrary So as they which were in the fore-ward returned backe making shew of some flâ—ght and they which were in the Reare taking another way marcht directly to the fore-ward The which the 〈◊〉 seeing who assailed the Carthaginians on eithâ—â— side and thinking that the Enemies amazed at this 〈◊〉 had fled they began to purâ—ue them without order and came suddainly to fight But when as they saw the Horse-men approach and the other Battalions to fall vpon them with great fury amâ—zed at this new manner of War they were soone broken and in the end flying away â—ome were defeated by the Legionaries who charged them vpon the 〈◊〉 with great slaughter others by the Elephants and Horse-men who entred after the Legionaries There were sixe thousand men slaine and about two thousand taken the rest saued themselues by flight some in the Towne of Sephyra the rest retired to the Campe before Bifarthe After this good foâ—tune Amilcar pursued those which had gotten into Sephyra the which he tooke at his comming for the Souldiers that were within it fled presently to Tunes and from thence running ouer the Prouince he tooke diuers Townes whereof some were won by breach and assault By this meanes thâ— Câ—rthaginians who before were deiected and without hope tooke heart and recouered their ancient courage At that time Matho held Hippona besieged and had peâ—swaded Spendius and Autarice Captaine of the Gaules to pursue the Enemy and that flying the Plaines by reason of the multitude of Elephants and Horse-men they should keepe the foote of the Mountaines and not to goe farre from them vpon any occasion that should be offered Moreouer he sends often to the Numidians and Lybians solieiâ—ing and intreating them to giue him succours and not to lose so great an opportunity to restore Affrick to liberty Spendius then hauing made choice of sixe thousand old Souldiers out of the Campe which was at Tunes lodged continually neere vnto the Enemy keeping the foote of the Mountaines Moreouer he had the Gaules with him which were vnder the charge of Autarice to the number of about two thousand men for the rest of their Troope which was in Sicily had retired to the Romans during the siege of Erix Whilest that Amilcar stayed with his Army in a Plainâ— wholly inuironed with Mountaines there came great supplies of Numidians and Affricans to Spendius By this meanes the Carthaginian Army was besieged with three Camps The Affricans were in front the Numidians vpon their taile and Spendius on the side Hannibal was long in suspence what counsell hee should take being thus beset There was at that time among the Numidians a certaine man called Naraue of a noble and aunciâ—nt extraction and of a Royall courage Hee had alwayes beene fauourable vnto the Carthaginians keeping his Fathers affection and who then had succoured them for that Amilcar was chosen their Captaine Thinking new to haue found a good opportunity to purchase their friendship he marched directly to the Campe accompanied with about an hundred Numidians being neere vnto it he makes a stand giuing them a signe with his hand that he would parley Amilcar wondring at his great boldnesse sends an Horse man vnto him to whom he sayd that he was come to speake with the Commaunder of the Army And as Amilcar stood still in doubt and could not beleeue him the Numidian leanes his Horse his Lance and his Company and goes directly vnto him without any feare for amazement The whole Army wondred and were amaâ—ed at this Numidians great confidence Finally being called to parley he told him that he had alwayes borne a great affection to the Carthaginians and that he had long desired the Friendship of Amilcâ—â— Moreouer that he was come to doe him seruice and to put himselfe and his estate faithfully into his hands vpon all occasions Amilcar hearing this Speech was so ioyfull as well for the boldnesse of this young Man who had presented himselfe so confidently vnto him as for the plainenesse of his Speech that he not onely made him Companion of his fortunes but protested and vowed vnto him to giue him his Daughter in keeping his faith to the Carthaginians After this discourse Naraue retired to his men and within three dayes after returned to Amilcar with two thousand men which he had vnder his charge The Carthaginians being fortified with this troope Amilcar durst fight with the Enemy Spendius likewise supplied with Numidians and Affricans drawes his Army into the Plaine and without any long stay comes to the Combate which was cruell Finally the Carthaginians relying in the multitude of their Elephants and likewise Naraue performing his duty well
proud Spirit hath past the bounds of Reason Of which things the beginning and the greatest part proceedes from the lewd life and bad breeding of Youth There are other things which adde much vnto it and namely the Couetousnes and cruelty of the Captaynes All which Vices were found at that time in this Army and especially in the Commaunders In the meane time Amilcar bearing the enemies outrages impatiently caused Hanno another Captayne Generall for the Carthaginians to come vnto him imagining that when the whole Army were together the Warre would be the more easily ended Finally he caused the enemies which were then taken or afterwards to bee cruelly slaine or deuoured by Beasts hoping that the Warre would then haue an end if he might put them all to Death As the Carthaginians seemed at that time to be in better hope Fortune suddainly changed so as their Affaires beganne to impaire and grow worse For as soone as these two Captaines were ioyned together they fell into such dissention as they not onely lâ—â—t pursuing the enemy but gaue them great occasions of their owne defeate For which causes the Carthaginians being mooued they sent word that one of them should returne to the Citty and that hee which the Souldiers loued best should remayne in the Campe. They had also another inconuenience For their great shippes wherewith they brought Corne and other necessaries to the Campe were in a manner all broken in a storme Moreouer Sardinia from whence they were wont to draw great succours for the affaires of Warre was lost for them as we haue sayd And to the end their miseries should be full the Townes of Hippona and Bisarthe which alone among all the people of Affrick had kept their Faith inuiolable to the Carthaginians not only in this War but in that of Agathocles and in the time of the Romanes reuolted then not onely ignominiously from the Affricanes but also shewed them suddainly a wonderfull Affection and Loue And to the Carthaginians an implacable hatred casting into the Ditches all the Carthaginians with their Captaines which were there for their Guard to the number of fiue hundred after they had cruelly slayne them And they deliuered the Towne and would not render the Bodies to the Citizens of Carthage to interre them By this meanes Spendius and Matho grew more insolent and layed siege before Carthage Amilcar at that time had Hannibalâ—or â—or a companion in his charge whom the Carthaginians sent him when as the Souldiers left Hanno to whom during the dissention of the Captaines the people of Carthage left a power to retayne whom they pleased Amilcar accompanied by Hannibal and Naraue ouer-ran the whole Prouince cutting off the Victuals from the enemy wherein the Numidian Naraue did him great seruice This was the estate of their Campes The Carthaginians being thus opprest by their enemies were forced to craue succours from their Allies to whom at that time Hieron of Saragosse sent them great assistance supplying them with whatsoeuer they demaunded For he was of opinion that the preseruation of the Carthaginians was necessary for him as well for the safety of his estate as to entertayne the friendship of the Romanes to the end that after the ruine of Carthage they might easily do whatsoeuer they pleased without contradiction This was wisely considered of him For in truth no Man must seeme carelesse of such things neyther must they suffer any one to grow to so great a power as he shall haue cause euer after to feare a manifest iniustice The Romans also bound by the Articles of the peace did what they could possibly to relieue them It is true that in the beginning there was some dissention for thâ— causes which follow When the Carthaginians were first besieged they tooke about fiue hundred Men who â—ayling from Italy for gayne were taken and put in prison The people of Rome tooke this in ill part But when as soone after they had sent an Embassie for this cause the Carthaginians freed them and intreated them curteously This was so pleasing vnto the Romanes as presently they deliuered all the Prisoners which they had yet remayning since the Warres of Sicily without Ransome succouring them still whensoeuer they required it and suffered their Merchants to carry them Corne forbidding them to furnish the enemies Campe with any Victuals Moreouer at such times as the old Souldiers of Sardinia reuolted agaynst the Carthaginians they would not giue Audience to their Embassadours who were sent to deliuer them the Island A while after they would not receiue the Bisarthins who would in like manner haue giuen themselues vnto them For that they would not in any sort infringe the Articles of the Peace The Carthaginians thus relieued by the succours of their Allies indured the siege more easily Matho and Spendius were no lesse besieged than they did besiege For Amilcar had reduced them to such great want of all things as they were in the end forced to raise the siege Soone after they made choyse of the ablest Men of all their bands to the number of fifty Thousand and went presently to seeke out Amilcar Moreouer they kept not the plaines fearing the Elephants and the Horse men whereof Naraue had the Charge but striuing still to gaine the high and inaccessible places during the which although they were as strong and hardy as the Carthaginians yet they were often beaten for that they vnderstood not the practise of Warre Then they might easily iudge what difference there is betwixt the good conduct of a Captaine and the ouer-weaning of a Multitude He separated some and inclosed others by his industry being forced by their priuate necessity He also defeated many by Ambushes in full fight Somâ—times he terrified the enemies falling vppon them by surprize All such as were taken aliue were cast vnto the Beasts Finally he lodged about his enemies to their great disaduantage and to the benefit of the Carthaginians drawing them into such necessity as they neither durst come to fight for feare of the Elephants and Horsemen neyther could they safely flye for that they were enuironed with Ditches and Pallisadoes Finally hunger did so presse them as they did eate one another Behold the reuenge which the gods tooke of them for the cruelties they had committed against their Friends They came not to fight both for that the Carthaginians were assured of the Victory and their punishment was certayne They made no mention of any treaty of peace for that they knew well there was no hope of Mercy hauing committed such great cruelties Finally they indured all miseries expecting daily succours from Tunes But when they had cruelly eaten vp their Prisoners and their Seruants a kind of liuing which they had long vsed and that no succours came from Tunes they knew not what to resolue for the extremity of the Famine and the feare of punishment Finally Autarice Zarxe and Spendius resolued to parley with Amilcar By this
attempt of the Gaules without great feare They then remembred their former defeates and feared this Nation as the ruine of the City of Rome And therefore they had long before prepared a great Army they dayly made new leuies of men and they aduertised their Allies to bee ready and in Armes Moreouer they enioyned them to send vnto the Senate the Rolles of the Bands of their Youth desiring to know the number of Souldiers of all the Italian Army They likewise made provision of Corne and Armes and of all other things necessary in greater abundance than they had done in former times The other people of Italy were no lesse diligent they were so much amazed at the descent of the Gaules so as they did not thinke to fight for the Romans nor for their Empire but euery man for his owne safety for his City and for his Countrey Wherefore all the Italians did willingly obey the Romans in this Warre I will here set downe the preparations the Romans made for Warre and what number of men they had in those times to the end you may plainely see how great they were and what forces they had when as Hannibal presumed to assaile them and with what Troopes making Warre against the Romane power hee brought the Citty into so great danger First the Consuls went to field with foure Romare Legions whereof eyther consisted of fiue thousand two hundred Foote and two thousand Horse They had moreouer by reason of this arming of the Gaules raised other Troopes The Tuscans and Sabins had drawne together three score and ten thousand Foote and about foure thousand Horse As soone as the newes came that the Gaules past the Alpes of Bolonia these were sent into Tuscany vnder the command of the Prouost of the Citty After these the Vmbrians and Sarsenates inhabiting Mount Appenin were assembled to the number of twenty thousand men The Venetians also and Cenomans were about twenty thousand all which were appointed to keepe the Appenin Hils and to fall vpon the Bolonois when occasion should bee offered Behold the Troopes which at the first they sent against the Gaules There was moreouer another Army within Rome to guard the Citty and to attend the pleasure of the Senate vpon all occasions whereof there were twenty thousand foot Romans and fifteene hundred Horse and of their Allies thirty thousand Foote and two thousand Horse Moreouer they had the Roll of the Army of the Latins which consisted of foure score thousand Foote and fiue thousand Horse and of the Samnites of three score and ten thousand men and seuen thousand Horse Of the Lapiges and Mesapiens fifty thousand Foote and sixeteene thousand Horse of Marses Marruciens Ferrentins and Vestins twenty thousand Foote and foure thousand Horse Of the Lucains thirty thousand Foote and three thousand Horse There were moreouer at that time two Legions in Sicily and about Tarentum for the guard of the Countrey whereof either was of foure thousand two hundred Foote and two hundred Horse Moreouer the multitude of the Romans and Campanois was about two hundred and fifty thousand Foote and three and twenty thousand Horse By this meanes the number of the Troopes which were subiect to the Senate and people of Rome exceeded an hundred and fifty thousand Foote and about sixe thousand Horse But the whole force of Italy was generally of seauen hundred thousand Foote and three score and tenne thousand Horse Against the which Hannibal hauing but twenty thousand men durst enter into Italy But this shall bee for another time The Gaules finally passing the Appenin Hils entred into Tuscany without any resistance putting all to fire and sword Finally they marcht speedily to Rome Being come neere vnto a Towne which they call Cluse within three dayes iourney of Rome they had newes that the Roman Army which as wee haue sayd had beene sent to guard Tuscany was drawne together and followed them Wherefore they presently turned head furiously vpon them And when they were come neere vnto the other at the Sun-setting then they camâ—t leauing some little space betwixt them Night being come the Gaules made fiâ—es in their Campes after their vsuall manner and left their Horse-men there giuing them charge to part at the breake of day and when they should be discouered by the Enemies to goe on their course In the meane time making shew of a fâ—â—ght they part with all their Foote and march directly to Fesula of purpose to drawe on their Horse-men and to breake the Enemy which followed them The Romans seeing the Gaules Horse-men part at the breake of day with great noise thinking it was for feare hasted after them indiscreetly and drew neere vnto them Wâ—o being ioyned the combate in the beginning was furious for that the Gaules did charge them on all sides according to their resolution Finally the Romans lost sixe thousand men for that the Gaules were more in number and of greater courage All the â—est of the Army fled whereof a great part retired to a little Hill strong by scituation and nature The Gaules began to besiege them But for that they were tired with watching the Night before and with the toyle of the day they returned to take their refection leauing a strength of Horse-men to keepe the Hill with a resolution to giue an assault with all their forces if they did not yeeld within three dayes At that time Lucius Emilius the Consull who as wee haue sayd was at Rimini with an Army hauing aduertisment that the Gaules had past Tuscany and marcht to Rome with all their forces he vsed all diligence to come and succour his companions When he had past the Appenin Hill and was lodged neere vnto the Enemy they which had retired to the Hill knowing the Consuls comming which they easily discouered by the fires in the Night they presently tooke courage and sent some of their men vnarmed vnto him by the Forrest to let him vnderstand how things had past The Consull seeing that all delayes in so great a danger of his companions were preiudiciall he gaue order to the Tribunes of the Souldiers to march at the breake of day with all the foote And in the meane time he takes his way towards the Hill with all the Horse-men The Commaunders of the Gaules doubting of the Consuls comming by the fires in the Night assembled to aduise what they had to doe Then King Aneroeste was of opinion that it was a folly to lose time with the Enemy and to bring their conquest in danger before they had put so great a spoile in safety they had in truth an infinite number of Prisoners and abundance of all other things and therefore they must first returne into their Countrey and there leaue all the baggage and then returne into Italy if they thinke it fit to the end the Souldiers might fight with their Enemies without any incumbrance The Gaules liked of this counsell and the next
hinder him to haue the Victory seeing he hath a greater Troupe of men If he doth not abandon the Citty as it is fitting hee can carry backe his men without danger into his Countrey after that he hath ouer-runne the Champion Leauing a great amazement and terrour to his Enemies and assuring the hearts of his owne Souldiers The which succeeded according to his proiect For when the people saw the whole Prouince thus spoyled they began to blame Antigonus who notwithstanding discharging the Duty of a wise and discreet Captaine would not goe to field Cleomenes in the meane time ouer-ran their whole Countrey without feare By this meanes he returned safely into his Countrey after that hee had at pleasure ruined the Prouince and left a great amazement amongst the Argiues and made his owne men more hardy for the future VVarre But when the Spring came the Macedonians and the Acheins returning from wintering went to field Antigonus marcht to Laconice with his Army consisting of ten thousand Macedonians three thousand Archers three hundred Horse a thousand Bowmen and likewise as many of the Gaules Moreouer three thousand Foote which were Mercinaries with three hundred Horse and about a thousand Megalopolitains armed after the manner of the Macedonians whereof Cerciâ—es had the leading As for the Allies hee had two thousand Foote of Bauâ—ere and two hundred Horse a thousand Foote of the Epirâ—tes and fifty Horse and as many of the Acarnanians and besides all these a thousand and sixe hundred Sclanonians whereof Demetrius of Phare was Captaine Thus the whole Army consisted of twenty eight thousand Foote and twelue hundred Horse Cleomenes being aduertised by his Spies of the Enemies descent hee placed forces vpon the passages by the which they might enter into his Countrey fortifying them with Trenches and Trees cut downe And hee himselfe went with his Army to a passage which they call Sellasia thinking as it happened that the Enemy would take that way His Army was about twenty thousand men There were two Mountaines in this passage whereof the one is called Eua by the people of the Countrey and the other Olympus There is a way betwixt both which runs along a Riuer vnto Sparta When as Cleomenes had lodged himselfe in these two Mountaines and had carefully fortified them with Trenches and Pallisadoes hee put the Souldiers which were drawne together with the Allies into Eua whereof his Cozen Euclide had the Commaund and stayed himselfe in that of Olympus with the Lacedemonâ—ans and Mercenaries Moreouer hee placed his Horse-men in the Plaine with some of the Mercenaries vpon the two Bankes of the Riuer When as Antigonus was come into those places and finding the scituation of them and the wonderfull industry of Cleomenes to dispose of his Army hee was not resolued to fight at that time And therefore hee camped neere vnto him vpon the banke of the Riuer of Gorgile whereas staying some dayes hee turned about the Countrey and the Enemies Campe and sought to draw them to battell by skirmishes But when hee found nothing without defence for that the Prouidence of Cleomenes had carefully rampired all places hee gaue ouer his enterprize But in the end they resolued by a common consent to make an end of their Warre by a battell Behold how Fortune had drawne together two great Captaines equall in virtue Counsell and Wisedome Thus Antigonus opposed in Front to those which held the Mountaine of Eua the Macedonians with their Targets and the Sclaâ—onians and hee put the Leginaries in diuers bands to succour the one and the other to whom hee gaue for Commaunder Alexander the Sonne of Ameta and Demetrius of Phare After these marcht the Acarnanians and they of Candy Finally he placed two thousand Acheins for a supply to succour them at need Then he set his Horse-men neere vnto the Riuer-side in Front of the Enemies Horse whereof Alexander had the charge with two thousand Foote-men As for Antigonus hee lodged neere vnto Mount Olympus with the bands of Aduenturers and the Macedonians where hee resolued to fight with Cleomenes VVhen hee had put the Mercenaries into battell hee caused the Battalion of the Macâ—donians to march The place which was straight would not suffer them to doe otherwise They had giuen charge to the Sctauonians to begin the battell as soone as they should see a white cloth which should be aduanced neere vnto Mount Olimpus at the foote whereof they lodged at Night vnder the Riuer of Gorgile The Megalopolitains also with the Horse-men were to enter the combate as soone as they should see a purple Robe aduanced in the Aire from the Kings Quarter The houre of the battell was now come the Sclauonians had already discouered Antigonus signe They encourage their Companions according to the opportunity of the time making no doubt but they had the victory in their hands Then they endeauoured with wonderfull resolution to gaine the Mountaine But the Foote-men which were lightly armed whom Cleomenes as wee haue sayd left in the Plaine with the Horse-men seeing that the Bands of the Acheins had not the courage to second them charg'd them vpon the Reare so as they were in great danger For on the right hand and in Front Euclide had the better with his men and the Mercenaries on the left hand fighting obstinately made a great spoile vpon the Reare By this meanes they were suddainly enuironed with two Troopes of Enemies When Philopomene the Megalopolitaine saw this disorder hee suddainly gaue good aduice to the Captaines But for that hee was a young man and had neuer had charge they gaue no eare vnto him Wherefore addressing himselfe to those of his Nation Companions sayth hee the Victory is ours if you will follow mee And in charging the Enemies Horse they assailed them with great courage Wherefore the Aduenturers strangers who fought in the Reare of those which assail'd the Mountaine hearing a great noise and seeing the Combate of the Horse-men retired to aide and succour them whereunto they had beene at the first ordained The order of the Enemies being by this meanes broken the Sclauonians and Macedonians with others whom Antigonus had appointed fell vpon them with great violence and fury So as afterwards all the World was of opinion that the industry and courage of Philopomene had defeated Euclide at that time And therefore they say that when as Antigonus demaunded of Alexander why hee had sent the Horse-men against the Enemy before hee had seene the signe and that hee had answered it was not hee but a young Megalopolitaine which had done it without his priuity hee then replied that this young man had performed the duty of a good Captaine and Alexander that of a young foole But they which kept the toppe of the Mountaine with Eucelide shewed their basenesse seeing the Enemies ascend for they should not haue attended vntill they had gain'd the top with safety But relying vpon the aduantage
of the place they should haue encountred them and charged them from aboue and if necessity had required they might haue retired safely on the right hand to charge the Enemy againe In doing this they had easily broken defeated and put the Macedonians to flight But they did the contrary as if they had the Victory certaine in their hands for without moouing from the place which the Cleomenes had appointed them they staied expecting the enemy with hope of a greater defeate For that they should be repulsed and beaten from the highest place of the Mountaine But they soone suffered the pennance of their basenesse For after that the Macedonians had recouered the Mountaine without any resistance and were come into the Plaine they fell vpon their enemies fighting hand to hand with so great sury as they presently draue them backe into the hollow Caues and inaccessible places In the meane time the Combate was cruell among the Horse-men where it was worth the sight to behold with what heate force and courage the Acheins fought considering they all fought for the liberty of the Countrey But among all others they made great esteeme of Philopomene for when his Horse was ouer thrown with a Pertuisane he fainted not fighting long on foote with great courage Finally in the end hee died valliantly being shot thorough the shinne-bones with an Arrow On the other side the Kings had begunne the fight at Mount Olympus with the mercenaries and such as were lightly armed They were about fiue thousand men who fought sometimes man to man and sometimes they tried the Fortune of the whole Troupe There the Victory was long in suspence finally they parted equally from the battell But when as Cleomees was aduertised that Emlide had abandoned the Mountaine and that the Allies had turned head and that the Horse-men were in great despaire and that all trembled for feare hee resolued to goe out of his Fort and to put his whole Army in Front vpon one side of the Campe and therefore hee caused them to sound a Retreate By this meanes when those that were lightly armed were drawne together the two Armies charged with their Pikes and Iauelings The Combate was cruell and the charge performed with so great courage on either side as the Victory was long doubtfull and the iudgement difficult who deserued the greatest honour For that sometimes the Lacedemonians retired and againe they made the Maceâ—onians giue backe Finally when as the Lacedemonians were vanquished and put to flight they were slaine heere and there like sheepe Cleomenes saued himselfe in Sparta without any wound beeing accompanied by some of the Horse-men From thence hee retired the night following to Sythia where he imbarqued in certaine shippes which lay long ready for the necessities of the Countrey and sailed with his friends to Alexandria When as Antigonus was entred into Lacedemon finding no resistance hee intreated the Lacedemonians graciously and courteously in all things but especially in suffering them to liue and gouerne their Common-weale after the Lawes of the Country When he had staied certaine daies there he returned into Macedony with his Army hauing newes of the descent of the Sclauonians and of the spoile they made Behold how Fortune disposeth of great affaires as she pleaseth There is no doubt but if Cleomenes had deferred the battell a little or staied in Sparta after his defeate keeping them in hope in the end he had preuailed in his affaires after the retreate of Antigonus Antigonus came from thence to Tegee to whom hee left their Common-weale intire Three dayes after he arriued at Argos at such time as the people were gathered together to celebrate the Nemean games who presently went foorth to meete him All the Citty had their eyes fixt vppon him and beheld him all the World commended him all the assembly of Greece and euery Citty in perticular did him Honour not onely Humane but Diuine From thence he made hast to go into Macedon where as he found the Sclauonians spoiling the Country to whom hee gaue battell and got the Victory after a long combate But hee cried so much during the fight as within few dayes after hee died of a fluxe of blood so as the Grecians lost the great hope they had conceiued not so much for his skill in Warre as for his vertue and royall perfections He left the Realme of Macedony to Philip the sonne of Demetrius But if you demaund of me why I haue helde so long a Discourse of this present Warre you must know I haue done it of purpose For as this time concurres with that whereof wee meane to speake I haue held it fit and necessary to let the World vnderstand according to my first resolution what the estate of the Macedonians and Grecians were at that time At that time Ptolomy died of sicknesse to whom succeeded Ptolomy Philopater The like did Seleucus the sonne of Seleucus who was surnamed Callinice and in like manner Pogon to whom his brother Antiochus succeeded in the Realme of Syria The like in a manner hapned to those which helde the Kingdomes of Alexander after his death as Seleucus Ptolomy and Lysimacus for those died in the hundreth foure and twenteth Olympiade as wee haue formerly related and these in the hundreth thirty nine Seeing wee haue exposed the preparation of all our History and sufficiently declared at what time and how and for what causes the Romanes after the conquest of all Italy assailed forraigne Realmes and what the estate then was of Greece Macedony and the Carthaginians I haue thought it fit to make an end of this Booke with a Commemoration of these actions and this alteration of Kingdomes Seeing that according to our intention we are come vnto the times when as the Grecians made the VVarre of the Allies the Romanes against Hannibal and to that when as the Kings of the lower Asia fought for the Empire of Syria The end of the Second Booke of Polybius THE THIRD BOOKE of the History of POLYBIVS WEe haue shewed sufficiently in the First Booke how that wee haue taken for the beginning and foundation of the Romane actions the VVarre betwixt the Allies that of Hannibal and that of Syria Wee haue in like manner set downe the causes for the which wee haue beene forced in reducing the beginnings farther off to write the History of the Second Booke Now we will indeauour to make you vnderstand the Warres themselues and the causes why they were vndertaken and dispersed in so many places hauing let you vnderstand in as few words as possible we may the attempts of the people of Rome Seeing that which wee haue vndertaken to write is but a Worke and as it were a spectacle that is to say how when and wherefore all the Countries of the VVorld haue beene reduced vnder the obedience of the Romans and that this hath a notorious beginning a prefixed time and the end certaine VVee haue thought it
whole Army whom he called vnto his Tent after supper and made a speech vnto them according to the opportunity of the time declaring vnto them what he had resolued Moreouer he giues euery one of them charge to choose out of all the Troupes nine others like themselues and that they should repaire to a certaine place in the Campe. These presently obeyed the commandment of their Generall Thus Mago accompanied with a thousand Horse and as many Foote and with a guide came to the place of his Ambush being well instructed by Hannibal what hee was to doe At the breake of day Hannibal calls the Numidian Horse-men able to beare labour to whom when he had made a speech and promised great rewards if they carried themselues like braue men hee discouers his Enterprize Hee giues them charge to passe the Riuer of Trebia and to runne vnto the Gates of the Enemies Campe and to draw them forth to fight with their Darts desiring much to surprize them in disorder and to fight with them before they had taken any repast the which he did much esteeme He also giues charge to all the other Captaines appointed for the Combate to feed their men and their horses and commands them to be ready armed attending the sound of the Trumpet But when as Sempronius saw the Enemy approach he first sent out all his Horse-men and after them sixe thousand Darters Finally he drawes all his Troupes to field as if hee meant that day to make an end of the Warre and who for the good fortune which two daies before hee had in fight together with the great number of his men was in hope to get the Victory It was by chance in Winter and did snow that day with a vehement cold Moreouer the Souldiers were come forth in confusion with the Horses and had no great heat neither had they fed And therefore although in the beginning they were ready and resolute yet being entred into the Riuer they came forth wet vnto the brest for that the show which had fallen in the night had made the Riuer swell so as they began to be so afflicted with cold and hunger that as the day came on they were scarce able to hold their Armes In the meane time the Carthaginians oyl'd and warm'd themselues at fires neere vnto their Tents hauing their Horses ready after they had fed well When as Hannibal who had an eye euery where saw that the Enemies had past the Riuer he sets before the Ensignes the stingers of Maiorque and Minorque and those that were lightly armed to the number of eight thousand men and puts the rest of his Army in Battalion When he had marcht about a Mile he sets vpon the wings twenty thousand Foote Spaniards Affricans and Gaules the like he did of his Horse-men who with the Allies that the neighbour Townes of Gaule had sent him were ten thousand men After them on either side were placed the Elephants Then Sempronius caused a retreate to be sounded to call backe the Horse-men lest pursuing the Nuâ—idians inconsiderately they might be suddainly inclosed by them for their custome is to flie here and there at the first charge and to stay suddainly when they thinke good recharging the Enemy with incredible courage and resolution Then hee ordered his Foote men after the manner of the Romans Among the which there were about sixteene thousand Romans and about twenty thousand Latins their Allies for when they were to vndergoe any great Warre and that the two Consuls were ioyned together the perfect number of their Army was of so many thousands Then hee placed three thousand Horse-men vpon the wings When he had thus disposed of his men he marcht in battaile a slow pace scarce mouing The two Armies being neere one vnto the other those that were lightly armed began the fight wherewith the Romans were suddainly opprest All things fore-told good vnto the Carthaginians for the bodies of the Roman Foote were growne feeble with hunger and wearinesse and numm'd with cold Being moreouer slaine by the multitude of Darts which the Numidians cast For their parts they had abandoned their Darts as vnprofitable by reason of the continuall humidity The Horse-men suffred the like with the whole Army Contrariwise the Carthaginians being in their force in good order and fresh were diligent and ready at need Wherefore when as they had made way for their forlorne hope to retire and that the Armies had charged one another the Carthaginian Horse-men fell vpon the Enemies wings and quite defeated them It is true the Romans were weake in their numbers of Horse and the Souldiers were tired with labour and hunger After the rout of the Horse-men the Foote resisted more with the equality of courage then of force But the Numidians besides the Ambush which the Army had past without discouering them shewing themselues vpon the Reare put them in a great amazement yet the Battallions stood firme for a time although they were inuolued with so many miseries But in the end when as the two wings were prest hauing the Elephants in front and that those which were lightly armed had compassed them in they fled directly to the neere Riuer This done when as the Romans which fought in the battell saw their supplies broken they were partly enuironed by them of the Ambush and partly defeated and slaine Others past through the Battalion of the Gaules where were many Affricans making a great slaughter of the Enemies But when as they could neither succour their men nor get to their Fort as well for the multitude of the Enemies Horse as for the swelling of the Riuer and the raine they recouered Plaisance to the number of ten thousand men the rest for the most part were slaine along the Riuer by the Elephants and Horse-men Some few Foote and Horse flying dispersed ouer the Fields drew to Plaisance following the route of the Army The Carthaginians hauing pursued them to the Riuer of Trebeia returned to the Campe for that they could not proceed any farther by reason of the raine being very ioyfull of the victory whereas the losse of Spaniards and Affricans was small and that of the Gaules great But they were so tormented with raine cold that all the Elephants except one and the greatest part of the carriage-horses with many men and horses died After this action Sempronius desirous to couer and conceale so great a losse sent men to Rome to let them vnderstand that the violence of the raine had depriued them of an absolute Victory the which the Romans did easily beleeue But when as within few dayes after they had newes that the Carthaginians held their Army in strength and that all the Gaules held for them abandoning their party and withall that their Army kept the Towne for that it was not well assured within its Fort and that they drew victuals from the Sea by the Riuer of Poe they grew into so great
others in the Reare and likewise vpon the Flankes So as many holding on their way they were slaine like sheepe for that they could not succour one another and they were sooner defeated then they could consider what they had to doe Flaminius himselfe when there was no more hope was enuironed and slaine by certayne Gaules There were slaine in this battaile fifteene thousand men who for the most part stood firme vnto the end after the manner of the Romans neuer abandoning their rankes The others inclosed betwixt the Mountaines and the Lakes by reason of the narrow passages and out of hope were slaine basely or rather miserably For being forced in the Lake some were drowned striuing to swimme in their Armes Others going into the Water as farre as they could possibly continued for a time in that estate Finally when the enemies horse were entred they were slaine without pitty Although that lifting vp their hands they humbly begged to haue their Liues saued or taking Courage kild one another There were about sixe thousand of the fore-ward which forcing through the enemies escaped this passage Although it were in their power to inclose them and to succour their friends yet not knowing what was done behind them they marcht on still doubting to make some encounter before they had gotten the top of the Mountaines And hauing made a stand vpon a little Hill and seeing the Mist being past the great slaughter of their Souldiers they hastily got vnto a neere Burrough like men which had no more hope of safety for that they saw the enemy to hold the whole Countrey The battaile being won Hannibal Commaunds Maherbal to pursue them who parting with the Spaniards and the Souldiers that were lightly armed besieged the Burrough The Romans being brought to extremity in the end left their Armes and after they had concluded to haue their Liues saued they yeilded to this Affrican Behold how that famous battaile past which was giuen betwixt the Romans and the Carthaginians neere vnto the Lake of Perouze After this Hannibal cals for those which Maherbal had taken and for all the rest being aboue fifteene thousand telling them at the first that Maherbal had no power to contract with them for their liues without his consent And after he had vsed proud speeches vnto the Romans he distributed them among the Souldiers to be carefully kept in chaines sending away the Allies without Ransome Telling them that hee was not come into Gaule to make Warre against the Latin Nation but with the Romans for their Liberty Afterwards he sent them home to their Lodgings and Commaunds to bury the bodies of those which were of most note being about thirty For hee lost of all his Army onely fifteene hundred men whereof the greatest part were Gaules Hee then held a Councell with his Brother and other friends concerning their affaires who were growne so glorious for this Victory as they held nothing impossible The Newes of this great Defeate was now come to Rome and the Senators could not long conceale it from the Common people nor dissemble the greatnesse thereof So as assembling the Court they were forced to relate it vnto them in particular As soone as the Praetor being set in his Chaire began to say we haue lost a great battaile the amazement and trouble grew so great as they which were at the battaile and there present report that the terrour was greater then in Rome then it had beene in the fight And it is likely for it is not possible that they which for a long time had not felt any great disaster neyther in Word nor Deede should patiently indure so great a losse Yet the Senate made a good shewe as it was fitting aduising what was to be done and what Commaunders they should choose and with what Troupes they should resist the Carthaginians Whilst these things past in Tuscany the Consull Seruilius aduertised that Hannibal was past hee resolued to ioyne with his companions Army But for that it was a difficult thing to passe so great a number of men together he sent Caius Centronius Propraetor before with foure thousand Horse to the end that if any occasion were offered they should doe that which his Companion should commaund him Hannibal hauing gotten this Victory and aduertised by his Spies of the comming of the Enemy hee sends Maherbal to meete them with the best of his Foote and part of his Horse-men who being met they defeated the greatest part at the first charge the rest retiring to the first Hill within three daies after they were taken aliue When as the newes of this defeate came to Rome three daies after the other wherewith their hearts were much aflicted then not onely the people but also the Senators were in so great distresse and misery as all the Citty was in teares Wherefore leauing the Annall Magistrates they had recourse to the election of a Dictator for that the condition of the time and the affaires then required a Commaunder which should haue soueraigne power And although that Hannibal were very glorious for the good successe and fortune of his affaires yet hee did not hold it fit to goe vnto Rome Wherefore putting the Prouince to fire and sword and passing by the Dutchy of Spolettâ— and the Marquisat of Ancona hee came within ten dayes to the Region which is neare vnto Adriatique Sea so rich and abundant in all wealth as the Army was not able to carry it away Finally hee made a great slaughter of men in his iourney for he caused a Proclamation to bee made in his Campe that they should kill all those that they found carrying Armes as they had commonly done in Townes that were taken by assault Hee carried so great a hatred to the Romans as there was no cruelty that hee omitted And after they had found a fit and conuenient place along the Coast of the Adriatique Sea abounding with all sorts of commodities hee laboured by all meanes to refresh his men and horses for both the one and the other were fallen into diseases and the Scuruy which they had gotten as well by the extreame cold in the Winter which they had endured in Gaule being alwaies in field as by the continuall toile which they had lately suffred in passing the Marishes and the continuall sweat and filth by reason of their harnesse In the meane time hee inures the Affricans to carry Armes after the manner of the Romans whereof hee had gotten abundance considering the great spoiles of the Enemies Moreouer hee sent newes to Carthage of his Victories by Sea This was the first time that hee approach't neare the Sea since his first comming into Italy The Carthaginians being ioyfull at this newes were wholly attentiue vnto the affaires of Italy and Spaine The Romans made choice of Quintus Fabius for their Dictator a man of so great virtue and prudence that for his prowesse hee purchased and obtained the name of
to the old Army and let many vnderstand the will of the Senate wishing the multitude to be of good Courage considering the season of the time Wherewith Emilius made an Oration whereof this in a manner is the Substance THat for losses lately made they should not faint like men amazed For the losses in former Battailes had not hapned for one or two causes but for many And if at this day they be Men of Courage and Resolution there was nothing could hinder but they should obtaine a goodly Victory That neuer vnto this houre the two Consuls had fought with all the Legions together nor with more warlike Men nor of greater Experience And if on the other side they haue made vse of young Men and little acquainted with the Art of warre and who moreouer were so ill aduertised of the Enemies enterprizes of the scituation of places and the nature of the Region so as many times they haue found themselues in danger when they had scarce seene the Enemy which was a matter of great consequence For they which were defeated in Gaule neere vnto the Riuer of Trebia came to fight without reason neuer inquiring of the enemies enterprize within three daies after their arriuall from Sicily and they which were neere vnto the Lake of Peronza were defeated before they could see the enemy by reason of a great Fogge. But now Companion saith he all things are for vs for wee are two Consuls vnited in one will and the same forces and we haue with vs those of the last yeare And for your part you haue not onely seene the daily combates the order which Souldiers obserue and the enemies Troupes But moreouer behold the second yeare wherein you haue had experience of all this in practising your selues and fighting continually Wherefore seeing that things are contrary to those which hapned in former Battailes it is not likely but the end should prooue otherwise It is not credible nay I say it is impossible seeing that in fighting with the enemy with an equall number in so many incounters you haue parted Victors that now you should be vanquished by them with all the Troupes seeing you haue a double Army Seeing then Companions that you haue the Victory in your owne hands you haue no more neede of our Counsell and care I might make you a longer Speech if I did hold it necessary for this must be expected from those which are mercenary or being drawne from the Allies are Commaunders of an Army to whom nothing is more troublesome then a day of Battaile In regard of those which are like vnto vs whose liues are not onely in danger but their Country Wiues and Children whose remembrances happily should be of more force then any remonstrance What man is he that would not eyther vanquish in fighting or die in the Combat then to liue in misery and attend so great a storme and pouerty Courage Companions consider with your selues what a difference there is betwixt vanquishing and to be vanquished and what followes the one and the other and prepare your selues to Battaile so as you will remember that it is not the Roman Army that is in danger but the Countrey and moreouer the head of the World What shall the Romans haue remaining after your defeat They haue put all their forces and power into your hands and all their hope is in you I intreate you for the honour of the immortall Gods that you would not frustrate their expectation Yeeld the thankes which you owe vnto your Countrey let all the world know that the losses formerly made were not by the prowesse of the Carthaginians more then by the Romans but for that the Roman Souldiers were at that time new and ignorant of the Warre After this Speech or the like Emilius dismist the Souldiers Three dayes after the Army marcht towards the Enemies Campe and on the third day they planted themselues neare vnto them But Emilius seeing that the Plaine was large hee was not of opinion to fight with the Enemy for that hee was stronger in Horse-men and that they must draw them into some place where the Foote-men might haue the aduantage Contrariwise Varro being of little experience in the Warre was of aduice not to deferre the battaile lest the Enemy should escape from them And therefore these two Consuls were in contention and debate which is the worst thing that can happen in a Campe. That day for they gouerne it by dayes Varro had the Commaund who dislodging from his Campe made haâ—e to approach neare vnto the Enemy notwithstanding that Emilius opposed himselfe to the contrary Hannibal marcheth against them with his men lightly armed and his Horse-men and assaults them with a fight more likely to their fore-runners then to a pitcht Battaile The Romans receiued them valiantly Finally the Night parted them The Carthaginians hauing gotten little retired to their Campe. And when as three dayes after Lucius Emilius had resolued not to fight and could nor disswade the other hee diuides the Army into three and fortifies two parts on this side the Riuer of Fante which alone diuides the Appenine Hills and bending towards the Sea of Italy runnes into the Adriatique The other third part hee lodgeth on this side the Riuer about two Miles and an halfe distant from the other two and in a manner as much from the Enemies Campe. When as Hannibal had found out a conuenient place for his Horse-men to fight in and thinking that the Consuls would come to the Combat hee began to put his men in Battaile But fearing that the Army was amazed by reason of this last Fortune hee resolued to preach vnto them He drawes them together and commaunds them to looke vpon the Countrey which was about him demaunding of them what they could desire of the Gods more beneficiall and profitable then the offer of a battaile in those places where they might make vse of their Horse-men which were inuincible And when as all had confest it freely therefore saith hee giue thankes first vnto the immortall Gods for in preparing vs the Victory they haue brought the Enemy into this place of aduantage for vs and secondly to vs who by our industry and labour haue forced them to come to fight The Romans cannot flie nor auoide the Combate and therefore the battaile and victory is in your hands I hold it folly now to perswade you to performe the duties of braue men It had beene well spoken when you had no experience of the Roman Forces the which at this present time wee made knowne vnto you by words and example But what preaching can more inflame and encourage your hearts then the workes themselues seeing you haue obtained the Victory in three great seuerall battailes You haue beene Masters of the Field in the Combats past and haue had abundance of all things as wee haue promised you So as hitherto I haue neuer failed of my promise But the Combate at
seeing that the hope of Victory consisted in the Footemen hee thrust into the hottest of the Battaile whee in fighting hee gaue courage to the Horsemen the which Hannibal did in like manner In the meane time the Numidians of the left wing with all their Horse-men falling vpon the right wing of the Romans they neither did nor suffred any thing that was worthy of memory so equall were the two Troupes both in force and courage yet they made the Romans vnprofitable scattering them heere and there In the meane time Asdrubal went to aide and succour the Affricans with the Horse-men of the left wing The which the Horse-men of the Roman Allies perceiuing they presently turned head Asdrubal seeing this performed the duty of a wise and discreet Captaine and sent the Numidians whom he knew were more in number and terrible to make a chase to pursue them that fled and went himselfe speedily with the Footmen to succour the Affricains where assailing the Romans in the Reare he fortified his owne Men making a great slaughter of the Enemie Lucius Emilius hauing receiued many wounds died in this Battaile Hee was a Man who vnto his death had done good seruice vnto the Common-wealth They write that Caius Lentulus a Tribune leading an empty horse in his hand as hee fled saw Paulus the Consull sitting on a stone all couered with blood to whom he said Lucius Emiliâ—s whom the Gods should hold innocent of this cruell slaughter take this horse whilest any strength remaines within and I being thy friend will lift thee vp and keepe thee on lest thou make this Battaile dolefull thorough the death of a Consull without the which there is cause enough of mourning and weeping Whereunto the Consull answered Caius Cornelius increase thou in vertue but beware lest whilest thou doest bewaile this accident thou finde little time to escape thy selfe Goe therefore and bid the Senate make strong the walls of Rome and to fortifie it with Succours before the Conquerour come and tell Quintus Fabius secretly that Lucius Emilius Paulus doth constantly remember his precepts liueth in them and will die in them And I pray thee suffer me to passe this life among these my dead Knights lest by longer liuing I become an accuser of my fellowe defending my innocencie by the trespasse of another and yet at length dye being held guilty of this action The Romans holding still good in so long and furious a Battaile were in the end all slaine Among the which died the Consuls of the precedent yeare Marcus Attilius and Cneius Seruilius braue men and worthy of the Roman name At the same time the Numidians ouertooke the horsemen which fled whereof they slew a great number and dismounted the rest Some retired to Venusium among the which was the Consull Varro whose life was base and his command vnprofitable for his Country Behold the end of the Battaile of Cannas so famous as well for the victors as the vanquished whereof the reason is for that of sixe thousand Roman horse there escaped but threescore and tenne to Venusium with Varro and of the Allies about three hundred scattered here and there who fled to the Neighbour Townes And as for the Bands of Foote the Enemie tooke about tenne thousand aliue so as there hardly escaped three thousand The rest to the number of threescore and tenne thousand were slaine in the Battaile The Carthaginians got not the victory without losse There were slaine about foure thousand Gaules fifteene hundred Affricains and Spaniards and two hundred horse The Romans which were taken aliue were not in the Battaile for Varro had left tenne thousand Men in the Campe to the end that if Haniball led forth all his Army to fight that in assailing the Enemies Campe whilest they were otherwise busie they might spoile the Carthaginians Munition And if Haniball left a sufficient Garrison for the Campe then his Forces would be the lesse for the Romans were stronger in numbers of Men. Behold the manner how they were taken Haniball had left a sufficient Garrison in his Campe to guard it But when as the Romans saw the Battaile grow hot they go vnto the Campe as they had resolued to besiege it The Carthaginians defended themselues But for that the Romans charged them furiously they were forced to abandon the place In the meane time Hannibal hauing gotten an absolute victory falls vpon those which assailed his Campe and put them to flight shutting them vp within their Forts of whom hee slewe two thousand and tooke the rest The Numidians on the other side brought vnto Hannibal the Roman horsemen who flying were dispierced in the Fields Thus after the Battaile ended neither of them were deceiued in their expectation for presently the Carthaginians were Masters of the Prouince which they call great Greece so as Tarent Capua and Naples came vnder their obedience and all the Townes wauered for Hannibal neither was he out of hope to take Rome speedily Finally the Romans wholy dispairing of the Empire of Italy were in feare not onely of their owne ruine but also of the whole Country expecting hourely their cruell Enemie at the walls of Rome The Citie being thus troubled Newes to the end the measure of their miseries might be full came from Gaule of the Defeat of Lucius Postumus the Pretor with his Army by an Ambush Yet the Senate inuolued in so many miseries made a good shew aduising the people to fortifie the Citie with Men and to consider of their affaires with courage and constancie The which the things which succeeded afterwards did verifie for being now vanquished by the Carthaginians and seeming to acquit vnto them the glory of Armes within short time after by the constancie of the Common-wealth and by the Councell and wisdome of the Senate they came after they had vanquished and ruined the Carthaginians to be Lords not onely of Italy but also of the whole world And therefore we will conclude this booke and likewise the actions of Spaine and Italy which were during the hundreth and fortieth Olimpiade And when we shall come to those of Greece during the same Olimpiade we will speake more at large of the Roman Common-wealth For I hold it not onely necessary for the Reader for the knowledge of the History but also profitable to correct and gouerne a Common-wealth The end of the Third Booke of Polybius THE FOVRTH BOOKE of the History of POLYBIVS WEE haue in my opinion sufficiently shewed the causes of the second punique warre in this last Booke and then the descent of Hannibal into Italy Wee haue also related many Combats betwixt the Romans and the Carthaginians vnto the Battaile which was fought neere vnto the Riuer of Fante and the Towne of Cannes Now wee will pursue the warres of Greece of the same time deliuering in few words the things mentioned by vs in the second Booke of the preparation of our
of Etoliens thinking that he might safely ouer-run Thessaly and by this meanes draw Philip to raise his Siege from Palea But being aduertised of the preparation of Chrysogones and Petrea to come and â—ight with him he durst not enter into the Plaine but alwayes kept the top of the Mountaines with his Army And when he had newes of the comming of the Macedonians into 〈◊〉 â—e lâ—aues Thessaly presently to goe and succour his Countrey where being aduertised of the Kings retreat not knowing what to doe and disappointed in all his enterprizes he remained sad and discontented The King at his departure from Lencade with his Fleete hauing spoiled and wasted the Sea-coasts landed at Corinthe with his Army leauing his ships at Leche Then he sent Letters to all the allied Townes of Morea to aduertise them of the day when they should come in Armes to Tegee Which things being thus ordered without making any long stay at Corinthe he parted with his Army and passing by the Countrey of Argos three dayes after his departure he came to Tegee whereas after he had receiued the Acheins which were there assembled he proceeded in his course passing secretly by the Mountaines he laboured to enter the Countrey of Sparta before the Lacedemonians should be aduertised Where hauing marched foure dayes by the Desarts of the Mountaines he came to those which were right against the City Then leauing Menelaie on the right hand he drew to Amycle The Lacedemonians seeing the Army passe by their Citty they wondred at this strange accident and being terrified with this suddaine feare they knew not what to doe For they were amazed at the valiant exploits which they sayd Philip had lately done at Therme and throughout all Etolia And there was a certaine bruite amongst them that Licâ—rgus was sent to succour the Etoliens As for Philips suddaine descent into the Countrey of Sparta no man had euer thought of it and the rather for that his age seemed worthy of some contempt Wherefore matters succeeding contrary to all hope the world had reason to feare for Philip mannaging the Warre with greater courage and policy then his age did beare he terrified his Enemies And namely as we haue sayd he parted from Etolia and pâ—ssing the Gulfe of Ambracia in one night he came to Leucade where staying two dayes and parting the third earely in the morning he arriued two dayes after at Corinthe hauing spoiled the Sea coasts of Etolia and from thence continuing his course he came within nine dayes to the Mountaines which are right against Sparta neere vnto Menelaie so as they could hardly beleeue it when they saw him The Lacedemonians then terrified with the greatnesse and newnesse of this accident knew not what Counceli to take nor to whom to haue recourse The day following Philip campes neere vnto Amycle It is a place in the Spartains Countrey abounding with all sorts of Trees and wealth twenty Furlongs from Lacedemon Where the Temple of Apollo stands being the most excellent of all the rest of the Prouince as well for Art as wealth being seated in that part of the Towne which locks towards the Sea Three dayes after when he had spoiled the whole Country he went to the Castle of Pyrhus where he stayed two dayes and wasting the whole Countrey he put all to fire and sword and planted his Campe neere vnto Carnia From whence he suddainly marcht to Assina from whence after he had attempted in vaine to take it by affault he raised the Siâ—ge and wasted all the rest of the Countrey marching directly to Tenare From thence â—â—â—ning his way hee drawes to the Lacedemonians Hauen which they call Gythia where there is a safe Port about thirty Furlongs from the Citty The leauing it on the right hand he planted his Campe neere to Elea which is if we consider it well the greatest and best Countrey of the Spartains The which he abandoned to the Souldiers who put it to fire and sword Hee also spoiled the Acriens and Lenques and the whole Countrey of the Boies The Messeniens hauing receiued Letters from Philip were no lesse diligent then the other Allies who leuied men presently within their Townes and sent the most able vnto the King to the number of two thousand Foote and two hundred Horse But the length of the way was the cause they came not to Tegee before the Kings departure And therefore doubting in the beginning what they should doe fearing likewise that it would seeme they had willingly made this delay for the suspition they had of them in the beginning they resolued to enter the Spartains Countrey to the end they might ioyne speedily with the King Being come vnto the Castle of Olympes which is seated neere vnto the Mountaines of the Argiues and Lacedemonians and had set themselues downe foolishly and without consideration for they did not fortifie themselues neither with Ditches nor Pallisadoes neither did they choose a conuenient place But relying on the good-will of the Inhabitants they lodged simply neere vnto the Walls Licurgus aduertised of their comming takes the Mercenaries and part of the Lacedemonians and goes directly to the Enemy Where arâ—iuing at the breake of day he marcheth in Battaile against the Messeniens who perceiuing him abandoned all and fled by heapes into this Castle Licurgus recouered the greatest part of their Horses and Baggage but he tooke not a man he onely slew eight Horse-men The Messeniens after this defeate returned by the Argiues Countrey Lycurgus proud of this good fortune being returned to Sparta vseth all speed to leuie men and to prepare all things necessary for the Warre labouring that Philip might not returne by the Spartains Countrey without a Battaile or danger The King parts with his Army from Elia spoiling all as he passeth and brought all backe on the fourth day to Amycle Licurgus hauing resolued with his Friends and Captaines to giue Battaile to the Macedonians goes out of the Citty and recouers the places about Menelaie with about two thousand Foote commanding them of the Citty to be watchfull and when they should see a signe they should speedily make sallies by diuers places taking their way towards Eurota which is a Riuer neere vnto the Citty These were the actions of Lieurgus and the Lacedemonians at that time But to the end that what wee say may not seeme obscure by the ignorance of places wee must declare the nature and scituation The which we will indeauour to doe throughout our whole worke alwaies ioyning places knowne to the vnknowne For the difference of Countryes doe many times deceiue in Warre as well by Sea as Land Our desire is that all men should know not onely the things but how they were done And therefore the description of places is necessary in all things but especially in Warre neither may we blame the vse of Feâ—s Seas and Ilands for signes and sometimes of Temples Mountaines Townes
Letters from Molon and when hee affirmed no the other was confident that he would finde some Wherefore entring into the House to search he found the Letters and taking this occasion slew him These things happening thus the King thought that hee was iustly slaine And although the rest of the Court and of his friends were much grieued at this suddaine disaster yet they dissembled their sorrow for feare When as Antiochus was come vnto Euphrates he marcht with his army vnto Antiochia and stayed at Michdionia about the midst of Decâ—mber desiring to passe the â—oughnesse of the Winter there where staying about forty dayes hee went vnto Liba where hee called a Councell And when as they consulted of the way which they should hold to find Molon and from whence and how they might recouer Victuals for at that time hee made his abode in Babylon Hermes was of opinion that they should keepe their way vppon this side the Riuer of Tygris and along the Bankes doubting and not a little fearing the Riuers of Luque and Capre Zeuxis was of another opinion but hee durst not speake nor declare his minde plainely remembring still the death of Epigene But when as the ignorance of Hermes seemed apparent to all the assistants hee with some difficulty deliuered his aduice that they must passe Tygris aswell for many other difficulties which are on this side as for that they must of necessity after they had past certaine places in marching sixe daies iourney by a Desart Country came vnto a Region which they call Diorex where the passage was not safe for that the enemy had seized thereon And that moreouer the returne would be dangerous especially for want of victuals If the King likewise did passe Tygris all the people of Appolonia transported with ioy would come vnto him who at this day obeyed Molon not for any affection but through necessity and feare And withall they should haue abundance of victuals by reason of the fertility of the Countrey and the passage of Media would be shut vp for Molon so as of necessity he should be forced to come and fight Or if hee fled his Troupes would soone yeild vnto the King When the aduice of Zeuxis had beene allowed in Councell they presently past the whole Army with the baggage in three places And marching from thence vnto Dâ—re they raised the siege for one of Molons Captaines had some few dayes before besieged it and afterwards continuing on their way and hauing past the Mountaines which they of the Countrey call Orie in eight daies they came into Apolonia At the same time Molon hauing newes of the Kings comming and not holding himselfe assured of the Sâ—sians and Babilonians beeing lately made subiect vnto him and by surprize fearing moreouer that the passage of Media was stopt hee afterwards resolued to passe by the Riuer Tygris speedily with his whole Army making haste to gaine the Woodes which bend towards the playnes of Apolonia for that he had great confidence in his Slingers whom they call Cyrtles When hee approached neere these places from the which the King parting with his Army from Apolonia was not farre it happened that the forerunners of eyther side lightly armed met vppon a Hill where they skirmished But vpon the approach of both Armies they began to retire and the two Campes lodged within forty furlongs one of another When night came Molon considering that a battaile by day with the King would bee dangerous for him not relying much vppon his men he resolued to assaile Antiochus at mid-night Wherefore hee made choise of the ablest men of his whole Army and takes his way by vnknowne places resoluing to charge the enemy from the higher part But being aduertised vppon the way that ten of his Souldiers had stollen away in the night and retired vnto Antiochus hee gaue ouer his enterprize So as taking another way hee returned to the Campe at the breake of day the which was the chiefe cause of great trouble in his Army For they awaking with this suddaine and short returne of their Companions they were so terrified and amazed as they were in a manner ready to flie and abandon their Campe. Molon when the trueth was knowne and well perceiued pacified this terrour and amazement what hee could in so short a space although it in some part increased still The King being ready to fight drawes his Army to fielde at the breake of day and on the right Wing hee sets the Launces vnder the Commaund of Ardis a man of great experience in the Warre To whom hee gaue for a supply the Candyots his Allies and after them the Gaules and Rhigosages who were followed by the Souldiers of Greece and finally by a great battalion of Foote-men In regard of the left Wing he gaue it to the Allies which were all on horse-backe Hee likewise set the Elephants in Front betwixt the two Wings beeing ten in number In regard of the supplies of Horse and Foote distributed on eyther Wing hee giues them charge to wheele about and to compasse in the enemy as soone as the Battaile should beginne to charge After all this hee encourageth the Souldiers telling them in few words what was necessary for the present And he giues to Hermes and Zeuxis the leading of the left Wing and takes the right vnto himselfe On the other side Molon drawes his Army to Field with great difficulty and puts it but ill in Battaile by reason of the disorder which had happened in the night Yet hee diuided his Horse-men in two wings thinking the enemy had done the like placing the Targetteers and the Gaules with others that were of most apt courage great experience and best Armed in the middest of the Horse-men putting the Archers and Slingers vppon the two Wings without the Troupe of Horse-men and in Front were placed all the Carriages and Bill-men He gaue the leading of the left Wing vnto his brother Neolaus and him selfe takes the right This done the two Armies marcht Molons right Wing was loyall and faithfull vnto him charging Zeuxiâ— with great Courage and fury But when as the left Wing drew somewhat neere vnto the King it retired to the enemy This happening Molons Troupes fainted suddainely And the Kings Army grew more stoâ— and couragious But when as Molon saw and well perceiued himselfe thus betrayed and inuironed by the enemy thinking and immagining of the Torments which hee must indure if hee fell aliue into their hands hee slew himselfe The like the rest did which had beene Traytors vnto the King who recouering their Houses by flight slew themselues When as Neolaus had escaped from the Battaile and was retired vnto Alexander Brother to Molon in Persis hee slew the mother of Molon and his Children After whose death he slew himselfe perswading Alexander to doe the like When as the King had spoiled the enemies Campe hee commaunded that the body of Molon should be hanged vpon a Crosse in the
come vnto their Principallities Wherefore they laboured to encourage their Troupes in reducing to their memory the glory and prowesse of their Ancestors And propounding moreouer a hope of themselues for the future they intreated and solicited the Captaines to fight and to vndergoe the danger resolutely and with courage These were the speeches or such like which they vsed in person or by their Interpreters This done the two Kings marcht one against the other a slow pace Ptolomy was in the left Wing and Antiochus in the right with his royal Battalion Then the Trumpets sounded to Battaile whereof the first Charge was made by the Elephants Few of Ptolomes held good against those of the Enemy whose Souldiers fought valliantly casting of Darts Pertwisans and plummets of lead wounding one another But the Elephants made a stronger Warre beating their Heads furiously together For such is the manner of their fight assailing one another with their teeth and standing firme they repulse one another with great Violence But if they once turne their sides they wound with their Teeth as Buls do with their Hornes But the greatest part of Ptolomes feared the Combate the which doth vsually happen to the Elephants of Lybia For they cannot indure the sent not heare the crye of those of India So as fearing as it seemes their greatnesse and force they flye them as it happened at that time for that flying suddainly they brake the rankes of their owne men and made a great slaughter in Ptolomes great Battallion The which Antiochus perceiuing hee presently chargeth Polycrates Horse-men with the Elephants The Grecians about his great Battallion fell vpon Ptolomes Targetteers Wherefore when the Elephants had broken them his left Wing beganne to turne head When Echecrates Commaunder of the right Wing expecting still the Combate of the sayd Wings saw the Dust rise in the Ayre and that his Elephants durst not charge the Enemies he sends to Phoxide Captaine of the Mercenaries to charge those which he had in Front The which he did likewise marching a slow pace with the Horse-men and the Elephants There the Combate was long and furious yet Echecrates being freed from the danger of the Elephants and making a great slaughter of the Horse-men and withall Phoxide pressing the Arabians and Medes In the end Antiochus his left wing was put to flight By this meanes Antiochus right wing vanquished and the left fled The two great Battalions stood firme and vntoucht being in doubt of the end And when as Ptolomy in the meane time had recouered his great Troupe by his speedy running and was in the middest of them hee amazed his Enemies and gaue great courage vnto his owne Captaines and Souldiers In the meane time King Antiochus being young and of small experience in the Warre seeing himselfe Victorious of the one side thought the like of the rest and pursued the Chase of the Enemy with great eagernesse But when as one of his old Souldiers cald him backe and shewed him the Dust which a great Troupe had raisde in his Fort hee then knew what it meant and turning head he laboured to recouer his Campe. But when hee found that all his Army was in Rout then wanting good Counsell he fled to Raphia immagining that it was not his fault hee had not obtained a glorious and Triumphant Victory and that the basenesse and sloath of his men had beene the cause of his defeate Ptolomy hauing the Victory by the meanes of his chiefe Battalion and hauing lost many of his Horse-men and Souldiers of the right Wing hee returned to his Campe and refresht his Army The next day he caused his men to be sought out among the Dead and buried From thence after they had stript the Enemies that were slaine hee marcht with his Army to Raphia And although that Antiochus gathering together his men that fled had a desire to keepe his Campe and to leaue the Towne yet he was forced to goe to Raphia For that the greatest part of his Souldiers were retired thither The next day earely in the morning he parts with that small Army which he had remaining after so great a defeate and went to Gaza Where planting his Campe he sent men to demaund the dead bodies and to interre them Antiochus lost aboue ten Thousand foote and three hundred Horse There were about foure thousand foote-men taken aliue In regard of the Elephants there were three slaine vpon the fielde and two wounded which dyed afterwards most of the rest were taken This was the ende of that famous battaile where as two powerfull and might Kings fought for the Empire of Syrria neere vnto Raphia When as Antiochus had buried the dead hee returned into his Countrey with his Army As for Ptolomy hee presently recouered Raphia with the other Citties so as the people contended who should preuent his neighbour in yeilding first vnto the King In such euents euery man striues to apply himselfe vnto the time It is true that the people of that Countrey are borne and inclined to imbrace the faâ—â—our of the present time But for asmuch as the people had a special deuotion to the Kings of Alexandria what they then did was held iust and reasonable The people of base Syrria haue alwaies affected this royall House And therefore they honoured Ptolomy with Flowers Sacrifices Altars and such like things When as Antiochus was come to the Citty which is called by his owne name he presently sent his Nephew Antipater with Theodote Hermioly in Embassiâ— to Ptolomy to demaund a peace of him For without doubt hee feared his forces neither did hee much relie vpon his owne souldiers considering the losse which hee had lately made Hee likewise doubted that Acheus might mooue Warre against him considering the opportunity of the time and occasion As for Ptolomy hee thought not of all this But beeing ioyfull of so great a Fortune which hee expected not holding himselfe happy to enioy all Syrria hee refused not the conditions of peace So as being lull'd a sleepe with this base kinde of life which hee had alwaies vsed his heart was much inclined thereunto When the Embassadours presented themselues vnto him he granted them a peace for a yearl after that hee vsed some proud speeches against Antiochus To whom he sent Sosibius with them to confirme the Accord And after hee had stayed about some three moneths in Syrria and Phâ—nicea and had giuen order for the Citties leauing the charge of all those places to Andromachus Aspendius he returned with his sister and Friends to Alexandria On the other side Antiochus after hee had confirmed the Accord with Sosibius and pacified all things to his liking beganne to make preparation for Warre against Acheâ—s according to his first Resolution and determination This was the estate of Asia at that same present At the same time the Rhodiens taking their occasion from an Earthquake which a little before had befalne them in the
Simie of whom he then made vse marching against the Tyrant and his Company on the other side of the Ditch Machanides had at that time two men with him that is to say Anaxidamus and a strange Souldier When hee prest his Horse to take a certaine commodious passage of the Ditch Philopomen doubling vpon him gaue him a mortall wound with a Iaueling and soone after another killing the Tyrant valiantly The like happened to Anaxidamus by the Horse-men which marcht with him The third man despairing of the passage escaped the danger by flight whilest they slew the other two After their death Simies Company stript them and brought away the Head and Armes of the Tyrant to make his death knowne vnto the Troupes whereby they might with more diligence pursue the Enemies into their City the which serued much to moue the Commons For by this meanes they reduced the City of Tegea vnder their obedience after which prize they camped neare vnto the Riuer of Erota after they had made themselues Maisters of the Champion Countrey And as they could not chase the Enemy out of their Countrey for a long time they then wasted all the Lacedemonian Prouinces without feare hauing lost few men in Battaile and the Lacedemonians aboue foure thousand besides many Prisoners and the taking of all their Baggage and Armes Of Hannibal and the Carthaginians ANd therefore who will not wonder at the gouernment vertue and power of this man in his valiant exploits of War decided in Field hauing regard to the length of time and knowing Hannibal as well in Battailes as encounters as in sieges of Townes alterations and euents of times and in the fulnesse of all the Enterprizes and resolutions according to the which hee hath made Warre in Italy against the Romans for the space of seuenteene yeares and hauing neuer broken vp his Campe but kept it still entire as vnder a good Leader and commanded so great a multitude either without mutiny towards him or among themselues although he did not imploy in his Army men of one Nation not of one Race He had vnder his command Lybians Spaniards Phenicians Italians and Grecians among the which the Lawes nor customes nor the Language had any thing common But the industry of the Commander made this great multitude of different Nations obedient to the Commandments of one man according to his desire although the Euents were not alwayes answerable but diuers and that many times Fortune smiled vpon him and was sometimes opposite These things considered you may safely say in wondring at the vertue of this Commander in that which concernes this point that if hee had first assailed the other Countries of the World and then the Romans he would haue preuailed in all that he had attempted But seeing at this day hee hath begun the Warre against those which hee should haue assailed last hee hath made both the beginning and the ending Asdrubal hauing drawne together the Souldiers from those places where they had wintred prepares for his voyage and campes neare vnto a City called Elinge building a Pallisadoe on the side of the Mountaine with plaine spaces before fit for skirmishes and encounters Hee had three score and ten thousand Foote foure thousand Horse and two and thirty Elephants Publius Scipio on the other side sends Marcus Iunius to Lochis to receiue the Bands which hee had leiued being three thousand Foote and fiue hundred Horse In regard of the other Allies he accompanies them taking his way to the place appointed When hee was come to Catalongne and to the places which were about Becyle and had ioyned his Army with Marcus and with the Troupes of Colichante he fell into a great perplexity for the apparent dangers For in truth he had not a sufficient Roman Army without the forces of the Allies to hazard a Battaile It seemed an vnsafe thing foolish and rash for those which put their hope in the forces of their Allies to hazard a Battaile But as he was for a time in suspence and that the affaires concluded that he must vse the Allies he came to fight with the Spaniards to the end that by this meanes he might make the Enemy imagine that hee fought with his whole Army This being resolu'd he marches with all his Troups being forty fiue thousand Foot and about three thousand Horse And when he was neare the Carthaginians so as he might well be discouered he camps about certaine little Hils right against the Enemy Asdrubal thinking to haue found a fit time to charge the Romans in Camping he fell vpon their Campe with the greatest part of his Horse-men and Massanissa with the Numades hauing a conceite to surprize Scipio suddainly But he hauing formerly fore-seene the future he layd an Ambush of Horse-men behinde a certaine Hill equall in number to those of the Carthaginians who charging by surprize many in the beginning turning head in regard of this vnexpected Charge of the Romans fell from their Horses others affronting the Enemies fought valiantly But for the dexterity of the Roman Horse-men in fighting the Carthaginians being troubled and discontented after some little resistance gaue backe retiring in the beginning in good order But when the Romans pursued them they tooke their flight vnder the Campe. This done the Romans assure themselues the more to vndergoe the danger and the Carthaginians did the contrary The dayes following they draw their Armies into the Plaine which lay betwixt them and making skirmishes as well of Horse-men as of their most valiant Foote and trying one another they resolued to Battaile It seemed then that Scipio had practised a double stratagem For when he saw Asdrubal slow in ordring of his forces and to put the Lybians in the midst and the Elephants vpon the two wings Then as hee was accustomed to obserue the opportunity of the time and to make head against the Lybians by Romans and to mingle the Spaniards vpon the wings on the day which hee resolued to fight hee doth now the contrary giuing by this meanes great comfort to his forces for the Victory and weakning the Enemy Presently at the Sunne-rising he giues all the Souldiers notice by men appointed that all they which were to fight armed should stand before the Pallisadoe This done when they had obeyed him cheerefully for the hope they had conceiued for the future he sends the Horse-men before and the ablest Souldiers giuing them charge to approach the Enemies Campe and that in skirmishing couragiously they should begin the Battaile For his part he marcheth at Sun-rising with the Footmen And being come into the midst of the field he drew his Army in Battaile after another forme then he had bin accustomed For he put the Spaniards in the midst and the Romans vpon the wings When as the Horse-men approacht the Pallisadoe and that the rest of the Army was in sight and ready the Carthaginians had scarce time
Alexander tooke his course towards Syria hee followed him and when he approached vnto the streights hee Camped neare vnto the Riuer of Pyre Finally that the compasse of that place was not aboue foureteene Furlongs from thence and from the Sea vnto the hilly Countreyes and that the sayd Riuer falls into the Sea trauersing the said places First by the sides of the Mountaine ending at the Plaine and then by the Field hauing his Banks rough and not easie to come vnto These things supposed he sayd that when as Alexander turning head came neare vnto Darius his aduice and that of his Princes was to order his Battaile within his Campe as hee had formerly done and to helpe himselfe with this Riuer as with a Rampire for that it ran neare vnto his Campe. Finally he ordred his Horse-men vpon the Sea-shoare and vpon their Reare the Mercenaries so as neare vnto the Riuer they were ioyned in one and the Targetteers were placed in the Mountaines It is a difficult thing to consider how hee ordred these before the Battalion seeing that the Riuer past neare vnto the Campe the multitude likewise being so great They were as Calisthenes sayth thirty thousand Horse and as many Mercenaries It is an easie thing to know what space will containe these For they order their Rankes according to the true vse of eight in a great Troupe of Horse euery one requiring a space in Front to the end they may turne easily To eight hundred of which a Furlong sufficeth and ten to eight Thousand and foure to three Thousand fiue hundred So as this space of foureteene furlongs is fill'd with twelue Thousand Horse If then he hath ordred all this Troupe of Horse in Battaile it wants not much but being tripled the order hath beene made without any space betwixt In what place then hath he ordered the multitude of Souldiers but in the Reare of the Horse-men But hee will say no and that they fought with the Macedonians at their first comming Of necessitie there must be an vniting made seeing that the order of the Horse-men held the moiety of the place towards the Sea the other towards the Mountaines being kept by the Mercenaries Hereby we may inferre how close the Horse men were vnited and what space there must be from the Riuer vnto the Campe. Then hee sayth that when the Enemies approached Darius being in the midst of his Armie called vnto him the Mercenaries and their Wing But we may doubt how this is spoken For it is necessarie that the Horse-men and Mercenaries should be ioyned about the middest of this same place When as Darius was in the middest of his Mercenaries how hath he call'd them Finally hee sayth that the Horse-men of the right Wing fought with Alexander at his first comming and that hee receiued them valliantly and fought with them in front and that the Combate of eyther side was very furious In regard of that which was spoken by him that the Riuer was in the middest as a little before we haue deliuered hee hath forgotten himselfe Finally he writes things of Alexander like vnto these He saith that hee past into Asia accompanied with fortie Thousand foot and foure Thousand fiue hundred Horse And as he would haue aduanced there came vnto him out of Macedony other fiue Thousand foote and eight hundred Horse And although that for the affaires of his long absence he had left three thousand foote and three hundred Horse yet he had fortie two thousand remaining These things presupposed hee sayth that Alexander was aduertised of Darius descent into Sicilia so hee was not aboue a hundred furlongs from him and that he had alreadie past the streights of the Countrie and for this cause turning head he repast them againe putting the great Battalion in Front then the Horse-men and after all the rest of the baggage of the Army And when he came afterwards into the plaine that all the baggage being packt vp hee commaunded that being mingled with the Battalion they should make their rankes containing first about two and thirtie in number then of sixteene and of eight neere the Enemy These Speeches haue lesse reason then the former For as the furlong containes in these spaces sixteene hundred men when a rancke is of eighteene men so as they be euery one separated a Fathome it is manifest and doth plainly appeare that the ten will containe sixteene Thousand men and twentie double the number The which may easily appeare for that when as Alexander ordred his Army by sixeteene men in a rancke it was very necessary that the place should bee of twenty Furlongs and yet all the Cauallerie remained and ten thousand Foote Finally hee saith that hee led his whole Army in Front against the Enemies being yet forty Furlongs off But that is so strange as wee can hardly imagine any thing more insensible Where shall wee finde such spaces in the Champion Countrey euen in Cilicia that a Battaile set in order holding twenty Furlongs in breadth and forty in length may march in the Front There are so many hinderances to order this forme of Battaile as they can hardly be numbred Moreouer â—he sayings of Calisthenes giue no sufficient arguments to purchase credite For hee sayth that the Torrents which fall from the Mountaines make so many and such great Moores and Fenns as he assures vs that a great number of Persians perished there in the flight But would Darius suddainly shew himselfe against the Enemy Is there nothing more easie then a Battalion broken and scattred in Front But how much more easie is it to order a Battaile in a conuenient passage then to leade an Army directly to fight being broken and scattred in woody and crooked places And therefore it were better to leade in Army close and vnited and double rather then Quadruple By this meanes it would not be impossible to finde the meanes to passe and to put the Battaile in order and with ease if hee might by his Scouts discouer the comming of the Enemy But Calisthenes besides the rest orders not the Horse men in Battaile when he led the Army in Field being in Front ordring the Foote-men equally It is also a strange thing when hee saith that Alexander being neare the Enemy comprehended the order of his Battalion of eight for a Ranke So it is manifest that necessarily the length of this Battalion contained the space of about forty Furlongs But if they haue beene as the Poet said close together so as they haue beene ioyned one to another Yet it would be necessary that the place should containe Twenty Furlongs And yet he saith there were but foureteene and that in such sort as one part was towards the Sea and a moiety of the Army vpon the right hand and that moreouer all the armed men had place sufficient on the side of the Mountaines to the end they might not bee supprest by the Enemy holding the borders of the Hills Wee know well
of Bysarthe where they had wintred as well by Sea as Land And when they had all their preparations ready they were not onely destitute of their Campes so inconsiderately deliuered to their Enemies but it seemed they should all perish with their Countrey For this cause they were amazed with great feare and faintnesse of heart And when as the affaires prest them to consider prudently of the future and eminent danger the Senate was full of doubt and of diuers confused thoughts Some sayd they must send to Hannibal and call him out of Italy for that all their hope consisted in that Commander and the Army which hee had Others were of aduice they should send to Scipio to obtaine a truce and to parley of an accord and agreement some would haue them to be of good courage and to leuie an Army and finally to send to Syphax He was fled farre vnto Abbe drawing together those which escaped from the danger which aduice was resolued Wherefore they leuie men and send to Asdrubal to that end and likewise to Syphax intreating him to giue them Succours and to obserue the conuentions according to their first purpose promising him that their Commander should presently ioyne with his Army The Roman Generall followeth the Siege of Bysarthe the which hee did the rather for that hee was aduertised that Syphax continued in his first resolution and that the Carthaginians leuied a new Army For this cause hee raised his Campe and besieged Bysarthe When hee had diuided the spoile hee chased away the Merchants vpon good aduice For the Souldiers carelesse of the present commodity of goods for that the hope of profits which grew by their good fortune was apparent they had intelligence with the Merchants It seemed very fit to the King of Numidia and his Friends at the first sight that they should retire to their houses But when the Celtiberians arriued neare vnto Abbe who being entertained were aboue foure thousand men the Carthaginians grew assured and by little and little recouered their spirits relying vpon these Troupes Moreouer when as Pedisca the Daughter of Asdrubal and Wife to Syphax of whom we haue spoken intreated him with all affection that he would not abandon the Carthaginians for the present The Numidian yeelded to her intreaties The Celtiberians put no small hope into the Carthaginians For although they were but foure thousand yet they sayd they were ten thousand Finally they promised to bee insupportable in the fight as well for their courage as their Armes The Carthaginians growne proud with this common bruite were more confident to recouer their Campes Finally they set vp their Pallisadoe within thirty dayes neare vnto the Plaine called the Great and there they planted their Campe accompanied with the Numidians and Celtiberians being in number thirty thousand men When the newes came vnto the Romans Campe Scipio presently prepared to part And when he had sent to those which held the Siege before Bysarthe and to the others which were at Sea informing them what they were to doe he marched towards the Enemy hauing all his Bands furnished with the most valiant men Being come on the fift Day to this great Plaine and approaching neare the Enemy he camped the first Day vpon a Hill thirty Furlongs distant from them the Day following hee descends into the Plaine sending the Horse-men before within seuen Furlongs and there settles his Campe againe After two Dayes expectance when they had skirmished of either side to come to a Battaile either of them in the end drew to Field and put their men in order Scipio first of all placeth in Front his forlorne hope according to their custome After which he appoints the Principals and in the third place the Triarij in the Reareward As for the Horse-men he orders the Italians on the right hand and Massanissa with the Numidians on the left Syphax and Asdrubal set the Celtiberians in the midst against the Romans Bands the Numidians on the left hand and the Carthaginians on the right Suddainly when the Combat began the Numidians were repuls'd by the Roman Horse-men and the Carthaginians as they had often before losing courage were ouerthrowne by Massanissa's Company Yet the Celtiberians fought valiantly against the Romans for they had no hope of safety remaining for the ignorance of the places neither yet if they were taken considering their vniust Warre For seeing that Scipio during the Warre of Spaine had not offended them it seemed against reason and a disloyalty to giue succours to the Carthaginians But when the Wings began to giue backe they were in a manner all slaine being inclosed by the Principals and the Triarij Thus the Celtiberians perished who were a great helpe to the Carthaginians not onely in the fight but also in the flight for if they had not entertained the Romans and that the Chase had beene suddainly followed few of the Enemies had escaped but as their resistance caused the stay Syphax retired safely with his Horse-men into his Countrey and Asdrubal to Carthage with the rest which escaped When as the Roman Generall had giuen order for the spoiles and Prisoners calling a Counsell he consulted what there was to do Whereupon it was thought fit that Scipio should with part of the Army assaile the Townes and Lelyus with Massinissa accompanied by the Numidians and part of the Roman Army pursues Syphax and not giue him leasure to make any new preparations These things thus resolued they separate themselues and some goe against Syphax with their Souldiers and the Generall against the Cities whereof some yeilded to the Romans for feare and others being forced by siege At that time the whole Region wauered and were ready to reuolt hauing beene cruelly tormented and vexed during the length of the Wars of Spaine In regard of Carthage as formerly there was great inconstancy so now there was greater trouble and combustion for that hauing heard and seene this Wound the second time they grew desperate in themselues It is true that they among the Councellours which seemed to haue greatest Courage commaunded that they should saile against those which laid siege to Bysarthe and to make a triall if they might raise the siege and to fight with the Enemy at Sea as being ill furnished They required also that they should send for Hannibal and relie vpon that hope and that there was reasonable occasions of safety by these two attempts Some said that the time would not allow it and that they must fortifie and furnish the Citie for a siege And that being of one consent the accident would minister occasions Some also aduise to make an Accord and League whereby they should free themselues of the eminent dangers As there were many opinions vppon this businesse they confirme them all together Wherefore this was their Resolution they that were to saile into Italy parting from the Senate should go presently to Sea The Pylots
day drew forth their Ensignes before the breake of day returning into Gaule along the Sea-shore laden with all sorts of pillage When as Lucius Emilius had retired those which had fled to the Hill he pursued the Gaules with his Army Yet he did not hold it fit to present battell to so great a multitude but rather resolued to attend some opportunity either of time or place where hee might amaze the Enemy or make them abandon the booty in some sort At the same time Caius Attilius tbe other Consull who was lately arriued at â—â—sa from Sardinia landed with his whole Army and marched directly to Rome by the Sea-shore before the Gaules They were not farre from Telamona a Towne of Tuscany when as some of their scouts fell by surprize into the Romans hands who discouered vnto the Consull that the Gaules were not farre off and that Lucius Emilius pursued them These things being vnderstood Caius Attilius wondering at this fortune and hoping partly of the Victory for that Fortune seemed to haue deliuered the Enemy betwixt their two Campes he gaue the Legions to the Tribunes of the Souldiers and gaue them charge to march against the Enemy as much as the opportunity of place would giue them leaue In the meane ttme seeing a little Hill vpon the way very commodious for their Warre to the which the Gaules seemed to tend hee tooke the Horse-men and resolued to get it before them and to vndergoe the danger hoping that if the Romans had the Victory by this meanes they would attribute the honour vnto him The Gaules ignorant in the beginning of the Consuls comming and doubting by the things which they saw that Lucius â—milius had past before night with his horsmen to gaine the Countrey which was aduantagious for the Warre they presently sent all their Horse and some of their most actiue men to recouer this Hill But when they were aduertised by the Prisoners that Attilius held it they presently caused their Foot-men to march and order their battell in the Reare as in the Front for that they saw Emilius followed them in the taile and that the other attended them in front as they had learned by the Prisoners and by the things which had happened They which were with Emilius were not yet confident although it were a common bâ—uite that the Army of Sardinta was arriued at Pisa. But they were assured when as they saw the combat at the Hill for the Enemies were very neere and therefore the Emilian Horse reioyced much and tooke a way by the side of the neerest Hill to goe and succour those which defended it Emilius in the meane time marcht after the Gaules in the same order hee had beene accustomed When the Gaules saw themselues thus inuolued by the Enemies they put vpon the Reare the Gâ—ssates and Milannois against Emilius who followed them and vpon the Front the Pâ—emontois and those which inhabite along the Poe appointing the Bolonians and the Caâ—s with all the baggage apart without the two Battalions and all the pillage vpon a 〈◊〉 Hill with some Horse-men to guard it When they had thus ordained their Battell with two fronts it seemed not onely terrible to bâ—hold but also of a wonderfull efficacy for the combat The Bolonians and Millannois made choice of such as had Breeches and were most at ease in their apparrell But the Gessates for the great courage and wonderfull desire of glory which they had stript themselues and put themselues before the Battalion naked onâ—ly with their Armes hauing a conceit that by this meanes they should be more actiue and disposed to fight For the Bushes which were thicke there would stay them by their Clothes and hinder their fighting First the Combate which was at the Hill was in the sight of both Aâ—mies whereas the Horse men charged one another and fought valiantly There Caiâ—s Attilius was slaine fighting too rashly whose Head was presently carried to the Kings of the Gaules Yet the Romane cauallery fainted not but were the more incensed to fight so as in the end they not onely defended the Hill but defeated all the Gaules Horse-men In the meane time the Foot men approach and the combate began the which was not onely horrible and wonderfull to behold for those that were present but likewise for those which shall heare it spoken of First coâ—sidering that the battell was of three Armies euery man may imagine that the sight was not onely new and fearefull to the assistants but also their manner of fighting Moreouer who will doubt but the Gaules had the worst being chargd as well in the Reare as in the Front Or it may be the better for that they fought altogether against the two Armies and that the two sides repulsed their Enemies so as at the same instant they defended one another And that moreouer they could not passe on not hope for flight backe ward There is no doubt but a Battell with two Fronts hath the benefit that the Souldiers haue no meanes to flye In regard of the Romanes they had hope of Victory for that they saw their Enemies inclosed as it were deliuered into their hands On the other side they feared the fury and order of their Army the sound of Trumpets and Clairons was terrible with the which all the Troope made a great cry and shoute so as there was an incredible noise They could not heare the Trumpets and Souldiers and moreouer the neighbour places seemed to ecchoe forth their cries It was a terrible thing to see the forlorne hope march naked Beleeue me these great naked bodies with their motions vnder their Bucklers were maruelous and fearefull The beauty and riches of their Apparrell gaue also a great luster For the whole Army shined with chaines of Gold and Silkes wouen with purple The which the Romanes obseruing they were partly amazed and partly encouraged with the hope of spoile Finally the taile of the Army which was armed was not gauld by the Roman Archers who doe vsually march before the Battalion But the forlorne hope which fought naked before their Troopes were contrary to all hope much annoyed For they could not couer their great naked bodies with their French Bucklers And therefore the Arrowes fell easily vpon them Finally when they saw themselues thus beaten and could not bee reuenged of the Archers by reason of the distance and for the multitude of Arrowes which flew from all parts they cast themselues like desperate mad-men some vpon their Enemies where they were slaine others retired vpon their owne Troopes who being all bloody daunted the courage of the rest and put them in disorder By this meanes the fiercenesse of the Gessates which made the forlorne hope was abated Then the Milannois the Bolonians and the Turinois maintained the burthen of the battell where they did not fight a fatre off with their Arrowes and Darts as formerly but hand to hand with their Speeres and Swords and
Numidians to march first and then all the Cauallery and soone after he follows with the rest of his Army The Numidians turning to the Campe abandoned by their Enemies they set it on fire to the great benefit of the Romans For if they had not staied in the Campe they might haue pursued them in the Reare and haue made a great slaughter of the Roman Army But whilst they loose time in burning the lodging the greatest part of the Army past the Riuer in safety Some of the Reare-ward were surprized by the Carthaginians who were either slaine or taken Prisoners In the meane time Scipio made choise of the Hils which were neere vnto the Riuer for that they seemed fit to make a â—ort The which being inuironed with a Ditch and a Pallisado hee attended in this distresse the returne of his Companion Tyberius from Sycily with an Army causing his Wounds to be carefully looked vnto to the end that their assailes being in so great danger he might be a pertaker Hannibal seated his Campe within fiue miles of the Enemies Fort whom the Gaules did furnish abundantly not only with Victuals but with all other things necessary and were very ready to vndergoe any danger with the Carthaginians The newes came to Rome of the defeate of their men And although they would neuer haue thought it yet the Romans made no shew to be amazed therewith disguising the defeate of their Horse-men to haue hapned not so much by the Prowâ—sse of the Carthaginians as by the ouer-weening of the Commaunder and the Treason of the Gaules who had yeilded themselues to Hannibal Finally they were in good hope of their Warre seeing that the Bands of foot-men were yet entire Wherefore Sempronius being returned and passing by Rome they all perswaded him publickely to giue Battell to the Carthaginians Sempronius at his comming vnto Rimeny receiues all the Troupes which were come from Sycily according to his commaundment From thence marching to Trobia he ioynes with his Companion where he refresht his Army toil'd with the rediousnesse of the way hauing marcht forty daies together comming from Lylibeum to Rimeny He also vsed diligence to prouide all sorts of munition Moreouer he consulted with Scipio inquiring of the actions past and conferring of the future At the same time Hannibal tooke the Towne of Clastidium by Treason corrupting Brengusin the Captaine of the Garrison where as the Romans had lodged a great quantity of Corne whereof he made vse in his necessity and sent away the Souldiers in safety to the end that by the fame of his Clemency others might yeild more easily vnto the Carthaginians He extended his bounty also vnto him that betraide it And being aduertised that the Gaules inhabiting that little Country which lies betwixt Trebia and the Poe and had made an Alliance with him had sought the friendship of the Romans by Embassie To the end that during the trouble of these two powerfull Nations they might haue the grace of an vncertaine fauour He sends being mooued with rage and despight two thousand foote and about a thousand Numidian Horses with some Gaules intermixt to spoile the Country The which hauing performed and taken a great Booty the Inhabitants sent presently an Embassie to the Consull to 〈◊〉 succours Sâ—mpronius presently imbracing this occasion to giue battell which hee had long desired sends a great part of his Cauallery with a thousand foote with Darts beyond the Riuer of Trebia who charging the Gaules and surprizing them in disorder for that they were in contention touching the diuision of the Booty they put them into a great confusion and forced them to retire killing and chasing them into their Fort Where by the sally of the Troupe which guarded the Campe the Gaules resuming Courage they were forced to turne head and to recouer their Campe. The which 〈◊〉 perceiuing he sent a simply of all his Horse with the Darters and forced the Gaules to retire into their Fort. But for that Hannibal was not then ready to giue battell he was not of aduice to vndertake it without great consideration nor to hazard all vpon all occasions And therefore like a well aduised Captaine he caused a Retreateto be sounded and retires his men into the Fort. And when as the Romans had skirmished with their enemies in vaine they returned to their Campe hauing lost few of their men and made great slaughter of the Carthaginians Sempronius growne ioyfull and proud of this good Fortune had a will to giue Battell onely for the desire of glory whilst that his Companion was weake and infirme And therefore he discouers himselfe to Scipio to whom the time did not seeme conuenient to do it but rather to deferre the Battell to the end that the Roman Souldiers being yet fresh and greene might gaine experience and that in Temporizing the Gaules as people light and without faith might abandon the Carthaginians and that finally he might be present for that his Wound at that time made him vnprofitable Although that Sempronius knew well that Scipio spake the truth yet mooued with ambition either that Scipio should not be present or that the Warre should not be prolonged vntill the comming of the other Consuls for that the time of the election was come he resolued to giue Battell alone Hannibal being of the like opinion with Scipio was carefull how to finde an occasion to fight whilst the Gaules faith was firme and the Enemies Souldiers of little experience and Scipio vnprofitable to vndergoe the danger But especially he feared to loose time For seeing he led an Army in a strange Country and had a great enterprize in hand there was no other meanes of safety then to keepe his Allies Wherefore seeing the desire of Sempronius he prepared himselfe willingly to Battell There was betwixt the two Armies a plaine Champaigne but very conuenient to lay an Ambush hauing a deepe Riuer with high Bankes and Thickets and Bushes round about it Which Hannibal hauing viewed he resolued to lay an Ambush It is true that the Romans fled the Forrests by reason of the Ambushes which the Gaules often layd for them trusting onely in a Champaigne Country Being ignorant that a plaine is more fitting then a Forrest for the couering of an Ambush For they may see the Enemy come farre off and haue sometimes fit meanes and opportunity to couer themselues so as when they finde a Riuer with low Bankes the Reedes Flagges of the Marishes Bushes and such like things doe couer the foote and many times the Horse-men if they bend downe their Helmets which are apparent Hannibal after he had acquainted his Brother Mago with his resolution to giue battel and being both of this aduice he caused him to be called whilst the Souldiers supp'd His brother Mago was a young man of a braue Spirit and Resolute and had bin alwaies bred vp in the Warre To whom he gaue a thousand Horse and as many Boote chosen out of the
principally of them by reason of their wonderfull beauty and excellency Moreouer this scituation is strong by nature and in a manner impregnable For on the one side they are inclosed by the Sea and on the other they are wholly enuironed with Mountaines There are onely three entries which are narrow and painefull the one is at Samnium the second at Eriban and the third among the Arpins The Carthaginians made a shew to goe into these Countries as into a Theater to amaze them all and thereby to flye from the Enemy and then to campe alone Wherefore Hannibal moued with these reasons leades his Army by Samnium to the streights of Mount Eriban and plants his Campe neere vnto the Riuer of Vantour which diuides the said Champaigne from Rome Then the most pleasant Countrey of Italy was ouerrunne and the Villages put to fire and sword And although that these things were very troublesome to Fabius yet he continued constant in his resolution But Marcus Minucius and all the Tribunes of the Horse were of opinion not to temporize any longer but to fall vpon the Carthaginians with all their strength and forces not suffring the spoile of so goodly a Countrey in the view of the Roman Army Fabius dislodging more suddainly then he had beene accustomed seemed to make haste to preserue the Countrey of Capua from spoile But when hee came to Falerna hee did but shew his Army vpon the Mountaines lest the Allies should thinke he held not a Campe. Yet he would neuer drawe downe into the field fearing to fight with the Carthaginians as well for the reasons which wee haue formerly mentioned as for that he was the weaker in Cauallery When as Hannibal had often attempted in vaine to drawe the Enemy to fight in the end he studied of a place to winter in hauing ruined all parts of the Countrey and taken a wonderfull spoile hauing no intent to lose his Pillage but to transport it to some place where he might passe the Winter to the end his Army might not want any thing as well for the present as the future Fabius knowing well that the returne of his Enemy would be by the same streight by the which he had entred hee imagined that this passage would be beneficiall to the Romans and placeth about foure thousand men within these streights intreating them to carry themselues like braue and valiant men when occasion should require making vse of the aduantage of the place For his part hee recouered the next Mountaine with the rest of the Army looking earnestly about him what was to be done and from whence and by whom the Enemy should be Charged holding himselfe assured to defeate their whole Army or at the least to make them abandon the Booty which they carried But Hannibal saw that Fabius fought with his owne weapons and hauing duly considered thereon he disappointed his enterprize with an excellent stratagem causing many Faggots of dry stickes to be drawne together and bound to the hornes of Oxen and Bugles whereof he had to the number of two thousand and gaue charge to Asdrubal that in setting fire to the stickes at a certaine houre he should chase the Troupe to the next Mountaine which was betwixt the Camp and the streight they were to passe and that as soone as they should see a signe which he would giue they should force the Oxen against the Mountaine vntill they had gotten the top When as all things were ready he makes them to feed and to take some rest About mid-night hee causeth them to march which had the charge to tie the Torches to the hornes of the Oxen. This being suddainly done by reason of the multitude of assistants he giues order to kindle them all and to chase them to the top of the Mountaine Finally hee giues charge to them that were lightly Armed to follow them to a certaine place commaunding them that as soone as the Troupe should begin to runne furiously through the Mountaines they should recouer the places of aduantage whereby they might succour his men in passing and annoy the enemy if they encountred any In the meane time hee dislodgeth with his Army and marcheth directly to the streights ordring in Front the Souldiers that were best armed and after them the Horse-men then the Baggage and in the Reare the Gaules and Spaniards The Romans which had been appointed to guard these passages thinking that Hannibal came where they saw the fire on the toppe of the Mountaines abandoned their places retiring to the highest Hils And when at the first they encountred some of these Oxen seperated from the rest they made a stand seeing their heads on a flaming fire wondring as at a miracle But when the Souldiers were discouered they entertained one another with casting of Darts And when in the end the Oxen came on they all made a stand on the top of the mountaines expecting day with great desire to be more certainly informed of the businesse Fabius aduertised of this noise conceiuing it was some Ambush and flying the battaile as they resolued kept his men within the Fort. In the meane time Hannibal to whom matters succeeded according to his desire past his Army by the mountaine and carried away all his Spoiles without any obstacle Then seeing at the breake of day the Romans in front against his men and to bee stronger in number and in their kind of Armes he sent them a band of Spaniards to second them Who after they had slaine about a thousand at the first Charge they brought their men safe backe vnto the Campe. Hannibal being freed by this policy from the streights of Falerna from thenceforth he was more carefull to choose a safe place to Campe in seeking where he might Winter greatly terrifying the Townes and people of Italy During these actions many taxed the Dictator of Cowardize for that he had suffered the enemy to escape so easily being inclosed within the streights but hee continued still constant in his opinion Some few daies after he was called backe to Rome for the Sacrifices and left the Gouernment of the Army and all other affaires to the Constable giuing him charge that he should not study so much to offend the Enemy as to defend his owne men But Minucius whom the Dictator aduised in vaine had no other care but to fight During these actions in Italy Asdrubal hauing repaired thirty good ships which he had receiued from his brother Hannibal adding thereunto ten others parts from Carthage in the beginning of Summer and giues the charge to Imilcon who ran along the Coasts and Asdrubal led the Army by Land neere the shore hoping to meete at one instant at the mouth of the Riuer of Ebro with the Army by Sea Cneus Scipio aduertised that Asdrubal was gone to field hee was first of the same opinion but afterwards he resolued to fight rather by Sea then Land by reason of the bruite of their new succours and
made farre greater then it had beene so as all the World reioyced First for that they imagined that after so many losses this was the beginning of a better fortune and iudge thereby that the slacknesse and cowardize which had seemed to bee in their Army was not the fault of the Souldiers but of the Dictator And therefore all the World contemned Fabius and held him to bee dull and a Coward Contrariwise they did so highly extoll and praise Minucius as they gaue him equall power with the Dictator the which had not beene formerly seene hoping that hee would soone make an end of the Warres of Italy Thus there were two Dictators at one time and in one Army which was a new thing Minucius much more proud then it is credible as well for his good fortune as the peoples fauour grew so glorious as if the Enemies were already defeated and vanquished Fabius fainted not nor lost his courage for the iniury they had done vnto him but returned to the Campe alwaies constant in his opinion But when hee saw that his Companion was much troubled to finde an occasion of fighting fearing lest hee should commit some folly he gaue him the choice either that one of them should for a certaine time or euery other day or for a longer space haue the Gouernment of the Campe or else they should diuide the Legions betwixt them after the manner of the Consuls and that either of them should doe with his Army what hee pleased Wherefore they parted their Troupes and had their Campes separated about a Mile and an halfe distant one from another When as Hannibal was aduertised not onely by the Fugitiues but also of their actions of the hatred betwixt the Commaunders and of the ouerweening of Minucius thinking that this would further his intention he sought occasion to fight with him hoping hee should easily abate his fury and presumption There was a little Hill betwixt Minucius Campe and that of the Carthaginians whereon whosoeuer seazed it would proue very preiudiciall to the other And when as Hannibal made haste to get it being certaine that Minucius would come to preuent him as hee had other times done he vsed this stratagem First of all the whole Plaine betwixt them at the first sight seemed vnfit to lay an Ambush being void of woods and bushes Yet there were about it many turnings and hollow Rocks where they might easily hide Souldiers Hee sends by Night to these hollow places according to the capacity which hee knew to bee in them two hundred and three hundred and fiue hundred Horse together with fiue thousand Foote And to the end they should not bee discouered by the Fotragers hee send at the breake of day some that were lightly armed to take this Hill The which when Minucius perceiued contemning so small a number he marcht with his Army to repell the Enemy from thence First hee sent those that were lightly armed commaunding them to charge then the Horse-men Finally hee followes with those that were compleatly armed not changing the order which hee had held in other encounters The summe was now risen and all the World looked vpon this Hil. The Ambushes were couered Hannibal sent succours continually to his men and afterwards followed with all his Cauallery Finally the two Armies fought with all their Troupes and in the end the Roman Foote-men that were lightly armed were forced by the Horse-men to retire to their Companions that were better armed Then the Ambush brake forth and charged on all sides with great cries so as they not onely distressed and aflicted those that were lightly armed but likewise the whole Army The which Fabius perceiuing and fearing that the Roman Army might be wholy defeated parts from his Campe and succours his Companion At whose comming the Romans reioyced and retired presently to their Ensignes although they were broken and scattered here and there with the losse of many Souldiers that were lightly Armed and diuers others of the Legions Hannibal seeing the Enemies re-inforced with Succours and that they marcht directly towards him he caused a Retreat to be sounded Then all the Romans which were in the fight confessed publickly that the Vertue and Wisedome of Fabius had saued the Roman Empire which the ouer-weening of Minucius had lost and ruined When as the newes came to Rome all the World knew plainly what difference there is betwixt the ouer-weening and ignorance of Souldiers and the iudgement and aduice of a wise Captaine From that time the Romans contented themselues with one Campe and all obeyed Fabius The which I find related after this manner by another Author VVHen the two Armies were returned to their owne Campes Minucius hauing his Souldiers about him speake vnto them in this manner I haue often heard say louing Souldiers that hee is most Wise that can giue good Councell and tell what is to be done in his difficult Affaires And hee is next Wise that can obey him that giueth good councell but hee that can neyther giue good councell himselfe nor obey other mens councell is of all others most ignorant and foolish Seeing that Fortune hath denied â—s the first of these Gifts let vs keepe the second and whilst we learne to Rule let vs propound vnto our selues to obey them that be Wise. Wherefore let vs ioyne our Tents with Fabius and when as you shall heaâ—e me salute him as my Protector and Father you likewise shall salute his Souldiers as your noble Patrons by whose strength and resolution you are preserued this day Whereupon they presently remoued their Tents and went to Fabius Campe whereat he maruailed much There Minucius submitted himselfe and his men to the protection of Fabius resigning the authority of the Empire into his hands The Carthaginians thought to accoÌ„modate a place to passe the Winter hauing inuironed it with Ditches betwixt the Hill and their Campe and fortified the top of the Hill with men and Pallisadoes In the meane time the day of the Election of Consuls was come where they deposed the Dictators and made choise for Consuls of Lucius Emilius and Caius Tarrentius Varro And when as Emilius had created for Pro-Consuls the Consuls of the precedent Army Cneus Seruilius and Marcus Attileus Regulus who had beene subbrogated in the place of Flaminius they tooke the charge of all the Troupes that were in the Campe mannaging all the Affaires of Warre The Consuls make a new Leuy of men to furnish their Army and giue charge vnto the Pro-Consuls that they should not dare to fight a Battaile with the Carthaginians but entertaine their Souldiers with light skirmishes and invre the Youth to hardnesse and labour for the time to come for that they imputed the defeats past vnto the ignorance and slacknesse of the Souldiers Lucius Postumus was created Praetor and sent into Gaule with an Army to do the like vnto those Gaules which were in Hannibals seruice They
perished Xenoete hoping that if hee approached neere vnto Molon hee should draw many of his men vnto him marcht a slow pace a long the riuer side setting downe neere vnto the enemy At what time Molon leauing his Baggage in the Campe retired by night doing it eyther by policy or for some distrust hee had of his men and takes his way towards Media Xenoete thinking the enemy had beene fled terrified with his comming and ill assured of his Souldiers gaines first the enemies Campe and cals vnto him all his Horse-men and the rest which he had left with Zeuxis Then calling them all together hee perswades them to be of good hope for the future considering the flight and despaire of Molon This propose ended hee commaunded them to go to their Repast and to be ready in morning to pursue their enemies But all the souldiers hearts puffed vp with the present successe and stuffed with all sorts of Booty betooke themselues wholy to gormundizing and drunkennes and in the same sort of sloathfulnesse and negligence that by custome begets such things passed the night Now as Molon had gayned an aduantagious place and that he had refreshed his men also he aduanced against the enemies and finding them ouer-come and â—â—â—zed on by sleepe and Wine he assaulted their Campe with extreame fury euen in the breake of day Xenoete astonisht with so great and vnlookt for a businesse could by no meanes awake his people for their drunkennesse but they were killed by the enemies resisting by small Companies and so the greatest part were defeated within the Campe drowned in sleepe the rest throwing themselues into the Riuer striuing to passe it by swimming but the most of them perished for all that in the end It was a pittifull thing to see men so affrighted for all without any regard or consideration throwing themselues into the mercy of the Waues and to passe therein and driue afore them the Carriages and Baggage as if they thought by the ayde of the Water they could gaine or saue their Campe but it came to passe that in one selfe same time Sumpter horses Armes and dead bodies were borne by the Riuer as if also a Vanquisher a thing both fearefull to relate and also horrible to behold After that Molon had thus suddainly gayned the Campe of the enemies and had passed the Riuer without danger because there was none to hinder his passage and that Zeuxis had taken flight as it were before the enemies approached hee tooke also the Fort which was there on the Riuer After this good fortune hee came into Seleucia with his Army the which hee tooke suddainly in respect that those who were with Zâ—â—xis were astonished at his comming hauing abandoned the Towne with Diomedon Gouernour of Seleucia And after hauing ranne ouer all the Prouince hee brought vnder his obedience all the Townes of the high Country without finding resistance and from thence hauing Conquered the Empire of all the Countrey of Babylon and all the Countrey about the Red Sea hee arriued vnto Susa taking the Towne vpon his first arriuall and after he had giuen many assaults to the Fortresse because Diogene was there retyred and that hee could not forceâ— he desisted from his enterprize and raysed the siege hee returned into Seleucia with his Army and there after he haâ— Garrison'd his men of Warre for some time and had encouraged them vnto the Warres hee with a great heart vndertooke to lead them out of the Countrey and to Conquer in a small time all the Prouince that iâ— from Tygris vnto the Towne of Europe and Mesopotamia euen vnto Dura Antioch hauing as wee haue heretofore sayd these newes were in fantasie to leaue the Warre in Syrria and to prouide for this other Countrey with an extreame diligence they Assembled therefore those of their Counsell and as they had commaunded that euery one should freely giue his aduice touching the Warre of Molon and that Epigone should be made fit saying that long sithence things should haue beene considered and lookt vnto because the enemies should not haue their courages so great to vndertake such things because of their good successe To whom neuerthelesse they ought â—ow to giue order with all their endeauour and study for some speedy course to preueâ—â— all future danger Then Hermes incensed againe began to vse proud and iniurious speeches without reason Hee inuented false slanders against Epigene beseeching the King not to leaue the Warre of Syrria so inconsiderately Finally he grew into such a rage as hee offended many and discontented Antiochus They could hardly pracifie his fury although the King vsed what meanes hee could to reconcile them In the end when the aduice of Epigene seemed the best vnto the assistants it was resolued in Councell that the Army should march against Molon and that there they should make the Warre Hermes seeming presently to haue altered his aduice sayd that all the World must obserue that which the Councell had decreed and performed his duty to make prouision of all necessary things for the managing of Warre When the Troupes were assembled at Apamia and that there was a munity and a great discord growne amongst the common Souldies Hermes finding the King amazed and much troubled hee assured him to pacifie the rage and discontent of the Souldiers and to diuide and share the Corne quietly among them if hee would promise him neuer to carry Epigene with him in any exploits of Warre For that they could not performe any thing of importance in an Army being at so much difference and so incensed one against another And although the King disliked this and was very much discontented at his motion for that hee knew by experience that Epigone was a man of Councell and actiue in Affaires of Warre yet to preuent the present he sent him suddainly away doubting that being circumuented by the promises of Hermes hee should not be master of himselfe Which beeing done all the rest of the Kings Councell grew into great feare The Troupes also receiuing what Corne they desired changed their affection and followed Hermes except the Cyrrastres Who beeing sixe thousand men mutined and abandoned the Kings seruice Who afterwards did him many affronts in his Warre at seuerall times Yet in the end they were defeated by a certaine Captaine of the Kings party and the greatest part of them slaine the rest yeilded afterwards vnto the King Hermes hauing made the Kings friends his owne by feare and the Souldiers by his bounty hee marcht with him and his Army Hee layed a plot agianst Epigene with the helpe and consent of Alexis who at that time was Captaine of Apamia and writing letters as if they had bin sent from Molon to Epigene hee corrupted one of Alexis seruants with great promises who went to Epigene to thrust these Letters secretly among his other Writings Which when he had done Alexis came suddainly to Epigene demanding of him if he had receiued any
him and they make his processe presently before the Tribune in the presence of the assembly if hee be condemn'd they whip him This is their punishment The Tribune when he hath scarce touchâ— the condemned with the rod all the Souldiers of the Campe fall vpon them with rods and kill them for the most part and if any escape yet they are not preserued for how were it possible seeing that the returne into their Countrey is forbidden neither haue they Friends or Kinsmen that dare receiue them into their houses Wherefore they which fall into this Calamity perish totally To the like punishmen are also subiect the Lieutenant and Captaine of the Band if they haue failed in their Command the one as Vissiter and the other as Captaine of the Band who must shew himselfe in time conuenient wherefore as the punishment is seuere and irremissible the watch neuer commits any fault The Souldiers must obey the Tribunes and they the Consuls It is true the Tribunes haue power to condemne in a Fine to absolue and to whip The Captaines haue the like priuiledge ouer the Allies If any one hath stollen any thing in the Campe he is whipt so is a false witnesse or any one that is apprehended abusing the flower of the youth Moreouer if any one hath bin thrice reprehended for one and the same crime they punish him afterwards grieuously as a depraued person They hold these crimes infamous and base in a Souldier as if any one hath bragg'd falsely to the Tribune of his prowesse to winne honour Or if any appointed to the guard of a place abandon it cowardly or leaues any of his Armes for feare in fight Wherefore some hauing apparent death before them in the place where they are set as being enuironed by a great Troupe will neuer abandon the station where they haue bin once appointed fearing the punishment due to their offence Some in the like dangers losing by chance their Bucklers and Swords or some other Armes thrust themselues among their Enemies hoping to recouer that which they haue lost by force or enduring some vnfortunate accident to flie a manifest infamy and reproach of their Companions If these things happen to many and that some Ensignes haue by a generall consent abandoned their place they held it not fit to whip them nor to kill them all but they haue another expedient which is profitable and terrible for after they haue drawne the Army together the Tribunes bring them into the midst of it accusing them with big words Finally he drawes forth by lot fiue or eight sometimes twenty hauing regard vnto the Troupe so as there be the tenth part of the delinquents whom they whip as hath bin said without any remission Moreouer he commands the rest to lodge without the Rampiers and Pallisadoes of the Campe deliuering them Barley for Wheat By the apparent danger and feare of the lot equally incident to them all seeing the euent is vncertaine with the example of the Munition which they giue them of Barley concernes them all and serues for a terrour and restraint from offences Moreouer they encourage young men to vndergoe danger For when necessity requires it and that any one of them hath performed an act of valour the Consull assembles the Army where they are presented which haue done any memorable act There he commends euery man in particular laying open what they haue valiantly performed or any other thing that hath bin worthy of memory during the whole course of their liues Finally he giues a gaulish Dart to him that hath wounded the Enemy To a Foot-man which hath ouerthrowne a Horse-man and stript him a vessell of Gold To a Horse-man the Furniture of a Horse In former time they had none but the gaulish Dart which are gifts which they receiue which in skirmishes and such like actions haue done valiantly and couragiously where without any necessity they enter voluntarily and fight man to man in single Combate not hee which in Battaile or the taking of a Towne hath wounded or stript an Enemy It is true they giue a Crowne of Gold to those which haue first ascended the wall The Consull in like manner makes shew of such as haue defended and preserued any Cittizens or Allies and makes them honourable by gift Moreouer the Tribunes compell those which haue beene preserued if they doe it not willingly to crowne their preseruer to whom they beare a reuerence and respect during their liues as to their Fathers to whom they yeeld the like duty By these inticements they not onely encourage the assistants to fight and by their example to vndergoe danger but likewise the Inhabitants which remaine in the City For they which haue obtained these gifts besides the glory and esteeme of the Souldiers the fame flying to their family they haue solemne pomps made for them being returned into their Countrey with great honour and dignity for that they to whom the Captaines haue done such honours are onely worthy to be so magnified and esteemed They also set vp in the most apparent places of their Citty the spoiles as markes and testimonies of their virtue As they are thus curious and diligent in the Campe for honours and punishment it is reasonable and fitting the euents of War should proue prosperous and honourable The Foote-men haue by the day fourteene Deneers the Captaines of Bands two Sous and foure the Horse-men haue three Sous and sixe a Foote-man hath monethly almost foure Bushels of Wheate a Horse-man hath by the moneth three Septiers and a Mine of Barley and a Septier of Wheate As for the Allies the Foote-men haue the same the Horse-man hath eight Bushels of Wheate and two Septiers and a Mine of Barley which are things done in fauour to the Allies The Questor deducts a certaine portion of the Romans pay for the Wheate Apparrell or Armes if any of them haue neede They march in Battaile after this manner when the first warning is giuen they packe vp their Tents and Baggage The which no man may take downe or set vp before those of the Tribunes and Consuls be ordred At the second sound of the Trumpet they lay the Baggage vpon the Sumpters But at the third the first must march and all the Campe must moue whereas sometimes the extraordinaries march first being followed by the right wing of the Allies with their Baggage in the Reare After these march the first Roman Legion with their stuffe after them Then followes the second with their carriages following the Army close It is true the left wing of the Allies makes the Reareward when the Army marcheth Sometimes the Horse men follow in the Reare euery one to his Quarter where they are vpon the wings of the Baggage to assist them for their safeties But if there be any doubt of the Reareward all march in one order except the extraordinaries of the Allies who are brought to the front of the Reareward and euery other
the Children willing them to reioyce and that within few dayes they should see their Parents In like manner he perswades the rest to be of good hope and to write vnto their Cities and Friends that first of all they had their liues saued and were well intreated And that secondly the Romans would send them all home to their houses in safety if their Friends could imbrace their alliance This Speech being ended he gaue the most commodious spoiles of the Army to euery one according to his Race and age as to Children Feathers and Bracelets and to young men Swords When as among the Captiues the Wife of Mandonin the Brother of Andobale King of the Lecheteins had cast her selfe at his feete demanding with teares that he would haue a better respect to her honesty then the Carthaginians had had being moued with compassion he demanded of her what necessary things she wanted Shee was an aged woman and carried the shew of some great Dignity And when she held her peace he calls for those which had the charge of the women who presenting themselues and affirming that the Carthaginians had furnished the Women with all things necessary she touching his knees againe repeared the same words Scipio viewing her and thinking that they vnto whom he had then giuen the charge shewed themselues lyers through negligence commaunded the Women not to be discontented and that hee would giue order to place other Commissaries to the end nothing should be wanting that was needfull for them Then staying a little Captaine she said thou mistakest my words if thou doest thinke that I require thy assistance to content the bellie Then Scipio hearing her conceite and obseruing in her face the vigour of Andobales daughters and of many other Potentates was forced to weep for that this Lady discouered her Calamitie in few words Wherefore when it appeared that he vnderstood her conceit taking her by the Hand as he did the rest willing them to reioyce promising to haue them in as great recommendation as his owne sisters and children and that according to his promise hee would appoint trusty and confident men to haue the Charge ouer them Finally hauing deliuered vnto the Questors all the Wealth found in the publicke Treasure of the Carthaginians which amounted to aboue eighteene hundred Thousand Crownes So as ioyning them vnto other twelue hundred Thousand which the Questor of Rome had the whole summe would be aboue three millions At the same time certaine Young men hauing taken a Virgin passing in the flower of her age and the beauty of her body all the rest of the Women knowing that Scipio tooke delight in it they came vnto him bringing this Virgin and staying him told him that they presented her vnto him Publius amazed and-wondring at her beauty if I were sayth he a priuate person there is no gift could be more pleasing vnto me But being a great Commaunder there is nothing lesse in my affection Letting them vnderstand as it feemes by this answere that in time of rest and idlenesse the vse of such things is pleasing to young men But when affaires do presse it ingenders in them which vse them great hinderances both in body and minde Finally hee thankt the young men And calling for the father of the Virgin hee restored her vnto him giuing him charge to marry her as he thought good to some Cittizen By this meanes hauing made shew of the Chastity and modesty of his Heart he became very pleasing to the Subiects These things being thus ordained and the rest of the Prisoners deliuered to the Captaines of Thousands hee sent Caius Lelyus to Rome to the fiue Yeares Sacrifices with the Carthaginians and the other prisoners of note to make knowne in their Countrey the accidents which had happened Many in truth which despaired of the Warre in Spaine applied themselues vnto the present in diuers manners resuming Courage againe where as the newes was directed publickly Scipio staying some time at Carthage practised the Army at Sea continually And hee taught the Captaines of Thousands this kinde of Exercise for the Foote-men He appointed the Souldiers to runne thirty furlongs armed on the first day And on the second they should all furbush and cleanse their armes And on the third they should rest But on the fourth they should fight with Swords of Wood couered with Leather and with plummets teaching them to cast Darts And on the fift to fall to their running as in the beginning In like manner he solicited the Artizans and Workemen carefully to the end that nothing should bee wanting in the true Exercises of Armes He also appointed part of the Commissaries to this Worke and went vp and downe daily soliciting euery man vnto that which was necessary Finally whilst the Armie at Land practised often before the Citie the Marriners vsed their Exercises at Sea with their turnings and returnings And they which should be in the Citie should Furbush Forge and Worke and that all should be carefully imploied to prepare Armes There is no man but would haue held the City for a shoppe of Warre according to the saying of Xenophon if he had seene it then As all things seemed good vnto him and conueniently dispatcht for necessary vse and that consequently hee had put a Garrison into the Citie and rampred the Wals he dislodgeth with his Army as bending both by Sea and Land towards Tarragone hauing the Hostages with him He marcht with his Army as in his iudgement such marches are requisite in all occasions In the which hee must alwayes accustome the Horse-men as to mannage a Horse to handle a Iauelin and moreouer to bound and gallop and to turne on the right hand or the left Sometimes they disbanded the Commanders of ten out of the midst of the Army and they which commaunded twenty vpon the two wings and sometimes they drew them together and stayed them according to the troupes of horsemen vpon the wings or else they made an extent of two wings by an interposition or by the pollicy of the Captaines of the reareward In regard of their exercise in a throng hee sayed it was not necessary as hauing one course vpon the way They must in all alarums bee accustomed to charge the enemy and to make their retreate that they should alwayes approach as nimbly as they could marching vnited and in the same order They must moreouer obserue the spaces betwixt the bands for if the horsemen vndergoing the danger breake their rankes there was nothing so dangerous nor preiudiciall When hee had taught them all these things especially to the Captaines hee enters into Citties to inquire first if most of them obeyed the things which had beene commanded them and finally if they which had the gouerment of Citties were sufficient to execute the constitutions with iudgement holding nothing more necessary then the Prudence of Gouernors These things being thus ordred hee assembles the horsemen of Citties in a certaine
men and the Targeteers The Commanders whereof were Nicomedes of Chio and Nicolas the Etolien As these men march before it fell out that the roughnesse and streights of the passage were found more difficult then the King had conceiued All the length of the ascent was about three hundred Furlongs and for the most part by the deepe Fourd of a Torrent into the which were fallen from the high Rocks Stones and Trees which made the passage inaccessible To the which the Barbarians gaue great assistance casting continually Trees which were cut downe and gathered together great heapes of Stones and seazed keeping withall the length of all the Valley on the Hills of aduantage which might serue them for defence so as if they had not beene frustrated Antiochus had giuen ouer his Enterprize as destitute of his forces For as it was necessary for the Enemies to take their way and to ascend by that Valley they seazed on the sayd places and fortified them But they did not obserue that it was impossible for the Leginaries to passe there with their Baggage vntill the way were made for these could not approach or come neare the Confines of the Mountaines They that were lightly armed and the valiant men could not ascend the Leucopetres For this cause the Ordonance changed when they were ioyned vnto the first Guard of Diogenes Troupes who ascended out of the Torrent Suddainly the Combate began as the accident shewed Diogenes Troupe marching slowly through the Countrey gaue a rough charge to the Enemy And in throwing of Darts and Stones prest the Barbarians annoying them much with their Slings which they cast from their Pallisadoe Hauing chased the first and had taken their place they gaue charge to the Pyoners to make the passage euen the which was presently performed by reason of their great number By this meanes when the Slingers Archers and Darters had marcht to the higher places scattred here and there and sometimes together seazing on the most commodious places and the Targeteers held the lower Countrey marching in Battaile a flow pace along the Torrent The Barbarians stayed not but abandoning the place they drew together on the top of the Mountaines In regard of Antiochus Troupes it past the difficult passages safely after this manner But slowly and with great difficulty They could hardly eight in a Ranke recouer the top of the neare Mountaines And when the Barbarians were there assembled hauing an humour they should bee able to keepe the Enemies from gaining the top there fell out a braue Combate By these reasons the Enemies were repuls'd who revniting themselues fought against the Leginaries and made head against them with great courage and vallour In the Night the brauest of them turning about recouered the top and the places lying behind The which the Barbarians seeing and suddainly amazed they turned head The King is very carefull to restraine the fury of his Souldiers pursuing the Enemy causing a retreate to be sounded desiring they should enter into Hyrcania vnited and in good order This kinde of march being ordained according to his will hee comes to the City of Tambrace destitute of Walles yet hauing a royall and large Pallace where hee campt and besieged it Bâ—t when as many as well Souldiers as of the Countrey had retired to the City of Syringe it was not farre from Tambrace and was as it were the Capitall of Hyrcania as well for its fortification as for its wealth hee resolued to ruine it by force Marching therefore with his power and planting his Campe about it he besieged the Citie The greatest part of his worke was to make platformes in the fashion of a Tortoise The Ditches were triple being about seuen Fathome and a halfe broad and foure deepe Vpon either banke there was a double Pallisadoe with a strong out-wall There were continuall Skirmishes whilest they wrought from whence they carried from either side men slaine and hurt for that they fought very valiantly not onely vpon the ground but also vnder it in the Mines But by reason of the multitude of Pyoners and the Kings diligence it happened that the Ditches were suddainly fill'd vp and the Walles fell being shaken with the Mines This done the Barbarians being confounded and much terrified and amazed with feare they kill the Grecians which were in the City and taking their richest stuffe retire by Night The King seeing this sends Hyparbase with the Mercenaries with whom the Barbarians fighting and in the end abandoning the Baggage retire againe into the City But when the Targeteers prest them valiantly not able to beare the burthen being so grieuous they presently yeeld hauing no more hope The Commanders of the Army being desirous to see the Enemies Troupes enuironed on the Hill they command those which were in the Pallisadoe not to budge in regard of themselues they goe to view the places being accompanied with two Troupes of Horse and some Footmen lightly armed with thirty executioners of Iustice. Certaine Numidians accustomed to Darts comming out of the Enemies Fort to lye in Ambush they had by chance stolne from the Hills who hauing notice giuen them by a Spye that some were on the top of the Hill higher then they they prepare themselues and march crosse the Hill and casting themselues betwixt them and their Campe they shut them in and take them Claudius Marcellus the Consull was at the first charge wounded and taken with some others forcing the rest being wounded to flye into Caues and Pits The which they of the Campe seeing they could not relieue them in this danger For whilest they cryed out and wondred at this accident and that some bridled their Horses and others arm'd themselues the Execution was ended The Sonne of Claudius saued himselfe with difficulty and contrary to all hope being wounded Finally Claudius fell into these dangers more through simplicity then by any true iudgement of a Captaine For my part I am forced to admonish the Reader of these kind of aduentures through the whole tract of our Worke where I see not onely ordinary Souldiers but euen Captaines themselues to haue erred by manifest ignorance What profit can a Prince or Commander reape which hath not the knowledge of dangers which hee must auoide lest the whole Army perish with him Who knowes not that if necessity doth force them to attempt a thing that a great part of the Troupes must perish before the Commanders feele it The tryall must be suddainly made not by the Commander That which they vsually say I did not thinke it and who would euer haue thought that should haue happened Seemes to be a great argument of ignorance and of a weake iudgement in the Commander For this cause I hold Hannibal among the good Captaines for many reasons and which may herein be commended who hath imployed much time in the profession of Armes and who making vse of iudgement in many and diuers occasions hath many times
and ioyfull hearts Andobale had before sent vnto Publius but when he approached neere vnto this Country he came vnto him accompanied with his friends Where after he had spoken vnto him hee concluded the League of friendship which he formerly had with the Carthaginians giuing him to vnderstand what seruice and loyalty hee had obserued towards him and finally he exposeth the outrages and iniuries which hee and his had suffered intreating him to be the Iudge of that which he sayd And if he seemed to accuse the Carthaginians vniustly hee might certainly know that he would neuer keepe his faith to the Romans If being forced for the necessary respect of many iuiuries hee had desisted from his affection yet he had good hope that ioyning to the Romans to keep his faith firme with them After he had vsed many such Speeches he made an end To whom Publius answering sayd that he beliued it and had vnderstood the outrages of the Carthaginians which they had vsed to other Spaniards and their lasciuiousnesse towards their Wiues and daughters Of whom notwithstanding he hauing taken many reduced rather into the estate of Captives and slaues then Hostages hee hath kept them with such honesty as the Parents themselues could not haue done And when as Andobale and his Company confest it and making an obeisance vnto him they saluted him as King the assistants obserued those words Publius blushing commands them to be of good hope promising them they should finde curtesie and fauour with the Romans and presently deliuers them their Daughters and the day following makes an accord with them The principall Articles of their Accord was that they should follow the Roman Princes and obey them willingly These things thus concluded they returne vnto their Campe and come with their Army to that of Publius and making Warre with the Romans they march with them against Asdrubal The Commaunder of the Carthaginians staying neere to Catolâ—gne fast by the City of Babylis and neere vnto the Mines of Gold and Siluer he changed his Campe when he was aduertised of the comming of the Romans so as he had the riuer at his backe in manner of a Rampire and in front and on the sides a Pallisadoe with a sufficient depth for the Fortification there was finally a length in the Vallies sufficient to put them in battaile And as for the side of the Hill there were vsually men When as Publius approacht he was ready to hazard the Combate although hee were in doubt seeing the aduantage and force of the places where the Enemy lay in Campe. But when he had contained himselfe two daies and was in feare that Mago and Asdrubal the sonne of Gescon comming he might be inuironed round he resolued to fight and to hazard a battaile Making therefore another Army he labours to gaine the Pallisado In regard of those that were lightly armed and the choise footmen he sends them to the side of a Hill giuing them charge to assaile and to view the Enemies forces And when that this was done with great Courage the Commander of the Carthaginians attends the euent from the beginning But when he saw his men prest and in danger by the courage of the Romans he drawes his Army into the field and plants in neere the side of the Hill relying vpon the opportunitie of the place At the same time Publius sends his brauest men to succour those that were in danger and stayed the rest ready He takes the one halfe and assailes the Hill vpon the left side of the Enemy fighting against the Carthaginians And deliuers the rest to Lelyus giuing him charge to assaile the Enemy on the right hand When this was done Asdrubal drawes his Army out of the Fort. He had hitherto kept it relying vpon the fortified places hauing an opinion that the Enemies durst not assaile him But for that this charge of the Romans came vnexpected hee puts his Army into Battaile later then was needfull The Romans vndergoing the danger of the fight whilest that the Enemies were not yet vpon the Wings they not only assailed the Hill without danger but in approaching slew those which crost them whilest that the Enemies made ready their battaile forcing those to turne which prepared themselues and made head against them When as Asdrubal according to his first resolution saw his Army giue backe and shamefully repuls'd hee had no will to fight vnto the last gaspe Taking therefore the Treasure and the Elephants and all those hee could draw together in the flight he retires to the Riuer of Tagus and to the Hills of the Perinee Mountaines and to the Gaules inhabiting there Scipio held it not fit to pursue the Victorie suddainly doubting the comming of the other Commaunders Finally he gaue the bootie of the Fort to the Souldiers The day following he drawes together all the Prisoners whereof there were ten Thousand foote and two Thousand horse to dispose of them All the Spaniards of that Countrey which were allied vnto the Carthaginians come and submit themselues to the fauour of the Romans And when he had giuen them audience they saluted Scipio as King The which Edecon beganne when he did his obeisance and after him Andobale with his friends Scipio at that time regarded not their words but was silent But when after the Battaile all saluted him as King he was mooued therewith so as hee forbad it Drawing all the Spaniards together he told them that he would be truely Royall and so held but hee would not be called a King by no man liuing This done hee ordained they should call him Chiefe or Commaunder It is not without cause that we may iustly commend the magnanimity of this man By the which being yet young hauing the fauour of Fortune such as all the Subiects had him in so great esteeme as they saluted him by so excellent a name yet hee was alwaies so continent as hee would not accept of this will and humour of the Subiects But he will wonder much more at the excellency of his magnanimitie if hee lookes to the last daies of his life when besides the valiant exploits which hee hath done in Spaine hee hath ruined the Carthaginians and made subiect vnto the Romans many good Countries in Lybia from the Philenin Altars to the pillars of Hercules Hee hath also ruined Asia and the Assirian Kings Finally hee hath reduced to the obedience of the Romans the best and greatest part of the World And therefore if hee had pleased hee might well haue imbraced the opportunity to vsurpe a royall power in these Countries which hee hath inuaded and taken The disdaine of such things as Scipio hath wisely done surpasseth not onely humane nature but a diuine This magnanimity doth so much excell other men as no man would demaund of the Gods a greater fauour I meane then a Crowne the which hee hath so often refused being deliuered vnto him by fortune and hath had
the most part they are methodicall Sciences Wherefore it is a very profitable portion of a well composed History Of Antiochus THe Aspasiens dwell betwixt Oxus and Tanais Of which Riuers the one fals into the Hyrcanian Sea and Tanais into the Lake of Meotis They are Nauigable for their greatnesse So it seemes wonderfull how the Tartarians passing Oxus aswell by foote as Horse-backe come into Hyrcania There are two opinions conceiued The one is credible the other strange although possible Oxus drawes his Springs from Mount Coucasus but augmented much in Bactria by the descent of smaller Riuers it passeth by a violent Course by the Country of Pedâ—a There it fals into a Desart and runs with a violent streame thorough certaine Rockes and Pits for the great number and vehement beating of the places lying vnder it so as its violence ouer-flowes the Rocke in the lower Countries aboue a Furlong By this place neere vnto the Rocke the Aspasiens as they say passing the Riuer both on Foot and Horse-backe descend into Hyrcania The other opinion hath a more propable reason saying that for that place hath great Ditches into the which this Riuer fals with its force shee makes hollow and opens the bottome by the violence of her Course And by this meanes the Riuer takes its course vnder ground for a small space and then riseth againe The Barbarians hauing experience hereof passe there on Horse-backe into Hyrcania When as Antiochus was aduertised that Euthideme was about Tagure with an Army and that a thousand Horse kept the passage of the Riuer of Aria hee proceedes and resolues to besiege it hauing no more confidence in his resolution And when he was within three daies iourney of the Riuer he marcht the two first slowly And on the third hauing fed his men hee causes his Campe to march at the breake of day Then taking the Horse-men and his strongest souldiers with a thousand Targetteers he makes hast in the night Hee had vnderstood that the enemies Cauallery was at the guard of the Riuer in the day time but at night they retired to a City some twenty Furlongs off When hee had performed the rest of the way in the night for those Countries were conuenient for Horsemen he past the Riuer at the break of day with the greatest part of his Army The Bactrian Horse-men being aduertised by their Scouts crie out and fight with the Enemy vpon the way The King seeing that hee was to maintaine their first Charge giues Courage to those which had beene accustomed to accompany him in such encounters which were two thousand Horse and commands the rest to cast themselues betwixt both with their Troupes put into battaile as of custome Finally hee fights with the Bactrian Horse which presented themselues Antiochus seemed in this danger to haue fought more valiantly then his men so as many perished on either side Yet the Kings men defeated the first troupe of Horse But when the second and the third charged them they were repuls'd turning their heads basely But when as Etole had giuen charge to the great power of the Horse to march in Battaile he freed the King and his Company terrifying the Bactrians who were in disorder and put them to flight Wherefore when they were charged by all the Etoliens they ceased not to flie vntill hauing make a great losse they were ioyned vnto Euthideme And when as the Kings Horse-men had made a great slaughter and taken many in the Citty they presently retired and planted their Campe neere the Riuer It happened that in this same Combate Menippe was wounded and dyed loosing some of his Teeth with a blow Finally hee purchased a renowne of Valour After this Combaâ—e Euthideme retired with his Army to Zariaspe a Citty of the Bactrians A PARCELL OF the Eleuenth Booke of the History of POLYBIVS ASdrubal did not allow of any of these things But seeing the Enemies march in Battaile when as matters changed not hee caused the Spaniards and Gaules that were with him to fight Setting the Elephants in Front beeing ten in number and after hee had ioyned the Battalions close vnited and in length and had put all the Army in battaile in a short time casting himselfe in the middest of the Ordonance neere to the Elephants hee assailes the Enemy vpon the left flancke hauing resolued to die in that battaile The Lybian presents himselfe with great Courage to the enemy and in charging fights valiantly with his troupes Claudius Nero one of the Consuls appointed for the right side could not ioyne with the enemy nor yet inclose them for the vneuennesse of the ground wherein Asdrubal trusting he had charged the enemy on the left hand Wherefore as he was perplexed and in doubt for that he lost time hee learned what he had to doe Taking therefore the Souldiers of the right wing he goes beyond his Campe neere vnto a passage behind the Battaile and on the left hand and giues a charge vnto the Carthaginians neere vnto the wing where the Elephants had their station At that time the Victory wauered For in truth the danger was equall of both sides considering that neither Romans Spaniards nor Carthaginians had any hope of safety remaining if they were frustrated of their intention Finally the Elephants were of vse to both of them in the fight For when they were inclosed in the middest and assailed with Darts they aswell brake the rankes of the Spaniards as of the Romans But when as Claudius Troupe had charged the enemy in the reare the Combate was vnequall for the charge giuen vnto the Spaniards both in Front and behind So as it happened that in the beginning of the Combate there was a great laughter made of Spaniards So likewise there were sixe Elephants suâ—ine by the force of the men they carried the other foure brake theirâ— râ—nckes being alone and destitute of their Indians they were taken And when as Asdrubal had beene formerly and vnto his ende an able man hee lost in fighting valiantly his life worthy to be commended Hee was brother to Hannibal who vndertaking the Voyage of Italy gaue him the Conduct of the Warres of Spaine And afterwards being practised by many encounters against the Romans hee hath indured many and variable Fortunes And in this also that the Carthaginians sent Commaunders to succeede him hee alwaies carried himselfe like a man worthy of his Father Barca bearing vnto the ende like a man of Courage all disgraces and losses Wee haue declared these things in regard of the precedent But now we will decide the last Combats in that which seemes worthy of Consideration Seeing before our eyes many Kings and Commanders which hauing great Combates concerning their whole estates haue alwayes cast their eyes vpon the most excellent Actions and of Consequence and who often enquire and Discourse how they shall helpe themselues in euery good Fortune And who moreouer care not for mischances not consider of the meanes nor that
and planted my Campe within forty Furlongs studying what I should doe with you and your Countrey Now I come into Affricke to thee a Roman to conferre with thee of my lafety and of that of the Carthaginians I pray thee consider this and grow not proud but courteously conferre of the present affaires that is that thou wouldst choose of good things the greatest and of bad the least What man of iudgement will make choice of the danger which is neare him if hee obserue it well For the which if thou obtainest the Victory thou shalt much increase thy glory and that of thy Countrey whereas if thou beest vanquished thou shalt vtterly lose through thine owne fault all thy pompe and magnificence and precedent commodity But to what end doe I vse these words To this that all that for the which wee haue formerly contended may remaine to the Romans as Sicily Sardinia and Spaine and that the Carthaginians in regard thereof may neuer make Warre against them The like also to be done of the other Ilands which lye betwixt Italy and Affricke and let them belong to the Romans I beleeue confidently that these accords and agreements will hereafter bring safety to the Carthaginians and to thee and the Romans great glory and honour Thus much spake Hannibal Scipio answering to these things the Romans sayd they haue not beene the Authors but the Carthaginians of the Warre which hath past for Sicily nor of that of Spaine whereof they must know that Hannibal had beene the chiefe Author and that the Gods are witnesses whom I pray to impart the vertue not to those which are the Authors of out-rages but to those that defend themselues Yet I consider what the Nature of Fortune is and with all my power haue searcht into humane affaires If before the Romans passage into Affricke and that parting out of Italy thou hadst propounded these accords I am of Opinion thou hadst not beene frustrated of thy hope But now thou hast abandoned Italy against thy will and that being in Affricke we haue held our Campe in the open Plaine it is manifest that matters are much changed Withall which is a great matter we are come hither thy Citizens being partly vanquished and suing for a peace we haue past in writing the accords that were sworne in the which besides that which thou now propoundest these Articles were comprehended that the Carthaginians should haue no couered vessels that they should pay three Millions of Gold restore the Captiues without Ransome and giue hostages These were the accords which past betwixt vs for the which wee and they came to the Senate and to our people Wee haue protested that that these accords thus reduced to Writing seemed good vnto vs The Carthaginians intreated that they might enioy the said agreements The Senate obeyed and the people in like manner gaue their consent thereunto The Carthaginians after they had obtained what they had demanded haue transgressed and broken the accords What remaines now to be done Be thou in my place and iudge Shall wee take the grieuances out of the conditions to the end you may suffer no punishments for the transgression and that you may be taught hereafter to preuaricare against your benefactors Or else hauing obtained that which you demaund you should not be bound vnto vs But what When thy people now in suing had obtained their request they presently intreated vs as Enemies after they had conceiued some little hope of thee If the burthens had beene too heauy they might haue required an abatement from the people and if they had remitted any Articles of the accord the Senate doubtlesse would haue made no long delay But to what end tend our words Submit your selues and your Country to our protection or vanquish fighting Hannibal and Scipio hauing discoursed after this manner being of contrary opinions retire The day following at Sunne-rising they put their Armies into Battaile whereof the Carthaginians were to fight for their safety and for Affricke and the Romans for the vniuersall Empire What is hee who considering these things can without compassion heare the relation No man shall euer finde more warlike Armies nor more fortunate Commanders nor more excellent Wrestlers in the Stratagems of Warre nor greater rewards propounded vnto them by Fortune For they which should obtaine the Victory should not onely bee Lords of Affricke and Asia but also of all the other parts of the World which are at this time mentioned in Histories the which soone after succeeded Scipio put his Army in Battaile after this manner First he ordred those that were lightly armed by certaine spaces after whom he placed the Bands of the Principals and not according to the spaces of the first Ensignes as the Romans had beene accustomed but distant one from another in regard of the multitude of the Enemies Elephants and vpon the Reare hee appoints the Triarij As for the Wings hee gaue charge of the left to Caius Lelyus with the Italian Horse-men and the right to Massanissa with all the Numidians that were vnder his charge Finally hee fill'd the spaces of the first Ensignes with forked Iauelings to whom he commanded to begin the Skirmish and if they were repuls'd and forc'd to giue backe by the violence of the Elephants that they which should bee separated should retire by the straight spaces to the Reare of the Army and they which should be enuironed should retire to the Ensignes by the crosse spaces These things being thus ordred he makes an Oration in few words to his Army and yet proper for the euent of the affaires He intreats them to remember their precedent Battailes and to behaue themselues like braue men worthy of the Roman Name setting before their eyes that hauing the Victory they should not onely be Lords of all Affricke but moreouer they should purchase the Empire and gouernment of the rest of the World If the fortune of the Warre succeeded otherwise thee which dyed fighting valiantly should haue an honourable graue hauing died for their Countrey whereas they that should turne head should liue the remainder of their daies in great ignominy and misery for there is no place in Africke that can shelter them in theire flight finally if they fall into the Carthaginians hands they which haue any iudgement vnderstand well what the euent will bee and God forbid that any of you should make triall of it when as fortune propounds vnto vs great rewards of euery side shall wee not bee the most simple Idiotts in the world if when of good things they present the best vnto vs wee choose with a desire of life the worst of bad wherefore in propounding these two either to vanquish or dye hee incourageth them to match against the enemy for being in this humour they must with a dispaire of life alwayes vanquish their enemies in making head Scipio inflamed the hearts of his Souldiers after this manner In regard of Hannibal hee
placed his Elephants before the whole Army being aboue foure score and then about twelue thousand Mercenaries which were Genâ—uois Maiorquins Minorquins and Maurusiens After which hee placed the Inhabitants of Affricke and the Carthaginians After all which hee orders those which hee had brought our of Italy and feparates them from the rest aboue a Furlong Hee fortified the Wings with Horse-men ordring the Numidians on the right and the Carthaginians on the left Hee commanded euery Leader to encourage his Souldiers to the end they might put their trust in him and the Troupes which hee had brought out of Italy Hee likewise commands the Carthaginian Captaines to acquaint their men with the miseries which would befall their Wiues and Children if this Battaile succeeded otherwise then they desired The which they effected Hannibal likewise came to them which hee had brought with him and intreates them with a long speech to remember their mutuall and common life for the space of seuenteene Yeares That they should thinke of the many Battailes which they had fought with the Romans in the which they had beene alwayes Victors and had neuer left them any hope of Victory But hee intreated them chiefly that amidst the encounter they should set before their eyes the infinite prerogatiues Namely the Battaile which they gained fighting against the Father of this present Roman Commander neare vnto Trebia Then that which was against Flaminius and also towards Cannes against Emilius the which hee sayd were neither for the number and multitude of men nor according vnto their forces worthy to bee compared to the present danger When he had vsed this Speech hee commands them to looke vpon the Enemies in Battaile telling them that they were not onely fewer in number but they were scarce the least part of those which then fought against them and that they could not compare with them in forces And as the others were before inuincible they had fought cheerefully and stoutly and that of these some were the Children of men and the others the Reliques of such as had beene often defeated in Italy and had so many times shewed them their heeles Wherefore he was of aduice that they should not doe any thing to the preiudice of their glory and fame nor of their Commander But in fighting couragiously confirme the opinion which was conceiued of them to be inuincible Behold the Speeches or such like which they held vnto their Armies When as all things necessary were ready for the Combat and that the Numidian Horse-men had skirmished long Hannibal commanded those which were mounted vpon the Elephants to charge the Enemy But when the Trumpets and Clairons sounded some of them being amazed turn'd head and went violently against the Numidians which were come to succour the Carthaginians Finally the left Wing of the Carthaginians was left bare by Massanissa's Company The rest of the Elephants fighting with the Iauelings in the midst of the Battalions without doubt endured much so likewise they annoyed the Enemies vntill that being amazed some going forth by the spaces were taken as the Generall had giuen order Others flying on the right hand and wounded by the Horse-men passe in the end the place of the Battaile And when the Elephants were thus dismayed Lelyus charging the Carthaginian Horse-men repulseth them in such sort as they soone turned head the Chase being pursued by him The like did Massanissa Whilest these things are in action the two Battalions come to fight with a slow pace and wonderfull great courage except those which were come out of Italy who budge not out of their place When they came to affront one another the Romans crying after their Countrey manner and making their Targets sound with their Swords fought with their Enemies The Mercenaries of the Carthaginians cast forth diuers confused cries for it was not the same sound nor the same voyce but diuers languages for they were men drawne from diuers Countries And when as this Battaile was fought with great courage and man to man for that the Combattants could not helpe themselues with their Iauelings nor Swords the Mercenaries fought in the beginning with great courage and dexterity and wounded many Romans The Romans also trusting in their good order and Armes laboured much to goe on And when as they which were in the Reare of the Romans gaue courage to the first in following them and the Carthaginians not comming on to succour their Souldiers but staying behinde basely and for want of courage the Barbarians declined Wherefore when they saw themselues abandoned by their Companions in retiring they fell vpon those which stood still and slew them the which forced many Carthaginians to dye valiantly For when they were slaine by the Mercenaries they fought boldly as well against their owne men as against the Romans In which combat as they fought after a horrible manner like furious men they made no lesse slaughter of their owne then of the Enemies By this meanes they fell confusedly vpon the Troups that were lightly armed The Captaines of the Principals seeing this accident charg'd their Battalions The greatest part of the Carthaginians and Mercenaries were slaine aswell by them as by those that were lightly armed In regard of such as escaped and fled Hannibal would not suffer them to mingle with the Battalions commanding their Captaines to rankâ— them before and forbidding moreouer to receiue such as approacht wherefore they were forced to retire vpon the Wings and without them But for that the place betwixt the two Armies was full of bloud and dead bodies this put the Carthaginian Generall into great difficulty and was a great let for him to charge againe For the instability of the dead which were bloudy and falne vpon heapes with the confusion of Armes which were fallen among the dead they were to haue a troublesome passage which marcht in Battaile Yet the wounded being carried backe and a retreate being sounded by the Trumpets which followed those that were lightly armed hee puts his men before the fight in the midst of the Enemy In regard of the Principals and Triarij hee giues order that being closely ioyn'd they should march crosse the dead bodies vpon the two Wings When they were equall with those that were lightly armed the Battalions charged one another with great violence and courage It happened that for the multitude courage and equall Armes of either side the Combat was long doubtfull They that were slaine dyed euery man in his Ranke with a braue emulation vntill that Massanissa and Lelyus returning from the chase of the Horse-men had by good fortune rallied their men together with whom charging vpon the Reare of those which were with Hannibal a great number of them were defeated in Battaile and few of them escaped which fled For the Horse-men were dispersed of all sides and the Countrey was plaine and Champion There died aboue fifteene hundred Romans and twenty thousand Carthaginians The Prisoners were not much