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not_o lessen_v his_o danger_n for_o his_o enemy_n be_v so_o advantageous_o post_v that_o there_o be_v no_o hope_n of_o break_v through_o they_o and_o his_o soldier_n begin_v to_o despair_v of_o ever_o come_v out_o of_o those_o strait_o thus_o reduce_v hannibal_n have_v recourse_n to_o pass_n this_o stratagem_n he_o cause_v two_o thousand_o head_n of_o ox_n which_o he_o have_v in_o his_o camp_n to_o have_v torch_n and_o dry_a baven_n well_o fasten_v to_o their_o horn_n and_o light_v they_o in_o the_o begin_n of_o the_o night_n he_o order_v the_o beast_n to_o be_v fair_a and_o foft_o drive_v on_o towards_o the_o passage_n out_o of_o the_o valley_n when_o this_o be_v do_v he_o make_v his_o army_n with_o great_a silence_n march_v after_o they_o the_o ox_n at_o first_o keep_v a_o slow_a orderly_a pace_n and_o with_o their_o light_a head_n resemble_v a_o army_n march_v by_o night_n fright_v only_o the_o shepherd_n and_o herdsman_n of_o the_o hill_n about_o but_o when_o the_o fire_n have_v 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this_o of_o action_n bring_v a_o strange_a obloquy_n and_o contempt_n upon_o the_o dictatour_n they_o say_v it_o be_v now_o manifest_a that_o he_o be_v not_o only_o inferior_a to_o his_o adversary_n what_o they_o always_o think_v in_o courage_n but_o even_o in_o conduct_n and_o hannibal_n malicious_o to_o improve_v their_o hatred_n against_o he_o march_v with_o his_o army_n close_o to_o the_o land_n and_o possession_n of_o fabius_n and_o then_o give_v order_n to_o his_o soldier_n to_o burn_v and_o destroy_v all_o the_o country_n about_o he_o forbid_v they_o upon_o pein_o of_o death_n to_o do_v the_o least_o damage_n in_o the_o territory_n of_o the_o roman_a general_n and_o place_v guard_n for_o their_o security_n these_o matter_n report_v at_o rome_n have_v that_o effect_n with_o the_o people_n which_o hannibal_n desire_v their_o tribune_n raise_v a_o thousand_o story_n against_o he_o chief_o at_o the_o instigation_n of_o metellus_n who_o not_o so_o much_o out_o of_o hatred_n to_o he_o as_o out_o of_o friendship_n to_o minutius_n who_o kinsman_n he_o be_v think_v by_o depress_v fabius_n to_o raise_v his_o friend_n the_o senate_n on_o their_o part_n be_v also_o offend_v with_o he_o for_o the_o bargain_n he_o have_v make_v with_o hannibal_n about_o the_o exchange_n of_o prisoner_n of_o which_o the_o condition_n be_v that_o after_o the_o exchange_n make_v of_o man_n for_o man_n if_o any_o on_o either_o side_n remain_v they_o shall_v be_v redeem_v at_o the_o price_n of_o two_o hundred_o and_o fifty_o drachm_n a_o head_n and_o upon_o the_o whole_a account_n there_o remain_v two_o hundred_o and_o forty_o roman_n unexchange_v they_o not_o only_o refuse_v to_o allow_v money_n for_o the_o randsome_n but_o also_o reproach_v fabius_n for_o make_v a_o contract_n so_o contrary_a to_o the_o honour_n and_o interest_n of_o the_o commonwealth_n in_o redeem_v those_o man_n at_o so_o dear_a a_o rate_n who_o have_v cowardly_o suffer_v themselves_o to_o be_v take_v by_o the_o enemy_n 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