brought into question and notwithstanding they called unto the Tribunes for to assist them with interposing their negative yet there was not one of them would succour and releeve them but presentment was taken against them and they indited Then the Nobility I meane not them alone who were in trouble but generally the whole Gentrie of the City at once pleaded That they were not the naturall true Noblemen indeede who were to be touched and charged with this crime who if it were not for sinister and indirect courses had easie and open accesse unto all honourable places and promotions but certaine new upstarts and Gentlemen of the first head saying That it was the very case of the Dictator himselfe and his Generall of horse who were rather parties guiltie and offenders themselues than sufficient inquisitors and competent judges and that should they well know and understand when they were once out of their place and office This made Manius to bestirre himselfe who mindfull rather of his good name and reputation than respectiue of his high place and absolute government went up into the common place of audience before all the people and spake to this effect My maisters and friends all Citizens of Rome well assured I am that privie ye are to the whole cariage and course of my former life and besides that even this very honor and dignitie which you have bestowed upon me is able to testifie and approve mine innocencie For to sit upon these inquisitions there was not to be chosen now for Dictatour as oftentimes heretofore according to the dangerous occasions and necessitie of the time a man reputed the best and noblest warrior of all other but such a one as throughout his whole life hath most of all misliked and condemned ambitious conventicles Howbeit for as much as certaine persons of noble linage for what cause it is more meet for you to deeme and judge than for me being a Magistrate to speake without booke as they say and upon no sure ground first have endevoured with all their might and maine to overthrow the processe of the inquisition it self and afterwards seeing they were not able themselves to bring that about notwithstanding they were Patrity have fled to the holds of their very adversaries even the protection of the Tribunes and their negative rather than to justifie themselves and stand to the triall of their cause and at last having there also a repulse thinking all meanes safer than to approve their innocencie have fallen upon us and bashed not privat men as they are to accuse and touch the person of him that is Dictatour to the end therfore that both God and man and all the world may know that as they have assaied to compasse that which they are not able to bring to passe namely to avoid the rendering an account of their life and demeanor so I am readie to set forward their accusations to offer my selfe unto mine adversaries and giving them meanes to call mee to mine answere here I resigne up my Dictatourship And I beseech you ô Consuls if so bee this charge bee laid on you by the Senate to proceed in examination against mee first and this gentleman the Generall of horse M. Fellius that it may appeare how we through our owne innocencie alone and not by the countenance and priviledge of our dignitie and high calling are protected and safe from these slanders and intended crimes Herewith hee gave over his place of Dictatour and after him incontinently M. Fellius yeelded up his roume likewise of Generall over the horse These persons were the first who being charged and put to their triall judicially before the Consuls for to them by order from the Senate was the commission directed notwithstanding all the depositions and testimonies of the Patritij were in every point found unguiltie and acquit P. Philo also albeit hee had so many times attained to the supreme dignities of state after he had atcheeved so many worthie deeds as well in peace as warre yet a man malliced or envied rather of the Nobilitie was put to plead for himselfe and finally absolved But this inquirie into such men of name and qualitie lasted no longer in force as it is usually seene than whiles it was fresh and in the first heat therof From them it began to fall to persons of lesse reckoning and baser account untill such time as by the same conventicles and factions against which it was devised it fell to the ground and was troden underfoot The bruit of these things and more than that the hope of the Campaines revolt whereto certaine had conspired and sworn as ye have heard recalled the Samnites backe againe to Caudium who were turned bent wholly into Apulia that from thence being so neer at hand unto Capua they might if haply any insurrection and trouble presented the ouverture and opportunitie seize upon it and take it perforce from the Romanes Thither came the Consuls with a strong and mightie armie and at the first they staied and lingered about the passes and streights having on the one side the other an ill way of passage unto the enemies Afterwards the Samnites fetching a short compasse about came downe with their armie through the open places into the plains I mean the champaine countrie and fields about Capua And that was the first time that the enemies had a fight one of the others campe Whereupon by light skirmishes on horsebacke oftener than on foot they tried maisteries on either side neither were the Romans one jot discontented with the issue event thereof nor repented of the delay wherby they drew the warre alength Contrariwise the Samnite captaines perceived their forces to weare daily by small losses and their courage to coole and decay evidently by that lingering war Wherupon they came abroad into the field and devided their Cavallerie into wings with a speciall charge to have a more carefull eie backward toward their campe for fear of any impression and assault that way than to the maine battaile which would be guarded safe enough by the infanterie The Coss. marshalled themselves in this manner Sulpitius led the right point of the battel and Petilius the left the right side wheras the Samnits also were arraunged in thinner ranks and files of purpose to compasse and environ the enemies or not to bee compassed and enclosed themselves shewed itself more broad open They on the left hand besides that they stood thicker and more close were by occasion of a suddain policie of Petilius the Cos. further strengthened For those cohorts bands which were reserved apart in the rereward for help at any need kept fresh against all occurrents and hazards of long fight he advanced presently to the forefront in the vaward with all his forces at once charged the enemie at the first encounter forced him to recule When the footmen of the Samnites were thereby troubled and disarraied the horsemen followed close and
themselves make readie their armour plucke up their spirits and addresse themselves to a finall triall of the quarrell where if they sped well they were to be victours not for one day but for ever and aye For before the morrow next at night they should know whether Rome or Carthage should give lawes unto all nations of the earth And as neither Affrick nor Italie but the whole world shall be the prize guerdon of the conquerours so they whose hap were to loose the field must make account of daunger and domage equall to the winnings and gaine of the other For as the Romanes had no way to escape nor place of safe retreat being in a strange and unknowen land so Carthage having laid all upon this one cast if they now missed made accompt that all was gone and present destruction at hand So the next day there advanced forward to this doubtfull and daungerous triall two most noble and renowned captaines of two right mightie and puissant states two most valiant and hardie armies came forth into the field resolute that day either to winne the spurres or loose the saddle to gaine more glorie to their former honour or else to loose all that ever they had gotten Thus therefore between hope and feare their minds were perplexed and distracted and beholding one while their own forces another while their enemies power measuring rather by their eye than weighing by reason their strength they had at once presented unto them objects of joy content as well as of sorow and heavinesse And look what the soldiers themselves could not thinke upon those things their leaders put them in mind of suggesting unto them by way of admonition and exhortation whatsoever was thought expedient and good Anniball rehearsed his noble acts atchieved in Italie for the space of sixteene yeeres he reckoned up how many Romane captains he had slaine how many armies he had defeated and put to the sword and ever as he met with any souldiers of note and marke for some worthie and memorable battaile he put them in remembrance of their honourable service and good deserts Scipio related the conquest of Spaine recounted the fresh foughten fields in Affricke alledged the verie confession of the enemies who neither for feare could doe other but seeke for peace nor yet upon an inbred falshood imprinted in their hearts continue long in the same Besides he inferred the communication speech of Anniball had with him in secret and apart from others which according as hee was disposed to devise he might turn at his pleasure to fit his purpose And for as much as the gods had shewed unto them as they went out into the field the same signes and tokens of birds by direction wherof their fathers before them fought in times past before the Ilands Aegates hee ossed and presaged that the warre was come to an end all daungers and troubles overblowne that the spoile and pillage of Carthage was at their devotion and they at the point to returne home unto their countrey their parents wives children and domestical gods And this hee spake with such a lostie gesture of his bodie with so pleasant and lovely a countenance withall that a man who had seene him would have thought verily he had atchieved the victorie alreadie Then he embattailed first his Hastati or speares in the vaward behind them the Principes and the rereward he guarded and fortified with the Triarij Neither marshalled he whole cohorts thrust thick and close together in the head of the battaile before their ensignes but divided them into squadrons distant a pretie way asunder one from the other to the end there might be roume space to receive the elephants of the enemies that they should not breake the arraies and rankes As for Laelius whom he had emploied before as lieutenant but that yeare in qualitie of a Questor by a speciall order and direction from the Senat and not by choice of lot him with the Italian Cavallerie he put in the left point Masanissa with the Numidian horsemen in the right The open waies and void spaces betweene the squadrons aforesaid placed in the front before the ensigns hee filled with the Velites or Iavelotiers who at that time were light armed souldiers with this commandement that presently upon the violent charge given by the elephants they should either retire behind the files or els runne to a side both on the right hand and the left and joyne close to the formost ranks and make the elephants way to run upon their shot from the one side and the other Anniball to strike a terrour into the enemies first arraunged the elephants in the front who were in number foure score and more than ever he had before in any battaile Then be embattailed the aid souldiers of the Ligurians and Frenchmen with the Baleare slingers and the Mores intermingled amongst them In the maine battaile he placed the Carthaginians and Affricans with the legion of the Macedonians behind whome leaving a little space betweene he set in array the battailon of the Italian souldiers in the rereward for succour those were most part of them Brutij who followed him more perforce and by constraint than of any good will when he departed out of Italie The Cavallerie also he displaied and spred round like wings about the two points whereof the Carthaginians kept the right and the Numidians the left Sundry and divers were the exhortations throughout the armie amongst so many men whose language was dissonant whose complexions far unlike whose manners and conditions were divers who differed in lawes and customs whose armours were not all one whose raiment and apparell not sutable and finally whose quarrell and cause of war was not one the same The auxiliaries aid-soldiers fed themselves with the hope of ready and present paiment and wages for the time past yea and with a duple triple augmentation thereof to boot out of the spoile and pillage The Frenchmen upon a speciall hatred of their own and the same deeply setled were soone kindled and enflamed against the Romans The Ligurians who were brought out of the rough and craggie mountains and whose teeth watered at the fruitfull and plenteous fields of Italie were quickly by him mooved to hope after victorie The Mores and Numidians he frighted with the proud and tyrannicall rule of Masanissa under which they should ever after live Before the Carthaginians he presented the walles of their native citie their houses and house gods the sepulchres and tombes of their ancestors their children and parents yea and their timorous and fearefull wives hee set before their eies either finall destruction of all those things and slaverie of their persons or else the empire and soveraigne dominions of the whole world and no meane betweene these extremities either of feare or hope When as the Generall was most busie thus in exhorting the Carthaginians and the captains of the straungers amongst the souldiours
had to their lodgings The morrow after faith was plight and contracted betweene them and the same confirmed by covenant and they were dismissed to bring their forces and to shew them before him and so they quartered and lodged in the same camp with the Romanes until by their guidance direction they came unto the enemie The armie of the Carthaginians next unto them was under the conduct of Asdruball neere unto the citie Baetula Before his camp he kept certaine standing guards of horsemen Vpon them the light armed forlorne hope of archers and dartars of the Romane hoast which went before the battaile to skirmish likewise they of the forefront and vaward charged forcibly with their shot yet so contemptuously and in skornefull wise even presently upon their travaile in journey and before they had chosen a peece of ground to encampe in that it was soone seene what hart there was in both parts For the Cavallerie of the enemies fearefully fled and were driven into the camp but the Romanes advaunced with banners displaied hard to the very gates and so for that day their stomacks were onely up and provoked to a fight and then the Romanes pitched their tents Asdruball in the night retired his armie to a mount which in the top had a broad plaine Behinde this hill there ran a river the fore-front thereof and the sides all about the skirts were compassed as it were with a steepe banke standing plumbe upright There lay under this hill top another plaine lower than the other which also was enclosed round about with the like banke as difficult for ascent as the former The next day Asdruball after he saw the enemies standing arraunged before their campe sent downe his Numidian horsemen the light armed Ilanders also of the Baleares and likewise the Africanes Then Scipio rode about all the regiments ensignes and rankes of his armie marshalled as they stood in battaile wise and shewed unto them their enemies how they despaired afore-hand to fight on equall and even ground how they taking the vantage of the hils braved and shewed themselves presuming and trusting upon the place and not upon their owne valour and strength of armes Howbeit quoth hee Carthage had higher wals and yet the Romane soldiours were able to skale and get over neither hills nor castle no nor the very sea stood in their way then nor stopped them of their entrie And as for these high places which the enemies are possessed of they happily may serve their turnes well when they shall take their flight and leape from off the steepe bankes and runne downe-hill apace and so get away But I trow I shall debat them there and lay a blocke in their way on every side Whereupon he commaunded two squadrons the one to keepe the streights of the valley through which the river runneth the other to beset the passage that leadeth from the cittie into the fields and crosseth overthwart the hill side abovesaid Himselfe led the light appointed vantcurriers who the day before had discomfited the guards and wards of the enemies to affront the light armed souldies that were quartered in the neather brow of the hill And first they passed through the roughes were not impeached nor hindered otherwise than by the difficult avenues But afterward when they were come within shot at the very first they were welcommed with a mightie voley of all sorts pouring as it were like haile upon them Himselfe answered them againe and recharged upon them letting drive and discharging the stones which lay strewed all over the ground and were such in manner all as might be welded and flung from them with ease And not onely the soldiers but lackies horse-boies such as followed the camp were intermingled amongst the armed companies And albeit the ascent up the hil was hard and they were pelted and almost overwhelmed with darts and sâ—ones yet being so inured as they were to clime walls and resolute withall they mounted up first to tâ—e top and so soon as they had gotten some even ground where they might have sure footing they found the enemie who was light and nimble and able to runne to and fro and to save himselfe and shift well when he was farre off all the time that they skirmished aloufe and plaied upon one another with light shot now that they came to close fight and to handstrokes not able to stand his ground and so they drave him from his place and with great slaughter chased him and set him backe to the very battaile that stood upon the higher hill Then Scipio having given commaundement to these for to follow on the traine of their victorie and to enter up still upon the maine battaile of the enemies parted the rest of his forces togither with Laelius willing him to coast along and wheele about on the right hand of the mount untill hee found some way of easier ascent himselfe on the left hand fetched no long circuit and compasse untill he came crosse overthwart the flanke of the enemies Hereupon first began their battaile to be disordered whiles they were desirous to turne their wings to oppose their ranks and squadrons against the noises and shouts which rung every where about them In this tumultuous trouble Lelius also was gotten up and while the enemies drew backward and gave ground because they would not be charged behind on their backe the vaward of their part was displayed and lay open and so the Romanes even of the middle battaile also had a lane and spacious roume to get up and enter upon them who never had beene able to have gained the ground and woon the plaine above considering the disadvantage of the steepe banke so long as the rankes had stood unbroken and the elephants were opposed against them before the ensignes in the forefront Downe went the enemies now on every side and were pittiously killed and Scipio who with his left wing encountred the right charged and plaied especially upon the naked sides of the enemies And so by this meanes they had no way left them to flie and escape cleare For the Romane guards on both hands as well on the left as the right had beset all the avenues And as for the gate of the campe the Generall himselfe and the other captaines and officers of the campe had taken it up as they fled that way besides the combersome trouble of the Elephants whom being now affrighted they feared no lesse than their enemies So there died of them 8000. Asdruball who before the conflict had made sure worke with all the money and taken it with him sent the elephants before having rallied as many as he could of them that fled escaped out of the campe he made hast along the river Tagus toward the mountaine Pyrenaeus Scipio being now maister of the enemies campe after he had given to the souldiours all the pillage and spoile but onely the prisoners such as were free men when he came to take
and shout as you will make when you first joine battaile and give the charge After that they had with exceeding cheerefulnesse shouted alowd God blesse us all quoth he I will fulfill your desire and bring you forth to morrow into the field for to fight So the rest of that day was bestowed in making their harnish and weapons readie When morrow was come the Sabines so soone as they perceived the Romanes raunged in battaile array came forth also themselves as readie and desirous of fight as they Here was a battaile strucke such as might beseeme two armies that trusted on both sides in their owne valour and made full account of that daies honour The one eager and greedie to recover their auncient glorie wonted evermore to have the upper hand the other prowdly bearing themselves upon a new victorie lately atchieved The Sabines besides mended their strength well with a stratageme for when they had equally devided their battaillons every way they reserved two thousand drawne out of therest extraordinarie without the ranckes apart Who in the verie time of the conflict should hotely charge the left point of the Romanes they advauncing overthwart with their ensignes and flanking them on the tone side pressed shrewdly upon that one point and overcharged it well neare environned all about Then the horsemen of two legions 600 almost in number alight on foote from their horsebackes and as their fellowes were even now readie to recule rush forward with all speed to the forefront and withall made head against the enemie And first they put life unto them againe for that they entred equally with the footmen into danger and bare even part thereof afterwards for very shame they gave more boldnesse and animated them to fight For abashed they were that horsemen should be put to double service in both kinds of fight on horse and on foote and professed footemen not able to countervaile the horsemen who had taken them to their feete So they advance forward to the battaile which on their part was abandoned make hast to recover the ground which they had lost And with a trice at one instant not onely the fight was renewed but also a battailon of the Sabines began to shrinke The horsemen closely among the rankes and files of the footmen gat againe to their horses and from thence rode speedily unto the other side reporting to their fellowes the victorie and withall sharpely charged the enemies who now were affrighted because the stronger wing of their side was discomfited neither were there any in this battaile also that were seene to performe better service than they The Consull as an overseer beheld all the maner of it praising those that stood to it manfully and rebuking where they fought but faintly They were not so soone chastised and reproved but presently they bare themselves like hardie men and did right good service and looke how much that praise excited some so much shame stirred up other Then with a fresh shout and outcrie they bent their whole force on all sides and compelled the enemies to turne their backs who were not able after this to abide the violence of the Romanes The Sabines scattered here and there all over the fields left their tents for a spoile to their enemies where the Romanes recovered againe not the goods of their Allies as before in Algidum but their very own which they had lost by the harrying and spoiling of their lands For this two-fold victorie atchieved in two sundrie battailes the Senate right sparingly such was their miserie decreed in the name and behalfe of the Consuls one daies thanksgiving and procession and no more But the people the second day likewise without order and warrant from authoritie solemnised the same in great numbers And this popular procession disorderly as it was and without formalitie was with more good will and better affection of men celebrated than the other The Consuls of set purpose as it was agreed afore came within the compasse of those two daies into the cittie and summoned the Senat to assemble in Mars field where as they were about to make some speech of their exploits and worthie actes the chiefe and principall lords of the Senat complained and shewed themselves grieved that the Senat was assembled for the nonce among the soldiors to strike a terror into them Wherupon the Consuls because they would give no occasion of quarrell and faultfinding called away the Senat from thence into Prata Flaminia where now the temple of Apollo standeth a place which even then they called Circus Apollinaris where they being denied triumph with one voice and generall consent of the Nobles L. Icilius a Tribune of the Commons propounded unto the people to know what they thought of the Consuls triumph And among many that stepped forth to crosse and dissuade the bill C. Claudius above all others cried out aloud that the Coss. intended to triumph over the Nobles and not over their enemies and that they sought a thanke by way of recompence for a privat favour done to the Tribune and not for an honourable reward for any vertue and worthie act For never quoth he aforetime was there held any treatie of triumph before the people but evermore it was referred to the Senat to consider and determine of that honour Neither had the Kings at anytime impaired the majestie of that highest court and degree what should the Tribunes then meddle so much and have their hand in all matters by vertue of their authoritie as to suffer no publike counsell at all to remaine in force For a cittie can never be counted free nor lawes equall and indifferent but when each degree and estate reteineth still their own priviledge and hold their proper preeminence When the rest of the principall Senatours had spoken much to the same effect all the Tribes notwithstanding in generall allowed by their suffrages that which the Tribune had propounded This was the first time that ever any triumph was granted by the voices of the people without the authoritie and assent of the Senatours But this victorie of the Tribunes and the cominaltie had like to have turned to a dangerons surfeit of licentious libertie by reason that the Tribunes conspired together and were fully agreed to be chosen Tribunes againe and to the end that their owne ambition should be lesfe seene above others they alleadged to the Coss. for a sufficient reason that they likewise should continue still in place of government the agreement and consent of the Senatours through whose holding togither and drawing in one line the liberties of the Commons to the great disgrace and reproch of the Consuls were infringed and indammaged For what would come of it say they if before the late lawes were fully established the new Consuls with their factious banding should set upon the new Tribunes for we must not looke to have alwaies such as the Horaty and Valery to be Consuls men that would not regard their own weale
For what interest or title had the Gaules in Tuscane They againe stoutly made answere That they caried their right in their swords point and that valiant men were lords of all the world So they were on both sides so set on fire that they ran to their weapons and skirmished with the Tuscanes Then against all law of nations a thing that hastened the destruction of the Romane cittie the Embassadours tooke armes Neither could this be so secret but it was known For even before the ensignes of the Tuscanes there were sene three most noble valiant knights of the Romanes for to fight so farre exceeded the valor of those strangers above all the Clusines Moreover and besides Quintus Fabius riding out of the battaile on horsebacke charged his lance upon the captaine of the Gaules as he fiercely assailed the ensignes and battaile of the Tuscanes ran him through and slue him and as he rifled and disarmed him the Gaules tooke knowledge of him and throughout the whole host notice was given that it was an Embassadour of the Romanes So leaving their quarrell against the Clusines they sound the retreat and threatened the Romanes There were of them that thought good presently to advance forward to Rome but the elder sort prevailed that there should be sent Embassadors first to complaine of the iniuries and to require that for the law of armes broken the Fabij should be yeelded unto them Whenas the Gaule Embassadours had declared their message according to their commission the Senate nothing liked of the Fabians deed and thought the barbarous Gaules required nothing but just and reason Howbeit suit of friends and private respectes would not permit to make an Act of that in personages of so great marke and nobilitie which they deemed meet and requisite Therfore to the end it might not be imputed to them and they blamed if peradventure any foile or overthrow should happen unto them by warring with the Gaules they referred the hearing discussing of the Gaule demands unto the people Where might and favour so much prevailed that even they who were in question to be punished were created for the yeare folowing Tribunes Militarie in Consuls authoritie At which the Gauls being offended as good cause they had with open threats menaces of warre returned again to their companie There were with the three Fabij P. Sulpitius Longus Quintus Servilius the fourth time P. Servilius Maluginensis Whenas now so great danger was toward neere at hand see how fortune blindeth mens eies when as she will have her sway and not be hindered that cittie which against the Fidenate and Veient enemie other nations bordering therby tried the utmost help oftentimes made a Dictatour now being threatned with a strange enemie never heard of before comming to war upon them from the Ocean sea and the farthest parts of the world sought neither for governour nor helpe more than ordinarie Even those Tribunes by whose rash dealing that war was first caused had the managing of all made no more choise nor mustering of soldiors than usually had been in common wars making but a light matter of it and of no consequence and setting little by and elevating the rumour of the warre The Gaules in the meane time having heard how for the nonce those breakers of humane law were soone advanced to honour and how their embassage was deluded and dalied with all on a fire as they are a nation that way impatient and in anger outragious pluckt up their standards forthwith and marched with all expedition on their voiage At whose noise and hurliburly as they passed by in such hast when as the townes thereby were put in feare and ran to their weapons and the countrie pesants fled away they with open mouth gave out and signified that they went to Rome All the way as they journeied what with horse and men both in length and breadth they tooke up a mightie roome in their march But what with the fame that went before and the messengers of the Clusines and of other people that followed one at the heeles of another this speedie comming of the enemies brought right great feare and terrour to Rome For notwithstanding that they went with a power of men in all hast sodainly mustered hardly met they them at eleven miles end where as the river Allia running downe from the hils of Crustuminum with a very deepe channell not much beneath the highway dischargeth it selfe into the Tyber And now by this time the whole countrie before them and all the coasts about were overspread with the enemies And as they are a nation naturally given to vain tumults and therein born bred with an hideous and dissonant kind of singing like a blacke Santus they filled all about with a fearefull and horrible noise There the Tribunes Militarie without getting aforehand a convenient place to pitch their tentes in without fortifying the same with any trench or rampiers whereunto they might safely be take themselves even without any regard of God whom at leastwise they should have been mindfull of if they had forgotten man without Auspices and bird-tokens without reconciliation to God by sacrifice full unhappily and in an ill houre ranged their battell devided into wings for feare of being compassed with multitude of enemies Yet might not the vaward answere the breadth of the enemies notwithstanning they made their rankes and files so thin that the middle ward of the battaile was weake and skant joyning close together On the right hand there was a little higher ground where they thought to bestow men for supplie which as it gave the first occasion of feare and running away so was it the onely safetie of them that flâ—d For Brennus the Duke or prince of the Gaules fearing exceedingly in that small number of the Romanes some stratageme and supposing that the higher ground was for this purpose kept That when the Gaules should have encountred with the forefront of the legions then the rescues would charge them both upon their backes and their flankes displaied and advanced his standerds against those in rescue nothing doubting but if he had once driven them from their holde upon higher ground on the plaine he should soone have the victorie considering that in number he overwent them See how the Barbarians had not onely lucke but pollicie also on their sides Contrariwise the Romans in their camp were nothing like themselves either for captains or souldiors Their mindes were so possessed with feare thinking of running away and so forgetfull besides that the greater part of them chose rather to flie to Veij their enemies citie although the Tyber were full in their way than to take the streight course to Rome to their wives and children For a while the advantage of the ground defended those that were for rescue but in the rest of the hoast so soone as they that were next heard the shout from the sides and those that were farthest off from
one should have lived and died according to the fatall course of his owne severall destinie without the hazard of the whole and maine chance It remaineth now that forces be compared with forces and armies to armies either in number or in qualitie of souldiours or multitude of Allies from whom they had their aides There were esteemed by computation in the Taxing yeares Surveies taken by the Censors of that age two hundred fiftie thousand polls Citizens of Rome And therefore in all the revolts and rebellions of their allies the Latins they were able to levie and enroll ten legions complete of Romane citizens well neere and none else And for many yeares often times there were foure and five armies employed at once which maintained warres in Tuscane inHetruria in Vmbria take also the Gaules with you their enemies likewise Lucania in Samnium Besides al these Alexander should have found all Latium with the Sabines Volsciens and Acquians all Campania part of Vmbria and Hetruria with the Picentes the Marsians Pelignians Vestines and Apulians and all the cost adjoyning thereto of the Greekes along the nether Tyrrhen sea from the Thurians to Naples and Cumes and from thence the Samnites as farre as to Antium and Hostia All these he should have met with either mightie and puissant allies and friends to the Romanes or if they were enemies vanquished and subdued by their armes He should have passed the seas himselfe having of old Macedonian bands not above thirtie thousand foote four thousand horse and those most of them Thessalians for this was all his power And in case he had joyned thereto the Persians Indians and other such nations he should have drawne along after him more let and encombrance than help and succour by them Take this over and besides The Romanes had fresh supplies alwaies readie and neere at hand at home in the Citie whereas Alexander his armie as afterwards it happened to Annibal warring in a strange countrie would have waxed old and decayed They had for their armor and weapons a shield or buckler and a speare in manner of a pike The Romanes had a target of larger capacitie to cover the whole bodie and a javelin being a weapon much better and more forcible than the pike either to strike and push withall neere hand or to be launced a far off The souldiers I confesse both of the one side and the other stood their ground surely kept their place and array still within their severall rancks The Macedonian massive Phalanx moved not was stedfast and alwaies after one sort but the Romanes battaillon more distinct and consisting of many parts easie both to divide and display or to joyne and reunite upon any occasion To speake now of painefull worke and travaile what souldier is comparable to the Romane who better able to endure all sorts of labour Alexander by the losse but of one battaile had bene cleane done and his warre at an end for ever But the Romanes whose harts neither the shameful disgrace at Caudium nor the wofull defeature at Cannâ—â— could mate and daunt what power would have discouraged what battaile in the world would have broken their backs Certes Alexander although he had great prosperitie and good successe in his first beginnings and enterprises would oftentimes heere have missed his Persians and Indians and desired with all his heart to have had dealing with them againe and other cowardly and dastardly nations of Asia nay he would have sayd that he had warred before but with women as Alexander king of Epirus by report gave out when he was wounded to death conferring the easie occurrents of war which this yong Prince his nephew met withall in Asia with the difficulties of his owne that he found here in Italie And verily when I call to mind and remember the conflicts and fights at sea in the first Punick warre for the space of xxiiij yeares with the Carthaginians I suppose the whole age of Alexander would hardly have brought about and finished that one warre and against one of those two States And peradventure when both Carthaginians and Romanes had beene combined either according to the auncient leagues or for equall feare of a common enemie those two cities most puissant both for men and munition had taken armes at once against him he would have been overwhelmed with the Punicke and Roman warre together Moreover the Romanes have made good proofe of the Macedonians as enemies if not when they had Alexander to be their Captaine nor whiles the Empire of Macedonie was at the best and stood upright unfoiled yet tried them they have made head against them under the conduct of Antiochus Philip Perses it never cost them the losse and overthrow of their owne part no nor so much as any apparence of danger at all I would not bee thought to speake a prowd word but be it said without arrogancie and setting all our civile wars aside never were wee distressed either byhorse or foot never in open field and battaile ranged never on even and plaine ground never in unequall places of disadvantage were wee endangered The soldior in heavie complete harneis I confesse may fear the Cavallerie in the plaines may fear shot of arrowes combersome forrests and woods streight gullets unpassable wilds without waies forward or backeward but let there bee a thousand armies greater and stronger than the Macedonians or Alexander so long as we hold together and continue still in this love of peace and care of civile concord wherein we live at this present wee are able and ever shall bee to discomsite and put them all to flight After this were M. Follius Flaccina and L. Plautius Venox Consuls The same yeare there came from sundrie Nations of the Samnites Embassadours to treat for the renuing of the league and moved the Senat most humblie kneeling prostrate upon the ground but being put off referred to the people their praiers availed not to such effect for as touching a league they had a flat nay And after they had for certain daies together importuned them one by one apart with cap and cursie at length after much suit they obtained truce for two yeares And out of Apulia the Theanenses and Canusines wearied with rodes and spoile made in their territories after they had put in hostages to Lucius Plautius the Consull yeelded themselves to his protection The same yeare first began Provosts to bee created at Capua to governe under certaine lawes given unto them by L. Furius the Pretor after that themselves had made suit for the one and the other as a remedie for their state greatly decaied through civile discord And at Rome were two more Tribes added to the rest Vtentina and Falerina When Apulia began once to shrinke go backward the Theatines being also Apulians presented themselves unto the new Consuls C. Iunius Bubulcus and Q. Aemylius Barbula and sued to enter into a league with the Romanes
and charged the rest in the meane while to fortifie the campe The souldiers being once entred fell to breake open the dores where they found a few silly old folke and some feeble and diseased persons with such moveables as were hard to be conveighed and transported those they rifled and ransackt and by certaine captives they understood that divers other townes thereabout were all with one accord fled and gone and as for their owne countrymen they departed at the first watch of the night and they thought no other verily but that in the rest of the cities they should find the like emptinesse and solitude And as the prisoners said so it proved indeede and the Consull possessed himselfe of those forlorne and abandoned townes The other Consull M. Attilius bad not so easie warre for his part who as he was marching with his Legions toward Luceria which he heard was besieged by the Samnites the enemie encountred and met him in the verie entrie of the frontiers and gave him battaile and the anger and indignation of both sides was answerable to their might forces The fight was variable doubtfull on both parts but the end issue more heavie dolorous on the Romans side both because they were not used to be vanquished and also for that in the verie loose and retreat rather than in the combat and medley they found that many more were hurt slain of their part Which feareful sight terrour as it began in the campe if it had surprised them in the conflict it would have beene an heavie day with them and no doubt they had received a notable overthrow And even then being as it was they had a carefull night and full of anguish thinking verily that the Samnites would presently assault their camp or at least waies that in the morning betimes they must of necessity fight with the conquerors But the enemies as their losse was lesse so their heart and courage was never the more For so soone as the day brake desirous were they to be gone without any battaile Howbeit there was but one way and that lay close and neere to their enemies which they were not so soone entred into but they made shew a farre off as if they marched streight to the assault of the campe The Consull commaundeth his men to arme and to follow after him without the rampiers To his lieutenants colonels and captaines of the Allies he gave severall charges to doe as he thought needfull requisite They all promised to execute any direction whatsoever but they said withall that the soldiours hearts were done that they had watched and sit up all night amongst the grievous wounds and uncomfortable groanes of them that lay a dying and no doubt if the enemie had come before day against the campe so daunted were they that they would have abandoned their colours and even now for very shame and nothing else they forbare indeed to run away but otherwise their hearts were gone and they cleane spent The Consull hearing this thought good to go about himselfe in person unto every one of his soldiors and to speake unto them and even as he met with any of them saw them so backward and going about so coldly to take armes and weapon in hand he checked and rebuked them crying alowd asking why they sat stil why they loitered and made such hafting saying that the enemies would come to them within the very camp cut their throts unlesse they made more hast to sally forth yea forced they should be to fight before their tent dores if they would not give battaile without the trench and rampiers They that are armed saith hee and will fight manfully shall obtaine undoubted victorie but the unarmed and naked man that attendeth the enemies comming must either die for it or endure captivitie As he rated and rebuked them in these termes they answered flatly againe that they had enough of yesterdaies worke and were utterly done and had neither strength nor blood left them in their bodies and now the enemies say they seeme more in number than they were the day before Amid these speeches the armie approached and being now but a little way off they might take a full view of them more certainly and see every thing Whereupon they said confidently that they saw the Samnites to bring with them their stakes and pales to cast a pallaisade no doubt round about their whole campe At this the Consull cried out upon them for verie shame to suffer so foule a reproch and disgrace of a most dasterdly enemie And shall we be quoth hee beset and empaled within our owne campe there to die for hunger and famine with shame rather than by edge of sword if there be no other remedie with honour like meâ— The gods speed us well quoth he and their will be done and do every man as he thinkes best as for M. Attilius the Consull he is resolved even himselfe alone if no man else will follow to meet the enemie in the face and rather be beaten downe and die amongst the Samnites ensignes than see the Romane campe besieged with a trench cast and rampier raised about it The Lieutenants Colonels and all the bands cornets of the Cavallerie yea and the principall Centurions of the foremost companies liked well of this and accepted the Consul his words Then the soldiors for starke shame full faintly take weapon in hand and as slowly God wot go forth of campe And thus in long rankes and files not close united together but broken here and there with heavie cheere and as men halfe vanquished already they marched after a sort toward the enemie who was neither in hope nor in heart better resolved and setled than they For so soone as the Samnites discovered the Romane standerds suddainly from the vaward to the reregard there went a muttering and bruit from oâ—â— to another that the Romanes were come forth the onely thing they alwaies feared to empeach and stop their passage so as now there was no way for them to flie and escape from them and save themselves but must either die in the place or slay their enemies make a lane even over their bodies All their packs fardels they cast together upon an heap in the mids and being armed as they were euerie man ranged and marshalled themselves in their owne araies Now was there a verie little space betweene the two armies and they stood looking one upon another waiting when their enemies would begin to give the first charge and set up the first shout But neither of both had any stomacke to fight And surely on both sides they had gone sundrie waies untouched and without any blowes given or taken but that they feared both left if they had dismarched of one part first the other would have come upon them Thus of themselves they began a faint fight as unwilling and loth thereto with an uncertaine and unequall shout neither
horsemen he committed to the conduct of two other Lieutenants C. Ceditius and Trebonius As for Sp. Nautius he charged him in all hast to take off the packsadles from the Mules and to mount the cohorts of the light armed footemen that serve in the wings upon their backs and with them to fetch a compasse and to seize upon an hill there in sight and in the heate of the medley to shew himselfe from thence and to raise as great a cloud of dust as possible he could Whiles the Generall was occupied hereabout there arose some warbling amongst the chicken-maisters touching the auspice or presage of that day in so much as they were overheard of the Romane horsemen who supposing it a matter of good consequence and to be regarded advertised Sp. Papyrius the Consuls nephew or brothers sonne that there was some doubt and question about the Auspice The youth borne in those dayes when there were no Atheists nor lectures red of despising God and religion enquired farther into the matter because he would not certifie anything whereof he was not sure and when he had found out the truth gave knowledge thereof to the Consull who sayd thus unto him God blesse thee my sonne and be not thou dismayed thereat but fight hardly more valiantly and do thy best devoir As for him that hath the charge and oversight of the birds Auspice if he have made a wrong report and given up a contrary presage or false signe all the mischiefe and perill light upon his owne head for his lewd lie As for me I was told of a Tripudium and that the birds fell hartily to their meat and I hold it for a luckie auspice and token of good successe unto the people of Rome and the armie and for no other This said he commanded the Centurions to set those pulletors in the forefront of the battaile The Samnites also for their part set forward their ensignes and their battaillons follow after gallantly set out in gorgeous armour and brave apparell in such sort as the very sight of the enemies represented a magnificent and stately shew to the beholders But see what hapned before the first shout given before the first vollie of shot and encounter the principall pulletier chaunced to be stricken with a Iavelin launced at aventure and at randon and fell downe dead even before the ensignes Which being reported unto the Consull Behold the handie worke of God quoth he the gods are present in this battaile the guiltie person hath his due reward And as the Consull was a speaking these words so just before him a Raven set out a wide cleere throate cryed with a lowd note at which Augurie the Cos. rejoyced and avowed that the gods appeared never in mens affaires more evidently And herewith he commanded the trumpets to sound and to set up a lustie shout them followed a cruell and terrible fight on both sides but with harts and courages farre unlike The Romanes were ravished and carried on end to the battaile with anger hope and heate of conflict greedie of bathing their swords and embruing their hands in the enemies bloudshead But the Samnites many of them by force of necessitie and constraint of a blind and superstitious religion even against their wils were forced to make resistance and defend themselves rather than to fight and offend the enemie Neither had they susteined and held out the first shout charge and shock of the Romanes as having now for certain yeares past bene used evermore to go away defeated and vanquished but that a mightier feare imprinted and setled in their heart rootes held them perforce from running away for they ever had continually represented in their eye the whole furniture of that secret sacrifice of those armed sacrificers and priests with naked swords of that hideous butcherie of men and of brute beasts lying slaine one with another in their bloud intermingled together of the altars besprinckled and stained with the lawfull sheading of the one the detestable effusion of the other of the dreadfull and horrible execrations and to conclude of that frantick furious and detestable forme of words composed and devised to the detestation and malediction of their line and race Being fast bound I say with these bonds for fleeing away they stood to it and stirred not back fearing their owne countrymen more than the enemies The Romanes from both points and from the middle and maine battaillon charged hotely beat them downe killed and cut them in pieces thus amazed and astonied as they were with dread of gods and awe of man Small resistance made they as who only feared to flye and run away so as by this time there was execution and havock made of them almost to the very Standerts At which very instant there appeared overthwart from the one side a dust as if a mightie armie had raysed it in their march namely Sp. Nantius or as some say Octavius Metius who had the leading of certaine Cohorts called Alarie mounted upon Mules which for the nonce made a dust greater than sonâ— that number they were For those varlets and new horsemen as they sat on their Mitles and Sumpter beasts drew after them trailing on the ground roughes of tâ—ees full of branches and leaves and first there appeared in the fore-front as it were through a duskish and dimme light their armbur and guidons but the dust behind them rising higher and thicker made shew of a troupe of horsemen flanking an armie of footemen wherewith not onely the Samnites but Romaties also were deceived And the Consull himselfe to avow the errour and beare them downe it was so cried alowde amongst the formost ensignes so as his voice reached unto his enemies That Cominium was woon and his brother Consull was come with victorie and therefore they should endeavor and enforce themselves to get the day before that canother armie should win the honour out of their hands Thus cried out on horsebacked galoping among the ranks too and fro Then he commaunded the Colonels and Centurions to make a way for the mein of armes Himselfe afore handwissed Trebonius and Cedilias that when they ofpied him to beare his speare upright to shake it then they should with all the might they had put forth the Cavallerie and charge the enemies Everie thing was done at a becke according as they were directed and enstructed before hand The waies were made wide betweene the files The horsemen fling out and with speare in rest charge upon the middle battaillon of the enemies and brake their arraies whersoever they charged Volumnius and Scipid seconded them with the Infanterie and while they were disarmed overthrew them and bare them to the ground Downe went these linnen Cohorts now when God and man fought against them and were discomfited and as well those that tooke the oth and the other that were unsworne fled amaine and without respect of one thing or other feared none but their enemies All the
should passe the seas into Italie Scipio after he was returned to Rome was created Consull And when hee made sute to have the province of Africke Q. Fabius Max. withstood him and so he had the government of Sicilie but with commission to saile over into Affricke in case hee thought it good for the Common-weale Mago the sonne of Amilcar from the lesser Balcare Iland where he had wintered tooke the seas and sailed over into Italie WHen it seemed that Spaine was eased as much of warre as Italie charged therewith by the voiage of Asdruball thither behold all of a suddaine there arose other troubles there equall to the former And as for the provinces of Spaine at that time they were possessed between Romanes and Carthaginians in this manner Asdruball the sonne of Gisgo was retired with his power farre within the countrie even to the Ocean and Gades But the coasts bordering upon our sea and in maner all Spain bending toward the East was held by Scipio and subject to the Roman empire Hanno the new General being passed out of Affricke with a fresh armie entred into the roume of Asdruball the Barchine joined with Mago and when he had put in armes within a short time a great number of men in Celtiberia which lieth in the middest betweene the two seas Scipio sent foorth against him M. Syllanus with tenne thousand foot and five hundred horsemen This Syllanus made such speed by taking as long journies as possibly he could considering how much hindred and troubled he was both by the roughnesse of the waies and also by the streights environned with thicke woods and forrests as most parts of Spaine are that notwithstanding all those difficulties hee prevented not onely the messengers but also the very same and rumour of his comming and by the guidance of certaine fugitive revolts out of Celtiberia hee passed forward from thence to the enemie By the same guides hee had intelligence and was for certaine advertised being now some tenne miles from the enemie that about the very way where hee should march there were two campes namely on the left hand the new armie abovesaid of Celtiberians to the number of more than nine thousand lay encamped and the Carthaginians on the right As for this leaguer it was well defended and fortified with corps de guards with watch and ward both night and day according to the good order and discipline of warre But the other was as much neglected dissolute loose and out of order like as commonly barbarous people and raw souldiours are and such as fear the lesse by reason they are at home within their own countrie Syllanus thinking it good pollicie to set upon them first gave commaundement to march under their ensigns colours and beare toward their left hand as much as they could for fear of being discovered in some place or other by the guards and sentinels of the Carthaginians And himselfe in person having sent before certain vaunt-courriers espials with his armie advaunced apace directly toward his enemie Now was hee approched within three miles of them unespied and not descried at all For why a mountaine countrey it was full of roughs and crags overspread and covered with woods and thickets There in a hollow valley betweene and therefore secret for the purpose hee commaunded his souldiours to sit them downe and take their refection In this meane time the espials came backe and verified the words of the fugitives aforesaid Then the Romanes after they had piled their packes their trusses and baggage in the middest armed themselves and in order of battaile set forward to fight When they were come within a mile of the enemies they were discovered by them who began suddainely to be affraied Mago at the first outcrie and al'arme set spurres to his horse and rode a gallop out of his campe to succour Now there were in the armie of the Celtiberians foure thousand footmen targettiers two hundred horse This troupe being in manner the flower and very strength of the whole armie as it were a full and complete legion he placed in the vaward all the rest which were lightly armed he bestowed in the rereward for to succour and rescue As he led them foorth thus ordered and arraunged they were not well issued without the trench but the Romanes began to launce their javelines and darts against them The Spaniards to avoid this voley of shot from the enemies couched close under their shields and defended themselves afterwards they rose up at once to charge again upon them But the Romanes standing thicke as their manner is received all their darts in their targuets and then they closed man to man and foot to foot began to fight at hand with their swords Howbeit the ruggednesse of the ground as it nothing availed the swiftnes of the Celtiberians whose guise is to run to and fro in skirmish and keepe no ground so the same was not hurtfull at all to the Romanes who were used to a set battell and to stand to their fight onely the streight roume and the trees and shrubs growing betweene parted their ranckes and files asunder so as they were forced to maintaine skirmish either singlie one to one or two to two at the most as if they had been matched to cope together even And look what thing hindered the enemies in their flight the same yeelded them as it were bound hand and foot unto the Romans for to be killed Now when all these targettiers welneere of the Celtiberians were slaine their light armed souldiours and the Carthaginiaus also who from the other campe ran to succour were likewise disarraied discomfited and hewne in peeces So there were two thousand footmen and not above and all the horsemen who scarce began battell fled with Mago and escaped As for Hanno the other Generall together with them who came last and to the verie end of the fray was taken alive But Mago fled still and all the Cavallerie with as many as remained of the old footmen followed after and by the tenth day arrived in the province of Gades and came unto Asdruball The Celtiberians that were but new souldiours slipt into the next woods out of the way and so from thence fled home This fortunat victorie happening in so good a time not so much stifled the present war in the very birth as it cut off the matter and maintenance of future troubles in case the enemies had been let alone and suffered to sollicite and stirre other nations to take armes like as they raised the Celtiberians alreadie Whereupon Scipio having highly commended Syllanus and conceived great hope withall to dispatch quite and make an end of the warres in case himselfe lingered not the matter made long stay pursued the remnant behind and set forward into the utmost province of Spaine against Asdruball But Asdruball who happened then to lie encamped in Boetica for to keepe his allies in obedience and faithfull
the Romanes went first in hand withall to reduce into the nature of a province yet it was the last of all others that was subdued and but lately in our daies even under the conduct and happie fortune of Augustus Caesar. There at that time Asdruball the sonne of Gisgo the greatest and noblest Captaine in all these warres next after the Barchine house returned from Gades and hoping by the help of Mago the sonne of Amilcar to wage warre afresh tooke musters throughout the farther part of Spaine and armed to the number of fiftie thousand foote 4500 horse And as for the Cavallerie all writers in manner do agree but for the Infanterie some write there were 70000 brought unto the citie Silpia There upon the open plaines fate these two Carthaginian captaines downe because they would not seeme to fall off and refuse battaile Sciâ—io when newes came unto him of so puissant an armie levied supposed that neither with the Romane legions he was sufficient to march such a multitude unlesse he opposed the aids of the Barbarous nations if it were no more but for shew and outward apparance nor yet was to repose such assured confidence in them as in the fundamentall strength of his armie that in case they should give him the slip when the time came the onely occasion of the overthrow of his father and unckle they might doe much hurt to the maine chaunce and totall summe of all And therefore he sent Sylianus before unto Colcas a lord over the signorie of eight twentie towns for to receive of him those horse foot which he had promised to levie in the winter time Himselfe departed from Taracon gathered some small aids of his allies that inhabit along the way as he marched and so came to Castulo Thither Syllanus brought also certaine auxiliaries to the number of three thousand foot and five hundred horse From thence he went forward to the citie Baetula being in all of cittizens and allies with footmen and horsemen togither one with another 45000 strong As they were pitching their tents and encamping Mago and Masanissa with all their Cavallerie set upon them and no doubt had troubled them mightily as they were making their defences but that certaine troupes of horsemen hidden behind an hill whom Scipio fitly for the purpose had there bestowed suddainly at unawares ran upon them and recharged them as they were losely ridden forward without order and array These had not well begun skirmish with them but they discomfited the forwardest of them and such especially as engaged themselves neere to the trench to impeach and annoy the pioners and laborours at worke but with the rest that kept to their colours and went orderly in their rankes the fight was longer and for a good while continued doubtfull But when the squadrons which stood readie appointed in their guards and stations were first brought forth and after them the soldiors also from their worke and fortifications were willed to take armes and still more and more continually came fresh and in hart in place of those that were wearied so as now from all parts of the campe there was gathered togither a full power and ran to the battaile then the Carthaginians Numidians turned their backs plaine and fled And at the first they went away by troupes and companies keeping their order and array still and not disbanded for hast or feare But afterwards when the Romanes began once more eagerly to play upon the hinmost of them so as now their furious violence could no longer be resisted then without all regard of rankes or files they forgat their array and ran on all hands by heapes seeking every man the next way he could to escape And albeit by this skirmish the Romanes were more encouraged a good deale the enemies hearts much daunted yet for certaine daies ensuing there never ceased excursions and bickerings mainteined by the horsemen and those that were lightly armed Now when by these small skuflings they had made sufficient triall on both sides of their strength Asdruball first lead forth his forces into the field then the Romans likewise came forward readie to receive them But when both armies stood without their campe arranged in battaile array neither of them gave the charge when the day drew toward sun-setting Asdruball first retired with his men into the campe and after him the Romane Generall likewise Thus continued they for certain daies togither Astruball was evermore the first that came abroad and the first againe that sounded the retreat to his souldiours wearied with long standing But of neither side they made out to skirmish or discharged any shot or gave alarmes set up a crie Of the one part the Romans on the other the Carthaginians togither with the Africanes stood in the maine battaile the allies of either side kept the wings those were Spaniards as well in the one armie as the other But in the front of the Carthaginian battel were the Elephants placed who afar off made a shew as if they had bene castles And throughout both armies this word went for currant that when the time came they would so fight as they stood day by day arranged namely that the maine battailes of the Romans and Carthaginians between whom was the quarell and occasion of the war with like courage of heart and force of armes would encounter and cope togither Scipio perceiving this once to go for good to be stifly setled in their opinions altered all for the nonce against the day that he minded indeed to give battaile And overnight hee gave a watch-word and token throughout all the campe that both horse and man should take their dinner before day and that the horsemen in armes readie appointed should hold their horses sadled and bridled Now before it was broad day light he sent out all the Cavallerie togither with the light armour to charge upon the Corps de guard and standing watch of the enemies And himselfe straight after advanced forward with the whole strength of the legions armed at all peeces And clean contrarie to the conceived opinion persuasion both of his own men and also of his enemies he strengthened the wings with Romanes and marshalled the maine battaile with the allies Asdruball raised with the clamour and shout of the horsemen leapt forth of his pavilion and perceiving a tumultuous alarme fearfull stirre of his owne men before the rampiar and trench and seeing afarre off the glittering ensignes of the legions and all the plaines over-spread with enemies presently made forth all his Cavallerie against their foresaid horsemen Himselfe with the battaile of footmen issueth out of the campe and made no chaunge nor alteration at all in the marshalling of the battailons otherwise than he had used the daies past The horsemen continued the fight along time doubtfully neither could it bee determined by it selfe because evermore as any of them were put backe which hapned on both
enemies much greater and stronger rather than here whereas you may fight with the power of two armies against one toiled out of heart in so many battailes and wearied with long warfare so tedious and grievous withall Consider with your selfe what conformitie and resemblance there is betweene your dessignes and your fathers He as Consull having made a journey into Spaine to the end that he might encounter Anniball as hee came downe the Alpes returned out of his owne province into Italie and you when Anniball is in Italie purpose to abandone and leave Italie And why forsooth not because you judge it good for the common-weale but because you thinke it an enterprise that may emport you in great honour and glorie like as when you being captaine Generall of the people of Rome left your province at randon and your armie at sixe and seven without warrant of law without order or act of Senate hazarded in two bothomes the whole state and majestie of the Empire of Rome which at that time togither with the daunger of your life incurred the perill and jeopardie of the maine chance To conclude for mine own part my lords of the Senat I am of this mind this is my conceit That P. Cornelius was not created Consull privately for himselfe and his owne behouse but for the good of the common-weale and us all and that the armies were levied and enrolled for the guard of the cittie and defence of Italie and not for the Consuls in their owne proud selfe-conceit and overweening of themselves after the manner of absolute KK to transport and lead into what parts of the world they list themselves When Fabius by this Oration premeditate and framed to the time had through his authoritie and the long setled and confirmed opinion that men had of his wisedome drawne unto his side a good part of the Senate and specially the auncients insomuch as the greater number commended the grave counsell of the old man above the lustie and youthfull courage of the other gallant then Scipio by way of answere made these remonstrances and spake in this wise My lords of the Senate even Fabius himselfe in the beginning of his Oration said very well That his opinion which he was to deliver might be suspected of detraction and envie Of which note verily I durst not my selfe taxe and accuse a man of his qualitie reputation so much as me thinkes is not so well cleered as it ought to be the very suspition it selfe and I wote not whither it bee by a default of his speech and oration or that the thing it selfe is so pregnant For in such manner he extolled with goodly words and magnified his owne dignities and renowmed deeds and all to quench the jealousie and crime of envie as if my selfe were to feare the danger of emulation and concurrence of some companion of the basest degree and condition and not of him who because he farre surpasseth other men which height and pitch of honour I denie not but I endevour my selfe to reach unto would not in any hand that I should compare with him So highly hath hee advanced himselfe in regard of his old yeares considering that hee hath gone through all rankes of honour and so low debased me and put me downe even under the age of his own sonne as though the desire and love of glorie should passe no farther than the length of mans life and the greatest part thereof extended not to the memorie of posteritie and the future time This I hold for certaine that it is a thing incident to the most magnanimous men of greatest spirit and courage to have a desire for to match themselves not onely with them that live in their daies but with the most famous and excellent personages that ever were or might be in any age And certes for mine own part ô Q. Fabius I will not make it goodly but frankly bewray my mind that way namely that I would full fain not only attain unto your praise-worthie acts commendable vertues but also with your good leave be it spoken if possibly I can even to excell surmount the same And therefore let us not carrie this mind either you toward mee or I to those that are younger than my selfe To be unwilling and thinke much that any one cittizen among us shouldprove equall to our selves for in so doing wee should offer wrong and doe hurt not onely to them whom we have envied and maligned but also prejudice the common-wealth and in manner the whole state of all mankind And thus much to your selfe He hath now my lords recounted to what great perils I should enter into by the Africk voyage in such sort as he would seem not only to have a carefull regard of the common-wealth and the armie but also to pitie me and tender my case fortune Whence commeth it that you shuld al on a sodain take so great care for me when my father and unckle both were slaine when their armies both twaine were utterly almost diffeated and put all to the sword when Spaine was lost when foure armies of Carthaginians and foure Generals held all in feare by force of armes when there was a captain sought for to undertake that warre and no man durst bee seene to put himselfe forward no man so hardie as to present and offer his service but my selfe and when the people of Rome had committed the charge and government of Spain to me a yong man but foure twentie yeares old how hapned it that no man then tooke exception of my age made mention of the enemies force discoursed of the difficultie and daunger of the warre or laid abroad the late and fresh defeature and death of my father and uncle I would demaund and gladly know Whither we have susteined now lately some greater calamitie and losse in Affricke than we received at that time in Spaine or if the armies at this present in Africke be more puissant or the captaines more in number or better in valour than they were in Spaine at that time or whither mine age then was more ripe and sufficient to mannage warres than now it is Last of all whither it be better more commodious and easie to mainteine warre with the Carthaginian enemie in Spaine than in Africke After that I have discomfited put to flight foure hoasts of Carthaginians after I have either forced by assault or reduced under mine obeisance for feare so many citties after I have vanquished and subdued all even as far as to the Ocean sea so many princes and potentates so many fierce cruell nations after I have so fully recovered Spaine as there is not remaining to be seen there so much as the sooting and bare token of any war an easie matter it is and all one to elevate and depresse the acts past that I have atchieved as also par-die it will be when I returne with conquest out of Africke to debase and make nothing of
of their owne nations and that for the most part by meanes of interpretors intermingled for the same purpose with them the trumpets sounded and the hornes blew from the Romane hoast And such a wonderfull shout arose from thence that the Elephants turned upon the Mores and Numidians of their owne side especially in the left point of the battaile Whome Masanissa seeing once affrighted hee soone redoubled their feare and riding upon them with a hote charge laid naked the battaillon of footmen on that side and cleane without the aid of their Cavallerie Howbeit some few of the Elephants driven without feare full upon the enemie made foule worke among the rankes of the light armed Velites and overthrew a number of them not without many a wound and much hurt done to themselves For the Velites leaping againe nimblie to the squadrons after they had made way for the beasts fearing they should bee troden underfoot by them let flie their javelines at them from both sides lying open as they did like butts to the shot on either hand Neither lost they any time who were in the vauntguard before the ensignes nor gave over flinging their darts at them untill they were driven by a voley of shot lighting upon them from all parts cleane out of the Romane battaile and then they turned head also upon the very horsemen of the Carthaginians in their owne right point and forced them to run away Laelius for his part seeing the enemies in disarray and sore troubled charged upon them with his horses encreased their fright So as now the Carthaginian battaillon was disfurnished and stript of their horsemen on both wings By which time the Cavallerie joined battaile whose hope was now quailed and strength abated and therefore not able to make their parts good Besides another thing there was a small matter to speake of but yet in fighting-time and in the very medley of great consequence and importance The shout and crie from the Romans was ever alike and consonant in all parts and therefore the greater and more terrible but the enemies made dissonant noises according as they differed in language being as they were of many and sundrie nations The manner of the Romanes fight was sure and stedfast by reason of the peise of their owne bodies and the weight of their armour bearing still and preasing hard upon the enemies but they on the other side shewed more swiftnesse and agilitie than force and violence And therefore at the very first shocke the Romanes incontinently enforced their battaillon to recule and lose their ground Afterward they fell to shouldering and knocking them with the pikes and bosses of their bucklers which done they set foot forward a good round pace and gained some ground of them marching on still and no man seemed to make head against them whiles they that were hindmost in the files perceiving once that battaillon to goe on and win ground still put forward the formost which was the very thing that availed much and was of great efficacie to put the enemies to flight But the second battaillon which consisted of Africanes and Carthaginians were so farre from seconding and upholding the auxiliarie straungers thus dismarching that contrariwise for feare least the Romanes by killing them in the forefront who stood to it lustily and made resistance should come as farre as to them behind they likewise reculed and gave backward Whereupon the aid-souldiours also suddainely shewed their hin-parts and turning their face upon their owne fellowes some of them retired for refuge into the second battaillon others fell to killing of them that would not receive them within their rankes good reason they had for as a while before they had no helpe at all of them so then they were altogether excluded and shut out from them So as now the Carthaginians had to deale at once in two medlies shuffled together whiles they were compelled to close come to handfight both with their enemies and also with their owne fellowes Yet notwithstanding for all they were either so affrighted or so angrie with them receive them they would not in no hand into their battaillon but keeping their rankes and files close together they cast them ato side to the wings and the void ground without the place of conflict and all because they would not intermingle any souldiors thus skared upon running away and many wounds with that battaillon which stood still sure ynough and as yet unfoiled But the place where a little before the auxiliaries were raunged was so full of slaine bodies and weapons and armour thrumbled one upon another that the Romanes had welneere more adoe to passe that way now than they should have had through the preasse of the enemies standing thicke together And therefore the formost of the Hastati following after the enemies every one as well as he could over the heapes of bodies and armour on the earth and through the slipperie filth of the bloud made a pelmell of their own ensignes and confusion of their rankes Whereupon the ensignes also of the Principes began to wave when they saw the battaile afore them so wandering and inconstant Which Scipio when hee once perceived commaunded in all hast to sound the retreat unto the Hastati and when hee had withdrawne as many of them as were wounded and hurt and bestowed them in the rereward hee brought the Principes and the Triarij to the out-wings and flankes thereof to the end that the middle battaillon of the Hastati should bee more sure and strong By this meanes there began a new medley For now were they come to their verie enimies indeed such as for armour and weapons of all sorts for practise and experience of warfare for fame and renowne of worthie exploits and last of all for greatnesse either of hope or perill were equall and comparable unto them But both in number and also in courage the Romans were superiour for that alreadie they had discomfited the Cavallerie put to flight the elephants beaten back the vaward and were readie now to encounter with the maine battaile Now Laelius and Masanissa having had the horsemen in chase a good way whom they had compelled to flie as is beforesaid returned in good time and charged hotely upon the taile of the enemies battaile And this assault of theirs it was that strucke the stroke this did the deed and amazed the enemies Many of them were environned and killed in the place many fled and were scattered over the plains and open fields and by the horsemen who had taken up all the avenues raunged all about were caught up here and there and so slaine Of Carthaginians and their Allies were killed thatday above twentie thousand and welneere as many taken prisoners of militarie ensignes there were gotten a hundred thirtie three and eleven Elephants besides alive Of the conquerours there died about two thousand Anniball with some few horsemen made shift to escape out of the tumult and
many of barley A third embassage they had to Vermina who met the embassadors as farre as the utmost marches of his realme and to their disposition and discretion referred the drawing and penning of all conditions of peace as they would themselves saying withall that he held any peace whatsoever that he should have with the people of Rome for good and just So there were presented unto him certaine articles and conditions of peace and for the ratifying thereof he was enjoyned to send his embassadors to Rome Much about the very same time L. Cornelius Lentulus the Viz-pretor returned out of Spaine who having declared in the Senate his valiant and fortunate exploits that for many yeeres together he had atchieved in Spaine and in consideration thereof demaunded that it might be lawfull for him to enter the citie in triumph the Senate judged that his noble acts deserved no lesse than he sued for but they had no such precedent from their auncestours that he should be allowed to triumph who had warred neither as Dictatour nor Consull nor Pretour and as for Lentulus in qualitie of Viz-pretour only and not of Consull or Pretour he tooke upon him the charge of the province of Spaine Howbeit in the end they came downe to this point that he should ride into the citie on horseback as Ovant But T. Sempronius Longus a Tribune of the Com. interposed his negative alleadging that they had as little example to shew for that and no practise or custome at all of their auncient predecessours But in fine the Tribune gave place to the generall accord of the LL. and was content to be over-ruled So after the order set down by the Senat L. Lentulus entred Rome in that solemnitie pomp before named He presented in shew of the pillage that he had gotten 44000 pound weight of silver 2450 pound weight of gold To his souldiours he distributed out of the spoile 120 Asses apeece Now was the armie of the Consull translated alreadie from Arretium to Ariminum and five thousand Latin allies were passed out of France into Etturia Therefore L. Furius departed from Ariminum made hast by taking great journeis to come against the Gaules who then laid siege to Cremona and encamped within a mile and an halfe from the enemie Meanes and opportunitie he had to do a notable exploit and win a good hand of the enemies if immediatly upon his first comming he might have assailed their campe for they vagued to and fro in scattering wise up and downe the countrey a foraging and had left no sufficient guard for the defence of their camp But he feared greatly that his souldiours were wearie and tired because the companies marched apace thither in exceeding great hast Howbeit the Gaules being called back by the hooping hollaing of their fellowes let go their bootie which they had in manner as good as in their hands and returned to the camp and the morrow after raunged themselves in battaile ray The Romanes were not behind for their parts albeit they had hardly time enough to set themselves in order the enemies ran so sodainly and made such hast to fight The right wing for the armie of the allies was divided into wings was placed in the vantgard the two Romane legions in the rereward M. Furius led the right wing M. Cecilius had the conduct of the legions and L. Valerius Flaccus all three Lieutenants commaunded the Cavallerie The Pretour kept with him two Lieutenants Cn. Lectorius and P. Titinius by whose meanes he might looke about from every part and be readie to oppose himself against all sodaine attempts whatsoever of the enemies At the first the Gaules hoped that with their numbers they should be able to tred downe and trample under their feet that right wing of allies which was in the forefront and to that effect they reduced their multitudes into one place charged upon it with all their might maine together But seeing that enterprise sped not well they endeavoured to environ the corners sides to compasse the enemies round about which they thought they might soone do being so many as they were in comparison of so few which when the Pretor perceived to the end that he also might spread out his battailons at large he displaied the two legions in the rereward so as he compassed on both hands that wing which sought in the vaward and therewith vowed two chappels to Iupiter if that day he might be so fortunate as to vanquish his enemies To L. Valerius he gave direction that of one side he should with the Cavallerie of the two legions on the other side with the horse belonging to the allies charge upon the wings of the enemies not suffer them in any case to enclose the battaile about Herewithal himself also espying the middle battailon of the Gauls to be but thin by reason they were stretched out from thence to the corners points of each hand commanded his souldiers to keepe close together to advance forward and break through their ranks So were the wings of the Gaules by the horsmen discomfited and they in the mids repulsed backe and chased by the footmen and when the enemies thus at once on every hand were beaten downe and killed they shewed their backs and fled as fast as they could to the campe The horse pursued them in the rout and chase and anon the legionarie footmen made after also and gave an assault upon their campe There escaped from thence not all out sixe thousand slain there were and taken prisoners above 35000 with seventie banners and ensignes and more than two hundred French wagons charged and laden with much pillage In this conflict Amilcar the Generall of the Carthaginians lost his life and three noble men of the French leaders of marke and name The Placentine captives to the number of two thousand men of free condition were delivered againe to them of their owne colonie This was a goodly victorie and upon the letters which came with tidings thereof to Rome received there with great joy and ordained it was that a solemne procession should be held for the space of three daies Of Romanes and allies one with another there died in this battaile two thousand most of them were of that right wing upon which the enemies in the beginning of the conflict most of all discharged their furie Albeit the Pretour had brought the warre to a good passe and in manner finished it yet the Consull also C. Aurelius having accomplished his necessarie affaires at Rome made no stay but took his journey into Fraunce and received the victorious armie of the Pretor The other Consull who came into his province but a little before the end of Autumne wintered about Apollonia The Roman gallies which from the Armada that lay in dock at Corcyra were sent as is aforesaid to Athens with C. Claudius were no sooner arrived at Pyreaeum but they mightily comforted the allies whose
souldiours and those gathered out of many kinds of men and not so well knowne among themselves that one might surely trust another The Ligurians bearing themselves bold of their numbers not only came forth into the field readie to bid battaile and hazard all upon a throw but having multitudes at commaundement and to spare sent out into all parts sundrie companies to spoile and raise booties as farre as to the marches and frontiers of the countrey And when they had gathered together much cattaile and great store of pillage they had a strong place of defence readie at hand well manned and garded by meanes whereof all was convoyed into their burroughs and townes Thus while the Ligurians warre was settled about Pisae the other Consull L. Cornelius Merula entred with his armie by the utmost consines of the Ligurians into the territorie of the Boians where the warre was managed farre otherwise than with the Ligurians For the Consull entred the field in battaile array but the enemies fell off and would not fight In so much as the Romanes seeing none to come forth and present themselves ran abroad into all parts to speed their hands with pillage And the Boians chose rather to suffer their goods to be ransaked making no resistance than to save the same with the hazard of a battaile The Consull when he had wrought his pleasure and consumed all with fire and sword departed out of the territorie of the enemies and marched toward Mutina securely without any regard of himselfe as through a peaceable country of his friends The Boij perceiving once that they were gone out of their limits followed after with a still and silent march seeking some convenient place for to lay an ambush And having in the night season passe beyond the Romane camp they seised themselves of a streight passage within a fastnesse through which of necessitie the Romanes must passe and there they forlayed them This was not so closely caried but the Consull had an yokling thereof and therefore whereas his manner was to set out in his march early in the morning long before day light now for feare least the darkenes of the night should increase the terror of a tumultuarie skirmish he waited for the day And albeit the sunne was up before he removed and set forward yet he sent out a troup of horsemen to scoure and discover the quarters And after he was advertised by these espials what number there was of enemies and in what place they were he commaunded that all the baggage and cariage of the whole armie should be bestowed in the mids and that the Triarij should stake and pale it all about whiles he with the rest of his forces marched in order of battaile and approched the enemie The like also did the French after they once saw that their ambush and traines were detected and that they must of necessitie fight a set pitched battaile where downe-right blowes cleane strength and pure valour was to carry away the victorie Thus about the second houre of the day they affronted one another The left wing of the horsemen of the allies and the extraordinaries fought in the vantgard under the conduct of two Lieutenants that had bene Consuls to wit M. Marcellus and T. Sempronius Consull the yeere before The new Consull one while was in the front of the battaile another while at the taile to keepe in the legions least for egre desire of fight they should advance forward to the conflict before that the signall was geven As for the men of armes belonging to the legions he commaunded Quintius and P. Minutius Marshals on Colonels to bring them forth and conduct them without the battaile into a large plaine from whence out of the open ground they should on a sodaine charge the enemies when he gave them a signall by sound of Trumpet Thus as he was marshalling and directing his men there came a messenger from T. Sempronius Longus with a report that the loose Extraordinarie souldiers aforesaid were not able to abide the violence of the Gaules that very many of them were slaine and those that remained partly for weerinesse of travade and partly for fearefull cowardise began to quaile their heate of fight and therefore if he thought so good he should send one of the two legions to succour before they had received farther dishonor Whereupon the second legion was sent and the Extraordinaries retired themselves out of the battaile Then began the conflict anew by reason that the souldiours came in fresh and in heart and the legion besides was complet and fully furnished with all her companies the left wing of horsemen aforesaid was retired out of the battaile and in lieu thereof the right wing advanced into the forefront By this time the sunne with extreme skorching heate rosted and fried the bodies of the Frenchmen which of all things can least abide heat howbeit standing with their ranks thicke and close together one while they leaned one upon another other whiles they rested and bare themselves upon their targets and susteined the violence of the Romanes Which when the Consull perceived he commaunded C. Livius Salinator who had the conduct of the light horse in the wings to send in the quickest horse in all his companie with full carriere to breake their ranks and gave charge that the legionarie horsemen should abide behind in the reregard This tempest and storme of Cavallerie first shuffled and put in dissaray the battaile of the Gaules and afterwards brake their ranks and files cleane yet not so that they turned their backs for why their captaines and leaders would not suffer them laying about with their truncheons upon the backs of them that so trembled for feare and forced them againe into their ranks but the light horsemen aforesaid riding among them would not permit them to stand to it and keepe their place The Consull for his part encouraged and exhorted his souldiers to stick to it a while for the victorie was in their hands and to charge still upon them so long as they saw them disordred and affrighted for if they suffered their ranks to close againe they should abide another conflict and the same perhaps doubtfull and dangerous The Ensigne-bearers he commaunded to advaunce their banners and thus at length with putting all their power and good will together they discomfited the enemie and put him to flight After they shewed their backs once and tooke them to their heeles running away on all sides then the legionarie horsemen were sent out after to follow the chase fourteene thousand Boians that day were slaine a thousand and nine hundred taken prisoners alive 221 horsemen three of their leaders and of ensignes were woon 212 and chariots 63. The Romanes likewise woon not this victorie so cleere but it cost them some bloud For of their owne souldiours and allies together there died above five thousand 23 Centurions besides foure Colonels of Allies and two Marshals of the second legion to
day he might put this devise in execution without being descried before But al came to nothing for the formost corps de guard although they were surprised with this sodaine comming by their trouble and affright awakened raised all the rest immediatly the alarme was given so as at one instant the souldiors were readie and well appointed at the gates and upon the rampier bent and prest for to defend the campe Perseus likewise incontinently turned about with his ensignes putting his fardage and carriage before and then commaunded the infanterie to march after himselfe with the cavallerie and light-armours staied behind to fortisie and guard the rereward supposing as it fell out indeed that the enemies would make after to charge upon the taile of the march His light armed souldiers had some short skirmishing especially with the forlorne hope loose avant courriers but the horse footmen both retired without any impeachment into the camp Thus when all the corne was cut downe about those quarters the Romanes dislodged remooved into the territorie of Crannon which as yet was not endammaged Whiles they lay encamped in securitie and mistrusting nothing because the enemies were so far off and by reason that the way between Sycurium and Crannon was so difficult for want of water behold all on a suddaine early in the morning by day light the kings cavallerie and light armed souldiours shewed themselves upon the hils that overlooked them from above and put them into great trouble Departed they were from Sycurium at noon the day before and had left the infanterie behind about the breake of day upon the plaine next thereto For a while he stood upon those said hils hoping that the Romans might bee trained forth to an horse-fight But perceiving them not to stir at all he sent one on horseback to commaund the footmen to retire again to Sycurium and himselfe in person followed streight after The Roman horsemen made after a pretie distance off if haply they could spie any vauntage in one place or other to charge upon them disbanded and straggling a sunder But when they saw that in their dismarch they kept close together following their guidons and keeping their rankes they also returned into the campe After this the king wearie of making so long journies dislodged and removed to Mopsium The Romans for their part likewise having mowed downe all the corne of Crannon passed into the territorie of Phalanneum The king having intelligence by a rennegate revolt that the Romans were scatered all over the fields and reaping the standing corn without any guard of armed men made a rode with one thousand horse and two thousand Candiots and Thracians who marching with as great hast as possibly they could set upon the Romanes at unawares all unprovided where he tooke a thousand carts or there abouts together with their teemes most of them laden and upon 600 men besides The guard and convoy of this bootie into the campe hee committed to the charge of three hundred Cretensians Himselfe having rallied his cavallerie dispearsed here and there busie in execution and reunited with all the rest of the footmen led them to the next corps de guard or garrison of the enemies supposing that with little a do they might bee surprised and vanquished L. Pompeius a Colonell had the commaund of them who seeing his souldiours affrighted with this suddaine comming of the enemies retired with them to an hill neere at hand for to defend himselfe by the vantage and strength of the place considering that otherwise in number and forces he was too weake Where after he had cast his men into a ring for to ward against the shot of arrowes and darts by a roufe and fence of targuets couched close together over their heads Perseus having environned the hill round about with armed men commaunded some to mount up and assay to win the place on all parts if possibly they could and then to fight close hand to hand others he charged to launce their darts and shoot their shafts thick at them a farre off The Romans were be set with a double fear for neither could they maintaine skirmish and fight close together because of those who laboured to climbe the hill and say they had broke any rankes with excursions and outrodes upon them yet were they exposed and lay open to the shot of arrowes and darts Most hurt they had by certaine weapons called Cestrosphendonae sling-darts A new kind of dart this was and lately devised in the time of this very warre It had a sharpe head of yron the length of two hands breadth the same set fast in a stele which was halfe a cubite long and about the thicknes of a mans finger for to flie direct and streight three feathers it had about it in manner of a shaft the sling from the middle part had two cords of an unequall size now when as the slinger swong it about as it lay even poised in the greater capacitie of the leather thong our flew the dart and was driven with violence like a bullet Many of the souldiers being very sore wounded as well with this weapon as all other sorts of shot so as now for wearines they were scarce able to beare their owne armour the king was earnestly in hand with them to yeeld and submit assuring them upon his faithfull word their lives yea and otherwhiles promised them rewards and recompences But there was not a man whose heart enclined once thereto Now as they stood thus stiffe and resolute to die there shone upon them a little comfort some hope of evasion beyond all their expectation For certain of the forrages and corn purveiors who hapned to flie for resuge unto the camp brought word unto the Consull that the corps de guard aforesaide was besieged round whereupon being moved with the jeopardie wherein so many citizens stood for about nine hundred they were and all citizens of Rome he went forth of the campe with the cauallerie and light armed souldiours and unto them joyned certaine new succours of the Numidians as well horse as foot together with the elephants and gave commandement to the martiall colonels that the ensignes of the legions should follow after Himselfe in person marched before toward the hill aforesaid taking with him a certeine number of skirmishers for to strengthen the light armed auxiliaries Eumenes Attalus Misagenes also the king of the Numidians flanked the Cos. on either side When as the besieged Romanes had a sight once of the formost ensignes of their friends and fellowes they tooke comfort and courage againe upon their former extream dispaire Perseus who had purposed in the first place not to spend any long time in laying siege to this corps de guard but to content himselfe with the fortunate successe which at a venture hapned in that he had taken and slain some of the sorragers secondly when he was in some sort entred into that action to depart