in his iourney as he sayth that he is orels a tributary a stipendary and a seruaunt to the people of Rome left by his father We haue to shewe the bandes of truce writen with the hande of his father Amilcar who beinge commaunded by our capitayne withdrewe his garrison from the citie of Erix who lamentyng and frowning receiued the greuous lawes made agaynst the Carthaginenses subdued who couenanted with the Romayns to depart from Sicilia and to pay tribute Therfore souldiours I wolde haue you fyghte not onely with so good a courage as ye were wonte agaynste other ennemies but also with suche an indignation and displesure as though you sawe your seruantes armed to fyght agaynst you We myght if we had wolde whan they were inclosed at Erix with very hunger the hardest and soorest punyshement amonge men haue destroyed them We might allabours so yf we had wolde haue sayled with our victorious Nâ—uye into Affrica and it short space with out battaile vtterly haue destroyed Carthage We pardoned theym we made peace with them after they were subdued and toke theym into our protection and defence whan they were sore greued with the warres of Affrike And for these our benefites shewed vnto them folowinge this furious yonge man they come to conquere our countrey And wolde to god this battayle nowe were for honour and not for the healthe and safetie of vs all We fyght not nowe for the possession of Sicilia and Sardinia for whiche we stroâ—e in tymes paste but nowe we muste fyght for Italy Nor there is none other armye behynde vs which wil withstande them if we be ouerthrowen Nother be there any mo mountaines ouer which whiles they were passyng men might prouide newe succours Here we must resist them eueÌ„ as we shuld fight before the walles of Rome Euery man must thinke that he with his armour couereth not and defendeth only his own body but also his wife and small children Nor let no man care only for his owne house and family but let him likewise haue in minde that the senate and people of Rome beholdeth this our conflict and battayle and vppon our fortune at this present tyme dependeth the prosperitie oâ— the citie and hole empyre of Rome ¶ With what examples and wordes Anniball exhorted his souldiours to fight valiantly Cap. xi WHyles Scipio the consulle in this maner exhorted the Romaines Anniball thynkyng fyrst to encourage his men with dedes before he wolde exhort theym with wordes disposed his army in compasse as it were to beholde a fyght and thanne he brought in the middes of them the mountayne men â—â—nnde whome he before had taken prisoners and layde also in the same place the armour of the Frenchemen whyche he hadde ouercome and caused one that coulde speake the language to inquere of those prysoners whyche of them yf they were losed out of theyr bondes wold take hors and armour and fight for theyr lines Whan they all hadde desyred armour and battayle he caused lottes for them to be caste and accordyng to the lotte losed a great number of them who with leapyng and skypping after theyr maner euery of them shortely toke his armour beinge as ioyfull and glad to dye with honour as to lyue with shame and in captiâ—itie Than incontinent he called his souldiours aboute hym and made to them an oration in maner and forme folowynge ¶ If ye haue any mynde or remembrance of the example of the strangers fortune not longe passed ye shuld haue the same euen nowe in wayinge your owne fortune and chaunce We haue ouercome in battayle those our captiues Wherfore ye must thynke that all these your prisoners nowe shewed before you were not shewed as a spectakle for you to beholde But as a certayn resemblance of your owne chaunce and condition in case ye be nowe ouercome and taken And I can not tell whether fortune hath gyuen greatter bandes and more vrgent necessitie to you than it hath gyuen heretofore to these captiues Two seas doo compasse you bothe on the ryght hande and on the lefte and shyppes haue you none to escape awaye withall The water of Padus is all aboute vs more violent than the ryuer of Rhodanus and at our backes are the hygh mountayns which ye passed with so great peyn and peryll Wherfore louing souldiours ye must eyther ouer come your ennemies at the fyrst encounter or els be slayne And the self fortune which hath brought you now into suche necessite that nedes ye must fight or die the same fortune shal giue you such rewardis if ye subdue your enmies as no mortall men can desire greatter of the immortall goddis If we shuld by our valiantnes recouer agayne but onely Sicilia and Sardinia whiche were wonne from our forefathers it might be thought a sufficient reward But in case we spede wel now what so euer the Romains haue goten with so many victories and triumphes and all the dominions which they nowe possesse shall be all ours with the princis lordes and rulers of the same To wynne so ryche a preye with fauour and helpe of the goddis arme youre selfe and sette forthe boldely Ye haue hytherto longe ynoughe chacynge beastes on the wyde and large mountaynes of Lusitania and Celtiberia founde â—o worty praye nor rewarde to recompence soo many your and perils Nowe it is tyme to get your ryche prays measuryngly our great rewardes accordynge to the desertes of your trauaile enterprysing this so great a iourney passing ouer so many mountayns and ryuers and by so many kyndes of armed people Here fortune hath gyuen you an ende of your trauayle Here fortune wyl rewarde you accordyng to the costes and charges that you haue ben at Nor ye shuld not suppose the vyctory to be so harde as the battayle is of great name Oftentimes a small host hath made a great and a doutful battayle agaynl noble people yea and kynges haue ben ouer come in a lytel moment For take away the terrible sound of the name of Rome and what are they to be compared to you Your great warres this .xx. yeres with your manhod with your good fortune I speake not of I wyl only remembre thynges of late done Ye are come hyther from the pyllars of Hercules from the Occean sea frome the furthest parte of the worlde passyng through and conqueryng so many fierce and cruell nations of Spayne and France You shall nowe fyght with yonge and vntaught souldiours of late beaten and ouercome by the Frenchemen and as yet vnknowen to theyr capitayne and he vnto theym Shall I that was born and brought vp in the noble hous of my father that hath ben the chastyser of Spayne and France that haue conquered not onely the people of the mountaynes but also all the passages whiche is moche more compare my selfe with this weake capytayne of a fourtenyght olde wandrynge frome hoste to hooste to whom yf a man this day wolde shewe the army of Carthage and the army of the Romains togyther
Romans .iii. C. peces of syluer other that came to theyr succours and of Italy ii C. and theyr seruantes for .i. C. Whiche money beinge ones payde for theyr redemption they shuld haue libertie to go to theyr cuntreis This done he caused the deade bodyes of his owne host to be searched and buried whyche were to the numbre of .viii. M. amonge whyche he caused the body of the Consulle to be buryed ¶ There was a certayn woman of a noble kynred called Busa whyche succoured the Romans that were fledde to Cammusium bothe with meate drynke clothe and other necessaries for whyche dede the warre beynge fynysshed she was had with the Romaynes in great honour There were that timein Cannusium .iiii. Tribunes whiche were Fabius Maximus the yonger and Lucius P. Bibulus P. Cornelius Scipio and Appius Claudius Pulcher they al by the assent also of the other souldyours gaue the whole rule and gouernance of the whole company of the Romanes whyche were there to P. Scipio beyng than very yonge and to Appius Claudius To whome whan they were consultyng amonge other for the profyte of the common welth P. Furius Philius sayd that theyr counsell was but in vayne for to restore and brynge agayne that whyche was vtterly loste And that the common wealthe was deserte and cleane subuerted aduysyng the noble yonge men to folow the purpose of Lucius Cecilius Metellus and to take hym as theyr gouernoure who was redy with many other with hym to depart the city in haste takynge theyr shyppes whiche were purposely ordeyned for theym and by the sea to flee ouer to some prynce or kyng for succour Whyche cruell counsell sodeynly gyuen after theyr great losse and mysfortune made them very fearefull and in great doubte what they shulde do in so moche that many beinge there present thought to deliberate on the matter Whyche deliberation yonge Scipio elect by desteny to fynyshe the same warres agaynst the Carthaginenses denied and dispised We must sayth he be bolde and valyantly enterpryse thynges in so great a myschiefe and not stande longe consultyng vpon them Wherfore he commaunded that soo many as wolde haue the common welthe safe shulde go with hym armed And than he with a fewe folowyng hym went to Metellus lodgynge where fyndynge an assemble of yonge men in coniuration vppon the dyuise of Furius Philus before declared he helde his naked swearde ouer theyr heades and sayde With my whole mynde and wyll I sweare that I shall neuer leaue the common wealthe of the cytie of Rome nor shall suffer any citezen of Rome to leaue it And if I wyllyngly be false than I pray the mighty and omnipotent Iupyter to distroy my house my familye and all my goodes with mooste vylest destruction Whiche othe I requyre of the Lucius Cecilius and of all other that are here presente And he that wyll not sweare the same lette hym knowe that my naked swerde shall passe through hym All they beyng no lesse feared with his wordes than yf Anniball had bene present toke the same othe and commytted theym selues to the tuition of Scipio ¶ While these thinges were done at Cannusium there were gathered togither about .iii. M. horsemen and fotemen and were come to Venusia where the consulle Varro was with whyche company the consul came to Cannusiū and hauyng so great a numbre about hym thought hym selfe able to defend them selues and the citie from Anniball ¶ Of this great losse in the batayle newes was broughte to Rome without any mencion of sauyng of the sayde number that were with the consull but that euery man was slayn and no Roman left on lyue Whyche newes caused as great feare and rumour in the cytie as euer was hearde there before In soo moche that it was bruted abroode that nother capitayn nor souldiour was left in the Roman campes and that almooste all Italy was yelded to Anniball Wherefore they loked euery howre whan theyr ennemies wolde come to besiege the cytie of Rome Whervppon the senatours prepared at Rome all thynges necessary for the succours of the citie Than they ordeyned theyr legyons and offycers Marcus Iunius by the whole consent of the Senate was chosen Dictator and Titus Sempronius mayster of the horsemē There was also by the same auctorite chosen 4. legions and a thousande horsemen of yonge men of the age of .xvii. yeres besydes that they sente to theyr frendes in other places of Italye that they also shoulde prepare sowldyours of the same sorte with horse harneys and all other necessaries ¶ The cytie thus beinge in extreme feare letters came from the Consull Terentius to Rome certifyenge the Senate of the losse of the battayle and of his felowe the other Consul And howe he with the leauynges of the hooste that escaped at the battayle were at Cannusium to the noumbre of tenne thousand men Whych newes somwhat comforted the hartes of the citezens ¶ Howe lette vs retourne to Anniball who beynge busyed about his prysoners suffered tenne of the Romayn captiues in the name of all the other to go to Rome to see yf the fathers conscript or any of theyr frendes wolde redeme them and theyr company that were prysoners desyrynge of these tenne messangers none other suerties for theyr retourne sauynge theyr othe With whom he sent a noble baron of Carthage to the intent that yf it shulde happe theym to intreate of peace he myghte brynge the condycions thereof with hym The pryce of the redemption of a Romayne horseman was fyue hundred peces of syluer called Quadrigati so named for that the coygne bare in it the prynt of a charyote The pryce of a Romane cytezen was thre hundred the price of a seruaunt was one hundred All other prysoners of Italy that camme to the helpe of the Romayns he lette go free to theyr countreys without raunsome And whan it was shewed the councell that they were come to Rome a messanger mette this baron of Carthage whose name was Carthabo and shewed hym that the Dictator commaunded that he shulde depart from the boundes of Rome before the nyght ¶ Sone after the Senate or parlyament was holden for the captyues messangers where one of theym that was of most authoritie thus began to say openly pronounce his oracion ¶ The oration of the captiue prisoners made to the senate for theyr redemption Cap. xxiiii IT is not vnknowen to you all Fathers conscript that there was neuer more wretched vyle prisoners to any citie thā haue ben to this our citie Hot withstandyng vnles we stand very moch in our owne conceit there were neuer Romans takē prysoners in warre which were lesse worthy to be dispysed vnto you than we be nowe For truely we dyd not yeld vp our harneys and wepons in battel for feare as cowardes but whan it drewe towarde night standyng vpon heapes of deade bodies we withdrewe from the battayle and went to our tentes where as we beinge bothe weary with labour and soore wounded kepte our selues in
M. Attilius then I was afrayd to saile into Spaine after the deathe of bothe the Scipions And I truste Xantippus the Lacedemonien was not born to be more fortunate to the Carthaginenses then I shalbe to the Romayns and to mine owne countrey The tale muste be recited of the Athenienses howe fondely leauynge warre at home they entred into Affrica But why doest thou not reherse the historie of Agathocles king of the Syracusanes Who when his countrey of Sicilia had ben long troubled with warre by the Carthaginenses he with his host failed ouer into Affrica whereby he delyuered his owne countrey from warre and tourned all to the defence of him his power in Affrica But to shewe the commoditie of inuadinge of a foreyne countreye thereby to auoyde ieopardyes at home what better example can any man reherse then of this Anniball There is greate difference betwene the syght of bournynge and spoylyng of other mennes countreyes and the syght of the destruction of thine owne cities and regyons There is more courage in a manne that offrethe battayle then in him that defendethe Lyttell thoughte Anniball at his fyrst comyng to Italye that so many cities and people wolde haue yelded them vnto him as did after the battail at Cannas moch lesse cause shal the Carthaginenses haue of truste or hoope in Affrica consideringe their vntruthes to their neyghbours their owne proud and cruel dominion ouer their subiectes We beynge forsaken of our neyghbours haue stil endured al dangers by our owne power and strength The Carthaginenses haue no great strength of their owne Their power is in hyred souldiours of Affrica and Numidia whose lyghte wyttes cause lyghte faythe when they se cause of chaunge Yf ye suffer me to depart hence with spede ye shall shortely heare of my passage thither and of the warre wherewith I shal vexe theim And then shal ye see Anniball make spede to departe from this countreye and ye shall heare shortely of the syege of Carthage not doubtynge but that ye shal receiue gladder tydynges from Affrica then euer ye had fro me out of Spayne These hopes I do conceyue Fyrste of the fortune of this citie and people of Rome Secondely throughe the truste of the goddes whiche are witnesses of the truse broken by theim Thyrdely that occasyon offered by Syphax and Massanissa to whose promyse and faythe I wyll soo truste that I wyll also be well ware of theyr falsehode and dysceipte And it is the parte of a manne and a good capyteyne not to shrynke and forsake fortune when it is offered I knowe well Quintus Fabius that I shall find Anniball my matche but I wyll rather drawe hym then he shall retire me I wyll cause him to fyght with me in his owne cuntrey And Carthage shall rather be a pray and a rewarde of our victory then the countrey and castelles of the Brutians whyche are almost dystroyed already Nowe when ye say Italye shalbe in daungier by my departynge hens I praye you may not P. Licinius the consull whyles I am say lynge thyther staye with his hoste Anniball that is nowe of small power aswell as thou Q. Fabius dyddest slaye him when he as a conquerour ouerranne all Italy Yt shall be a greate honour to the Romayns and an eternal same among kinges and strange nations that we haue the courage not only to defend Italy but also to enter make warre in Affrica What shame shal it be when it shall be sayde that Anniball enterprised an act that no Romayne capiteyn euer durste enterprise When contention was betwene vs and the Carthaginenses for Sicilia our nauies and armies oftentimes inuaded Affrica Howe when contention is for Italy betwene vs Affrica remaineth quiet and in peace But nowe let Italy take rest be in peace whiche of long tyme hath ben vexed and let Affrica an other season suffer bournynge spoylynge and wastyng And let the puissaunt Romayne army approche the walles of Carthage rather then we should with bulwarkes and fortifycations defende our ennemies from our owne walles Let Affrica be from henseforthe the place of warre Let feare flieng sleing wastynge of fyeldes and other dystructions belongynge to warre be nowe tourned thyther whiche by the space of .xiiii. yeres hath inuaded our countrey ¶ After this aunswere of Scipio greate stryfe and altercacion was in the senate house At the laste it was decreed that Sicipo with thyrty shyppes shulde go into Sicilia and from thence at his pleasure yf he thoughte it most conueniente for the common welthe to sayle ouer into Affrica the other cōsul to kepe warre in the countrey of the Brutians against Anniball Besydes these shyppes and the Romayne legyons whiche were appoynted to Scipio many cities and cuntreys adioyning to Rome willingly ayded him with shyppes with vii thousande souldiours and all thinges necessarye of their owne costes and charges With whiche noumbre he arriued in Sicilia and there deuyded theim into companyes appointynge to euery company an hundred men Amonge al whiche nomber he chose oute thre hunderd of the moost valyant and actife yonge men that were withoute armour whom he kept euer aboute hym But they knewe not to what pourpose he mente it And on a daie he chose and named .iii. C of the most noble and rychest yonge gentylmen of all Sicilia whome he sayde should sayle with him into Affrica assygninge theym a day at whiche they shuld appere before him with theyr horse and armour This commaundement troubled theim sore and to be so farre frō home with the labours by land and by sea semed very painful not onely to theim but also to their frendes and kinsefolkes At the daye appointed for their retorne they came all before him bringing with theim horses harneis and althinges necessary Then said Scipio It is shewed me that certaine of you men of armes of Sicilia grudge sore to go inthis iourneye with me Wherefore if there be anye of you here of that mynd I pray you speake nowe and I wil gladly heare you For I had moche leauer that ye vttered it nowe betymes then that ye shuld agaynst your hertes go forth and become vnprofitable souldiors to me and to the cōmon welth Wherevnto one of the .iii. C. answered Truely syr yf it were in my choyse and election what I shulde do I woulde not go forthe in the warres Well sayde Scipio Sence ye haue playnely declared your mynde without dissimulation I wyll appoynte one in your place to whome ye shall delyuer youre horse harneyes and other necessarye instrumentes of warre whome ye shall take home with you to youre howse and there teache instruct and exercyse hym in feates of warre tyll I sende for hym agayne Of this bargaine the yong gentylman was verie ioyefull and delyuerynge him all his appareyll for the warre he toke him home with him When the reste of the three hundred men of armes of Sicilia perceiued their companion by this meane dismyssed from the warre with the good loue and
Neuer the lesse this my laughter is not so inordinate nor cometh not so out of time as your teares do For you shuld haue wept when your armour was taken froÌ„ you and your shippes burned before your eies and when your libertie of makinge of warres with any straunger but onely by lycence of the Romaynes was taken frome you wherin rested your chiefe vndoinge and greattest falle But ye fele no hurte onelesse it touche your priuate welthe The great hurte of the common welthe ye neyther fele nor regarde When your ennemies had the greate spoyle after the vyctorie had and when Carthage remayned alone and naked without armour or defence among so many armed men of Affrica Then no man wepte nor mourned But nowe when ye must pay the tribute of your owne priuate goodes euery man wepeth as ye wolde do at the burienge of all your friendes I feare it sore that ye shall shortly perceyue that ye wepte now in your leaste harmes and the worst to be behinde ¶ When the peace was thus coÌ„cluded betwen the Romains and the Carthaginenses Scipio calling his people together besides that he restored vnto Massanissa his fathers kyngedome He also gaue him the citie of Cyrtha and other townes and groundes that he had wonne of Syphax Afterwarde he caused Cn. Octauius to delyuer to Cn. Cornelius the newe consull his nauy that he brought into Sicilia Then caused he the embassadours of Carthage to go towardes Rome there to haue all thinges confirmed by the auctoritie of the Senate whiche he by the auctoritie of the Romayne legates had before concluded with them ¶ Thus all thynges beinge at peace both by sea and by lande he with his army toke shippynge and sayled ouer into Sicilia and from thense into Italye where he was met by the men of the countrey with great honour and ioye so gladde was euery man bothe of peace and of victorye The poore men of the townes and cities by the waye as he went towarde Rome ran forthe to se hym and to prayse hym Thus in greate honour came be into Rome where he was receiued into the citie with mooste noble triumphe After that he enryched the citie with greate sâ—mmes of golde and syluer of the prayes that he had taken besyde that he distributed amonge his souldiours .xl. M. li. And of the conquest whiche he had made in Affrica he was called Scipio Affricanus euer after to the great honour of all his familie and succession ¶ Anniball fleith by sea to Antiochus kynge of Siria Antiochus moueth warre to the Romaynes L. Cornelius Scipio sayleth into Asia fyghteth with Antiochus vanquisheth hym graunteth hym peace vpon conditions and returneth to Rome Cap. lxxiii AFter the warres thus ended in Affrica the Carthaginenses continued in peace a certayne season At the last the ennemies of Annibal to worke him displeasure sent worde to Rome to the senate that Anniball had pryuely sente messangers and letters to Antiochus the kynge of Siria mouynge hym to warre with the Romaynes And also that messangers were sente with letters secretely from Antiochus to Anniball Certifieng them further that the mynde of Annibal was suche that he coulde neuer be contented till he harde the sounde of harneis vpon mennes backes The Romaynes beinge angry therat sent legates thither C. Seruilius Claudius Marcellus and Terentius Culleo to try whether the information to them made were true or no Commanding them to publishe abrode that the cause of theyr coming was to here and determine certaine matters in controuersie which wer betwene the CarthagineÌ„ses the king Massanissa none other ¶ This tale published by them was beleued to be true of the common people But Anniball therwith could not be blinded He knewe full well that he onely was the cause of theyr comminge Wherfore thynkinge for a season to gyue place till the time might better serue hym He with .ii. other departed oute of the citie in the begynninge of the night in a straungers apparaile and came to a place where he before had apointed his horses to mete him and from thense with spede he wente to a castell of his owne by the sea syde where a ship of Italy awaited for hym apoynted for the same purpose In whiche shyp he sayled from Affrica and arriued the same day in the Ile of Circyna makynge more dole all the way for the harde chaunces that were happed to his countreye then he dydde for his owne euyll fortune In the hauen of Circyna he founde many shyppes laden with marchaundyse and at his landinge greate resorte of people of the ile came vnto hym salutynge hym and makynge of his comynge great ioye Anniball fearynge leste some of those shippes in the nyght shuld departe from the hauen and shewe in Affrica that they had sene hym in Circyna He deuised to make a solemne sacrifice and a great feast to the which he badde al the maisters of the shyppes that were in the hauen and all the marchauntes that were in the same And for that the wether was very hot being about the middes of sommer he caused al the sailes of the ships with the crosse mastes wherunto the sayles be fastened to be all broughte on lande Wâ—erwith he made pauilions and bowres to defende theym from the vehement heate of the sonne whyle they souped on the shore The feast was sumptuous as the tyme might serue therto and was kept very solempnely There was wine great plenty wherwith many were drunken and heuy headed The bankette was also purposely prolonged tyll it was farre in the nyght Then fell the marchauntes a slepe with the maryners also Whiche Anniball espienge thoughte he had then good tyme to mocke them and takynge his shyppe secretly departed leauynge them faste on slepe On the morowe when the maryners arose with heuy heades they caryed theyr sayles and other tackelinges agayne to the shyppes preparynge all thynges redy But or they myght bryng al to passe they spent a good parte of the nexte daye ¶ On the morowe after the departyng of Anniball from Carthage his friendes that vsually resorted to his company after that they coulde not fynde hym nor here of hym they gathered a great multitude of the citie together in the market place inquiringe if any newes coulde be shewed of the chiefe ruler of theyr citie Some coniectured that he was fledde away for feare of his conspiracie againste the Romaynes Some other sayde that the Romaynes had by some crafty traine conspired his deathe Thus dyuerse were the tales accordynge to the diuersitie of sectes that were in the citie Tydynges sone after was brought thyther that he was sene at Circyna Than the Romayne legates openly in the senate of Carthage founde greate lacke and blamed greately the citezens and rulers for suffryng hym to departe consyderynge the priuie letters and messages that were sente betwene him and Antiochus saying That he wolde neuer be satisfyed tyll he hadde moued warre throughe all the worlde The Carthaginenses excused theym selues affyrmynge
that they were nothyng priuie nor consentynge to his departynge ¶ Now was Annibal arriued at Tyrus where he was receyued honorably and with great ioy and there he soiourned certaine daies From thense he sayled to Antioche and after that to Ephesus where he founde the king Antiochus who was in great doubte before his comynge in what maner he shulde mainteygne his warres against the Romayns The kyng was greatly comforted by the meane of his coming and also by the beinge there of the embassadours of the Etholiens whoo the same tyme wer departed from the amitie of the Romaines He was determined to moue warre for agree wolde he not to certaine conditions of peace that the Romaines prescribed vnto him Whiche he thought shuld be greatly to the losse both of his honour and also of his dominions For they wold haue caused hym to leaue the possession of certayne cities that he had And also that he shuld not medle in Grece but how and where he shulde moue this warre he was not determyned Anniball was greatly in his fauour and chieifly for that he thought him an expert man a mete counsaylour in his affayres agaynst the Romaynes Anniball euer was of the opinion that he shulde make warre in Italy for that the countrey of Italy is able to furnyshe an army of vitayles and all thynges necessary and also of souldiours if he shulde haue nede of men of armes at any tyme. But sayde he if no warre be moued in Italy soo that the Romaynes maye haue all the hole power therof to make warre in other regions out of Italy then is there no prynce nor nation of the worlde able to withstande the Romaynes Wherfore if ye wyll delyuer vnto me one C. of shyppes of warre and .xvi. thousande fotemenne with one thousande of horsemen I wyll with that power sayle into Affrica trusting to cause the Carthaginenses to rebel agaynste the Romaynes Or in case they wyll not folowe my request yet wyll I inuade some part of Italy and moue warre to the Romaynes Then maye you sayde he to the kyng with all the rest of your power sayle into Europe kepynge your armye in Grece redy to set forwardes as ye se cause ¶ This his counseyle was well allowed of the kinge wherevppon one Ariston an Ephesien a wyse and a trustie manne was chosen to sayle to Carthage to the friendes of Anniball with priuie and speciall tokens by mouthe whiche they knewe wer true and not feyned to shewe vnto theim his purpose For writinge durste he sende none for feare of takynge of the messangers His message onely was to be declared vppon credence ¶ But whyle Aryston went on his message and therin hadde no good spede the ambassadours of Rome were come to Ephesus to knowe of Antiochus the cause why he intended suche warre agaynst the Romaynes among whiche ambassadours it was sayd that P. Scipio called Affricanus was one Whiche ambassadours hauyng knowledge that the kyng Antiochus was a lyttell before gone agaynste the Pisidians and fyndyng Annibal there they diuers times resorted vnto him and had familyar communication with him onely to the intent to make him haue a good opinion of the Romaynes and not to mystruste that any thyng was intended by theym agaynste him Among other communication betwen the ambassadours and Annibal it is remembred that Scipio demaunded of him whome he iudged to be the most noble capitayne that euer he knewe or hearde of To whome Anniball aunswered that it was Alexander of Macedony for that he with a smal power ouercame so many nations and vanquished so many greate armies in battayle traueylynge so many straunge and farre cuntreis whiche passed the power and witte of mannes cumpasse Then Scipio demaunded of hym whom he iudged to be the seconde most noble capytayn He aunswered Pyrrbus which was the most wyse and expert man in placinge his campes in fortifieng his fortresses with watche and ward and in getting the hertes of men vnto his obeysaunce In soo muche that when he warred in Italye the Italyens were gladder to be vnder his gouernaunce beynge but a straungyer then vnder the dominion and power of the Romaynes Then demaunded Scipio whome he thoughte to be the thyrde Withoute fayle sayde he it is my selfe At whych aunswere Scipio laughed and sayde What wouldest thou then haue sayd in case thou haddest ouercome me in battayle as I haue done the Treuly sayde Anniball then woulde I haue putte myselfe before bothe Alexander and Pyrrhus also This aunswere seemed to Scipio very straunge and proude whereby he mynded to take from Scipio al his glory ¶ Durynge this longe taryenge of the Romayne legates at Ephesus nothynge els was wrought but that the often metynge and communication of theym with Anniball made the kynge more to suspecte and mystrust him Whervpon he was no more called to his councel ¶ Agayn one Thoas an Etholien desirous to haue the kyng with all his power to arryue in Grece withoute partynge of the same his strengthe sayde vnto hym Syr the greatte citie Demetrias and the more part of all the cities in Grece loke daylye for your commynge thyther And agaynste your arryuayle ye shall see all the countreye assemble on the seasyde so sone as they may by watches perceyue your nauy comynge on the sea And as touchyng the parting of your shyppes and power that I can in no wyse allowe And in case ye were mynded so to do Anniball of all men is most vnmete to haue the rule and gouernance therof ¶ Fyrst ye must consyder said this Thoas that Annibal is a Carthaginens and an outlaw or banished man frō his cuntrey Whose crafty witte wyl imagyne dayly a. M. newe deuyses euen as fortune dothe varye or as it shall fall into his brayne Agayne yf it shoulde chaunce that Annibal loose his nauie or his men to be vanquyshed the losse wil be no lesse then if any other capitayne had loste theym But in case it shoulde happen hym to haue the vyctorye the honour therof shall wholly abyde with Anniball and not with Antiochus Furthermore if fortune so well serue that Anniball vtterly subdue the Romaynes what will ye then thynke that he will continue in your subiection whiche in his cuntrey culd not suffre him self to be in any obedience Nay said he he that in his youth hath euer coueted in his minde to be Emperour of the hole world will now in age neuer be contented to be vnder the rule of any other if he may chose Wherfore my coūsayl is that ye haue no nede to make Annibal your capitain But if it please you ye may vse his cōpany as your frēd in your iourney takīg his aduise in your affayrs as a prudēt counsailour none otherwise ¶ This crafty and vntrew coūsail of Thoas turned the kīges mynde cleane frome sendynge of Anniball with any army into Affrica which before was thoughte most mete and necessary Wherfore he prepared to sayl in to Grece where by the
help of the Etholiens he wanne certayn citiâ—s At the last the consul M. Atulius with an army of Romains came to the socors of their frendes and at the great mounteyne whiche passethe throughe the myddle of Grece fought with Antiochus and put him to flyght sleyngal his host except onely .v. C. which fled with the kyng ¶ After whiche discomfiture Antiochus with Annibal and his smalle nomber of men that were lefte hym at the battaylle cam to the see and toke shipping and came to Ephesus where he remayned thynkyng him selfe there to be sure oute of the daunger of the Romayns And that he was perswaded to beleue by many that were about him gladde to please his mynd as many suche dissemblers haue beene and shall be dayly about greatte prynces But onely Anniball aduysed the kynge to prepare for the commynge of the Romaynes sayenge that he meruayled more that they were not already arryued rather then their commynge myghte be loked for Shewynge him also that the Romayns were as stronge and valiant vpon the see as on the land Not doubtyng but shortely they wold striue for the dominion of Asia and that eyther he muste take from theim their Empire or els he shuld be in dangier to lose his kyngdome For he knewe their desire was to be rulers ouer all the worlde Counselynge him to loke for none other thyng at their handes For in case he did he shuld deceiue him self with his vayne and false hope ¶ Not long after this beginnynge of the warres in Grece L. Cornelius Scipio and C. Lelius were choosen consulles After whiche election P. Scipio Affricanus offered the senate that in case they would grant his brother L. Scipio the countrey of Grece for his prouynce he would gladly take the payne to go with him in his iourney Wherunto the senate agreed geuynge him also further auctoritie to go into Asia if he thought it expedient Sayenge they woulde nowe proue whether Antioâ—hus should be more holpen by the counsayl of Anniball which was before vanquyshed or the Romain consull and his army by the help of Scipio that had before made the great conquest in Affrica The armies and shippes were made ready and the consull arriued in Grece where sone receyuing many the rebell cities into his handes he from thense sayled into Asia where by the licence of the kynge Philyp he had passage throughe Macedony and Trace to the kyngdome of Antiochus ¶ Dyuers battaylles were foughte vppon the sea betweene the Romayne nauy and Polixenidas capitayne of the kynges shyppes but euer the Romaynes had the victory by the help of the kyng Eumenes and also of the Rhodiens At the laste it chaunced that the soonne of Scipio Affricanus was taken prisoner and brought to Antiochus who kepte him honorably and gentelly And afterward trustyng to haue the frendshyp of P. Scipio and his healpe for a peace to be made betwene the Romaynes and him he sente him home his sonne withoute payeng any raunsome for him For when he perceyued the Romaynes to approche so nere vnto him he thought it better to common of peace before the battayle then after trustyng to haue more easy conditions of peace if it were moued in tyme. But when the matter came in communication betwene the consulle and the kynges embassadours the conditions of the peace were so sore that Antiochus refused to take theim althoughe he were thervnto perswaded by the letters of P. Scipio the Affricane Wherevpon bothe partyes prepared theim to fyghte The battayle was cruel but at the last the kyng Antiochus was put to fiyght and .liiii. M. of his footemen slayne and of horsemen .iiii. M. besydes .i. M. and iiii C. that were taken prysoners with small losse of the Romayns Then sent Antiochus eftsones his embassadours to the consull for peace which at lengthe by meanes of P. Scipio Affricanus was graunted him vpon these conditions ¶ Fyrste that he shoulde frome thense foorthe no more make warre in Europe Alsoo that he shoulde leaue the possessyons of all the cities landes and countreyes whyche were on that syde the greatte mountayne called Taurus Agayne he shoulde paye the Romaynes fyftene thousande talentes in xii yeres and to pay vnto king Eumenes .iii. hundred talentes and a great quantitie of wheate Vpon these condytions he shoulde haue peace Prouyded that Anniball the authour of this warre with Thoas and dyuerse other capytaynes and counsaylloures myghte bee delyuered vnto hym The kynge beynge at this extreeme myschyeffe receyued the peace vppon the sayde condytyons and putte in for the perfourmance ther of pledges The same peace also was after that confirmed by the senate of Rome ¶ And so all thynges thus prosperously brought to passe L. Scipio the consull returned to Rome who was receyued into the citie with great honour and triumphe And as his brother of his victory in Affrica was named Affricanus so was he of his conquestes in Asia called Asiaticus to the honour of his succession euer after ¶ Anniball fleith to Prusias the kyng of Bithynia and howe he ended his lyfe Cap. lxxiiii ANniball after the battayle begon betwene the Romains and Antiochus wherin he was vanquished and fledde mistrustinge as it folowed after that the kynge of necessitie must be dryuen to take peace in whiche he feared leste the Romaynes bearyng to hym mortall malyce wold require his delyuerie thoughte to prouyde for hym selfe in tyme. Wherfore he incontinent fledde to Prusias then kyng of Bithynia He had not longe taryed there but that T. Quintius Flaminius was sent from Rome to the kynge shewinge hym that the senatours thought he delte not friendly with them to kepe in his realme theyr great and capitall ennemy Annibal a man that made fyrste his owne countrey to make warre with them to the vtter vndoinge of the same and from thense came to Antiochus and was autour also of his warre with the Romaynes and nowe was repayred vnto hym which he thought woulde tourne to his vndoinge Prusias wyllynge to gratyfy the Romaynes deuysed eyther to slee hym or els to take and delyuer hym to Flaminius Wheruppon incontinente the seruauntes of the kynge and also of Flaminius besette the house of Anniball rounde about so that he coulde no waye issue out Anniball foreseinge the hatred that the Romaynes bare hym and the small fayth of prynces specially the lyghtnes of Prusias He therfore thynkynge to haue some waye to flie daungier if nede required had deuysed .vii. wayes and entrees into his house Wherof certayne were very secrete and priuie But the numbre was so great of men of armes whiche were about his house and the watche so straightly kept by the kynges commaundement that where so euer he offered to issue he espyed embushementes of harneyâ—â—â— men 〈…〉 his tyme of death to drawe nere he called for poyson whiche he longe tyme had 〈…〉 hym and had euer redy for suche chaunces and sayde Nowe wyll I delyuer the Romaynes of great thought that they haue longe tyme taken to bringe me to confusion For althoughe I be nowe olde yet they thynke it longe before I dye But of this deathe bothe they and Flaminius theyr legate shal haue small victory Then blaming the detestable falshede of Prusias that so cruelly wolde suffer the murther of his friend whom he had receyued into his keping He drunke the empoysoned drinke and sone after dyed ¶ This was the lamentable ende of the ryght wyse noble and valyaunte capytayne Anniball in a straunge region exiled and banyshed from his owne natiue countrey Aboute which time or not longe before the worthye Romayne Scipio Affricanus also dyed whom the Romaynes after his manyfold benefites to them shewed recompenced with detestable ingratitude certayne of the citie beinge his ennemies as no man in authoritie can escape enuye charged hym with the olde matier betwene Pleminius and the Locrenses Wherin they sayde he being consul was corrupted with money And therfore ministred not iustice Agayne they layde agaynst hym the delyuerye of his sonne beinge prisoner with Antiochus withoute raunsome whiche they thoughte was very suspecious For these smalle causes was he called before the Senate and as though he had ben a meane persone put to aunswere with extremitie without fauour or hauynge any respecte to his noble actes done for the common weale Whiche ingratitude he toke so displesantly that departynge out of the court he went into the countreye to the towne of Lytarne where he dwelled as long as he lyued exilynge hym selfe from Rome for euer And at his deathe he commaunded his body to be buried there also that his bones myght not rest in an vnkynde countrey ¶ Thus were .ii. of the worthyest cities of the worlde found vnkynde to theyr noble rulers and capytaynes and both about one tyme. Carthage banyshed Anniball after that he was vanquished Rome exiled Scipio that had vanquished all her ennemies Wherin she was of the twayne more to be blamed of ingratitude ☞ FINIS ☜ ⧠Londini ⧠IN aedibus Thomae Bertheleti regii impressoris typis excusum ANNO VERBI INCARNATI M. D. X L I I I I. CVM PRIVILEGIO AD IMPRIMENDVW SOLVM Minutius oration
Romaine legions with theyr valyant capytaines The other that is to wete Scipio the Romain consull being a man of no lesse courage than his ennemie leauyng hym with his power in Italy sailed ouer into Affrica where vanquyshynge many friendes of the Carthaginenses at the laste he brought Carthage to suche extremitie that the princes therof were dryuen for theyr onely refuge to call Anniball home agayn to succour them where in battaile sore foughten Scipio ouercame Anniball and all his power put hym to flyght made the empire of Carthage to be vnder tribute to Rome The one of these capitaines was crafty politike peynfull and hardy and by subtil traines wrought his enmies muche disple sure The other was wise chaste liberall and valiant and by his vertuous courage mixed with temperaunce raisedvp the banner of fame honour of Rome which before was brought lowe and almooste to vtter desolation And as these notable princis with many other men of noble hertes haue heretofore trauailed to seeke honourable renouâ—e euen so many learned menne wyllynge to auaunce theim to theyr desyres haue in wrytyng sette forth theyr noble actes to theyr immortall fame and to the comfort of all that shall here or rede the same yea the peinters haue not forgoten nor omitted on their partes to sette foorth before mennes eies their noble actes thereby to stiere and to enkendle the hertes and myndes of the beholders For who is he that doeth not muche reioyce in beholdyng Hercules peinted on a walle clâ—thed in a lyons skynne by his mighty hande spoyled and drawynge after hym Cerberus that hell hounde with iii. hydous heddes whome he had brought from the dominion of Pluto Who doeth not reioyce to heare the conquest of the golden fliece by Iason in the Isle of Colchos Thus it appereth that who so doen vertuousely enbrace honourable trauaile deserue to haue immortall fame Emong whiche moste victorious conquerours although your moste excellent maiestee maie without all controuersie or doubte most worthily chalenge and take the chief place yet would not I before your maiesties owne face offre my selfe to be a setter out thereof oncles the expresse veritee of your graces procedynges dyd so manifestly publysshe and declare the same that I maie not by my so doing possybly encurre any maner suspicion of flatterie or adulation as by comparyng the noble dedes of the forenamed great princis vnto your moste woorthy actes shall appere manifest Anniball by the helpe of the frenchemen passed the mountaines and after in Italie fought three or fower notable battailes to the great ruine of the Romaines but they were achieued rather by crafty sleightes and policies than by strength In theim also he had the assured ayde of the frenche men The citie of Tarent he wanne by treason Capua and many other cities wyllyngly yelded vnto hym whose assistence after was muche his auauncement On the other part Scipio arryuyng in Affrica founde there kynge Massanissa his olde frende by whose helpe valiantnesse and conduite he preuailed against the Carthaginenses and subdued kyng Sypbax These thynges seemed than to men so notable that emong others my chief authour Titus Liuius to auaunce the renoume of them wrote thereof a noble and goodly historie But who so beholdeth the conduite of your gracis warres in Spayne Fraunce Britayne Scotland and in euery of these more then ones or twise achieued without the aide of any forain prince the dangerous and stronge cities and castelles scaled the power of Fraunce in one daie ouerthrowen And about the same tyme a lyke victorie of Scottes inuadyng this realme with theyr kyng slayné in playne fielde shall fynde the triumph thereof muche more woorthy of glorie thanne any that euer Liuius wrote vpon For it is not vnknowen that thynges nowe be muche harder to be achieued than they were in those dayes the artillary more perillous the armour more sure and the castelles more strong In so muche that the winnyng of Tiâ—wyn or Morlace is muche more to be estemed than the winnyng of Capua or Carthage I wille omitte to reherse that the emperour Maximilian hearyng the fame of your hyghnesse power and excellence desyred to be of youre maiesties bande and vnder your baner in the fielde agaynst the frenchemen I wyll also leaue to reherse the wyse and woorthy conquest of the realme of Irelande wherof at this present your maiestee weareth the Diademe Neither will I tary to declare the sundry and moste lucky victories that your hyghnes hath of late had agaynst the promisse breakers the double dealynge Scottes Furthermore partely for breuitie and partely for that the thyng beeyng so lately dooen neither the bruite nor the memory therof can not but be so freshe that it were much superfluous here now to recite the same I haue thought best wholly to omitte the long recitall of your late most noble politike and myghty conquest of Bollayne neuer heretofore by any prince subdued no scarcely by any approched vnto but lefte as a thynge inuinâ—ible and therefore called the mayden towne the hystory wherof requireth the lengthe of a longe volume if it shall be fully chronicled But sens of all others that euer wer Hercules is accoumpted mooste woorthy the crowne of honourable prayse as the chief daunter of monsters I will nowe with his conquestes compare your moste famous subduynge of the Romayne monster Hydra whose heddes wer so many and the lest of theim so pestylent that it is to be thought he could neuer without the great assistence of the diuine power haue been subdued Those his heddes by the moste circumspect wisedome and prouidence of youre highnes be almost cleane cutte of and mortified the venomons styng of ignorance plucked awaie and his power suppressed so that the walles of his denne of Rome tremble beholdyng your cristall shielde of prudence whiche conquest I maie well calle so muche more woorthie of renoume than those of Hercules by howe muche the soule of man is to be estemed aboue the bodie or any earthly gooddes Hercules onely delyuered countreys from the bodily vexation of monsters and tyrantes your maiestie dooeth ease your subiectes bothe in bodie and goodes but chiefly in their soules by the true knowlege of god and his moste holy woorde So that in my hert I wyshe Liuius to be on lyue agayn not doubtynge but he that toke suche peyne to descriue the actes of your inferiours Anniball and Scipio would muche more nowe trauaille to blowe foorth your mighty magnificence and vertuous enterprises with the loude trumpette of immortall fame and memorie Furthermore the actes of Hercules be moste sette forthe by poetes who as it is thoughte haue feigned many thinges more than the trueth was but of your highnes actes that â—r our english Hercules no man doth or can doubt they are so well knowen euen of your ennemies to theyr peines Wherfore I truste whan tyme shall come god will not faille to prouide an excellente chronicler to sette foorthe the moste glorious
restored ageine to them aliue And in short space he brought to passe that his father was not to be compared vnto him in wynnyng the hartes of people He excelled so in wisedome policie and feates of warre that whan the Capitayne wolde haue any weighty matier enterprised he wolde to him aboue all other cōmitte the charge therof He so ordred hym selfe both in obeying his capitayn and rulyng his souldiours that it was harde to knowe whether he was better beloued of his capytayne or of his hooste He was of an hyghe courage in icopardynge on any peryll and of noo lesse counsaile in auoyding the same His body and mind coulde with no labour be weried or ouercomme he coulde as well susteyne heate as colde of meates and dryakes he vsed none excesse but that wolde suffice nature he prescribed no tyme to reste or slepe by nyghte nor by daye And whan he myght from busynes conueniently rest he desired neyther soft beddes nor quiet slepes but being couered with a shorte cloke or souldiours garment he wolde repose him vpon the harde earthe He was not curious in garmentes In pleasant horses and sure armour was alwayes his delite Among all the army on horse backe and on fote he was founde the best he wolde be euer the fyrst and the last in battail Which his noble vertues lacked not dyuers vyces to accompany theym For instede of mercie and pitie he vsed extreme crueltie mixte with vnfeithfulnes he regarded not the obseruyng of his othe whiche was to his great dishonour ¶ Of Hannibals fyrst warres and victory Cap. ii VVHAN THIS YONG capitayn had thus exercysed hym selfe vnder Asdruball the space of .iii. yeres it chaunced that one of that countrey whose mayster Asdruball before had slayne sodeynly ranne on hym and slewe hym Whervpon beinge taken he nother changed countenance nor feared any punyshement that shuld come to hym therfore but with smilyng countenance receyued his deathe Than the souldiours of the army after the losse of Asdruball immediately by one consent chose Hanniball to be theyr gouernour And he appoynting to warre agaynst the Romayns and Italy to be his prouince thought he wold not long stay or tracte the tyme in ouermoch deliberating theron lest therby it myght chance vnto hym as it dyd vnto his father Hasdrubal to be oppressed by some other myschance intēded to moue warre to the Saguntines before rehersed And to colour his intent he fyrste led his army into the costes of Olcades a people of Spayne beyonde the ryuer of Iberus neighbour to the Saguntines to thende it shuld seme that he of purpose or by any pretence of warre dyd not seke to inuade the Saguntines but wynning the countreys adioynyng togyther he shulde also take Sagunt with hym as it laye in his way in order with the other Amonge these he wanne the citie called Carteia that was very riche whiche citie beinge subdued the smalle townes adiacent wyllyngly submitted them selues to be vnder tribute This done he for the wynter tyme withdrue his armye to a citie in Spayne called newe Carthage And with distributing largely to his souldiours the pray before gotten and welpaying of euery mans wages that was behynde he wonne the hartes of all the hoste So that they holly agreed the nexte sommer folowynge to warre vppon the Vacceis Whiche warres brought to passe and ended as they retourned not farre from the ryuer of Tagus the banysshed people of the countreys aforesayde assembled togyther and reysed the Carpetanes by whose helpe they were to the numbre of a hundred thousande and trustyng to theyr great multitude came newly vpon the Carthaginenses Anniball perceyuing that great power commyng vpon hym absteyned from batayle and priuily in the nyght conueyed his 〈◊〉 ouer a fourde and from thense withdrue his people a good space of so that his enemies myght haue place to come ouer the ryuer Than set be xl elephantes alonge the ryuer syde that they myght be redy to oppresse them at the entryng of the water Also he cōmaunded his horsemen that as soone as the footemen were entred the water they shulde fiersly assayle them The Carpetanes with the Vacceis and Carteians thynkyng theyr ennemies for feare to be fledde from theym and intendynge to pursue them without any foresyght or order with all spede makyng great clamour euery man rashely toke his next way through the water Hannibals horsmen perceyuing that they were entred the fourde violently ranne on them and with litell peyne ouerthrewe a great number of their fotemen in the water whiche thyng was easy to doo for a footeman in the strength of the streame coulde in no wyse susteyne the force of a horseman onely the rushe of the horse though the ryder be vnarmed is able to ouerthrowe any foteman so feble is the stay of his fote in the water Thus some were drowned and some other that passed ouer the ryuer were oppressed with the elephantes so that in shorte space they were all vtterly discomfyted and ouercome For before that those whiche last entred the ryuer though they escaped the danger of the horsemen coulde recule backe agayn tolande and assemble togyther and set them selfe in aray Annibal with a freshe band of men entred the water and so quyckly folowed and chased them that fewe escaped Whervpon shortly after he conquered al the Carpetanes and broughtthem vnder subiection of Carthage And thāall the borderers beyonde the water Iberus holly became tributaries to Carthage sauyng only the Sagūtmes with whom as thāthey had not medled but diuers quarels were pycked by their neyghbours to get some occasion to warre ageyuste them And that perceiued well the Sagantines Wherfore to preuent the matter they sent messangers to Rome to require succours in the warres that they vndoutedly loked for ¶ Anniball beslegeth the Saguntines and howe he was there soorewounded Cap. iii. THe same yere that the Ambassadours were sent to Rome Publius Cornelius Scipio Titus Sempronius Lōgus were consuls and whā this matter was waied in the senate hous with many other cōcerning the cōmon welth Publius Valerius Flaccus and Quintus Fabius Pamphilus were chosen ambassadours to go to Anniball with gentyl perswasions to withdraw him from warres with the Saguntines theyr frendes whiche if they coulde nat do that than they shulde go to Catthage to Hasdruball the capitayne chargynge hym vpon peyne of the truce breakyng to cesse and take vp the warres ¶ Whyles the Romaynes prepared theyr legacies and ordered theyr affayres Anniball forslowyng no tyme conuenient to his busynes with his army spoylyng and wastynge the countreye approched and fiersely assayled the citie of Sagunt on thre partes This citie was named the rychest that was beyonde the ryuer of Iberus It stode not passynge a myle from the sea and was in short space so mightily increased by reason of the commodities of the water the fruites of the lande and multitude of people that they excelled all the cities and countreyes aboute theym bothe in number and rychesse
myght be perswaded to receyue the conditions of peace seing their walles so weake and their towne so easy to be wonne promised to declare vnto them the contentes of the truce He deliuering his weapon to the capitaynes of theyr ennemies was brought to the Pretor Saguntine and so into the senate where whan the multitude of the commons was a lytell withdrawen thus he beganne his oration ¶ If your citezyn and messanger Alcon that came to Anniball to require peace had lykewise broughte from hym vnto you the conditions of the same my coÌ„myng nowe had ben in vayne Which thing if he had done I shuld nother as Annibals oratour nor as a fugityue haue come vnto you at this tyme. But seing that he either through his owne defaute or els by yours tarieth with your ennemies lest you shulde be ignorant that there are certayne conditions offered bothe of peace and safegard I for the olde frendshyp and hospitalitie that hath ben betwene vs am come to you and fyrst I wolde ye shulde perswade your selues that for your welth and none other cause I speake to you those wordes which I wyl declare and this you may well perceyue For as longe as you were able with your owne power to make resistence or trusted to haue succour from the Romayns I neuer made mention to you of peace Nowe seing there is no hope of succour from the Romains and your own streÌ„gth and walles do fayle you being vnable any longer to resist I bring to you peace more necessary than ryghtuous or iuste Of the which peace there is yet some hope yf as Anniball beinge conquerour doth sende it so you as people subdued wyll receyue it For you must consyder that you beinge conquered muste of the conquerour receiue that whiche of his goodnes he wyl giue you as a reward The conditions of peace are these He wyl take the citie whyche he hath broken for the most parte and almoste wonne from you He wyll leaue to you the fieldes and also assigne a place where you shall buylde a newe citie He commaundeth also your golde syluer and other goodes publike and priuate to be brought to hym He is contented to suffer your selues your wyues and children to passe in safe garde if ye go out of the citie vnarmed takyng with you only double apparell for your bodies Those thynges your victorious enemy Anniball dothe commaunde you the whyche your sorowfull chaunce and fortune dothe perswade you to accepte Truely I doubt not whan ye haue accomplyshed all these his requestes but that some of these conditions shalbe remytted vnto you I thynke better you shulde rather suffer these iniuries than your selues to be slayne your wyues and chyldren taken violently led away before your faces by the extreme lawes of warre ¶ Howe Sagunt was cruilly conquered Cap. v. _â—Vhan Alorcus hadde ended his oration the chiefe rulers of the citie departed sodaynely from the reste of the multitude and gathered all theyr golde and syluer frome the publyke and priuate places into the market place and before any answere was gyuen vnto Alorcus towchynge his message they caste it all into a fyre that was quyckly made for the same purpose and many cast them selfe headlonge after Whan the feare the trembling and the quakyng for this busynes had passed through the citie annother rumour was afterward heard A towre of the citie that had longe tyme be brused and shaken fell downe to the earthe at which place a company of the Carthaginenses entred Anniball in suche a chance thynkyng not mete longe to deliberate with great violence entred the town and incoutinent coÌ„manded that all the youth shulde be slayne a cruelle victory notwithstanding it was knowen in that case almost necessary For whiche of those shulde be spared that eyther being inclosed with their wyues children burned theyr houses ouer them or els being well armed wold determine no end of the warre but by deathe The citie was taken with a great praye of the whiche moche goodly householde stuffe was sent to Carthage Some write the .viii. moneth that the warre began the citie was won and that Anniball for the wynter returned agayne to newe Carthage Duryng which tyme the ambassadours that went to Carthage brought worde to Rome that the Saguntines were ouercome and distroyed and their citie taken Whyche tydinges hearde and knowen for trouthe brought suche heuynes and sorowe togither to the Romans What for pitie of theyr freÌ„des vnworthily lost and for shame that they had not succoured theÌ„ in due tyme that therby they conceyued as great displeasure toward the Carthaginenses and also feare of losse of their owne countrey and goodes as though the hole power of theyr ennemies had bene presente at hande Thus being troubled at one tyme with dyuers motions of the mynde they seemed rather to quake and tremble than to take counsayle and good cause why For there neuer warred agaynste theym a more cruell ennemy nor more vehementely gyuen to all kyndes of warre nother theyr citezens neuer soo sluggysshe and vnmeete to warfare as then Whan they hadde longe bewayled this sorowfull chaunce they prepared all thynges as meete and necessarye for the warres as they coulde Some were sent into Fraunce some into Affrica and lykewyse into all other places where they hadde warres ¶ Howe the Romayn ambassadours sent to Carthage and from thens into Spayne spedde Cap. vi AL the foresaide busynesses prepared and set in good order Quintus Fabius Marcus Liuius Lucius Aemilius Caius Lucinius and Quintus Bebius were sent into Affrica to in quere of the Carthaginenses whether Hanniball distroyed the citie of Sagunt by the assent of the publyke counsayle or noo And yf they wold graunt and defende that it was done by the holle counsaile than to declare vnto them that they wold reuenge their wronges in battayle After the Romans were come to Carthage and that Quintus Fabius had in the senate enquered of the senatours of Carthage accordyng to his coÌ„maundement a prince of Carthage answered on this wyse ¶ Oye Romaynes your fyrst legacy whan ye came and required Anniball to be delyuered vnto you as one that hadde besieged Sagunt of his owne mynde without our counsayle was voyde and of none effecte Howe than shulde this your cruell legacy take place wherin ye requyre of vs a confession of the trespasse and amendes for the same I thinke it ought not to be inquired whether Sagunt was distroyed by our publike or priuate counsayle but whether it was done ryghtfully or wrongefully For your question and consyderation as concernynge our cytezen is whether he enterprysed the syege and battayle by his owne mynde or by our accorde and our controuersy with you is whether it myght be done the truce beynge obserued or no. Therefore sythe it muste be determyned what rulars maye doo by the common counsaylle and what of theyr owne wylle Ye muste vnderstande that the truce that was taken betwene you and vs was gyuen by Luctatius
than being your consull in whiche it was conteyned that bothe our frendes shuld be spared no mention being made of the SaguÌ„tines for as thâ—n they were not your freÌ„des But verily in the truce that was taken with Hasdruball the Saguntines were excepted against which I wyll say nothyng but that I haue learned of you Truely ye refused to obserue the truce that C. Luctatius your consull dyd decree and make with vs bycause it was not done by auctoritie of the fathers conscripte of your senate than yf you do not obserue and kepe your bandes and truce onelesse they be constitute and made by your auctoritie and coÌ„mandement We also wyll not obserue the truce takeÌ„ by Hasdrubal wherof we were ignorant Wherfore leaue now to speake of Sagunt and Iberus and declare boldly that whyche you haue longe tyme consultynge deuised Than the Romayn Legate aduaunced forthe hym selfe and sayd Here we brynge vnto you peace or warre take whether you wyll Whervnto they fiersely answered that he shulde giue whether he wold And whan he agayn settyng forth his commandement had shewed theym that they shulde haue warre they aunswered all that they wolde accept it and with no lesse courage prosecute the warre than they had receyued it ¶ Whan the Romain ambassadours had proposed the warre as it was commaunded theym they wente from thense into Spayne with fayre behestes to wynne and allure the chiefe cities therof to their fauour and to tourne from the Carthaginenses Fyrst they came to Bargusies who receyued them gentilly bicause they were wery to be vnder the dominion of Carthage sturring moch people with desyre of the new warres From thense they came to the Volcians whose wyse and quicke answere shortly knowen through Spayne turned the resydue of the people from the frendshyp of the Romaynes Thus the eldest of them in counsayle answered ¶ Dye Romaynes how may ye for shame requyre vs to accepte your frendshyp before the frendshyp of the Carthaginenses whan they that so did the Saguntines ye more cruelly betrayed than theyr ennemies dyd destroy Therfore I wold counsayle you to go seke your frendes where the destruction of Sagunt is not knowen For as theyr destruction was an heauy and pitiefull thing to the Spaniardes so is the same a great warnyng and teachyng that no man shulde trust to the promesse and frendshyp of the Romaynes With this answere they were commaunded shortly to depart frome the Volcianes nother coulde they after gette any better frendeshyp of any of the counsayle of Spayne And soo whan they had in vayne trauailed through Spayn they cam into France where whan they had before the nobles and great multitude of the people magnified and extolled the renoume and power of the Romaynes they desyred that the Carthaginenses shulde haue no way through Fraunce to leade theyr army into Italy At which request there arose such a laughing amonge them that as it was sayd scarsely the youth coulde be pacified of the auncient men and rulers Their desyre was thought very folyshe and vnreasonable that the frenchemen shoulde not suffer the Carthaginenses to leade theyr armye through Fraunce but they for other mens pleasure shoulde tourne the warre to them selues and hasarde theyr countrey to be distroyed Whan the noyse was appeased answere was made that the Romaynes were at noo tyme so frendly vnto them nor the Carthaginenses so great foos that they wolde eyther holde with the one or warre against the other They sayd more ouer that the Romaynes hadde dryuen dyuers of theyr countrey men out of Italy and caused other to pay tribute with many other iniuries Suche answere for the moste parte they receyued through all Fraunce nor other newes of peace or frendshyp they scarsely hearde before they came to Massilia There they had knowledge by certayne of theyr frendes that Anniball had obteined the hartes of the frenchmen before and that he had corrupted the princis and rulers with money wherof they were most couetous and desirous of all nations So whan the Romains had wandred through Spayne and Fraunce at laste they came to Rome not longe after the Consuls were gone to the prouinces they founde the citie holly bente on the expectation of warre For it was euidently knowen that the Carthaginenses were passed the riuer Iberus ¶ Howe Anniball renewyng the warre conducted his army into Fraunce to passe the mountaynes Cap. vii AFter Sagunt was wonne Anniball as afore-is sayd went to newe Carthage for the wynter and there heryng what was done and sayd both at Rome and Carthage and that he was not only the capitayne of the warres but also the chief cause therof partyng and deuidyng the residue of the pray and thynkyng to lose no longer tyme called the souldyours of Spayne togyther and exhortynge them to warre sayde on this wyse ¶ I suppose that you my frendes do knowe seingal Spayne is peasyble and at reste that eyther we muste fynysshe the warfare and sende home our souldiours or els begyn warres with some other nation If we seke renoume and victory in other countreys our owne nation shall not onely flouryshe in goodes tranquillitie and peace of theyr owne at home but also enioy the rychesse the iewelles of the spoyle at our conquest Wherfore seing ye must trauayle farre from home and vncertayne it is whan ye shall retourne agayne to se your houses and those whome you loue yf any of you wyll go se his frendes I shall gyue hym spendynge for a season but I warne you all that ye be here ageyne with me at the sprynge of the yere at whyche tyme I intende to begynne the warres by the goddis fauour with great hope of wynnyng and prayse Euery man was gladde of the libertie that Anniball of his fre wyll had gyuen them to go se their countreys and frendes The rest from trauaile whiche they had all the winter season made them stronge and lustye in theyr bodies and couragious to endure the labours and peynes that were to come And at the begynning of ver they assembled togither as it was commaunded ¶ Whan Anniball had taken the musters of all nations that came to ayde hym he departyng from Gades accomplished his vowe made to Hercules and bounde hym selfe with new vowes if his other enterprises dyd prosperousely succede Wherfore prouydyng as well for to withstande inuasions as to inuade by warre leste whyle that he iourneyed by lande through Spayne and France towarde Italy he shulde leaue Affrica open and naked to the Romayns from Sicilia he determyned to leaue there stronge garrisons in all places And for that cause he sent for a bend of Affricanes namely of those that vse to throwe dartes and were lyght harneysed whiche number of Affricanes he leste in Spayne and than sente he a great number of Spaniardes into Affrica to kepe that countrey to the intent they beinge eche of them farre from theyr countreys and frendes shuld as though they were pledges eche for other play the good
barres of yron and other instrumeÌ„tes they broke and brused the rockes and made them away so playne that not only the cattal might passe throughe but also their elephantes and their cariage About this worke they continued .iiii. dayes in whiche tyme theyr câ—ttall was almoste fâ—â—ished for on the hylles was nothing but snowe to be gotten Wherfore they sent theyr beastes to the valeis partes to grase wherethey also rested .iii. dayes and than they came to the playne countreys whiche were occupied with husbandry and were fertile After this maner they came into Italy the fyft moneth after they sette forthe from newe Carthage And as some writers say they passed the mountaynes in .xv. dayes What numbre of menne Anniball brought into Italy the writers do not agree Some say he had C. thousande fotemen and .xx. thousande horsemen somme wryte of more and some of lesse ⧠¶ Howe both the armies of Rome and Carthage approched and the oration that P. C. Scipio the consul made to â—ncourage his men to fyght Capit. x. AT Anniballes commynge to those parties he found moch for his purpose the Taurines and Insubres warryng one agaynste the other but he coulde not arme his hoste to helpe the one parte for their bodies were so wery of labour theyr clothes so foule and fylthy that some desyred to rest after theyr trauaile some sought for vitayles after theyr hunger some taried to chaunge their apparayle and make cleane theyr garmentes they were so soore handled in passynge the mountaynes Which thyng P. Cornelius Scipio the consull perceyued well and that caused hym to make the more spede with his army to the ryuer of Padus that he myght fight with them er they were refreshed of theyr great labour or could haue time to furnishe their army Scipio had receiued of Manlius and Attilius an host of newe souldiors not moch exercised in warres and such as were straungers to him Whan he was come to Placentia Annibal was remoued and had taken and destroied the chiefe citie of the Taurines bycause they wold not willyngly yelde them and had wonne to his amitie all the dwellers about Padus had not the comming of the consull feared them By that tyme that Anniball was a litel remoued from the Taurines the two hostes were almost mette and also the capitaynes And as nother of them was as than knowen to the other so they were stryken with a certayne admiration the one of the other For Anniball by the wynning of Sagunt was drad of the Romayns and like wyse he supposed Scipio to be of no lesse fame and worthynesse for that he was chosen of the Romayns to be capytayn agaynst hym Than Scipio passed ouer Padus and remoued his campe to a ryuer called Ticinus Where before he wold gyue battayle to exhorte and encourage his men this he began his oration vnto them ¶ If I had louyng souldiours the same armye that I had in Fraunce with me I wolde not speake vnto you that which I intende at this present tyme to say For what shuld it nede to stere and incourage those horsemen whyche at the ryuer of Rhodanus soo valyantly ouerthrewe theyr ennemies or those legions with whom I folowed this our fugitiue ennemye Nowe for bycause that hoste was sent by the senate of Rome into Spayne there to make warre vnder my brother Cneius Scipio to the intent you shulde haue bothe a consull and capitayne agaynste Anniball and the Carthaginenses I wyllyngly toke vpon me this warre A newe capitayn to new souldiours shuld vse fewe wordes Notwithstandyng lest ye shulde be ignorant in this kind of warre and not knowe with whome ye shall fyght ye shall vnderstand that with these ye shall haue a do whom in your laste warres ye subdued bothe by lande and sea of whom ye toke truage perforce the space of twenty yeres from whom also you wonne Sardinia and Sicilia as a prey of warre Therfore in this battayle ye must haue the same hartes and myndes that is wont to be in conquerours and in your ennemies muste nedes be suche hartes as happen to men ouercome And they do not now gyue batayle of theyr owne hardynesse and courage but bicause they can not chose onelesse you thynke that they which hauyng theyr hole army freshe and lusty withdrewe them and durste not encounter with vs in battayle beyonde the mountaynes and whyche loste two partes bothe of horsemen and footemen in passynge ouer the same mountaynes shulde haue nowe more hope and trust than before And those fewe that be left of them haue loste both hartes and strength so that they are nowe ymages yea rather shadowes of men than men in dede beinge clonged together with hunger and colde feynte and febled emonge the rocky hylles Besydes this theyr synewes and veynes are shronke togyther with colde of the snowe theyr membres wythered with froste and yse theyr harnies shaken rusty and brokeÌ„ theyr horses feble and lame With these enemies you must fyght ye they ar the leuynges of your ennemies and not your ennemies And I feare nothynge more than before you shall fyght with your foos it shalbe thought that the mountayns haue fyrst ouercome theÌ„ and taken the honour from vs. But so it is perchance necessary and mete that the goddis without mans helpe and without battayle shulde ouercome them that are truce breakers And we that be violated and disceyued shulde next after the goddis as theyr mynisters bryng them to vtter confusyon Peraduenture many of you wyl suppose that I speake these wordes proudly and hyghly onely for your exhortation and comfort and that I shulde thynke otherwise my selfe Therfore ye shall vnderstand that I was sent into Spayn to myne owne prouince whether I was nowe going with myne host where I shulde haue vsed bothe the felowshyp and counsayle of my brother in all peryls and ieopardies and shoulde haue fought rather with Hasdrubal being lesse of power than with Hanniball and so shuld I haue had lesse to do Not withstandyng whan I arriued with my shyppes beyonde the costeo of Fraunce landyng I hearde great bruite of Anniball and sendyng a certayne horsemen before pitched my tentes at Rhodanus and there my company ouerthrewe and put to flyghte those with whom it was theyr chaunce to mete in battayle Than bycause I could not with footemen ouertake myne ennemy whiche fled before me I returned to my shippes and with as good spede as I could make sayling a great compasse about arriued here to mete hym in the front of the mountaines to the intent to gyue hym battayle And to proue whether the earthe hath brought forthe sodainly within the space of these .xx. yeres other Carthaginenses than were wonte to be bredde there or no. For if these be of the kynd of them that warred at the yles of Egates I remembre welle that they were sold from Erix for .xviii. d. a pece come who wold Also I longe to proue whether this Anniball be the folower of Hercules
the other syde the Carthaginenses were soo beaten with the rayne myxte with snowe and with the intollerable colde that the beastes elephantes and men were almost peryshed The ryuer of Trebia caused them to retourne from the pursuite of the Romans so that almoste deade for colde they came to theyr campe with very small ioy of theyr victory The next night Scipio conueyed his hoste ouer the ryuer of Trebia and so to Placentia vnware to the Carthaginenses who by reason of the vehement storme of rayne that felle that nyght coulde not here the remouyng or elles for peyne of theyr woundes and werynes of labour dyssembled the matter and toke no hede ther of Thus were the Romans conueyed peasibly to Placentia and from thens they passed ouer Padus to Cremona Whan the chance therof was knowen at Rome there arose suche so dayn feare among them as though theyr ennemies had ben come alredy with baners displayde before the gates of Rome Neyther had they hope of any further succours wherby they myght defende theyr enemyes from their gates and walles The one consul being ouercome at Ticinus and the other called frome Sicilia to helpe hym and nowe bothe beinge togyther ouercome and their two hostis What other capitayns what other legions had they more left to with stande them ¶ Hanniball intendyng to take a certayn castell by stelthe was encountred by the consull wounded and put to the worse and after a great slaughter of the people he wonne VicuÌ„nias And howe Cn. Scipio in Spayne ouerthrâ—we Hanno in battayle Cap. xiiii VVhan Sempronius by chaunce had escaped the great daunger of his enemies he returned to Rome to the chosyng of the new coÌ„suls at which parliament Cneius Seruslius and C. Flaminius were created consulles Whiche thinge done he came to Placentia thynkyng to passe the wynter quietly in that place but the Romans had not quiete so moche as the winter tyme. For the Numidians and other of the hoste of Anniball were sparkled abrode in the coâ—â—es so that they were troubled on euery syde There was a certayn market towne and castell not farre from Placentia very ryche and strongly fensed Thither went Hannibal with his horsemen and suche as were lyght harneysed thynkyng to wynne it by assaâ—â— in the nyght But the watchemen perceyuing his intent reised suche a crye that it was hearde to Placentia Than the consull in the next morning with his horsemen before and his legions in good order folowyng after came thither and gaue them battayle in the whiche Anniball was wounded Wherby the Carthaginenses were in suche feare that they gaue backe and the peace lasted whyles Anniballes wounde was in healynge And ere he was fully cured he went to a place called Vicunuias That place was surely kepte by the Romanes who being a great numbre what of the garrison what of the townes meÌ„ also by reason of the assemble of the people of the countrey who beyng afrayde of the Numidians whiche roued abrode fledde thither for succour these people I say being many in numbre hering of the noble defendyng of the castell adioynynge to Placentia thynkyng to do a great feate with a great route of people without any order ranne to armour and came forth to encounter with Anniball But bycause they were an vnruly company without a capytayne or good order the other being but a fewe in nuÌ„ber and good men of warre hauynge a good capytayn vnto whom they myght truste dyd discomâ—te of them .xxxv. thousande and the nexte daye toke the towne and made suche a slaughter and destruction amonge theym as was not hearde of a great season before These were Anniballes vyctories durynge the wynterseason after whyche they rested the deepe of the wynter And as soone as sprynge tyme of the yere came Sempronius the consull who was than returned from Rome prepared to gyue battayle to the Caathaginenses the first day that they met the Romans had so good for tune that they not only wonne the victory in playn fielde but also draue them to their tentes and indeuored them selfes to wynne their campe But Anniball setting certayn of his fotemen to defend their gates or entrees of their campe and causing the rest as well fotemen as horsemen to recule dyd sette them in aray within the campe to the intent to be in a redines to rushe out vpon their enemies so sone as he made to them a signe The Romans seing they coulde not wynne the campe blewe the retreite Whan Anniball sawe that the bataile was slakid and the Romans began to recule back from his campe he set forthe the horsemen some on the ryght hand and some on the lefte and hym selfe with the fotemen came after from the campe and gaue theym a stronge battayle puttyng them to moch dysplesure But anon the nyght departed them with lyke losse and slaughter on bothe sydes ¶ Whyles these thynges were doone in Italy Cn. Scipio being sent into Spayne with his hoste partely by force and partly by amitie and olde frendshyp he brought all the countreys from Lusitania to the riuer of Iberus vnder the obedience of the Romans And also the fame of his gentil entertayning of people broughte the inhabitauntes on the mountaynes and the wylde nations to be his assured frendes So that they were all redy with theyr armour succours to aide the Romans to the best of their powers Hanno whom Anniball hadde left for the defence of these regions knowynge these actes of Scipio after his arryuall and fearyng leste he shuld be by hym put from the possession of all that countreye appoynted to fight with hym before the matter were ouerfar gone and pytched his campe not farre from the hoste of the Romans Scipio knowyng that yf he did long tary from batayle he shulde haue to do with hym and also with Hasdruball who were bothe lefte for the defence of the countrey thought it better for hym to mete with theym and theyr hostes seuerally thanne to matche with bothe the hostes togither Wherfore he made spede to mete fyrste with Hanno and his company In whyche battayle there were slayne .vi. thousand of the Carthaginenses and .ii. M. taken with their capytayn Hanno and all their tentes with a certain town also nere vnto the campe called Stissus Hasdruball before he herd of the discomâ—iture of his felowe Hanno was passed the ryuer of Iberus with .viii. M. fotemen and one thousande horsemen intendynge to mete the Romaynes at theyr fyrst commynge But whanne he hearde of the ouerthrowe of Hanno and his people he tourned toward the sea where by chance he met with many Romans that were left in the ships not far from Tarracon wandryng abrode vpon the sea costis takynge no hede to theyr ennemies as people mystrustynge nothynge but beynge neglygent by reason of theyr late prosperous successe Of these negligent persons many he 〈◊〉 the rest he drone to their shyppes with greate feare 〈◊〉 the lesse hym selfe being afrayd of Scipios commyng â—urste not
sette the faggottes on fyre that were on the hornes of the beastes and than to dryue theym to the hylles and straytes specially aboue the way which the Romans kept Than in the begynnyng of the nyght secretely he caused his men to remoue their campe driuing the oxen a lytel before the standerdes but whan they came to the fote of the hyll and to the narowe way he commanded the fagotes on the beastes hornes to be set on fyre Whiche done the feare of the flamyng fyre aboute theyr heades and the heate commyng to the quicke and lower parte of the hornes of the beastes caused them to runne as though they had bene mad With whyche sodeyne running the yong roddes toke a burnyng euen as though the woddes and hylles had ben on fire and the mouing of their heades causing the flame to sprede abrode shewed like as it had ben men ruÌ„ning abrode with fyre Whan those that were set at the entryng of the passage sawe the fyre on the hygh hylles aboue them supposyng that they had ben betrayde lefte the place assigned theym to kepe and fiedde to theyr succours sekyng theyr best way by the toppe of the hylles by whiche the great flame and blase dyd shyne where they chaunced vpon certayne oxen strayed from theyr flocke And whan at the fyrst they sawe as it were liuing thinges breathynge fyre and flames they stode as astonyed with the syght But after perceyuynge the crafte to be made and conueyd by men than supposing that there was treason with great noyse and rumour they toke them to flyght Fabius also seinge this mockery fearynge deceyte kepte his people within his campe tyll it was day Thus in the nyghte whyle they were astonyed with this strange â—yght Anniball passed the straite passage with his hoste without danger and pitched his campe in the fielde of Alifanus ¶ Cneius Scipio fyghteth with Hasdruball and Himilco on the sea vppon the costes of Spayne dryueth theym to lande taketh and distroyeth fyue and twenty shyppes with a greatte noumber of the Carthaginenses Capitu. xviii AFter this hard escape out of daunger Anniball ledde his army as though he wolde haue gone towarde Rome by the fieldes of the Samnites robbing and burning vnto the Pelignes and from thens returned towarde Apulia And Fabius set his tentys betwene the citie of Rome and his ennemies nother goyng from theym nor gyuinge them battayle tyll in short space after he was called to Rome for bycause of the sacrifice that shulde be doone to the goddis Before his departyng he not only exhorted Minutius mayster of the horsemen whom he lefte with his army but also streyghtly commaunded hym that he shuld in no wise haue to do with his ennemies for any occasion that shulde be gyuen him and that he shuld better trust to counsayle than to fortune and that he shuld rather folowe his aduise being his capytain than vse the trade of SeÌ„pronius and Flaminius shewyng the dangers of it by examples Also he declared to him â—e disceite of theyr ennemies And whan he had gyuen hym these exhortations in vayne he departed to Rome ¶ In the begynnyng of sommer whyles those thinges were done in Italye great warre begunne in Spayne Hasdruball deliuered vnto Himilco .xl. sayle wel furnished for the warre and hym selfe with a great numbre of shyppes also departed from Carthage and sayled into Spayne where after he was arryued and landed his hoste he set his shyppes at the shore nere to the lande and pitched his campe on the lande beinge redy to fyght with his ennemies where soo euer he founde them on lande or water Scipio after he came from the wintrynge thought to haue gone on his enemies vpon the lande but whan he hearde of theyr succours that were comme to them he durste not mete them on lande but chose a noumbre of good sowldiours and made redy .xxxv. sayle for to meete them on the water thynkyng to assayle them sodeinly er they shulde be able to ordeyne all thyng for their defence Whan Hasdruball had knowlege of theyr commynge by reason of hygh towers made in dyuers places of Spayne from whens they may see farre of on the sea there arose a great noise and feare amonge his hoste in theyr tentes for suche as were on the land and thought lytel to haue had battaile that day He commaunded to make haste to theyr shippes whiche they did obey and hym selfe came hastyly after And whan they came to the water the sowldiours so troubled the shipmen and the shypmen the souldiours that none of them coulde aray them selues and sette in order thynges necessaryly for theyr busynes Whyles this rumour lasted the Romans not only were at hande but also redy to fyghte The Carthaginenses noo more troubled with theyr enemies than with theyr owne rumour were shortly ouercome and fledde and at the first conflyct the Romans toke two shyppes and drowned .iiii. And although the Romans sawe all the shoore occupied with men of armes yet were they not aferde but folowed their ennemies shyppes fleynge in soo moche that of .xxx. sayle they toke and distroyde .xxv. And with this great pray went again to the sea and landed at Tarracon where Scipio taryed not longe but that his brother P. Scipio arriued there also sent by the senate with a great nauy to the numbre of .xxxv. shyppes and .viii. M. souldiours with great store of stuffe and ordynance ¶ Whan the two bretherne were assocyate togyther there was nothynge that dydde withholde the wylles and hartes of the people of Spayne from the frendshyppe of the Romans sauing they feared the trespas shuld be reuenged on theyr chyldernes bloudde whyche were lefte as pledges by Anniball at Sagunt ¶ Howe Acedux a Spanyarde by treason conueyde the pledgâ—â— of Spayne fro the Carthaginenses and delyâ—â—â—ed them to the Romans Ca. xix THan was there in Sagunt a noble spanyard called Acedux who before that tyme had ben very faythfull to the Carthaginenses but than as it is the facion of many of the common sort of men whan fortune fayled his faith lykewyse chaunged He imagined with hym selfe what way he myght best attayne the frendshyp of the Romans After many sundry imaginations he thought soonest to brynge it about if he might finde the meanes to delyuer them those noble mens children whiche were left at Sagunt as pledges and suerties For by that meanes he thought the Romans myght beste wynne the hartis of the pricis of Spain But this enterprise he thought he coulde not compasse onlesse he myght obteyne the fauour of one Bostar who lay encamped without the citie vpon the shoore of the ryuer with a good numbre of Spaniardes for the sure kepyng of the citie and to stoppe the Romanes the entre that way from the hauen without whose coÌ„mandement he knewe well the kepers of the pledges wolde nothyng do Than Acedux thought with crafte to assay Bostar and went to the campe where he lay desyryng secretely to speake with hym And
before the day as by the memory of our grandfathers Publius Decius dyd in Samnio and as Calphurnius Flamma whan we were but yonge men dyd in the first warres Punicke to .iii. hundred that wyllyngely folowed hym Whan he hadde brought them to take a hylle whyche was in the myddell of their ennemyes Let vs here dye sowldiours sayde he and let vs throughe our death delyuer our legyons and army whyche are inclosed and besiged by our ennemies If Publius Sempronius had spoken suche wordes to you and yf none of you had ben of suche hardynes to consent to him he myght haue supposed you neyther to be men nor Romaynes but he shewed you a moche more easye way whyche wolde brynge you as well to glory and prayse as to health and profyte He made hym selfe a capytayne and guyde to bryng you to your cuntrey to your fathers to your wyues and chyldren But you lacked audacitie to folowe hym what wolde you haue done yf he wolde haue moued you to haue dyed for your countrey Fifty thousande citezens and of your frendes laye deade about you that daye in the fielde If the examples of hardynesse and vertue of soo many noble menne wolde nat moue you there is nothynge that euer shall moue you If suche slaughter of your frendes dothe not cause you to haue smalle estymation of youre owne lyues nothynge shall euer moue you thereto You shoulde haue desyred youre countreye whyles ye were free safe and sounde yea you shoulde haue desyred it whyles it was youre countrey nowe doo ye desyre it to late Ye be cleane separate from it ye are vtterly alienate frome the ryght of the Cytezens Ye are nowe made seruauntes vnto the Carthaginenses Wylle ye be redemed srome thense whither you wyllyngly went with cowardyse slowenes and wyckednes you wolde not here Sempronius your citezen commaundynge you to take harneys and to folowe hym but soone after you hearde Anniball commandynge you to yelde your armour and your tentes Why doo I accuse Fathers conscript theyr slouthfulnes and cowardise whan I may rather accuse theyr wicked and abhominable facte they dyd not onely refuse his counsaile which was profitable but also they went about to withstande hym and to constrayne hym to forsake the common welthe vnles noble men with theyr naked swerdes hadde put them from their purpose Publius Sempronius was dryuen I say fyrst to escape by manful courage through those his felowes and citezēs and after through the myddell of his ennemies And shulde this citie and countrey desyre the restitution of suche citezens whom yf the residue of their felowes who were at Cannas had folowed and bene lyke there had no citezen ben lefte vs of those whiche were at the battell of .vii. M. men there were .vi. C. that aduentured to escape and retourne free with armour to theyr countrey nother dyd the hoste of theyr ennemyes whyche were xl M. men lette or hynder them howe safe than myght the two armyes being ioyned togyther haue passed thynke you whiche yf they had done fathers conscript ye shoulde haue had nowe .xx. M. stronge and hardy souldiours at Cannusiū but nowe howe can these be accompted for good and faythful citezens as for bolde they wyll not call them selfes whyche had rather to lye lurkyng in theyr tentes and tary bothe the day and theyr ennemyes than to endeuour them selues with theyr company to escape awaye in the nyghte but seing that theyr hartes wolde not serue theym to auoyde theyr tentes was it lyke trowe ye that they shulde haue hardynes to cōserue kepe the same tētes They say that where they were besyeged for certayne days and nyghtes they defended them selues and at the length whan they had suffered the extremitie whan all the necessaries to their lyfe dyd fayle theym than they being ouerpressed with hungre coulde noo longer susteyn battaile And they say they were rather ouercome for lacke of humayne necessities than with batayle This greate warre that ye speake of lastyng two days was ended in two howres Annibal came to the tentes before the sonne arose to whome without any battayle gyuen or resistence made they yelded vp theyr weapons and them selues Whan they shuld haue fought in the battayle they fiedde to theyr campe and whan they shuld haue defended theyr campe they nother profitable in the battaile nor in theyr tentes yelded vp campe and all Shuld such a sorte be redemed I thynke them fathers cōscript no more worthy to be redemed than I thynke them worthy to be yelded to Anniball whiche escaped from theyr tentes through the myddell of theyr ennemies And through theyr great hardines restored them selues to theyr countrey Whan Manlius had fynyshed his oration al though many of theym were of the kynrede and alyance to the senatours yet the answere was gyuen them that they shuld not be redemed And that for two causes the one was for the olde exaumple of the citie that had euer lyttell fauoured the redemption of captiue prysoners An other was the greate summe of money that muste be payde for them wherof theyr treasure had ben before made bare with manyfolde charges of warre And also they were loth that Anniball than being nedy of money shulde with theyr substance be so greatly enryched Than beganne a newe mournyng for the losse of the cytezens They folowed the legates with greate wepynge and sorowe to the gates One of those tenne Romayne messangers that were sent from Anniball after that his company departed towarde Rome fayned that he had lefte some thynge behynde hym and so returned to his tentes and in the nyght ouertoke his company by whiche fraudulent retourne thynking him selfe quytte and discharged of his othe wente home to his owne house And there remayned styl not returnyng to Anniball but whan his vntruth was knowen he was taken sent to the tentes of the Carthaginenses to do with hym theyr pleasure ¶ Howe Pacuuius by crafte became chiefe ruler of Capua and of the yeldyng of that citie to Annibal Cap. xxvii ANniball after the battayle at Cannas with as greatte spede as he myght went from Apulia to Samniū and to Cossa and so to Naples but the strengthe of that towne made him afrayde to gyue assaut therto Wherfore he went from thens and came to Capua whiche as than flouryshed in pleasure and abundance by long felicitie fauor of fortune Than was there in Capua one Pacuuius a noble mā sauing that he gat not his goodes and riches by honest meanes This Pacuuius bare gret office in the city the same yere that the Romans lost the bataile at Trasimenus And now thynkyng to make a discord betwene the senate and the cōmon people who long had vsed great licence and liberty without reason and therby to increase both his authoritie and substāce deuised a great and perillous enterprise which was that so sone as Anniball shuld come thyther with his army he wold cause the commons to slea the Senatours After whose death he myght
to Carthage of Annibals victories in Italy and the oration of Hanno a senatour of Carthage mâ—â—e vnto the same Cap. xxvii WHyles these thynges were done in Italy Mago the sonne of Amilcar not sent from the army by his brother but ocupied a certayn space in receyuynge the cities of the Brusians whiche yelded them selues willyngly to the Carthaginenses brought tydinges to Carthage of the victory at Cannas Whan the senatours were for him assembled he declaryng the actes done by his brother in Italy sayde that he had foughten with six capitayns of the whych iiii were consuls the fyste Dictatour that is chiefe rular in the common welthe of the citie and the syxte mayster of the horsemen He sayd also that he had ouercome .vi. consulles hostes so that there was slayne by hym .ii. C. M. and aboue fyfty M. taken and also he had slayn .ii. of the foure consuls and the thyrde was sore wounded and the fourth hauing lost all his hoste fledde scacely with .l. men And that the master of the horsemen was ouercome and put to flyght so that the Dictator whiche at no tyme durste come to batayle remained only their head and capitayne Furthermore that diuers places in Italy were tourned to Anniball as the Brucians the Apulians part of the Samnites and the Lucanes In so moche as Capua whiche was not onely the head of Campania but also of all Italy euer sens the Romaynes were so ouerthrowen at Cannas had yelded theym selues to Anniball And for the more credence of these so ioyfull newes he caused rynges of gold to be powred before the senatours which of many men were reported to be to the quantitie of thre busshels and a halfe but moste authors wryte and that semeth to bemost agreable to veritie that they were aboue the mesure of a busshell And moreouer bycause it shuld be a token of a more notable slaughter he sayd that no man dyd weare any of the saydiewels but horsemen and men of iiobilitie The summe of his oration was that the greatter the hoope was of the wholevyctory so moche rather Anniball shuld be ayded with great helpe and succour signifying to theym that the warre was far from thens in the myddel of theyr enmies lande and that a great quantitie of grayne and moche money was spent He sayd also that as the numbre of their enemies with so many battailes were slayne and diminysshed so theyr hoste also was partly mynyshed and slayne Wherfore it was mete he sayde to sende money grayne and other necessaries to sowldiours that so well had sette furthe the name and honour of Carthage ¶ For these tydinges of Mago euery man being mery Himilco a man of the faction of the Barchins thought to finde an occasion to checke Hanno What nowe Hanno sayth he dothe it forthynke the of the begynnynge of the warre with the Romans Commaunde Anniball to be delyuered nowe vnto them or forbydde in this so fortunate tyme thankes to be giuen to the immortall goddis Nowe lette vs here a senatour of Rome speke in the senate house of Carthage Whervnto Hanno answered ¶ I was determined fathers conscripte at this time in your so great and coÌ„monioy to haue holden my peace and to haue spoken nothyng whiche shulde haue bene displeasant to you but I can nowe no lesse do but answere the senatour that inquired of me whether it forthinketh me of the warre enterprised agaynst the Romanes or no. Therfore myne answere shalbe this to Himilco that I forthynke me yet of the warre taken and shall stylle repent it nor shall at any tyme seace to forthynke it and blame our victorious capytayne vntyl I see the warre taken vp and ended by some tollerable way and coÌ„dition nother shall any other thynge cause me to seasse frome the desyre of the olde auncient peace saue only a newe peace made These goodly newes whiche Mago hathe blased abrode are very ioyfull to Himilco and other Annibals frendes and seruantes yea they may be also ioyfull to me for our prosperitie in warre yf we take our good fortune whan it coÌ„meth shall cause vs to haue better and more profitable peace But if we let passe this time in the which we may be thought rather to graunt peace than to craue it I doubte leste this ioye wyll deceyue vs and come to nothynge Nowe lette vs discusse this matter seriously and ye shall perceyue what this greate ioye is He sayth the army of our ennemies is slayne yet he commaundeth souldiours to be sent hym What other thynge wolde a man desyre yf he were ouercome He sayth also that the Campes and tentes of bothe hostes of our ennemyes are taken with a ryche praye and spoyle yet he commaundeth that we shall sende hym grayne and money What other thynge coulde a manne desyre yf he were robbed and dryuen frome his owne tentes But nowe I haue aunswered Himilco to his demaundes I wolde that other Himilco or Mago wold answere me vnto that I shall aske of them If the fielde fought at Cannas was to the vtter subuertion of the Roman empyre and deth of the hole host and all Italy like yeld them and forsake the Romans Fyrst whether any of the people of Rome come fleinge to vs and forsake the Romans Moreouer whether any of the .xxxv. tribes haue fledde and come to Anniball Which both thinges whan Mago had denied to be done It must than folow said he that we haue many enmies yet left at Rome But I wold faine knowe what courage and hope that multitude of our ennemies hath Whan Mago had sayd he could not tel There is nothyng more easy sayde Hanno to be knowen Dydde the Romaynes sende any legates to Anniball for peace or whether hadde ye any knowledge that the Romayns made any mention of peace at Rome Whanne he also hadde denyed that Than haue we sayde he as greatte warre euen nowe in hande as we hadde the fyrste daye that Anniball entred into Italye There be many of vs alyue that doo remembre yet howe varyable the vyctorye was in the fyrste warres that were betwyxt Carthage and Rome Our warres and busynes bothe by sea and lande were thought neuer to be more prosperous thanne before Caius Luctatius and Appius Posthumius were Consuls But yet in theyr tyme we were ouercomme at the Iles of Egates Lykewyse nowe yf Fortune do tourne as she is always varyable whiche I praye vnto the Goddis maye not happen Wolde ye than hope to haue peace whan we are ouercome the whiche nowe we can not gette although we vanquysshe and ouercome the Romaynes If any mention of peace were made eyther to be gyuen to oure ennemyes or elles to be taken of theym I coulde telle thanne ryght well what to saye But in case ye wylle onely commen of the demaundes of Mago I thynke yf our people haue soo vanquyshed our ennemyes as hathe bene declared it is not nedefulle to sende theym that whyche Mago desyreth And yf they wolde mocke vs with
souldiours to the tentes to fetche ordynaunce and all thynges necessary to assault the walles thynkyng that if he went on them whiles they abode in this stay that the common people of the citie wolde make some rumour on the walles Incontynent whyles euery man as the coÌ„mandement was ranne to his busines touchinge the assault and the host wente to the walles the gates were sodeinly opened Marcellus coÌ„manded to spreade the baners and the trumpettes to blowe and the footemen fyrst and after the horsemen to runne on theyr ennemies Some authors saye that there were slayne at that skirmysshe .ii. M. iii. C. Carthaginenses but one man of the Romans whetherthe victory were so great or whether it were lesse the acte was great and the conduicte noble Anniball hauynge no hope of opteynyng the towne went than to Acerras and Marcellus streyght caused the gates of Nola to be shutte lest any manne shulde passe furthe and made anon strayght and dilygent examination who they were that wolde haue betrayed the towne He beheaded .lxxx. of them and caused their goodes to be dystributed amonge the commons And after he had committed the charge of kepyng of the towne to the senate he remoued with his hole host beyonde Suessala ¶ Anniball after he hadde wonne Acerras came to Cassilinum where they so valyantlye defended theym selfes that Anniball beinge halfe ashamed left the siege and wente to wynter at Capua And there he kepte his hooste in houses for the most part of the wynter who of long tyme before had endured agaynst all kyndes of peynes and trauayle hauynge smalle knowlege of pleasure or ease And they that could not before be ouercome with any kynde of misery or peyne were than loste with vnmeasurable pleasures wherein they were wholly drowned so gredy they were therof after theyr accustomed peynes Thus toke they al theyr delite in slepe and wyne in bankettes hauntynge of harlottes and bathes with dayly reste and ydelnes whiche delycate fashion withdrewe bothe theyr courage and also theyr strength from theyr bodies and myndes so that afterwarde theyr ioye comfort and strength was more by remembrance of the victories whiche they had opteyned before than in theyr present strength In so moche that to lette his souldiours thus folow theyr lustes was thought amonge expert warriours a greater hynderance vnto hym than that he did not lead his host to Rome streight after the battayle of Cannas For that tarienge and doubting was thought but only a prolongyng of the victorye but this faute made theym vnable afterwarde to ouercome Soo that whan he remoued from Capua after the winter it semed that he ledde furthe a straunge army other than he brought thyther they obserued none of theyr accustomed sort of warre somme retourned to theyr harlottes many other as soone as they beganne to feele peyne trauayle and hardenesse of warre and that they were fayne to be couered with skynnes they were so werye and the warre semed to them so tediouse that they wanted bothe theyr strength of bodye and hardynesse of mynde whyche they hadde before A greatte parte of the hoste without theyr wages stole from theyr capytaynes nother hadde they any other denne or receptable but Capua ¶ Of the longe siege and wynnynge of Cassilinum with the deathe and distruction of the consull Posthumius and his host in the woode of Lytana by the craft of the Frenchemen Cap. xxix VVhan it drewe towarde the sommer Anniball remoued agayne to Cassilinum where without assaute gyuynge but only by contynuall siege kepynge he broughte the inhabitaâ—tes therof almoste to extreme ponertie and famyne The dictatour in this season was gone to Rome to serche by diuinations the fortune that shulde happen Titus Sempronius was left as ruler of the army Marcellus being at Nola wolde haue succoured them of Cassilinum saue that the citezens of Nola wolde in no case suffer hym to go from theym fearynge leste after his departure the inhabitantes of Capua wolde haue inuaded theym The ryuer alsoo of Vulturnus was rysen so hygh that he coulde not well passe ouer but in great ieopardy Gracchus was lefte with a certayne men of warre to lye about Cassilinum who moued not nor brought them any succour bycause he hadde in commandement of the dictatour that he shulde moue no battayle in his absence yet hearde he suche newes from Cassilinum whyche wolde haue moued a man to haue broken his commandement For it was shewed hym that some being not able to susteyne the greatte hungre and famine without aduysement distroid them selfes And some desyryng the death wold stand on the walles without armour to the intent they myght be slayn with the shotte of theyr ennemies Gracchus seyng that he durste not helpe theym by battayle bycause of the contrary coÌ„maundement of his dictatour And there was no remedy to brynge them sustynance for that in no case coulde be done without battayle Than he gathered in the fieldes as many kyndes of corne as he could and therwith fylled a great numbre of vessels or barelles and sent a messanger to the rulars of the citie certifying them that he wolde the next nyght sende the vessels with grayne downe the water warning them to be redy to receiue theym at the coÌ„myng of the tyde The nyght folowyng euery man went to the ryuer to tary the coÌ„myng of the grayn accordyng to the promyse of Gracchus at the laste they myght see the tounnes come swymmynge downe the myddell of the streame whiche they receyued gladly and diuyded it equally among them Thus they continued by the space of .iii. or .iiii. nyghtes so longe they disceyued the watchemen of theyr ennemies but at the laste the water arose moche hygher than it was wont by the reason of a continuall rayne that fell so that the streame was more swyft than it was wont to be whereby the vessels were dryuen to lande on that part where the host of Anniball lay and many were founde styckyng amonge the wyllowes that grew on the bankes of the ryuer which was shewed vnto Anniball who afterwarde with greatter dilygence watched the ryuer of Vulturnus lest he shuld by such meanes be eftsones deceyued Yet was there suche lyke deuyse made by sendyng of nuttes downe the streame in barels tyll it was also espyed At length they were brought to suche pouertie that they were constrayned to take skynnes strynges and the couerynges of shieldes whiche they made softe in warme water and so eate them nother refrayned they to eate myse and suche kynde of vermyn and all kynde of herbes and rootes whiche grewe without in the fielde adioyning to the walles Thus also perceyued Anniball wherfore he caused the grounde to be plowed vp where all suche herbes and rootes dyd growe to his ennemies succour without the wall In whiche newe plowed groundes the men of the towne sowed pasnepsede wherat Anniball cried Shall I tary at Cassilinum whyle these sedes be growen vp able for theyr foode and sustynance Whervpon where before he
wolde here of no cōmunication of truce he than was contented to couenant with them for theyr redemption The price of their redemption was .vii. ounces of golde for euery of theym Whan the couenantes were made they yelded them selues And they were kepte in pryson vntylle all the money was payde And after sent with good leaue to Cumas There came from Preneste to the garyson of Cassilinū .v. C. and seuenty souldiors of whiche the moste part were slayne and famyshed the residue went to Preneste with their capitayne Manicius Cassilinum was giuen to the citezens of Capua and kept with .vii. C. of Anniballes souldiours leste whan they were departed from thens the Romans shulde take it agayn The senate of Rome appoynted double stypende to the souldiours of Preneste and also gaue them fiue yeres licence to be absent from the warres for theyr great fidelitie Than were the Romans busy in chosyng newe souldiours to supply theyr places that were slayne in the batayle before Lucius Posthumius and Titus Sempronius were chosen consulles The dictatour whan the offycers were chosen went to Theanū where the army wyntred he left the maister of the horsemen at Rome who anone after he had receyued the office counsayled with the fathers about chosing and ordeyning of their armies for that yere And whan they were mooste diligent aboute theyr bulines tydynges was brought to the citie of a newe slaughter and losse that was than happed vnto theym oone euylle chaunce that yere commynge after an other The truth was that Lucius Posthumius and his armye was dystroyed in France by this meane There was a great wyde woode called by the Frenchemen Litana through which he shuld leade his hoste of the whiche woode the Frenchmen had so cutte all the trees on bothe sydes the waye yf they were not moued they wolde stande stylle but beinge any thynge moued they wolde anon fall Posthumius had in his hoste fyue and twenty thousande men The Frenchemen hadde bestowed their companye rounde aboute the compasse of the woode and whan the armye of the Romaynes was welle entred the woode they cast downe the farthest part of the trees growynge in the borders of the woode which whan they were moued fell one vpon an other through the woode hauyng no stay throwyng downe and sleing the Romans as they passed bothe men and horses so that scarsely tenne men escaped the moste part were almoste paste breathe and deade of the hurtes of the trees fallynge on them the residue that escaped wolde haue fledde beinge amased with the sodeyne chaunce were slayne by the Frenchemen who beinge armed beset tho woode rounde about There were a few taken which sought to goo ouer a brydge whiche the Frenchemen kepte but anone they were compassed and beset about with the Frenchemen There the consull Posthumius who in no wyse wolde be taken of his ennemyes manfully and nobly dyed They brought the ornamentes of his bodye and his heade beinge cut from the body to the chiefe temple in that countrey with syngyng and moche myrthe They pourged and clensed the skull within and without and couered the brayne panne ouer with golde vsynge it to drynke therin whan they dyd sacryfice at any solemne feast and also it serued the priestes and bishoppes of the temple as a cuppe at the sacrifice The praye was no lesse to the Frenchemen thanne the victorye for although the most parte of the cattall was slayne with the fallyng of the trees yet they lost nothyng of the substance that they had about them ¶ Whan this slaughter was knowen at Rome the citezens were in suche sorowe and trouble for a great space that they shutte their wyndowes and shoppes as though it had ben in the nyght but within short space the senatours charged the officers to go about the citie and cause the shoppes and doores to be opened to cause the citezens to leaue their sorow ¶ Than Titus Sempronius called a senate or courte in the which he exhorted and counsailed the fathers conscript that they whose hartes were not ouer come for the great distruction and losse of the battayle at Cannas shulde not nowe suffer them selues to be vanquyshed with this moche lesse sorow and calamitie admonysshynge theym that as concernynge the Carthaginenses and Anniball all was as he trusted it shuld be very well And as for the warres with the Frenchmen it myght be deferred for a season for at all tymes the reuengynge of theyr harmes was in the power of the goddis and the Romayns Furthermore he shewed theym that they ought chiefly to counsayle and worke agaynst Anniball circūspectly preparyng with what numbre of men he might be resisted and he fyrste reasoned what numbre of footemen and horsemen of citezens and other theyr frendes of Italy were in the host of the dictatour Than Marcellus declared what nūbre was in his army that he had charge of And thus after they had ymagyned and decreed what numbre shulde satisfye the two Consuls hostes they agreed that the warre agaynst the Frenchemenne shoulde be omytted vntyll an other tyme. ¶ Of the victory of the Scipions in Spayne Cap. xxx VVhyles these thinges were done and prepared in Italy the Romayne capytaynes in Spayne were not ydell but as than had the vpperhande of their ennemies P. Scipio and C. Scipio his brother parted their army betwixt theym so that Cneius shoulde haue the lande and Publius the sea There was great warre in Spayn betwene the Scipions and Hasdruball but whan it was knowen in Spayne that Hasdruball shuld go with his host into Italy a great numbre of them turned theyr hartes to the Romans Wherfore Hasdrubal sente letters to Carthage certifieng the Senate howe dangerous his departyng out of Spayne shuld be And how that before he were passed the ryuer of Iherus the more part of Spain wold tourne to the Romans Whiche letters although at the fyrst they moued the senate moche not withstandyng bycause theyr hole myndes were gyuen toward the charge busines of the affaires of Italy they chāged not their purpose conferryng the sendyng of Hasdruball into Italye but in his place they sent Himilco with an hoste fournysshed to kepe the seas and the lande and also the countrey of Spayne who whan he had all thynge necessary prouyded for hym with as great spede as myght be passed the countrey of Spayne vntyll he came to Hasdruball And as soone as he had shewed hym the commaundement of the senate and that Hasdruball had likewyse informed hym howe he shulde demeane hym selfe in the warres of Spayne he retourned agayne to his tentes with spede But Hasdrubal er euer he remoued his campe caused taxes of money to be raysed of all cuntreys that were vnder his obeysance knowyng well that Anniball had bought certayne passages of the Frenchemen and that withoute theyr helpe the entre into the Alpes or hyghe mountaynes was harde to be optained Whan he had gathered greate summes of money he went downe with spede to
gouerned Nowe bycause I haue sufficiently spoken what maner of men ye ought to chuse cōsulles I wyll speake a lyttell of those to whome the fauour of this election hath inclyned ¶ Marcus Aemilius is one of the sacred priestes whom we can not sende from the sacrifice but we shall want the seruice due and accustomed to the goddis And you Octacilius haue maryed my systers doughter and haue chyldren by her Neuerthelesse your merytes and desertes towardes me and my frendes are not suche but that I haue more respecte to the common welthe than to my priuate busynes Euery maryner can in caulme wether rule the shyppe but whan the sharpe stormes aryse the sea beyng troubled and the shyppe tossed with the wynde Than is there nede of a man and a gouernour We sayle not now quietly but are with troublous stormes almost drowned Therfore we must prouyde with great diligence who shal gouerne the sterne or helme yea we must therof take hede before We haue proued thy diligence T. Octacilius in lesser busynes wherin truely thou dyddest not deserue that we shulde committe to the any greatter charge For thre causes we sent furthe a nauy the laste yere of which thou were gouernour Fyrst that the border of Affrica shuld haue bene wasted and distroyed Seconde that the hauens or strondes of Italy shulde haue ben kepte safe for vs And before all thynges that no succour stypende or other necessaries beinge sent from Carthage to Anniball shulde haue free passage I am content that ye make T. Octacilius consull yf he can proue that he dyd performe to the common welth any of these thynges to hym cōmytted But yf thou being capytayn of the nauy all that was sent from Carthage to Anniball had as free passage as though the sea had bene open And if the borders of Italy this yere were more indaungered than the borders of Affrica what canst thou alledge for thy selfe that thou shuldest be chosen chiefe capytayne agaynst Anniball it appertayneth to no man more than to the T. Octacilius to take heede that suche a burthen be not layde on thy necke the weyght wherof wyll peise the downe I do admonyshe and perswade you all that in chosynge your consuls at this tyme ye vse the same circumspection that ye wolde vse yf ye were dryuen to chose twayne to gouerne your bataile whan ye beinge in harneys on the playne againste your ennemies were redy to fyght with theym Trasymenus and the example of Cannas are very sorowfull to be remembred but they are ryght profytable and a good document to be ware of suche an other ¶ After this oration the prerogatiue of the yonge men was called in agayne And than wente they to a newe election in the which Quintus Fabius hym selfe was created the fourth tyme consul and Marcus Marcellus the thyrd time These were created without any variance Nother did any man suspect Quintus Fabius of couetousnes of rule and gouernāce but rather they praised the noblenes and courage of his hart For that whan he sawe that the common welthe dyd want a good capytayne and knewe hym selfe withoute doubte to be one estemed the enuy that he shulde haue yf any shulde aryse of that matter lesse than the profyt of the cōmon welth ¶ Whan all thynges were ordeyned with great care and dyligence for the warres in all partes the Campanes meruaylyng of the great and exquisite ordynance of the Romanes whiche was moche greatter than it was wonte to be and fearyng greatly leste they wold that yere begynne warre vpon theym they sent legates to Anniball incontinent desyrynge hym to moue his army to Capua shewyng hym that the Romanes hoste was chosen and proscribed to besiege Capua for that the defection of them was more displesantly taken of the Romanes than of any citie in Italy And bycause the matter was so fearefully pronounced vnto hym he made the greater spede to come thyther before the Romans Whan he hadde bene there a season he lefte certayne of the Numidians and Spanyardes to defende the citie and wente hym selfe to the lake of Auernus vnder the colour to make sacrifyce Not withstandyng his pretence was to set on Puteolus and them that were left there in garryson ¶ Whan Fabius Maximus hearde that Anniball was gone from Arpos and tourned agayne to Campania without restyng nyght or day he went to the hest and caused T. Gracchus to remoue frome Luceria to Beneuentum and made Quintus Fabius his sonne to abyde in his place at Luceria and hym selfe came to Cassilinum intendyng to besiege it and the Carthaginenses that were therein The same tyme as it were a thynge appoynted Hanno came from the Brusianes with a great host of horsmen and fotemen to Beneuentū but it chanced so that Titus Gracchus came from Luceria thyther somwhat before hym and entred the towne And whan he hearde that Hanno had pitched his tentes .iii. miles from the towne at a water called Calor and wasted the countrey he went hym selfe out of the towne and pytched his tentes a myle from his ennemy and there he had an assemble of souldiours wherof the moste part were of bondemen that had bene in the warre the yere before These bondemen thought by theyr desertes to be made free before they wold desyre it openly not withstandyng he perceyued a murmure of some ofthem complaynyng and sayinge Shall we neuer be free and do battaile like free souldiours and citezens Wherof he wrote letters to the senate as well of their desyre as of their deseruyng sayinge that he had euer vnto that day had theyr good faithful and strong helpe and that they wanted nothing that belonged to good and iust souldiours sauing liberty Cōcerning that matter it was permitted vnto him to do that whiche he shuld thinke mete for the profite of the cōmon welth Whervpon before he wold do battaile with his aduersarye he shewed his men that the tyme was come in whiche they might opteyne theyr libertie that they so longe desyred and hoped after for the nexte day they shuld fyght in a fayre and playne fielde where the battayle shulde be done without any feare of disceyte with cleane strengthe and hardynes and he that then wold shewe the head of one of his ennemies stryken of in battaile shuld streight way be made free and he that fledde shuld be punished with vile seruitude for euer Wherfore nowe sayde he euery mans fortune lyeth in his owne handes For the confirmation of whiche his wordes he said that he alone was not the auctour of theyr lybertie but that Marcus Marcellus the consull and the fathers conscripte were agreable to the same And thereof he had sente hym theyr letters whiche he shewed and red vnto them At these his wordes there arose a great noyse amonge them desyryng battaylle incontynent yf it myghte soo please hym Than Gracchus lette the Conuocation passe and appoynted the battayle agaynste the nexte daye The souldyours were verye gladde and in especiall
afterwarde theyr workes were neuer lette but that the depe dyche and walle were made in suche wyse that he neded not to leaue any garryson in the towne Neuer the lesse for theyr sauegarde he lefte a certayn of his souldiours and he with the reste of his army remoued fyue myles from thense to the ryuer of Galesus where he pitched his tentes Soone after he retourned to viewe the strength of the Castell and thought it myght be wonne with a saute Whervppon he caused all maner of engyns to be made and sette vp agaynste the walles to the greatte feare of theym of the Castell But sodeynly in the nyghte came a certayne of shyppes of menne of warre frome Metapontus whyche than was holden with Romans and entred the hauen by whose healpe they of the Castell threwe downe and burned all the ingynes and munymentes of the Carthaginenses Wherby Anniball loste his hope of wynnynge the castelle by any assaulte but than he ymagyned by contynuall siege to famysshe theym Whyche purpose also serued hym nothynge For they of the castelle hadde the sea free on the oone syde where they receyued vytayles at theyr plesure And the Romaynes beynge maysters of the hauen kepte all prouysyon frome the cytie that was wonte to comme by water Soo that they were moche more lyke to endure famyne thanne the other of the castelle whome they besieged Wherfore Anniball mystrusting the strength of the place called the rulers of Tarent before hym and sayde ¶ I beholde the nature the site and all the strengthe of this castell and I can not see that any assault can preuayle so long as our ennemies be lordes of the sea and haue that at liberty But if we may said he haue shippes which may restrain vitailes to be brought to them either they wil depart thens or yeld vnto vs. To this the Tarentines agreed well but they said that he must helpe that some of the nauy of Carthage which were in Sicilia might be caused to comme thither to kepe the said port Why sayde Anniball haue you no shyppes of your owne Yes truely sayde they but they lye here in a littell creke and so longe as our ennemies haue the dominion of the mouthe of the hauen howe can they euer escape in to the brode seas Yes said Anniball feare it not for many thinges that naturally be letted by witte and policy may be brought to passe Your citie is situate on a playne and euen grounde and your stretes and ways be brode to passe to all partes Your shippes wyll I conuey through the high way that leadeth through the middell of your citie vpon waines and wheles vnto the hauen with smalle charge And the sea shall be ours that nowe our enemies be lordes of Than both by sea and by lande we wyll compasse them so that shortely they shall be dryuen to forsake the castell or els we shall take bothe them and it also ¶ This his wyse diuise made all men to haue wonder and admiration of hym with also a hoope of a good successe of his purpose Furth withal waynes and cartes were gathered and tyed togither Than were engins made to raise and to drawe vp the shippes and the ways made hard euen and leuell that they myght the more easily be drawen on them Thus with strength of beastes and men the shyppes were broughte to the hauen and in fewe daies garnished with men and all thinges necessary and brought rounde about the castell castyng their ankers before the mouthe of the hauen ¶ Fuluius Flaccus the Romane consull wynneth the campe of Hanno sleeth and taketh a great number of men with a ryche pray Mago sleeth Titus Gracchus and many Romaynes through the treason of Flauius a Lucan Capitu. xxxvi VVhyles Anniball was thus occupied aboute the busynesse of Tarent Quintus Fuluius Flaccus and Appius Claudius that were chosen consuls for that yere were com with bothe their armyes into the parties of the Samnites and the rulers of Capua feared greatly lest they dyd intende shortly to besiege their citie Also plentye of corne beganne than to faile them for the legions of the Romans hadde so inuaded their countrey that the Campanes durst neither tyll nor sow their groundes wherfore they sent legates vnto Annibal desiring hym to cause plenty of wheate to be brought to Capua from the countrey adioynyng before that the consuls dydde enter their countrey with theyr armies Whervpon Anniball sent messangers to Hanno that he shuld come from the Brusians with his army into Cāpania And to make prouision that the Campanes might haue good plenty of corne sent to them ¶ Hanno as he was commaunded leauynge the Samnites and the Consuls passed by tyll he came within .iii. myles of Beneuentum where on a mountayne he pitched his campe and in townes of his frendes adioyning to which great plentie of wheate the sommer before had bene caryed he made goodly prouision for the Campanes and sent worde secretely to Capua what day they shuld with all the waynes and cartes that they coulde assemble in the countrey resorte to the sayd places for to fette away their said wheate The Campanes lyghtly and sklenderly foreseing their busines and welth at the day assigned came thither bringyng with them but .iiii. hundred cartes which theyr slouth Hanno greatly rebuked maruaylyng that they wolde no more hedily auoyde hunger whiche all brute beastes labour to eschue Wherfore he sente them home laden and appoynted them an nother day to retourne againe for a moche greatter quantitie ¶ This appoyntment came to the eares of the Beneuentanes Whervpon incontynent they sente tenne messangers to the Consulles certifyenge theym of all the Campanes purpose And they furthwith agreed that Fuluius with his armye shoulde goo to Beneuentum and enter the towne in the nyghte kepynge him close therin tyll he sawe tyme apte for his purpose So soone as Fuluius was entred Beneuentum it was shewed hym that Hanno with a parte of his army was gone furth for wheate and that .ii. M. wayns were come to the campe with a great rude sort of people vnarmed where they lay myngled amonge the souldiours kepyng no order after the vse of men of warre This knowen the consul cōmanded his men to be redy with theyr baners armure for the next night he wold assayle the Campanes and the tentes of the Carthaginenses They executyng his commandement made them redy and about .iiii. of the clocke they set furthe of the towne and came to Hannos campe a lyttell before the dawnyng of the day At theyr fyrst commynge with their sodain noise the Carthaginenses becam so feareful that if the campe had be pitched on plain ground they had wonne it with small resistence but the height of the hyll with the defēses that they had made therabout was such that they could no way get vp vnto them but by great steppes and climming In the daunyng of the day the bataile began to waxe stronge the Carthaginenses not onely defended
and of noble courage of mynde correspondent to the same ¶ This Centenius being broughte into the senate house by P. Cornelius Sulla desyred of the senatours that he might haue deliuered him only .v. M. souldiours with whose helpe he doubted not but that with the knowlege that he had both of the countreys and also of the crafty feates of his ennemy he wold with the same subtiltie and policies deceiue Anniball by whiche he before had deceiued the Romaynes This his vnwise promise vnto them was as vnwisely beleued of them And where he demaunded but .v. M. they gaue him .viii. M. men and he in the countreys as he went gathered togyther almoste as many mo of suche as willyngly went with him hauing hope in his courage and promise With this noumbre of men he came into the fieldes of the Lucanes where Anniball had rested hym and his company wery of the chase of Appius Claudius Whan either of them sawe others army they incontineÌ„t put their folke in aray The matche was not equall nother of capitaines nor of souldiours neuerthelesse the bataile indured more than two howres Centenius perceiuinge his part to suffre the worse and fearing leste if he shulde lyue after his men were slayne he shulde suffer great shame and infamy during his lyfe for the losse of suche a numbre of men by his folishe enterprise at the last willingly he entred the thickest prease of his enemies where he was shortly slayne and than his men fledde on all partes but they were so harde chased with horsemen that of that great company there escaped scant one thousand ¶ One other happy chaÌ„ce fortune sent to Annibal as it were for a farewel or leue takyng of him before she thought to depart to the Romans the occasion therof was that one Cneiê° Fuluius bearing the office of pretor lay than in Apulia with his host besiegyng suche townes as before were come to the amitie of the Carthaginensis And in his busynes he had soo well sped and was become so welthy and riche bothe he and his men with prayes whiche they had taken that leauyng all good order of warre or the peynfull pursuite thereof they were growen into slouthe and sluggysshe ydelnes Of theyr vndiscrete order the Appulians sente woorde to Anniball by messangers And he knowing by experience what wolde folowe the gouernance of an army by an vnwise capitane wherof of late he had the triall by Centenius with spede he remoued into the costis of Apulia Whan the Romains had knowlege that their enemies approched and were ouen at hande they were all mynded to haue displayde their baners and to haue runne to batail without the coÌ„mandement of their capitain The night folowing Annibal perceiuing their great hast to battaile coÌ„manded .iii. M. of his light men of warre to lye priuily hyd in woodes bushes couertes next adioyning gyuing them a signe or token at what tyme they shulde issue out and assaile their enmies Than caused he Mago with .ii. M. horsemen to lye priuily in the wayes by which he demed the Romans wolde flee after theyr discomfiture These thynges in the nyght tyme being wysely disposed yarly in the morning he came with his host into the fieldes putting the rest of his men in goodly aray ¶ On the other side Fuluius the pretor made no tarying being moche inforced therto by the hasty wilfulnes of his souldiours Wherfore with suche aduysement as they came into the fielde with suche lyke aduysement were the batayles ordred For euery man went to what place him semed best and chose his coÌ„pany with whom he wold be and somtyme changed his place again at his pleasure The forward and the left wing were fyrst ordered and that all in length and of a small thyknesse The Tribunes cried to them to set more strength of men in the myddell of their battailes or els their enemies myght easyly go through them with small force at theyr pleasure But they were so wylfull and hasty that they gaue noo eare to theyr wordes By that tyme were the Carthaginenses come in good order redy to ioyne at whose fyrst cominge with great noise bruite the Romains were put to the wors whervpon the capitayn seing all lyke to go to mischiefe toke his hors and with two hundred horsemen with him fled The reste that abode were almooste all slayne for of .xviii. M. of the company there escaped not past .ii. M. alyue The tentes and stuffe was also taken by the Carthaginenses whiche was a good pray The tydinges of these great sodayn losses were brought to Rome whiche caused the citie to be in great feare and mournyng Neuerthelesse by cause bothe the Consulles with their armies were safe and did somwhat prosper in their affayres they toke the more comforte to theym And incontynent sent messangers to the Consuls wylling them to serch for all such as were escaped at these two battailes that they shuld be gathered togither and called vnto them lest either for feare or for dispaire they wold yeld them to their enmies whiche thyng with all diligence they dyd execute ¶ The citie of Capua is beseged by the two consuls Anniball coÌ„meth to the succour of the citezeÌ„s giueth the coÌ„suls battel from thens goth to Rome ward with his host to thintent therby to draw the coÌ„suls from the siege of Capua Ca. xxxix IN the meane season was Capua compassed besieged by both the consuls great prouision of corne made for the same laid in garners in the castel of Casselinê° Than sent they to Suessula for Claudius Nero the Pretor who leauyng a small garrison there came hym selfe to theym to Capua with all his power Thus was Capua compassed with thre greatte armyes on three partes and to enclose the citezens the more surely they prepared to compasse the hole city with a great diche And thervpon they made many castels a good distance thone froÌ„ the other The CaÌ„panes thinkynge to let their work issued many times fought with the RomaÌ„s but their fortune was euer such that they lost still of their meÌ„ and at the last were constrained to kepe them within the walles of their citie but before the warkes or siege was so straite and strong they had sent ambassadours to Anniball complaynyng that he had forsaken theym and his citie of Capua and that yf he dyd not shortly succour them they must yeld them to the Romans To whom Anniball answered that of late he had resâ—ued them and raysed their siege ones and that shortly he wolde come to helpe them againe not doubting but the Romayns shuld be vnable to resist his power at his coÌ„myng With this comfortable message they retourned to their citie whyche they founde so compassed with a double dyche that with peyne coulde they fynde the meane to enter into it neither coulde they haue entred had not the letters of P. Cornelius the pretor bene wherin he aduysed the consuls before the dyche shuld be fully
muste dye yet wylle I chuse me a deathe bothe honest and gentyll wherby I wyll escape the tormentes and dispites that myne ennemies truste to put me vnto Whan Fuluius and Claudius shall solempnely with triumph enter into Rome I wyl not bounden be drawen before them as a spectacle or wondryng stocke and after put in pryson or being tyed to a poste suffer my body to be scourged and at last haue my head stryken from my body with the axe of Rome nother will I lyue to se my cuntrey distroied bourned or to see the noble matrons and maidens of Capua rauished and defouled In the beginnyng of the flourishynge of the citie of Rome the Romains distroyed the citie of Alba and threwe it downe to the grounde yet had they theyr originall from the same citie what trowe ye than they wyl do to Capua whiche they hate more than they doo Carthage Therfore frendes so many of you as be desyrous to dye before ye se these so many and so spiteful miseries come this day to dyner with me your meate is alredy dressed and whā we be well filled with wyne and good meates a cup of drynke that I wyll fyrst drinke my selfe shall be borne about to euery one of you and that drynke shall delyuer the body from tormentes the mynde from rebukes the eies and the eares frō the syght and hearyng of all cruell dispites that be prepared for people that are ouercome After whan we shall be deade our seruauntes shall be redy to throwe our bodies into great fyres made for the purpose there to be bourned and so shall we neuer come into the handes of our enemies This is the onely honest and free way to dye wherby our ennemies shall meruaile and wonder at our noble courage And Annibal shal therby well perceyue that he hath forsaken and betrayde his valyant and faithfull felowes ¶ This oration of Vibius was heard and wel alowed of many mo than had hartes to folowe it or put it in execution for the more part of the senatours said that they had oft tymes in warres had experience of the pitie and gentylnesse of the Romaines shewed to their ennemies in suche extremitie not mystrustyng but they shulde fynde them mercyfull nowe to them vpon humble request to them made and thervpon determined to send legatis to the cōsul to yeld them vp Capua ¶ Vibius Virius went home to his house to dyner whome xxvii senatours folowed where they dyned and drunke plēty of wyne to the intent they might haue the lesse feelinge of the last dredefull drynke whan it came At the last they all receiued the poyson and went from the table taking eyther other by the handes and louingly enbrasyng one an other lamented their owne deathes with the distruction of the cuntrey Some remained there and died and were bourned in the fyres made for that intent some went home to their houses and there made their ende so that before the towne was deliuered to the Romaines none of them were left on lyue ¶ The next day the gates were opened and the Romaines suffered to enter Than were all the gates kepte by the Romains that no man shuld go furth and first all the armour and wepons were brought to the Romain capitain than were the Carthaginenses of the garrison taken and put in prison The senatours were cōmanded to go to the consuls than being in their tentes from whens such as were most consenting to the receiuīg of Annibal were sent to sūdry prisons .xxv. to Cales and .xxviii. to Theanus vntil it was agreed what punishment they shuld haue Their golde and syluer was brought in and deliuered to the officers called Questores Claudius the cōsull was moch inclined to take the senators to mercy Fuluius on the other side wold haue them suffer in example of other rebelles and traytours Wherefore Claudius remitted all thing to the iugement of the senate of Rome and sent thither to knowe their pleasure therin Whervpon Fuluius fearing lest he shuld be stayed of his purpose cōmanded the tribunes with .ii. M. horsemen to be redy to ride with him at the third blast of a trumpet With this cōpany of horsmen in the night he departed from the army and by that it was day light came to Theanus where causyng the senatours of Capua there being prisoners to be brought before him incontinent be caused them to be violently scourged with roddes and after to haue their heades striken of From thens as fast as he might he hied to Cales and there likewise sat vpon the iugement of the other senatours of Capua but whiles they were going to execution one came from the senate of Rome riding in great hast with letters willing him to stay the iudgement and execution of the punishment of the Cāpane senators Than Fuluius iudging the letters to be writen for that intent neuer disclosed them but put them in his bosom saying to the officers that they shuld procede quickly to the execution accordinge to the lawe So were they also whipped and after had their heades stryken of Than the consull drewe furth his letters and redde them saying they came very late to let the thynge that was alredy done From Cales he returned to Capua and there put diuers other in prison beside many of the citie that were sold Thā was there great debate in the senate at Rome whether the citie of Capua shuld be burned and vtterly dystroyed in exaumple of other rebelles or not Moch it moued theym soo to doo for that it was a greate and a stronge citie and a very nere neyghbour vnto them whych if it shuld be an ennemy agayne to Rome as it late was should greatlye dysquiete the Romaynes Neuerthelesse in conclusyon considering the fertilitie of the grounde whiche was the best of all Italy they agreed to vse it to their profit hauing plowmen laborers other to manure and tyl the groundes and the houses to be inhabited with rude people and menne of handy craftes so that it shuld be a citie of no body politike nor haue senatours or other commune counsell or rulars but onely a iudge yerely to be sent from Rome to minister iustice among them By this meane was the citie preserued from vtter dystruction and the profite therof with the fieldes adioyning employed to the common profite of the Romains ¶ Marcellus wynneth the citie of Syracusa in Sicilia P. Scipio and Cneius Scipio are slayne in Spayn with a great numbre of Romaines Cap. xli DVringe the busines of Capua and the warres about the same fortune also fauoured the Romaines touching their affaires in Sicilia For Marcellus capitayne of the Romaines army there so wisely circūspectly gouerned him self and his people that he wan the noble city of Syracusa In whiche he had abundance of riches as great as if he had taken the great citie of Carthage with whyche it was thought in all thinges it might well as than haue ben compared In the ende of the yere
whan the time of chosing of newe consuls was come Marcus Marcellus for his wel proued experience was chosen consull appointed to match Anniball concerning the warres of Italy And Marcus Valerius Leuinus was elect the other consull to whom thende of the warres of Sicilia were wholly cōmitted who by his industry and by the treason of certaine Numidians wan the towne of Agrigentum wherby he droue Hanno Epicides and all the army of Carthage out of Sicilia and soone after brought the hole cuntrey into the subiection of the Romans ¶ While the warres of Sicilia about Capua were brought to this good passe Cn. Scipio and Publius his brother were as busy in Spayne but not with like successe They had coūsailed togither the sommer folowing so to folow the warres that the Carthaginenses shuld be cleane driuen out of Spain And to be stronge inough therfore they hyred .xxx. thousand men of warre of Celtiberia The power of Carthage was diuided in .iii. armies gouerned by thre capitaines Asdruball the sonne of Gysgon and Mago these two capitaines lay .v. dayes iourney from the Romaine legions the thyrd whiche was Asdruball the sonne of Amilcar the auncient capitayne of the Carthaginenses in that countreye laye at Anniturgium more neerevnto the Romaines and hadde in pourpose the sommer folowynge to passe the mountaynes to conueye his armye to Anniball This his pourpose to lette the two Scipios thought fyrste to assayle hym aloone from his company not doubtyng but they were stronge inough so to doo Their greattest feare was lest whan they had ouercome him that the other Hasdruball and Mago hearyng therof wolde flee into the mountaynes and straytes with their power and so prolonge the warres in Spayn Wherfore to make an ende of all theyr trouble at ones they concluded to part their armies in twayne P. Cornelius with two partes shulde goo agaynst the two capitaines that lay togither And Cn. Scipio with the thyrde part of theyr olde army and with the Celtiberians shulde assaile the other Asdruball the sonne of Amilcar With these mindes they set furth togither toward their ennemies Cn. Scipio whan he came to Aniturgium rested with his company in the syght of his enemies hauyng a riuer betwene hym and them his brother went furthe as it was agreed betwene them Asdruball perceiuing the numbre of the Romayns to be but small and that all their strengthe was in strangers late hyred knowing the faccion of the people how vntrue and vnstable they were by the meane of Spaniardes that coulde speake the language for great summes of money he corrupted the princis rulars of them so that they were agreed to departe home with theyr hole power They were not desyred or hyred to vndertake the warres with Asdrubal against the Romaines but onely to depart without fighting Whervnto they were sone intreated partly for that they had as large wages as though they shuld haue foughten And agayne for that they were gladde to retourne home to theyr cuntreys and frendes auoyding the danger of warre Therfore sodaynely they with their baners and caryage departed The Romaines meruayling what this sodaine chaunge ment enquired of them the cause of their departure They answered they were sent for home to defende theyr owne cuntrey whiche was oppressed also with warre Other answere could they none gette nother were the Romaynes able to kepe them with force Scipio knowyng that without theym he was nothynge able to encounter Asdruball and also seynge no waye howe he myghte recouer the companye of his brother his ennemies beinge soo nere and commynge on hym was meruaylously astonied yet he thought beste in no wyse to meete with hym on euen grounde he was soo farre ouermatched Wherfore a lyttell and a lyttell he with drewe him backe sekyng some place of strength where he myghte succour hym selfe and his small company That perceiuing Hasdruball passed the ryuer with his hooste and folowed after with as moche speede as he could ¶ Nowe was P. Scipio his brother as moche troubled on his parte by reason of Massanissa a yong lusty prince of Numidia who beinge than a frende to the Carthaginenses was comme with a good power of Numidians to the succour of Mago and Hasdruball the sonne of Gysgon he was fiers and of a greatte courage the Romaynes coulde nother goo abrode for vitayles woode or suche necessaries but he with his Numidians was euer redy to oppresse them and dyuers tymes in the nyght he wolde assayle theym in theyr campe as people that were besieged There was also tydinges brought to Scipio that one Indibilis with seuen thousande and fyue hundred Suessanes was at hande commynge to the healpe of the Carthaginenses whose army beinge ioyned to the other he knewe he shulde be more straightly enclosed Wherfore compelled by necessitie to serche the compasse of his wytte he determyned secretely to take the greatter part of his armye to meete with this Indibilis in the nyghte intendynge where soo euer he mette with hym to gyue hym battaylle he lefte Titus Fonteius with a certayne with hym to keepe the campe And goynge on his waye aboute mydnyght he met with Indibilis and sodaynly assayled hym There was a fyerse conflycte for a season And by the sodayne settynge on theym the Romaynes hadde putte theym to flyghte with greatte slaughter hadde not the Numidian horsemenne who alwayes awayted on the Romaynes where soo euer they wente on bothe partes sodeynly assayled theym yet Scipio soo pryuily was in the nyght departed that he hadde thought therby to haue begiled the Numidians watchemen Than the battail being renued agayn Mago and Asdruball with their hostes folowing after were at theyr backes so that the Romaynes knew not to whiche were best to tourne them Scipio stille comforted and exhorted his men and euer where the battaile was moste stronge thyther went he lyke a noble and valiant gouernour tyll at the last hym selfe was thyrst into the ryght syde with a speare so that he fell dead from his hors Whan the Carthaginenses sawe the Romayne capitayne falle incontinent they ranne abrode in all the partes of the fielde ioyfully cryinge Scipio the capitayne of the Romaines is slayne The fame wherof gaue hart to the Carthaginenses and caused the Romaynes to flee but in the flyght there were mo slayne than in the batail The Numidian horsmen were so fierse in the chase and the footemen hauyng lyght harneis were almost as swyft as the horses So that yf the nyght had not come on theym fewe or none had escaped The Carthaginenses after this victory slept not nor stayde but to folowe theyr good occasyon offered incontinent toke theyr horses and went to the other Hasdruball the sonne of Amilcar not doutyng of good spede there also After that both theyr powers were mette togyther there was great ioye made betweene the capiteynes bothe for theyr metynge and also for the newes of theyr late victory ¶ On the other syde the Romayns were stryken with feareful pensifenes not for
knowyng many festly of theyr departure with theyr vntrueth and his mocke and illusion he made as muche spede as he coulde to folowe his ennemyes with a feruent desyre to fyght yf he myght ouertake them But they were in safegarde er he myght atteine vnto theym without any thyng doyng onlesse it were small skirmisshes betwene the taile of the host of the Carthaginenses and the lyght foreryders of the Romayne armie ¶ The ende of the yere drewe nere and the tyme of chosyng of offycers began to approche at whiche election Marcus Marcellus and Marcus Valerius Leuinus were chosē consulles Then the senate of Rome with no lesse diligence delibered of the affayres of Spayne then they dyd of the estate of Italie for the sauegarde wherof they determyned to augment the armie that was there with Nero the consull and to sende also with the same a newe capitayne whom they called a proconsull But all theyr doubte was whom they shulde assygne to that office to succede in the place of two so noble capitaynes as were of late there slayne in the space of .xxx. dayes The daie was appoynted for the commune election of this capitayne by voyce of the senatours and also of the communes Some loked when many valiant men woulde haue offered them selues therto for the wealth of their countrey But none was founde amonge them that wolde enterpryse to take on hande that great perillous charge The citezens by great assembles mette at the daye and place appoynted for the nomination At whiche daye the noble men loked one vppon an other as people amased and destitute of counsayle in suche perplexitie lamenting the sore decaye of the state of the citie ¶ When none coulde be found amonge them worthy for that rome or office then sodeinly yonge P. Cornelius Scipio the sonne of him that was before slayne in Spaine being then but xxiiii yeres old stode vp in an high place where al mē myght well see and beholde hym and desyred that the same offyce myght be gyuen vnto hym when he had declared his mynde anon the hole multitude of all estates gaue to hym their consent criyng Luckie be his empire in Spayne ¶ Soone after his hastie election a sodeyne sylence was amonge the multitude and then all men began secretly with them selues to consyder their haste in their nomination meruaylyng and also forthinkyng that they had more fauoured the person through affection then they did consider his youth by theyr reason many mislyked the fortune that had happed to his stocke and familie in the same countrei before and some were sorye to sende one of the same kyn and name to gouerne the countreie where his father and vncle were slayne and lay buryed ¶ When yonge Scipio perceyued their silence and repentaunce of their hastie election he desired them a lyttell to giue him audience And there he made them such an oration in the excuse of his age and concerning the rule and affayres to him commytted with such an herte and courage that he not onely enflamed their hertes with more ardent desyre and loue towarde hym but also he fulfylled them with a certeyne hope of prosperous successe in his empyre For the yonge man besyde many his marueylous vertues and good qualities wher with he was naturally indewed he had also from his infancie a wonderfull counning or gifte in the noble auauncing and settyng furth of the same Somtime amonge the commune people he woulde shewe certayne dreames or visions that he had in the nyght sometime he woulde declare vnto them thinges that he was commanded inwardly by the goddes to execute These and such lyke his straunge wordes with the maner and facion of lyuing after he was fyrste put in auctoritie shewed suche a magnificence in hym that the commune people both had an opinion and also publysshed the same that Scipio was descended of the stocke or kynred of the goddes Inuentyng a lyke fable of his conception to be by the seede of a serpent or snake as heretofore hath ben fayned of great Alexander affyrming that the similitude of the same hath ben dyuers times seen in his mothers chamber but so soone as any man entred her sayde chaumbre it dyd sodaynly glide and vanyshe away ¶ This fayned inuention of his conception and the superstitious myndes of the people towarde hym he woulde nother affyrme to be true nother saye they were false and vntrewe but couertly left them to dwell styll in theyr owne opinions wherby all men had suche an admiration of hym that they suffred hym to enioy that great roume that els was full vnmete for that his yong age The army that shuld be vnder hym in Spayne was increased tenne thousand fotemen and one M. horsemen and M. Iulius Sullanus was appoynted to helpe hym in all his busy affayres of charge ¶ With this newe army and a nauy of .xxx. shyppes he departed out of Italy makyng great spede tylle he arryued in Spayne where he gathered togither all the power that remained there before and so sobrely handled him self to al men that in his woordes they iudged to be bothe a royall maiestie and a stedfast faythfulnes He praysed moch the souldiours whiche he founde there fyrst for that not withstanding theyr ii great losses of men capitayns yet they kept still that cuntrey defendyng manfully their frendis and many their cities of the same and also that they suffred not theyr ennemies to enioy the prosperous fortune whiche by the losse of the Romayns was ones gyuen them Thyrdly for that they had driuen their ennemies to forsake theyr abode on this lide the water of Iberus But aboue all other he had Lucius Martius in great honour and veneration And anon after his cōmyng he bestowed his newe menne of warre to places where they shuld remaine for the winter season and he hym selfe after all thinges were ordinately disposed went to Tarracon ¶ The fame of Scipio was no lesse among his ennemies thā it was among his frendes They also had a certaine feare of hym coniecturyng as it were by secrete diuination the likely successe of thynges that were to ensue They feared hym before they hadde cause and they feared hym the more by how moche the cause or reason of theyr feare was hydde and vnknowen And in this perplexitie of mynde they departed their armies and went to dyuers partes for the wynter season Hasdruball the sonne of Gysgon went to the sea toward the pyllars of Hercules Mago kept the myddell of the cuntrey and Hasdruball the sonne of Amilcar lay nigh the riuer of Iberus not farre from Sagunt ¶ The oration of Scipio to his souldyours in Spayne after his commyng thyther Cap. xliiii IN. the spryng of the yere P. Scipio cōmanded all his shyppes furnished with men vitailes and munimentes of warre to mete hym at the mouthe of the ryuer of Iberus where he with the rest of his hoste cominge by lande from Tarracon mette them And there thinkyng it necessary
to hym to declare his mynde to the olde souldyours that were lefte in Spayne after the laste great losse and slaughter of the Romaynes he called them togyther and made his oration as hereafter foloweth ¶ There was neuer newe capitayn before me that had cause to gyue thankes vnto his souldyours before he hadde tryed theyr hardines and diligence in bataile but fortune hath bouÌ„d me vnto you louinge souldiours before I knewe this countreye or sawe the place of our Campe. Fyrste for the loue and obedience that ye haue borne to my father and mine vncle bothe quycke and deade secundarily for that whan the hole countrey was as loste by reason of the greate distruction of our people yet you by your noble vertue and myghte haue obteyned the possession of the same agayne bothe to the Romaynes and also to me theyr deputie here and successour to my sayd father and vncle But now sens through the fauour of the goddis we intende to worke not that we may dwell in Spayne styll our selues but that the Carthaginenses shall haue no dwellyng here Nother onely to restraine them that they shall not come on this syde the bankes of the water of Iberus but that we intend to passe the same floode with our army to gyue them battayle I feare lest it shall be thoughte by you that this my counsayle is more hardy and spoken after myne age than wyse consyderynge the late losse that we haue had here wherby the tyme shuld not serue vs to vndertake suche great enterpryses There is noo manne hath more cause than I to remembre our euyll fortune in batayle in Spayne who haue had both my father and myne vncle slayne here within the space of thyrty days as ye wold say to make here a heape of corps of our family one vpon an other Neuerthelesse as the losse and lacke of frendes is displeasant to the mynde of men euen so doth fortune and noble vertuouse courage forbyd a man in suche case to dispayre specially sens thorough fatall fortune our chaunce hath heretofore bene that after we haue bene beaten and susteined great losses in the beginning yet at the last we haue euer ouercome our ennemies that before suppressed vs. I wyll not reherse the olde hystories of our warres with Porsena with the Frenchmen and with the Samnites I wyll onely remembre the warres with these our ennemies the Carthaginenses how many nauies of shyppes howe many capitaynes and howe many armies lost we in the fyrst battayles that we had with theym before the tyme of this Anniball And nowe in his tyme at Trebia at Trasymenus and at Cannas what other thinges did appere other than hole armyes with theyr capitaynes and Romayne Consuls slayne Furthermore howe great a parte of Italy of Sardinia and Sicilia haue forsaken the Romaynes to folowe the amitie of Anniball and how nigh the citie of Rome pytched he his campe ye he hym self was sene almost to ride hard to the gates of Rome In all the tyme of this great ruyne and hard fortune the hertes the vertue and courage of of the Romaynes remayned styl stedfast hole and vnmouable wherby they haue ben euer susteyned and set vp agayne After the cruell batayle of Cannas Hasdruball with a great armye was goynge ouer the mountaynes into Italye to helpe his brother Anniball and to ioyne theyr powers together whych if he had done accordynge to his intent there hadde by thys day ben almost no memorye or name of the Romayns left But then ye hardy souldyours by the gouernaunce of my father withstode theim and by your good fortune so wel sped there that therby the euel chaunces which before hapned vs were wel releued and nowe through the goodnes of the goddes are dayly more ioyfull and prosperous In Sicilia the great cities of Syracusa and Agrigentum be wonne agayn and the hole Ile brought vnto the obedience of the Romaines and our ennemies clene expulsed In Italy Capua is taken the Arpines brought again vnder the subiection of Rome And Anniball in gret feare fleing froÌ„ Rome is nowe bryuen into an angle of the countrey of the Brutians where the dayly prayer that he maketh to the goddes aboue al thinges is that he may safe and sound escape without daunger out of the countrey of his ennemies Wherfore frendes there is nothyng more vnmete or more contrary to reason then that you who haue in al aduersitie and lowe ebbe when the goddes were them selues almost on Annibals partie yet by the guyding of my father and frendes haue susteyned and borne vp the estate of the Romaynes that ye nowe when al thynges ar mery and prosperous shoulde shrynke or suffre your hartes to fayle you Nowe the immortall goddes the gouernours of the Romayne Empyre who wylled the people of Rome by one assent to elect me vnto this gret offyce and dignitie the same goddes by sundry presages signes and dreames in the nyght haue shewed me that all thynges hereafter shal haue prosperous successe ye and that I most at this time do regarde my harte giueth me that ere it be long al Spaine shalbe ours so that as many as beare the name of a Carthaginense shall be gladde for feare to flee hens both by lande and by sea And reason also gyueth that the same whiche in my herte is conceyued must nedes be trewe For dyuers of theyr frendes whyche haue by theym ben euil intreted haue of late sent embassadours to vs for socours Agayne there be of them thre captaines whiche can not agree among them selues For whiche cause they haue deuided theyr armye in three partes and are departed farre a sundre Wherfore the same fortune that skourged and distroyed vs doth nowe come on theim For their felowes and friendes in whom they trust be gone from theim euen as the people called Celtiberi departed and forsoke you when yâ—hadde moste nede of theim They also haue deuided and seuered theyr hostes which was the cause of the destruction bothe of my father of myne vncle This discorde wyll not suffer theim to ioyne to gether againe And be ye sure no one armie of theim by it selfe is able to withstande you Wherfore I moste hertely pray you good souldiours loue and fauour nowe the name of the Scipions whiche am I the sonne of your olde capitaine Scipio an impe growen out as ye woulde saye of a stocke that is cut downe by the grounde And ye olde knightes so worke that ye may brynge me a yonge capitaine with my newe armie ouer Iberus into the countrey which ye haue passed after many great actes and prowes shewed and I doubte not shortly to bringe to passe that as ye nowe knowe in me to be a similitude or resemblaunce of my father and vncle by my face countenaunce and features of my body euen so shall ye see in me also an exaumple of theyr witte faith and vertue in suche wyse that euery one of you shall saye Scipio our olde capitaine is
alyue agayne ¶ The citie of newe Carthage in Hispayne is won by the Romaynes with a great praye of golde siluer and all other necessaries for the warre with the pledges of the noble menne and cities of Spayne Capi. xlv VVhen he had by these exhortations kendeled the hertes of his men he lefte behinde hym to kepe that countreye M. Sillanus with three thousande fotemen and thre hundred horsemen with the rest of his armye which was .xxv. thousande fotemen and .ii. thousande and .v. C. horsemen he passed the ryuer of Iberus When he was passed ouer many counsailed hym seinge the army of the Carthaginenses was deuydedinto thre partes that he shulde assaile that host of theim which was next vnto hym sayenge It was peryll if they were ioyned together lest he shulde not be able to resyste theim but he had imagined in his mynde that he woulde fyrste assaulte Carthago Noua whiche was then not onely ryche of the rychesse of the inhabitantes of the same but also riche by meanes of the Carthaginenses who had leyde there theyr treasure armour with moche other apparayll for the warre There remayned also in that Citie all the pledges of noble men and citees of Spayne Besyde this the citie was situate vpon the sea from whense it was easy to passe ouer into Affrica The hauen also therof was able to receyue easely the greatest nauye of any prynce ¶ Of this his purpose no man was priuye but onely T. Lelius gouernour of the shyppes and armye by the sea to whome he commaunded soo to tempre his course with his shyppes that his armye by lande and the other by sea myghte bothe sodaynely appeere at Carthage in one tyme. Whyche his charge was dewely putte in execution For the seuenthe daye after theyr departynge frome Iberus they mette at newe Carthage where incontynente the Campe was made and tentes pytched on the Northe syde of the citie ¶ Nowe is the syte or sytuation of Carthage on this manier In the myddell of Spayne there is a greatte bosome or goulfe in to the whyche the sea hath his full course within the lande the lengthe of fyue hundred passes and the breadthe of the sea in the same place is muche of the same quantitie In the inner parte or furthest ende of this goulfe is a hylle on whyche the citie is buylded and it is on two partes that is to saye on the easte syde and on the southe syde enclosed with the sea whyche frome the sayde goulfe or bosome rounneth in to the lande by the one syde of the citie Vppon the weaste syde it is defended with a greatte and brode poole that rounneth vp also a good part of the Northe syde of the towne The deepenesse of the poole is at noo certayntie For as the sea dothe aryse on heyghte and ebbe lowe soo is the water thereof deepe or shalowe ¶ Thus is the Cytie on all partes enuyronned with water as it were an ylande oneles it be on a part of the northsyde and the mayne lande there passeth not .ii. hundred and fyfty paces in bredth Wherfore sens the grounde there was no broder Scipio intended not to make trenches on that part for that he thought hym selfe stronge ynough to keepe that lyttell peece of grounde from his ennemies and also to thintent he myght at all tymes haue recourse to view the walles and strength of the towne ¶ Whan Scipio had ordered all thinges ordinately vpon the lande for the assaulte he than went to the hauen where he in lyke maner ordered his shippes and his men that it might appere to the citizens that they shoulde be assaulted as well by water as by lande he also commaunded watche to be kepte vpon the water in the night season in euery shyppe And after all thynges were prudently appoynted he retourned to his campe wyllyng before he dyd any thing touching the assault to instruct and admonyshe his people of his mynd concerning the same and to comfort theym in that enterpryse he called them togither and made his oration to them in this wyse ¶ Who so euer beleueth good souldiours that ye are nowe brought hyther only to assault and wynne this one towne he dothe more consyder your labour and peyne therin than the profyte that shall ensue therof Trewe it is that ye shall assault and skale the walles but of one onely towne but in the obteynyng of this one ye also shall wynne the whole cuntrey of Spayne For in this towne are the pledges of all the noble men kynges and people of Spayne who being ones taken full shortly shall cause all that euer the Carthaginenses doo nowe possede to be yelded vnto vs and to be vnder our dominon Here also is al the money and tresure of our ennemies whiche being taken from them they shall be able no longer to maynteyne the warres seinge they haue many hyred straungers in theyr army And the same treasure shall meruaylously profyte vs therby to wynne the hertes and loue of these barbarous people Besyde this here remaineth theyr ordināce their armour and al abilimentes necessary for the warre whiche beynge ones wonne shall serue well our pourpose and therof make our ennemies bare to theyr vtter distruction Furthermore we shall be lordes of a fayre and a ryche citie whervnto lyeth a goodly hauen whereby we shall be serued both by sea by lande of all thinges that we shall at any tyme lacke The hauing of these thynges shal not only be plesant profitable to vs but also the lacke of the same shal be a muche greatter hyndrance and losse to our ennemies For this citie hath been and is theyr greattest strength Here be theyr store houses for corn̄e here is theyr treasaurye here is theyr armory and theyr houses stuffed with all thynges necessarye for theyr shyppes of warre generally this citie is the onely receptacle of all that they haue Hyther lyeth the ryght course by sea from Affrica to Spayn And nowe sens I perceyue ye be sufficiently instructed and haue all thinges in good ordre mete for the purpose lette vs with good hertes and all our strength make haste to the assaultyng of this newe Carthage ¶ Therwithall euery man with loude voice assented therto And he not thinkyng to be slacke in his busynes went furthe towarde Carthage causing it to be assauted both by water and by lande ¶ On the other syde Mago capitain of the Cartha ginenses perceiuing that the assault was ordeined to be giuen both by sea and land he disposed his men within the towne on this maner Two M. of the townesmen he caused to be armed put in aray on that part of the towne that the Romain tētes or campe was fiue C. men he appoynted to kepe the castell other .v. C. he assigned to remayne vppon a hylle that was within the citie towarde the easte The rest of the people he commanded to be redy to helpe and succour their companies in what place of the towne
citizens Scipio let go at libertie and suffered to dwel styl in the towne and to enioy as moche of their goodes as was not before spoyled Amonge other prisoners there were two M. of craftes men which he caused to be bōd men to worke for the common profytte of the citie of Rome puttyng them in comfort that they should within shorte space be made all free if they wolde labour and worke earnestely about suche necessaryes as they shoulde haue nede of in the warre A greate noumber of the rest that were seruauntes and lusty yonge men he sent to be rowers in his shyppes and galeys in the places of suche as lacked And he also encreased his nauy of eyght shyppes wel furnished Beside al these prisoners he had also the pledges of noble men and cities to a greate noumbre whome he caused to be well kepte and gently entreated The rest of that daye Scipio gaue lycence to his wery men to rest theym selues For there were fewe but they had al the daye before ben sore trauayled with fyghtyng in one place or other The custody of the towne he gaue to Cn. Lelius and his company of see men and him selfe wente to his tentes ¶ Of the gentylnes of Scipio in restoryng a fayre yonge virgin vndefiled to Luceius vnto whom she was fyaunced Cap. xlvi ON the morowe he assembled all his hoste togyther and fyrst he gaue humble thankes praise to the goddis that had gyuen into his handes in one day so great so noble and so riche a citie the lyke wherof was not to be found in Spain Into which his ennemies had gathered togither the treasure bothe of Affrica and also of Spayne in such abundance that there was but lyttell or nothyng left for thē the Romayns hauyng great plenty of all thinges Nexte he muche praysed the noble courage and valyantnes of his men of warre whom nother the sodayne excursation of theyr ennemies out of the towne nother the hygh walles or waters of the same coulde make afrayde or let them of theyr enterpryse nother yet theyr castels and strong towres coulde resist theyr powers Aboue other he praised muche twayn that first scaled the walles and entred the towne to eche of them he gaue a crowne of good value his other souldiours he rewarded euery man after his vertue and merites but specially Cn. Lelius the gouernour of the nauye he praysed and muche loued to whome he gaue for a rewarde a crowne of golde and .xxx. oxen ¶ Than caused he the pledges to be brought before him willyng them to be of good comforte and that they shuld consider that they wer now in the power of the Romayns whose naturall propretie and desire is to bynde men throughe theyr benefytes shewinge to loue them rather than by compulsion to kepe men in feare of them And had leauer to ioyne strange nations in amitie with them by faithfull felowshyp then sorowfully to kepe them in myserable seruitude Than he toke the names of the cities that had their pledges there and to the ambassadours that by chaunce were with hym present of any of the sayde cities he incontinent delyuered the pledges vnto theim to the other cities he sent messangers wyllynge theim to send vnto him for theim and they shulde haue theyr pledges frely delyuered There were also taken many noble matrones and honest maydens whom he committed to sobre and honest men to be kept without any force or dishonour to be done vnto them among other captiues there was one virgin brought vnto hym of so excellent beautie that where so euer she went all men delyted to beholde her Scipio enquired of her of what cuntrey she was and of what kynred she was descended he perceyned by her that she was betrouthed or made sure to a yong prince of the Celtiberiās whose name was Luceius Wherevppon he incontinent sent for the said yonge man and also for her parentes At whose coming knowyng that the yonge man was soore enamoured of her he thus sayd vnto hym I being a yonge man haue sente for you that are also a yong man to come to me the cause is for that whan this yong maiden being fianced or ensured to you was brought to me by my soldiors I herd say that you entierly loued her And her beautie witnesseth that you haue good cause so to do If I might laufully enioy her pleasaunt loue and were not otherwyse occupied in my mynde about the affayres of the commune welthe I coulde perchaunce beare her my loue and desyre to enioy the same but nowe I wyll beare fauour to your loue that of ryght ought to haue her She hath bene here with me as well and honourably kept her virginite preserued as though she had dwelled styl with her owne parentes to thintent I might make of her a present to you most acceptable for the conseruation of mine honor And for this my gift I require of you but one only reward that is that you from hēsforth becom a louing frēd to the Romās And if ye esteme me to be a good or an honorable man as my father and vncle before me were reputed for to be thinke that there are in the noble citie of Rome many like vnto vs. And trust me neuer if any people can this daye be founde on the earth that you wyll be gladder to haue the loue and frend shyppe of or that ye wolde be more sory to haue the displeasure of The yong man after gret thankes gyuen hym praide the goddes to rewarde him for his goodnes where his power suffised not Then were the parentes of the mayden called forthe who had broughte with them a great summe of golde for the redemption of theyr chyld But when they perceiued that he had giuen her frely to her husband they desired him to take a parte therof as of theyr gyfte for the declaration of theyr good hertes towardes hym affirminge that his receyuinge therof shulde be as ioyfull vnto them as the restitution of theyr dowghter vndefiled ¶ Then Scipio beinge ouercome with theyr longe and vehement intercession caused the sayde summe to be layde on the grounde before his fete and callinge Luceius againe to hym he sayde Besyde the dowere that ye shal receyue of your father in lawe for the mariage of his doughter ye shall also take this gyfte of dower at my hande With whiche his great gift and also moch honour to hym done besyde he retourned home to his house and countrey declaring to euery man the honour and magnifycence of Scipio sayinge that there was a yonge man come most lyke vnto a god who bothe with his power in warre and also with his gentilnesse and liberalitie in peace had ouercome all the countrey This yonge gentilman leauing his house and familye in good ordre shortely after retourned to Scipio bringynge with hym a. M. CCCC good horsemen to the ayde and socour of the Romaynes ¶ Then Scipio sent C. Lelius to Rome to beare
they dyd woundynge many of theim who feelynge theim selues hurt with greatte rage runne away and coulde not be stayed by theim that rode on theim The Romaynes folowed theim styll and droue thiem vpon theyr owne company of Spanyardes and Carthaginenses makynge greatter slaughter amonge theim than they hadde before done to the Romaynes And whan they sawe the Carthaginenses by this meane brought out of array the Romaine footemen in order entred and brake the aray cleane puttynge theym to flyght whoÌ„ Marcellus caused his horsmen to folow And the chase ceassed not tyl they wer driuen into the yates of their campe with great losse bothe of men and of elephantes There were slayne that daye .viii. M. men and fyue elephantes Of the Romaines there were slayne thre thousande and very many sore hurt Whervpon Annibal the next nyght folowinge remoued vnto the Brutians and Marcellus abode there a season to cure his hurt souldiours ¶ Home Q. Fabius Maximus recouered from Anniball the citie of Tarent Cap. xlix IN this season Q. Fabius Max. the consul toke Manduria with force and from thens remoued to Tarent pytchyng his tentes hardeby the mouth of the hauen where he founde certayne shyppes whyche Liuius the late consull hadde left there for the defence of other shyppes that brought vytayle and other necessary prouision for the castell All these shyppes and also all other that came with vitayles and prouision thyther he charged some with gunnes and stones and all kynde of weapons inuasiue somme he laded with scalyng ladders and other engyns to assaulte the towne soo that by the sea al thinges wer ready for the assaulte And then he by land also ordered his coÌ„pany for the same Now to help his purpose to be acheued ther chaunced a small thing in estimation yet it proued meruailous happy for the successe of his great enterprise Anniball had sent to Tarent a crue of men of warre of the countrey of the Brutians The capytayne of this company was meruailously enamored on a yong womaÌ„ in the citie whose brother was then souldiour in the host of Fabius to whom his sister sent worde by letters of the familiaritie and new acquaintaunce of her earnest louer and of his greate ryches and honour Whervpon this man imaginynge and trustyng also that the loue of his syster myght leade her louer to do what so euer she wolde diuise conceyued an hope to do good therby touchynge the wynnynge of the towne Whervpon he secretely opened his mynde to his capitayne Fabius desyrynge hym that he woulde lyâ—ence hym to departe frome the armye and to goo in to the citie whiche he woulde vndertake to dooe by dissemblynge hym selfe to be stolen away from his company for the loue of his sister desyrouse to be a cytezen there The Consull thynkyng to proue the effecte of his opynyon suffered hym to departe Thus came he to his syster and by her meanes felle in greate familiarite with her louer the capytayne of the Brutianes And after longe acquayntaunce he beganne couertly to proue his mynde a lyttell and a lyttell After whan he founde some towardnesse in hym he sette his syster in hande with hym who with her fayre and flatterynge woordes soo compassed hym that to haue her loue he consented to the betraiynge of that parte of the Citie wher of he was rular and Capytayne ¶ Whan they were agreed on the tyme maner and circumstaunce of the purpose the souldyour secretly in the nyghte was lette furthe out of the towne and came to his capitayn declarynge vnto hym what he hadde doone and what waye he shoulde take to achieue his enterpryse At the tyme and houre appoynted whiche was the begynnynge of the nyght the Consull hadde prepared that on the sea syde in the hauen his shyppes and menne of warre thereto appoynted shoulde vyolentely assaulte the towne And on an other parte the Romaynes in the castell with all theyr force also shulde assayle the citizens and he with a good numbre with hym pryuyly drewe hym to the easte parte of the towne where he abode a longe season withoute makynge any noyse There was greatte noyse and bruite made purposely on the hauen syde and on the syde towardes the castelle where leaste daungier was Soo that Democrates the capytayne whyche was than nyghe vnto the crew of Brutians fearynge leste in his absence the Romaynes myghte chaunce on the other syde to wynne the towne whyche to feare he was moued by the greatte rumour and crye of the cytezens on that parte Whan he hearde all thynges quiete and at reste on that parte of the towne wherin he was he with his people hasted towarde the castell syde where he hearde the greattest noyse ¶ Than the consull heringe thenoyse ceassed of men of armes whiche before were very loude iudging that the kepers of that warde were gone from thens he commanded streight scalynge ladders to be sette to the walles on that syde where the Brutians kepte warde whyche was done without any resystence For the Brutians not onely made noo resystence but alsoo holpe theym vp Thus entred they the towne and streyghte wente to the nexte gate the whyche they brake and caused moche of theyr companye to entre with theyr baners dysplayed And by the breake of the day they came into the markette place The Tarentines parceyuinge theyr towne to be taken came with all theyr power frome the castell side and from the hauen to the succour therof but all to late For after the battayle was a lyttell begonne they felte them selues farre vnable to resist the Romaynes Wherfore anon they fled euery man to his house or to his friendes house There wer Nico and Democrates slayne in battayle Philomenes the chiefe autour of betraying the towne to Anniball toke his horse and fledde but whither he wente or what became of hym it was not after knowen Great slaughter was made both of the Carthaginenses and of the Tarentines Many prisoners were taken and a ryche spoyle The wall whiche Anniball made to deuyde the castell frome the towne was throwen downe ¶ Anniball when he fyrste hearde that Tarent was besieged he with all hast possible hyed thyther to the succour therof But when he came nere thervnto and hearde newes of the takynge of the citie and by what meanes he sayde I nowe do ryght well fynde that the Romaynes haue also an other Anniball amonge theim For euen by suche crafte as we wanne Tarent by suche haue we lost it Then for that it shulde not appeere that he were reculed for feare he pitched his campe fyue miles from the citie where he taryed certayne dayes and from thense went to Metapontus where he caused letters to be written by two of the chiefe rulers of the citie to Fabius The contentes therof was that if it woulde please the Romaynes and hym to receyue theim into theyr grace and to remitte all theyr olde iniuries and wronges to them doone they woulde delyuer into his handes bothe the towne and
also the garnison of the Carthaginenses which wer within the same Fabius nothynge mistrustinge sent to them agayne appoyntynge a tyme when he wolde come to Metapontus to speake with them whiche letters were streyght brough to Anniball Who beinge very ioyouse to trayne and deceyue the old wise Fabius At the tyme appoynted layde a great embusshemente vpon the waye where Fabius shulde passe to Metapontus ¶ The same tyme when Fabius shulde departe he sought by diuinations and auguries howe he shulde spede in his voiage as by the kyllyng of a beaste and therwith to do sacrifyce and by the lucke of byrdes as the detestable vse was then and longe before had ben amonge the Romaynes Whiche auguries were so vnlucky and vntowarde that they shewed to hym some euyll aduenture if he wente forwarde in his appoynted iourney Wherfore the deuynours or wyse men aduysed hym to tary styll in his tentes for feare of treason ¶ The Metapontans seing that Fabius came not at the day assigned sent agayne to hym requyring hym to come to their capitaynes Whiche messangers were incontinente taken and examyned vpon the case And they fearynge the tourmentes that wer prepared for theim confessed all the deceyte and treson wherby Fabius escaped his death and the destruction of many of his armye ¶ Scipio fyghteth with Hasdruball besyde Betula dryueth hym from his hyll sleith .viii. M. of his host taketh .xii. M. prysoners with Massus neuew to Massanissa and a great praye in the campe Cap. l. IN the same summer tyme whyles all these thynges were done in Italy P. Scipio beinge in Spayne had so gotten the loue of the spanyardes that Edisco Indibilis and Mandonius thre great princes of Spayne were come into his amitie and alliaunce Indibilis desired that their commynge myght not be dishonorable vnto them and that no man shulde reproche theim after that they were stolen awaye from theyr olde friendes of Carthage and lyke lyght people were runne to the Romaynes For he sayde they had doone worthely at all tymes for them whiche theyr kyndenesse was euer recompensed with pryde auaryce and many iniuries so that onely theyr bodyes abode in the amitie of Carthage but theyr hertes hadde longe beene towardes the Romaynes whom they knewe euer to be kepers of theyr truse taken and mainteinours of right and equitie Wherfore he desyred Scipio to receyue theyr friendely commynge vnto hym accordynge to theyr meanynge and intente â–ª and as he founde them dylygent in theyr seruyce doynge vnto him so to esteme them Scipio hertely thanked them grauntynge theyr requestes in all thynges Wheruppon theyr wyues and chyldren were restored vnto theim whiche before were captyues with Scipio and a stedfaste aliaunce of amitie was knytte betwene theim And sone after theyr hole power of men of war came to these prynces and ioyned in campe with the Romaynes not departinge from them but guided them euer tyl they brought them nere the campe of theyr ennemies ¶ By this meane was the armye greatly increaced Yet besydes this by one other waye Scipio polytikely augmented his host For when he sawe no nauy of Carâ—hage was on the sea so that he neded not to haue any great noumbre of men in his shyppes He broughte his hoole nauye to Tarracon takynge all the souldiours whiche were in theim and alsoo the more parte of his maryners with hym in the warres by lande With this great hooste he wente forwardes and made suche spede that secretly he came nere vnto the towne of Betula where Hasdruball laye with his armye At theyr fyrste commynge thyther certeyne smalle skyrmysshes were made betwene theim But Hasdruball seynge the Romaynes power dayly increased and his to be made lesse thoughte he woulde ieoparde to fyghte without lenger prolongynge of tyme. But he determyned to seeke a place of strengthe where he myght fyghte to his aduauntage and to the more hurte of his ennemyes Wherfore in the nyghte he remoued his armye to an hyghe hyll nere adioynynge In the toppe wherof there was a fayre large playne on the backe syde of this hyll there ranne a ryuer whiche compassed a good parte of the hyll Furthermore aboute the myddes of this hyll was there another playne fyelde moche lower than the other playne vnto the which nether playne the ascendyng was hard and peinfull Into this lower fyelde Asdâ—uball the day folowyng sent a great numbre of Numidian horsemen and other light harnessed fotemen of Affrica and of the iles called Baleares nowe named Maiorque and Minorque ¶ Scipio rydynge aboute his hoste shewed theim theyr ennemyes Theyr hertes saythe he wyll not serue theym to fyghte with vs on euen grounde Wherfore they seeke out hyghe mountaynes trustynge more to the strengthe of the place then to theyr owne strengthe or armour Newe Carthage hadde hye walles whiche neuerthelesse was scaled by my Romayne souldyours Neyther coulde the hyghehylles nor the castell thereof nor yet the sea withstande theyr power I knowe saythe he that these hye places whiche our ennemyes haue chosen they thynke shall serue theym to flye from vs by leapynge and runnyng downe the stiepenesse therof But that wayes I wyll also stoppe frome theim Wherevpon incontinente Scipio sente two companies of his menne of warre commaundynge the one to kepe the mouthe of the valley by whiche the ryuer ranne and that the other shulde abyde secretely on the waye that laye by the bowinge of the mountayne betwene the towne of Betula and the fyeldes And he hym selfe with a good noumbre of nymble harnessed men wente streyghte towardes these Numidians and Affricanes whiche were on the lower playne of the hyll whoo suffered theim to come almooste vppe withoute let saue onely of the styepenesse of the hylle vntyll they came within the castynge of dartes Thenne was the fyghte soore on bothe partes but specially great plenty of stoones and other inginnes was throwen from the hyll on the Romaines Neuerthelesse althoughe the hylle was verye tediouse and harde to be wonne and they also almooste ouerwhelmed with stones yet they beinge nymble and well harted men and moche vsed to the approchynge and scalynge of walles ceassed not to goo styll vppewarde tyll the formooste of theym hadde gotten the playne and euen grounde They anone putte the Numidyans to flyghte and with greatte slaughter droue theym vppe to theyr armye that abode in the hygheste parte of the hyll Thenne Scipio commaunded the same his companye to go streyghte vppe after towarde the myddle of theyr ennemyes The rest of his hoste he deuyded in two partes wherof he caused Lelius to take the one halfe and with them to go aboute on the ryght hande of the hyll to espy where he myghte fynde a more easye place for them to ascende He with the other parte kept on the lefte hande And ere euer he had fette any farre compasse clambe vp the sayde mountayne and ran on his ennemyes whose backes then wer toward him wherwith the host of the Carthaginenses was sore troubled and great
clamour was made inforcynge them to tourne them to resyst Scipio and his company and to chaunge theyr ordre whiche they were in before In all this troublous bruite came Lelius on theym on the other side whose coming caused the foreward to gyue backe for feare to be inuaded behynde by meane wherof the myddell warde of Scipio gotte them the hylle whyche before was not possible for theim to haue wonne the army elephantes kepyng their aray the place was so stiepe to ascend Then began the Carthaginenses to flee for their sauegard there was great slaughter made among them that abode by Scipio and his company and of those that fledde many were receyued by the .ii. companies which were before layde in embusshement for the same purpose so that there were slayne to the numbre of .viii. M. men Asdruball seing the beginning of the battaile nothing prosperous after his intent sent his money and many of his elephantes away before him â–ª and he folowed after with as many as coulde saue them selues with flieng and passyng the ryuer of Tagus went streight toward the mountains of Pyreneis ¶ Scipio comynge to the campe of the Carthaginenses gaue all the pray therof to his souldiours except the prisoners which wer in numbre .x. thousand fotemen and .ii. M. horsemen of whiche numbre soo many as were Spanyardes he let go at lybertie freely without raunsome paying the rest he caused to be sold by the Questor Than gaue he large gyftes to the princis of Spayn specially to Indibilis he gaue .iii. C. horses the beste he coulde chuse of all that were taken Through whiche his liberall distribution the communes of Spayne called hym kyng whyche name Scipio declared to them that it was very odious and detestable to the Romans Wherfore he desyred them to absteyne from callyng hym by that name For with the name of gouernour or capitayne he was well contented ¶ Whan the Questor was about to sell the prysoners by the capitaynes commaundement among other he found a goodly yonge chylde of .xv. yeres olde whome he sente to Scipio for that he herd of him that he was descended of lignage roial Of whom Scipio enquired what he was of what countrey and how he being of no greatter age happened to be in the campe amonge men of warre He aunswered that he was of Numidia and was named Massus His father he sayd was deade Wherfore his mother sent him to her father Sala kinge of Numidia and frome that time he had ben brought vp with his vncle Massanissa And when his vncle came ouer into Spaine to the socour of the Carthaginenses he came also with him But euer when he went to any batteil his vncle wolde not suffer hym to go with him So that before this time he sayde he neuer came in the fyelde And nowe it was also vnware to his sayde vncle But when euery man made hym redye he pryuely also toke an horse and harneies and entered the battayle with them But his chaunce was so euyll that he had nowe a faule from his horse wherby he was taken of the Romaynes Scipio demaunded of hym whether he were not desyrous to retourne to Massanissa To whom he aunswered wepynge for ioye that he wolde be verye glad if his chaunce were so good Then Scipio gaue him a ringe of golde a cote a senatours garmente a spanysshe cloke a goodly horse well harneysed and a buckle of golde and suffered hym to departe to his vncle at his pleasure appoyntynge him horsemenne to conducte hym on the waye so farre as he woulde haue theim ¶ After these thynges done he bestowed the reste of the summer in receyuynge many people and Cities of Spayne in to the amitie of the Romaynes and remayned at Tarracon ¶ Sone after the battayle foughte at Betula the other Asdruball the sonne of Gysgon and Mago with theyr armyes came frome the further parte of Spayne to the helpe of the other Asdruball but all to late For the battayle was paste before theyr comynge Wherfore they consulted what was beste be doone At the laste consyderynge that Scipio by gyftes and his lyberalytye hadde won the hertes of the hyther partes of Spayne and that onely the people of the furtheste parte of the coâ—ntreye towardes the Gades or pyllers of Hercules knewe as yet nothynge of hym nor of the Romaynes wherfore they were sure frendes to the Carthaginenses they determyned that of necessytie they muste remoue all theyr souldiours of Spayne eyther to the furtheste partes of Spayne or elles into Fraunce or elles in shorte space they woulde all turne to the frendship of the Romaynes ¶ They also agreed that Asdruball takynge with hym al the Spanyardes out of Spayne and farre from the name of Scipio shulde go ouer the mountaynes with them towardes Anniball into Italy where the heade and chiefe grounde of the warres was ¶ Furthermore that Mago leauinge his host with Asdruball the sonne of Gysgon shuld passe ouer the sea into the iles called Baleares nowe called Maiorque and Minorque with a great summe of money where he shulde also hire many mo souldiours for theyr helpe in this purpose After whose departyng Asdruball the sonne of Gysgon with all his host was appointed to depart into Portugall and that he shoulde in no wyse fyght with the Romayns Than had Massanissa .iii. M. of the best and lightest horses and men appoynted to be with hym with whiche numbre he was assigned to pervse and ryde abrode the countreys helping the cities frendes of the Carthaginenses and to spoile and distroy the townes and fieldes of their ennemies With these intentes and myndes euery one of the capitaines departed from other makyng greate spede to achieue their enterpryse ¶ Marcellus the Consull is slayn by an imbushement layde by Anniball Crispinus the other consull and Marcellus sonne be soore hurte Capi li. THe fame of Scipio dayly encreased at Rome Also Q. Fabius Maximus had gotten greate honour by wynnynge the towne of Tarent But Marcellus by meane of ennemies was runne in great infamy For it was reported that Anniball rouyng abrode in the countrey he kept his host in the sommer season in the towne of Venusia Marcellus to purge hym of this sclaunderous name came to Rome againste the tyme of chusynge of offycers Thyther came alsoo Q. Fuluius Flaccus the consull There was the cause of Marcellus openly debated And C. Bibulus one of the Tribunes charged hym soore sayeng that the negligence of Marcellus and other suche lyke was the cause of Anniballes so longe abode in Italy This is sayd he the tenthe yere sens he came fyrst into this countrey He hath lyued almost as long in Italy as he hath done in Carthage At the chosyng of officers ye wylled M. Claudius Marcellus to continue a yere longar in his office and nowe if ye wyll knowe the fruite that he hath brought forth this yere by the meane therof ye shall vnderstande that he hath his hooste two tymes beaten and
folowed the Carthaginenses by the fame that they hearde of their waie by whiche they were gone Anniball no more willynge to fyght toke his waie euer in the nyght and ouer the mountaynes tyl he came to Metapontus where he toke of Hanno the soudiours whyche were there lefte and ioyned theim to his armye sendynge hym with a smalle numbre with hym into the countrey of the Brutians there to assemble moo men of warre to his succour ¶ Of the great battayle betwene Asdruball and the consulles in whyche Asdruball was slayne with syx and fyfty thousand men besyde many that were taken with a great spoyle Cap. liiii ASdruball leauing his further assiegyng of Placentia sent foure frenchemen and two Numidians to his brother Anniball with letters who passyng all Italy heryng that Anniball shoulde then be at Metapontus folowed him thither But er they were ware they lost their way and came to the fieldes of Tarent where they were taken and sent to Claudius Nero with their letters Who whan he had redde them and knewe by the contentes therof that Asdruball intended to mete his brother in Vmbria thynkyng then to be no tyme mete for the common welth to tary the determination of the senate he imagyned that he would enterpryse some strange thing wherby he shulde put both the citezens of Rome and also his ennemies in great feare But at lengthe whan it was achieued it shulde tourne the wholle citie from greate feare into meruailous gladnesse Wherfore he sent the sayde letters to Rome with other his owne letters of his intended enterpryse And incontinent sente messangers before hym to all the townes countreys by whych he with his army shoulde passe commaundyng theim to brynge furthe into the fieldes agaynst his commynge vitayles horses and other necessaries for his souldyours Than of his wholle armye he chose out .vi. thousande footemen and one M. horsmen sayinge and publyshyng that with them he intended to assault the next towne of the Lucans to take the Carthaginenses whiche were there left for the keping therof With this company in the nyght he departed makyng as great haste as he myghte in his iourney to come to the healpe of his felowe Liuius before he shulde haue to do with Asdruball leauynge Quintus Tatius in his campe to rule and gouerne the rest of his hoste At Rome the consulles letters made all men no lesse aferde than they were two yeres past whan the Carthaginenses hadde pytched theyr tentes before the walles of Rome They doubted whether they myght allowe or disallowe that bolde enterpryse of the consull whyche dyd appere to hange all vpon chaunce They knewe the campe was left very nere to Anniball with an army dispurueyed of a capitayne ye and the flowre and strengthe of the same armye was taken awaye with the Capytayne leauynge his campe sure in nothynge but onely by the ignoraunce of his ennemies who were not priuy as then of the consulles absence But what yf it happed to be knowen and that it chaunced Anniball with his wholle army to folowe Nero hauyng with him but .vi. thousand fotemen armed and one M. horsemen or that he wold assaile the reste which were left in the campe without strength or good gouernance The euil chances which they had before susteined in the warres with the late dethe of .ii. consuls in one yere increased their feare whyche all had happed to theim whan there was but one capytayne and one army of their ennemies in Italy Nowe they knewe .ii. myghty armies .ii. valyant capitaines ye almost .ii. Anniballes to be in the countrey For Asdruball the sonne also of Amilcar hadde many yeres in Spayne made warre agaynste the Romayns where he had hadde two noble victories sleynge two greate armies and also .ii. Scipions the noble capitayns of the same Furthermore that he myghte glory aboue Anniball bothe of his spedy passage ouer the mountaynes and also of drawyng with hym the frenchemen to battayle For euen where the one had almoste loste the greatter parte of his menne by hungre and colde whiche two be the greattest myseries of warre euen there had the other gathered together a gret puissance They rekened also that Claudius Nero shuld haue to do with a witty capitayn whom he knewe before had mocked illuded hym in Spayne lyke a child with deceiteful intretyng of conditions of peace wherby he escaped out of the straytes wherein he was indaungered Thus throughe feare whiche is thinterpretour of all thynges to the worste they estemed the power of theyr ennemyes to be great and their owne to be small ¶ In the meane tyme Nero the consull after he had so farre traueyled frome the daunger of his ennemies that he iudged he myght safely discouer his secrete enterprise he then called together his souldiours and spake vnto them sayinge There was neuer any enterpryse taken in hande by any capitayne whiche was in apparence more bolde and in effect more sure then this was For I wyll nowe brynge you sayde he to a certayne and sure victorye For we goo to a battayle for the whiche my felowe Liuius had before as many fotemenne and horsemen appoynted hym of the senate as he wolde desyre Ye suche a numbre as he wolde not haue desyred a greatter if he shulde haue ben appoynted to fyght with Anniball hym selfe and nowe by the fame of the comynge of the other consull with his armye beinge ioyned to the other we shall not fayle to haue an vndoubted victory For fame is the thynge that gyueth victory in battayle Yea small thinges oft tymes driue the hertes and myndes of men eyther in to feare or in to a good hope And the hole glorye and honour of all the good spede shall be gyuen to vs. For euer that whiche cometh last draweth all the honour to it ¶ With this comforte he led them forward on theyr way passynge by a great multitude of men and women of the countrey that came forth to mete them with great fauour and prayse giuynge namynge them the patrons and defendours of the cōmon welthe and of the hole empyre of Rome in whose handes then laye the helthe welth and lybertie bothe of them and of theyr children Wherfore they prayed vnto the goddes for theyr prosperous returne with victory and tryumphe And in declarynge theyr loue towardes theyr souldiours they offered them cattell vitayles and other necessarye thynges whiche they hertely desyred them to take at theyr pleasure And they on the other syde thankefully receiuing that they neded went on theyr waye eatynge whan they were hungry and but seldome toke any reste tyl they came nere to the campe of the other consull M. Liuius Then sent Claudius messangers to his felowe aduertysynge hym of his comynge to knowe his mynd whether it were best for hym and his company to come to hym pryuely or openly in the nyght tyme or in the day and whether he shoulde entre in to his campe or make an other campe for hym selfe and
whom his moste truste was The Liguriens men of a countrey of Italy were sette in the middell behynde the elephantes There was a greatte hylse betwene the Frenchemen and Claudius Nero so that he by no meanes with his host might come to fight with theim Wherfore they stode styll a good space without doing of any thing But betweene Asdruball and Liuius fyers and mortall was the fyght There were the greate numbre of Romayne fotemen agaynst the multitude of Spaniardes his expert warryours and also agaynst the Liguriens which wer very stronge and valiant men The elephantes also dyd at the fyrste moche displeasure Claudius seinge that he coulde not haue to doo with the Frenchemen tourned aboute his company and fetchyng a compasse came on the other syde of Asdruballes armye Than were the Spanyardes and the Liguriens slayne on all parties and the fyght was alredy come to the frenchmen who were able to make smal resistence for many of their company were shronken away and feble for labour and ouerwatchynge as they be a people that can not well away with peyne Many of theim were there slayne Many also of the elephantes were slayne by the Romaynes but moo by theyr owne rulars that rode vppon theim For after they were ones stryken and aferde the beastes were so vnruly and dyd soo moche hurte to theyr owne Carthaginenses hoste that theyr owne kepers and ryders slewe theim ¶ Asdruball lyke a full noble capitayne handled hym selfe in that battayle sometyme fyghtâ—ng valiantly in his owne persone sometyme exhortyng his men manfully to fight sometyme he desyred his werye souldiours to take some peyne for hym and for theyr owne lyues sometyme he rebuked theyr sluggyshnes And yf any began to flee he anon brought them backe to the battayle and restored agayne the fielde whyche in diuers places was slaked At the last whan he saw no helpe but that withoute remedy he muste lose the fielde not myndynge to lyue after so great a slaughter of his men and friendes whyche for his sake vndertooke that voyage he ranne his horse with the spurres into the myddell of the Romayne hoste where to declare the noble valour of his stomacke of whome he was descended lyke the sonne of Amilcar and brother to Anniball he valyantly fought and fyghtyng was slayne Greate was the slaughter of the Carthaginenses in that battayle so that it was thought equall to the Romaynes losse at Cannas as well for the numbre of menslayne as for the losse of the capitaynes There was of Asdrubals hoste in this battayle slayne syx and fyfty thousande men and there were .v. thousande and foure hundred taken prysoners The pray at the spoyle was great bothe of golde and syluer and also of the Romayne prisoners whiche before Asdruball bad taken Of whyche Romayne prysoners there were founde aboue .iiii. M. The Romayns lost in this battayle almoste .viii. M. men On the morowe woorde was broughte to Liuius that those frenchemen and Ligures whiche were left on liue at the battayle the daye before were nowe assembled togither agayne and went away without any capitayn or kepyng good order so that they myght soone be all slayne yf he wolde send but one wynge of horsemen to pursue theim Not so sayd Liuius we wyll suffre some of our ennemies to escape whyche shal remayne and be messangers both of the distruction of our ennemies and also of our noble honour and prowesse ¶ Claudius Nero the night after the battayle foughten departed with his company agayne toward his owne camp making so moche hast in his retourne that the syxt day folowing he was come to his owne campe and to the frontiers of his ennemy Annibal he made suche spede that no messenger was come thyther before him whiche hadde broughte any newes of the victorie Wherefore his personalle comynge with the sodein declaration of their good spede caused so greatte ioye and gladnes in the Romayne armie as thoughe an heauenlie comforte had ben sent theym after an extreme doloure At Rome also when newes were brought of their prosperus successe suche ioye was made as canne not well be expressed For after Claudius departynge towarde his selowe frome the sonne rysynge to the some settynge the senatours neuer departed frome the senate howse neyther wente the cytezens out of the market place The matrones of the citie were in contynuall prayers soo that with theyr clamour pylgremages and vowes theyr goddis were all weryed But whame the certayntie of the vyctorye the greatte occision of theyr ennemies with the deathe of the Capytayne was broughte theâ—â— by the legates of the consulles theyr suspended hoope was sodaynely tourned into a perfecte ioye whyche passed measure Thâ—n beganne the marchauntes to bye to sell to paye to receyue and to make all maner of contractes as they were wont to do intyme of peace ¶ Claudius the consâ—ll retournynge frome the battayle broughte with hym the heade of Asdruball whyche at his fyrste comynge he caused to be throwen before the entree of Anniballes campe He alsoo caused the Affricans whyche he hadde taken prysoners in the battaylle bounden as they were to be sette before his campe to the intente his ennemyes myghte see theim And for the more encrease of Anniballes sorowe he loosed two of his sayde Affricanes prysoners commaundynge theim to goo to Anniball and to declare vnto hym the ordre of all thynges as they hadde ben done in the battayl wherwith he was so stryken with sorowe bothe for the losse of soo greate noumbee of menne of his brothers armye as also for the losse of his friendes and famylyars that he sayde he knewe full well what shoulde be the fortune and fatall chaunce of Carthage within shorte space Whervppon he remoued into the fieldes of the Brutians And for that he hadde no power lefte hym of men to defende his fortresses that yet helde being so farre of he gathered to gyther all the Metapontanes and the Lucanes suche as were his frendes and brought them all into the countrey of the Brutians where he remayned for a season counsailing what were beste for hym to doo ¶ Scipio in dyuies battayles discomâ—iteth the Carthaginenses taketh Hanno on â—yue dryucth Hasdruball and Mage with all theyr power cleane out of Spayne Cap. liiii IN Spayne betwene the Romayns and the Carthaginenses thus was the countrey diuyded Asdruball the sonne of Gysgon was dryuen with his companye into the vttermoste parte of Spayne and to the yles called the Gades The rest of the countrey eastwardes was vnder the dominion of the Romaynes onelesse it were very fewe cities whyche were kepte by the Affricanes to whose succours Hanno a newe capitayne was sent from Affrica with a newe armye in steede of Asdruball that was slayne This Hanno had also hyred a great nomber of men of warre in Celtiberia With this great hoste he ioyned to Mago Agaynste whome Scipio sent M. Sillanus with .x. M. footemen and v C. horsemen And he passynge the hye hilles and manifold daungerous passages
and straites of Spayn made such spede that by the guyding of certayne runawayes of Celtiberia he came within ten myles of his ennemies before any knowledge was hadde or any fame was bruted of his comynge There he stode for a season tyll he had by the sayde runawayes or espyes knowledge that his ennemies were lodged in .ii. campes the Celtiberiens on the left hande of the hye waie and were to the noumbre of .ix. M. souldyours the Carthaginenses were on the ryghte hande Sillanus fyrste assayled the Celtiberiens who by the meanes of Mago were soone put in order The battaile endured soore for a season and somewhat the longer by meanes of resorte of the Carthaginenses whiche came frome the other campe to the healpe of the Celtiberiens At the laste Mago seinge his parte lyke to be putte to the worste with two thousande footemen and the wholle power of horsemenne that were lefte on lyue fledde vnto the Gades and came to Asdruball Hanno the other capytayne was taken on lyue with many other noble prysoners ¶ Soone after the battayle with Hanno Cornelius Scipio departed to Tarracon leauynge in that countrey L. Scipio his brother with tenne thousande fotemen and one thousand horsemen who after his brothers departing with this power assanted the townâ— of Qungin not without peyne For they scarsely were suffered to put theyr scalinge ladders to the walles so great was the violence of the dartes and other ingins whiche were throwen at them And so sone as any were raised vp thervnto and men theron striuinge to ascende anone they were eyther throwen downe men and all by the souldiours of the towne hauinge forkes made for that purpose orels they were in ieoperdy to be drawen vp ladders men and all by reason of iron hokes that were throwen vpon the ladders taking suche sure holde on them that the clymbers were often times pulled vp farre frome the grounde and hanged longe by the roundes of the ladders Thus continued the assault very long and was verye fyers and daungerous on bothe partes Then had Scipio deuided his host in thre partes to the intente one parte shulde euer assaulte the towne while the other rested Wherfore he commaunded those whiche were at the fyrst assaulte to withdrawe to their tentes and rest them and incontinent with other two partes of his freshe souldiours he gaue a newe assaulte on two partes of the towne so that the defondours beinge wery with the longe susteinyng the furst assault and also soore afraide as desperate leauinge the walles withdrewe them wherupon the towne was wonne and great occision made of people of all kyndes and ages ¶ Whan tidinges of this noble acte was brought to P. Scipio the capitiane he gretly praysed his brother doing to hym as moche honour as he myght And after sente hym to Rome to beare newes to the senate of theyr spede with hym also he sent Hanno the capitayn of the Carthaginenses diuers other noble prisoners that were before by them taken ¶ Asdruball the sonne of Gysgon and Mago the son of Amilcar desyrouse to redresse theyr harmes and to recouer theyr losses gathered together of theyr friendes in Spayne and of hyred souldiours an huge army to the numbre of .l. M. fotemen and .iiii. M. v. C. horsemen and came to the towne of Silpia where in the plaine fieldes they pitched theyr campes ¶ P. Scipio heringe of theyr great armye assembled all his men lykewise and to be more able to rencountre with his ennemies he sente Sillanus to Colchas the kynge and ruler ouer xxviii cities and townes of whom he had .iii. M. footemen and .v. C. horsemen He hâ—dde in his army when he came to Betula .xlv. M. of horsemen and fotemen Certaine daies after theyr metynge there were shyrmisshes and iustes betwene the horsemen and the lighte fotemen of bothe the armies At the last they bothe descended into the fieldes with al theyr powers in good order of battayle The middell wardes kept the Romaynes on the one syde and the Carthaginenses and the Affricanes on the other syde the wynges of both the parties were of spaniardes and hyred souldiours Thus stode they redye to do battayle tyll it was night without stroke strikinge and euen so they dyd certayne dayes folowynge So that euer it was bruted in bothe armies that the myddle wardes shulde be still of the Romaynes and Carthaginenses where the greatest strength was and where that most noble and experte men of warre were betwene whom also rested the cause and chiefe grounde of the warre Scipio beinge aduertised that his ennemies trusted and beleued that this order shulde be kept still in the battayle againste the daye wherin he thought to fight he chaunged all his order Fyrst in the euenyng before he commaunded all his horsemen before the dawnynge of the day to eate some meate and then to be armed and euery one of them to haue his horse also made redy for the battayle Whiche his commaundement they diligently accomplished Then Scipio so sone as the day appered caused al his horsemen with lyght armour to inuade the station or campe of the Carthaginenses and he with the rest of his hole hoste folowed in good arraye but otherwyse ordered then eyther his ennemies or his owne company loked for For he put his Romaynes in the wynges and in the middle he put all straungers and hyred souldiours Asdruball heringe the greate noyse of the Romayne horsemen with the sodayne rumour and feare of his owne menne ranne out of his tente And when he perceyued all the fieldes garnyshed with his ennemies he sent forthe anone his horsemen against the Romayn horsemen and sone after he hym selfe with all his fotemen came forth of his campe kepyng the same â—rdre that he had doue certayne dayes before without chaungynge any parte therof The battayle betwene the horsemen endured longe but whan the host of fotemen were within half a myle together Scipio caused his horsemen to withdrawe them selues whom he deuided then in two partes and caused to stande behynde the two wynges to be euer redy for theyr ayde and succour Nowe was his myddle warde most of Spaniardes whom he commaunded to marche forwardes not fast but a softe pace Then sente he a messanger to Sillanus and Martius who gouerned the lefte wynge chargyng them to make speede forwardes on theyr partes in lyke maner as they sawe hym do with the ryght winge whiche he ledde hym selfe so that the wynges might be fyghtyng a good space before the myddle wardes shulde mete In this ordre they wente forwardes spreadynge theyr wynges and makynge a great bosome in the myddell of theyr hoste For the spanyardes in the middel went a moch softer pace then the wynges wherby the winges were al redy come to strokes and fought a long space before that the Affricans and Carthaginenses in whom rested the great strength of theyr ennemies were come to any stroke strikinge Agayne to bende to any part of the winges to helpe theyr
also bicause Liuius army was come to Rome with him where Nero his host coulde in no wyse be brought thither Therfore shuld Liuius ride in a charyot and his souldiours in order followe hym Nero shuld ryde by hym on horsebacke without any of his souldiours to folowe hym Claudius was contented to gyue the honour to his felowe by whiche his gentilnes he wan moche the more honour praise For euery man said of him that he on horsebacke in .vi. dais had ridden the length of all Italy and had fought with Asdruball in the borders of Fraunce what time Anniball iudged hym to be in Apulia So that his onely name was able to kepe Anniball lurkyng in his campe and his onely comyng was the cause of the victory against Asdrubal Wherfore said they ride the one consull neuer so highe in his charyot yet the other consul that rode but on horsebacke was worthy of the very triumph ye although Nero dyd go but on his fote yet was he worthye of glory and fame perpetual With these prayses they folowed Nero into the capitoly or palaice in Rome Where they presented moche money of theyr gayne and that was put into the treasory On the morowe both the consuls and also the horsemen praysed moche L. Veturius and Q. Cecilius desiring that they might for the next yere folowing be chosen consuls Which at the next election was done and bothe they appoynted with .ii. consuls armies to kepe warre agaynst Anniball ¶ After all thynges were putte in good order they departed from the citie and wente into the countrey of the Lucanes and in shorte tyme they had brought all that countrey into subiection With Anniball there was lyttell doone For he offered not hym selfe to gyue battayle he was so discouraged with the losse of his brother his frendes and his souldiours On the other parte the consulles thought it not best to prouoke hym to battayle seâ—s they founde in hym noo sturrynge So moche they feared and estemed the valour of that noble capytayne to whome this prayse is gyuen That noo man coulde iudge in hym whether he were more to be commended in tyme of prosperitie or in tyme of aduersitie For who woulde not wonder to se that he maynteyned the warre so farre frome his countrey by the full space of thyrtene yeres in the lande of his ennemies hauynge his armye not of his owne citie or countreye but gathered togyther of many nations whyche lyued not vnder one maner of lawe neyther hadde one custome or language but moche different in apparayle armour customes ceremonies ye they hadde all seuerall goddis Yet dydde he so gouerne theim all and knytte theim to gyther all in suche amitie that no man coulde iudge or knowe of any dyssention betweene theym or insurrection agaynste theyr capytaynes althoughe dyuerse tymes he lacked to paye them theyr wages and also vitayles for their sustenaunce by the lacke whereof in other warres moche inconuenience hathe ensewed Agayne after the deathe of Asdruball and his armye in whome was all his trust whan all Italy was taken frome hym saue onely the countrey or corner of the Brutians Who woulde not wonder to see noo rebellyon amongest his owne menne Consyderynge that vyttayles hadde they not but only from that lyttell angle of the Brutians whyche yf it hadde beene wholly tylled and sowed hadde not beene able to susteyne soo greate an armye Neuer the lesse a greatte parte therof was vntylled parte for feare of the Romaynes and theyr friendes partely for that the mooste parte of the yonge menne of the countreye were taken to the warres whyche were before wonte to tylle and manâ—re the grounde for husbandrye These thinges I say conferred togither it wyll make al men to muse howe he coulde so quietly gouerne his greate hoost and to prayse greatly his wyse conduict therin ¶ Scipio and Asdruball arriue both in one daie in Affrica and be lodged bothe togyther in the palays of kynge Syphax Cap. lvi AFter the departynge of P. Scipio to Tarracon the Carthaginenses beinge dryuen out of Spayne Massanissa seinge the great falle of his frendes the Carthaginenses secretely had communication with Sillanus and was woÌ„ne to be a sure frende to the Romayns Whervppon to haue his frendes in Affrica the more obedyent and redy to hym in all his necessities he appoynted to sayle ouer in to his countrey there to make hym selfe as stronge as myght be for the ayde and succour of the Romaynes whan neede requyred And Sillanus soone after retourned to Scipio to Tarracon ¶ Than P. Scipio wylling to certifie the senate of his great victory and happie chaunces sente his brother L. Scipio to Rome as is before rehersed who ledde with hym many noble men prisoners whome he hadde before taken in the warres whervppon he was meruaylousely honoured and praysed of all men Yet he alone that hadde deserued all the sayde honour estemed all his feates done in Spayne to be nothyng in comparison of those thynges whyche he had conceyued in his mynde He looked for the conqueste of greate Carthage and Affrica as the ende of his warre and the consummation of his honour and glory Wherfore to worke in tyme all thinges that afterwardes shoulde serue for his pourpose he determyned to wynne vnto hym the hartes of princis whyche were borderars vnto that countrey And fyrste he mynded to attempt kynge Syphax ¶ This Syphax was kyng of a people in Affrica called Masesuli adioynyng to the Moores and lying on the other side of the sea Mediterrane ouer against new Carthage in Spain who at that tyme was a great friende to the Carthaginenses To hym he sent C. Lelius with a goodly present wherwith the kynge was verye gladde and well pleased And consyderynge in his mynde the good fortune whyche the Romaynes hadde in all partes and seynge the power of his olde friendes the Carthaginenses to be soo greately decayed that in Italy they hadde nowe lyttell to doo and in Spayne nothynge He agreed with Lelius to become a friende to the Romaynes But he sayde he woulde no further procede to the confirmation of the amitie betweene them tyll he myghte personally speake with Scipio the chief capitayn of the Romaynes Whervppon Lelius takynge assuraunce of hym for the safe goynge and commynge of his capitayne retourned to Scipio And declared vnto hym howe he had spedde as is before declared Scipio indgynge his frendshyppe to be a great helpe and furtheraunce to his purpose touchynge his desyrous affayres in Affrica bothe for his greatte strengthe and rychesse and also for that his countrey was adioynyng to Carthage directly ouer agaynste Spayne leauynge Lucius Martius at Tarracon and Sillanus at newe Carthage with a power sufficient for the defence of Spayne he with Lelius in two galeys or rowbarges of fyue oores a piece passed ouer into Affrica ¶ Nowe it happened that euen the same tyme Asdruball who of late had ben dryuen out of Spayne was newely arryued in the same hauen with seuen
one to the other of faythfull loue and amity they departed Scipio to Tarracon and Massanissa to the ile of Gades but bycause it myghte appere to Mago that he had done some feate in Spayne Scipio suffered him to spoile certayne goodes and groundes on the sea cost and to take the praye with hym ¶ Mago beinge desperate of any good spede to be hadde in Spayne was in mynde to sayle into Affrica when sodeynlye letters came to hym from Carthage commaundyng hym with his nauy of shyppes that he had at the Gades that he shulde sayle ouer into Italy Where hyringe as moche people as he myghte of frenchemen and Liguriens he shoulde with all spede ioyn him selfe with Annibal And for that purpose great summes of money were sent him from Carthage Besydes that he leuied and exacted as moch money as he coulde of the Gaditanes compellinge euery man to brynge in his money Besydes this he spoyled the temples With all this riches he arryued at the ile of Minorque where he gathered together .ii. M. yonge men whom in the beginnynge of sommer he toke with hym and fayled ouer into Italy with .xxx. great shippes of warre and many other shyppes loden with prouisyon He had in his hoste at that tyme .xii. M. fotemen and two M. horsemen With this numbre he sodeynlye arriued at Geene whiche towne he toke with small resystence beinge vnprouyded of men of warre From thense he sayled alonge the costes of Liguria nexte to the mountaynes called Alpes and hering that a people of that countreye called Ingawni helde warre with certayne mountanoys called Epanterii he landed there and makynge a leage or amitie with the Iagawnes he graunted them to inuade the mountanoys with certayne of his people The rest he sent to Carthage to defende the costes of the sea there For it was bruted abrode that Scipio was mynded to lande his nauy in Affrica ¶ He had no longe season taryed there but his armye stil encreased For the frenchemen dayly resorted vnto hym hering the fame and glory of his name Of his arriuaile in Liguria about Geene Sp. Lucretius sent letters to Rome to the senate aduertisynge them that where Asdruball was about .ii. yeres paste slayne with his armye in the frontiers of Italy to the great comfort of the citie that great ioye was but in vaine and passed lyke a shadowe onlesse they prouyded nowe spedye remedy For a newe armye was come with Mago from Carthage to begynne a newe warre lyke the other onelye the capytayne therof was chaunged These newes moued moch the senatours Wherfore they sente letters to M. Liuius then proconsull commaundynge hym to brynge his host from Hetruria to Arminius Cn. Seruilius the pretour hadde also commaundement to bringe thyther from Rome two newe legions Thus laye bothe the hostes of Romaynes and the army of the Carthaginenses with theyr friendes the oone not farre from the other a longe season without any thynge doinge worthy of memory ¶ Scipio sayleth into Italy cometh to Rome and is treate one of the consulies he despreth to haue licence to saile into Affrica with an army Cap. lviii SOne after the departyng of Mago from the ile of Gades the Gaditanes yelded them selues to the Romaynes P. Scipio committing the rule and gouernaunce of his army to L. Lentulus L. Manlius takyng with him .x. shippes with men sufficient went him selfe to Rome Against whose coming the counsaile satte without the citie in the house of Bellona There he soberly declared to the senatours what thinges he had done in Spayne Howe often he had foughte with banners displayed against his ennemies howe many cyties he had taken from them by strength what people he had brought into theyr obeysaunce he shewed also that he hadde fought with .iiii. sundry capitaines noble men and vanquished them and their armies whiche before were neuer vanquished So that nowe there was no Carthaginenses lefte in Spayne But for al his noble actes he was not admitted to entre the citie with triumph bicause he had neuer borne office in the citie After the counsayle arose he entred the citie where he presented and brought into the tresory great plenty of money and riches of his gaynes and prayes Soone after the tyme came of chosyng of consuls at whiche daye P. Cornelius Scipio was chosen consull and P. Licinius Crassus his fellowe for that yere Great was the resort that came to behold Scipio where so euer he went The commons had conceiued in their mindes an opinion of hym that he was the manne appoynted by the goddes to finishe the warres in Italy as he had before delyuered Spayne from the Carthaginenses Whiche warres in Italy ended they appoynted in theyr owne hertes and also they spake it openly that he shulde haue Affrica appoynted as his prouynce When the prouynces were allotted he was appoynted to Sicilia and L. Crassus to the Brutians against Anniball The fame amonge the commons ranne styll that Scipio shoulde haue Affrica to his prouynce And he euer desyrouse of great glory sayde that he was not onely chosen Consull to meynteyne the warre but to fynysshe and to make an ende therof Whiche in no wise myght be achieued oneles he myght passe with his army into Affrica Which his desyre in case the senatours woulde not graunte he wolde referre it to the voyce of the communes ¶ An oration made by Q. Fabius Maximus disswading Scipio from his desired iourney into Affrica and willyng him to mayntein the warres against Anniball in Italy Cap. lix OF this purpose of Scipio the senatours consulted togyther and amonge other they desyred Q. Fabius Maximus to declare his opinyon He aunswered making an oration in maner and fourme folowynge ¶ I am well assured fathers conscript that yf I dissent and agree not to this hasty passage into Affrica two thynges wyll be iudged and spoken of me One is a slownes or a slacke tractynge of my mattier whiche naturally is gyuen me and that yongemen calle fearefulnes or slouthe And it greueth me lyttell thoughe they haue suche opinion in me sens other mens councelles heretofore haue appered gloryous at the fyrste face but at lengthe my counsaile hath euer proued beste and moste for the common welthe The seconde thynge is that I shoulde for euyll wyl go aboute to hynder the glory of this valyaunt consull that daily groweth and encreaseth Frome whyche suspition yf neyther my fascion of lyuynge and maners nor the offyce of Dictatour whiche I haue borne nor the roume of a consull whiche I haue fyue times enioyed neyther the greate glorye that I haue wonne both in the tyme of peace and warre wyl delyuer and pourge me lette myne age at the least deliuer me therefro For what indifferent contention can be betwene me and hym that in yeres may not matche my sonne When I was dictatour the mayster of the horses laboured so to the senate that he was made equall with me in auctoritye and rule whyche thynge neuer was seene before
yet neuer manne herde me eyther priuyly or openly refuse theyr ordre therin For I hadde leauer to gette by my deedes than by my woordes that he whyche was by other mennes iudgement compared with me shoulde shortely after by his owne confessyon gyue me the preferrement Moche lesse nowe whan I haue so oft borne these honourable offices dooe I intende to stryue with this flourysshynge younge manne I letted Anniball of his vyctory to the intent he myghte nowe be vanquysshed of you that be lusty and stronge Reason woulde Pub. Cornelius that ye shoulde be contented sens I dy dde neuer sette more by myne owne fame honour or the fame of the people than I dyd by the common welth although I do not now preferre your honour and laudis before the common welth Neuer the lesse in case there were no warre in Italy or elles suche an ennemy by whose vanquyshing small honour were to be gotten than he that would kepe the in Italy although the commune welthe were therby somewhat anaunced myght seeme to go aboute to take thy glory from the. But sens Anniball is our ennemy who hath with his hooste these .xiiii. yeeres vexed Italy shouldest thou P. Cornelius thynke the to lose honour if by thy prowesse beynge consull thou canste expelle and driue hym out of this cuntrey who hath been the cause of so many of our mens slaughter and of our so great distruction Wherby as Luctatius bare away the honourable title of fynyshyng the firste warre with the Carthaginenses euen soo nowe thou mayste obteyne the prayse of fynyshing this warre Onelesse thou doest thynke that Amilcar than capitayn was to be preferred before Anniball or that warre before this or that victory to be more noble and gloryous than this shall be to the if it be thy chaunce being consull to ouercome Thinkest thou it more honour to deliuer Spayne frome our ennemies than to delyuer Italy Anniball is no suche man but that who so euer wyll chose to warre in an other place muste be reckened rather to feare hym than to dispyse hym Make the redy therfore and thynke not to fetche a compasse aboute the busshe to goo before in to Affrica to the intente Anniball shoulde folowe the but goo the nexte waye to woorke and where so euer Anniball be thyther dyrecte thy warre Nature gyueth that a manne should fyrst defend his owne countrey or he inuade or assaile an other lande Lette there firste be peace in Italy before there be warre in Affrica And lette feare be fyrste expelled from vs or it be driuen vpon other Yf thou canste by thy gouernaunce do bothe fyrste ouercome Anniball here and then after assayle Carthage Our treasorye is not able to finde .ii. greate armyes one here and an other in Affrica And if it were sufficient to fynde P. Licinius one host in Italy and P. Scipio an other also in Affrica what yf it shuld chance as god forbyd yet suche happes haue happed and maie dooe agayne that Anniball dyd ouercome Licinius and were comynge towardes Rome Myght we call the frome Affrica as we dydde call Quintus Fuluius frome Capua to our succours Ye and in Affrica also the fortune of warre is doubtfull and variable Lette thyne owne howse or famylie be to the a warnyng Were not thy father and thyn vncle slayne with theyr hoostes and all within thyrty dayes space Yet hadde they before amonge straunge nations both by sea and by lande gotten greatte renoume to the cytie of Rome and all theyr posterytie The daye woulde fayle me or I made an ende yf I shoulde reaken vp the names of kynges and capyteynes whyche rasshelye haue inuaded the landes of theyr ennemyes to the vtter vndooynge of theym and theyr armyes The Athenienses leauynge warre at home sente a noble yongeman capyteyne with an huge nauye into Sicilia where beynge ouerthrowen in oone battaile they hadde suche losse that their common welthe was cleane subuerted for euer This outwarde exaumple is to auncient Let the same Aâ—frica and the losse of our owne consulle M. Attilius there taken by the Carthaginenses and their frendes be to vs a document In comparyson of Affrica Publius Scipio the countreyes of Spayne be but a play or a game The estates of theym be nothynge lyke For at thy passynge into Spayne thou dyddeste sayle by the costes of Italye and Fraunce and dyddest arryue with thy nauye in the citie of oure friendes Where settynge thy men on lande thou by sure wayes were conueyed to Tarracon the friendes also of the Romaynes Frome Tarracon thou camest to the ryuer of Iberus where thou foundeste that noble capytayne L. Martius many fyers Romain souldiours left of the armies of thy father and thyne vncle And sone after newe Carthage was wonne bicause none of the .iii. hostes of the Carthagynenses came to the succour and defence of the citie and their fellowes These thynges I cannot so greatly praise but touchynge the warres in Affrica they shall be founde farre vnlyke For there shalte thou fynde no hauen open for our army and nauie no grounde peasyble no citye of oure fryendeshyppe no kynge our frende Also no place mete for vs eyther to abyde vppon or to goo forewardes on Wherefore wheresoeuer thou looke thou shalte see all full of thyne ennemyes Wylte thou beleeue Syphax and the Numidians Lette it suffyse the that thou dyddest ones beleue hym Folysshe hardynesse doothe neuer prospere Deceyte doothe soo order it selfe in smalle thynges that faythe may be geuen to it to the intent in great thynges he may deceiue with gret aduauntage Thy father and vncle were not oppressed by the armour of their ennemies til they were first deceiued by their owne felowes and fals friendes the Celtiberiens Ye thy selfe were neuer in so great ieopardy through Mago and Asdrubal capiteines of thyne ennemies as thou were in by Indibilis and Mandonius princis of Spaine whome thou diddest take to be thy very frendes Thyne owne Romain souldiors haue of late rebelled agaynst the and wilt thou nowe trust the Numydians Bothe Syphax and Massanissa touchyng the dominion or rule in Affrica wil preferre theim selues before the Carthaginenses yet wyl they gladlier suffer the CarthagineÌ„ses to beare rule there then any stranger Nowe is there contention debate betwene them bicause they be not fraied with any forein power but so sone as the Romain army shal appere before theim they wil straight ioyne them selfes together As in a towne where fier is in a house people wyll assemble together to the quenchyng thereof for feare of a common hurt or danger ye shal see the Carthaginenses defend theyr walles of their town and cuntrey their teÌ„ples their owne houses with their wiues and yong thildren of an other sort then they defeÌ„ded Spayne And what if the Carthaginenses makyng peace with the kynges that be theyr neyghbours trustynge to the strength of their townes perceyuing Italy to be made bare of men of warre by thy coming thither
with such a power wil sende a newe army from Affrica into Italy or wyll commande Mago who is already come to the costes of the Liguriens to ioyne with Anniball with all his power Then shall we be in the same case wherein we were when Asdruball passed the mounteynes and was descended into Italy The more stronger and valyant Capytaine that thou arte the moore oughte we and all Italy to reioyce and to keepe the styll amonge vs. Thou canst not deny thy self but that where Anniball is there is the head and strength of all this warre And thou sayst that thy goinge into Affrica shall be to drawe Anniball thyther soo that whether it be here or there with Annâ—bal thou must chefly haue to do And then I praye the aunswere me Shalt thou be more sure in Affrica beinge there alone or here in Italye hauinge the other consull thy felowe and his host ioyned with the And if thou wilte seke the experience therof let Claudius and Liuius the late consulles be to the an exaumple and a lernynge Agayne whether shall Anniball be stronger in the lyttle angle of the Brutiens wherunto he is dryuen with his hole hoste or when he shall come to Carthago hauynge al his friendes of Affrica about hym What a deuise is this to chose rather to fyghte and to trye with thyne ennemie where thy power shall be smaller by the halfe and thine ennemies power doubled then to fyght in a place where thou shalte haue two armies against his one ye and that one worne and weried with longe and greuous warre Consydre thy selfe howe moche this thy counsayle varieth frome the mynde of thy father he beinge fully appoynted to Spayne as his prouynce fearynge the comynge of Anniball into Italy to the intent to mete hym at his descendinge from the mountaynes lefte his owne prouynce and came into Italy But nowe thou when Annibal is al redy in Italy intendest to leaue Italy Not for that it is for the common welthe so to do but therby to purchase the a noble and glorious name But O ye noble fathers conscripte I do thinke that P. Corn. Scipio was not made consull for his owne priuate welthe or pleasure but for the common welthe and the safegarde of all vs. Neyther were the armies of men of warre appoynted to hym to thintent be lyke a prynce mighte sayle with them into what part of the world he wyll But they were assigned to him and to all other his predecessours for the safegarde and defence of this citie and of Italy ¶ With this oration of Fabius beinge a man of great authoritie wisedome experience and fame the more part of the auncient senatours were perswaded and mo men allowed the sobre counsayle of the olde man then the fyerse mynde of Scipio the yongemanne Wherfore Scipio made vnto hym this aunswere ¶ The aunswere of P. Cornelius Scipio to the oration of Q. Fabius Maximus And of his saylynge into Sicilia with his armye Cap. lx QVintus Fabius in the beginning of his oratioÌ„ fathers conscript said that in the declaration of his opinyon he mighte be suspected to speke of euill wylle and enuy but it is not I that do accuse so great so noble a man therof Although I doo not perceyue the same suspition as yet to be by him sufficieÌ„tly auoyded whether the defaulte therof be in the deformitie of his oration or for lacke of good matter I knowe not But this I well perceiue that to auoyde the crime or suspition of enuy he hath so extolled his owne honour with the fame of his noble actes as though it shuld not becom him or stand with his honor to contende with me being my selfe but a childe vnder the age of his sonne Considerynge the great offices that he hath borne in the citie wherby as it semeth his meanynge is that the desyre of glory shulde be measured onely by the length of the lyfe of man and not extende to be had in perpetuall memory with our posteritie But this I knowe well that euery noble herte hathe a couetous desyre to be equiualent in famouse vertue not only with the age present but also with the people of al ages both past and yet to come And onles I wold dissemble truly Q. Fabius my wyll is not only to be equall vnto the in renowme but also to passe the in prayses yf I may atteyne thervnto Lette neyther of vs bothe thynke that none that shall come after vs shall be lyke vnto vs. For that were a desyre of greate hurt and hynderaunce bothe of our posteritie and also of the common welth and generally of all mankynde Furthermore Fabius hath remembred the ieoperdies and peryls that I shulde entre into by my goynge into Affrica as though he were carefull bothe for me and myne army I meruaile greatly from whens this louing care and thought for me is so sodeinly spronge For whan my father and myn vncle wer bothe slayne and bothe theyr armies almoste distroied slayne and cleane loste the Affricanes ouerrounnynge the countrey with .iiii. seuerall hoostes and capytaines than woulde no man offre hym selfe to be a capitayne of the Romaines in Spayne but onely I. Atwhychetyme whan the people of the citie made me gouernor being thaÌ„ but .xxiiii. yeres old there was no man founde whiche would remembre my tendre age neyther the power of our ennemies the daungerousnes of battayle nor yet the late death and destruction of my frendes in Spayne Is there nowe in Affrica any greatter armies or better capitaines than were than in Spayne Was mine age at that tyme more mete for the warre thanne it is nowe or is it greater matter to fight with our enemies of Affrica in Spayn than it is in Affrica As it is nowe easy to auaunce my selfe of iiii armies of Carthage by me distroied after so many cities taken by force after so many princes and wylde nations subdued and all Spaine won vnto the occean sea so that none apparence is lefte there of any warre Likewise after my victorious returne from Affrica it shalbe as easie to set forthe the ouercominge of all thinges whiche nowe be laide very terryble and dangerdus only to the intent to kepe me stil at home Fabius demeth that I shal haue no hauens or portes open for me to enter He also remembreth the taking of M. Attilius Regulus in Affrica as though M. Attilius had his fall at his firste arriuall into that countreye Where of trueth he hadde hauens open and entre at his pleasure ye by the space of an hole yere he did many noble actes there Whome the Carthaginenses were neuer able of their owne power to subdue till the seconde yere after his coming and many of his host slaine They sent for Xantippus capitayne of the Lacedemonians with his power by whome he was at lengthe ouercome and taken in battayle This exaumple can nothing feare me For why shoulde I more feare to sayle into Affrica bycause of the taking of
fauour of the Capytayne euery one of theym also beganne to make his excuse and desyred to haue Scipio to appoynte other in theyre roumes Whyche he gladdelye dydde and by this meane he horsed harneysed and instructed the three hundred wyllynge Romaynes that were vnarmed with the horses and harneys of the knyghtes of Sicilia withoute anye charge of the stocke of the cytie of Rome Whyche proued after valiaunte menne of armes and dydde manye noble actes for the aduauncemente of the common welth Than Scipio serched out suche souldiours as warred vnder Marcellus the consull at the wynnyng of Syracusa whom he chose chiefly for that he iudged theim to be expert in assaultyng and scalyng of townes and castelles For euen than he imagined the wynnyng of great Carthage Sone after he sette menne a worke to make shyppes with speede and to amende and to repayre his olde shyppes Which done he sent C. Lelius with a good numbre of men into Affrica to spoyle robbe and wast the sea costes where he landed in the nyghte And in the dawnynge of the daye settynge his men in good order he spoyled the fieldes distroyed and slewe manye of the Affricans whiche loked lyttell for any suche sodeyn inuasion they had so longe continued in pleasure and ease The fame of the destruction came anone to Carthage the messangers noysed abrode that Scipio was arriued For they hadde herde before that he was alredy come into Sicilia and they were so sodeinly taken that for feare they coulde tell the certayntie of nothynge neyther of the numbre of the Romaynes nor of theyr shyppes But feare caused theim to make moche more therof then it was in dede The citezens of Carthage were then in a meruaylous feare and pensifenesse beholdynge the sodeyne chaunge of fortune that of late had so aduaunced them that theyr army lay before the gates of Rome and their capytaines had almost subdued al Italy Nowe contrary wise they loked for none other but the spoyling of theyr countrey and the besieginge of Carthage by the Romaynes When they considered their helpe they founde theyr citezens and menne of theyr owne countrey about them weake and nothyng mete for the warre All theyr strength was in hyred souldiours frō other partes of Affrica and they were wauerynge people vntrewe and vnstedfast They also rekened Syphax to be turned from them by the secrete cōmunication that Scipio had with hym and Massanissa was apparently become theyr ennemye Of Mago they had no tidinges of his remouing from Gene and goinge into Italy to ioyne his hoste with Annibals hoste and the fame and also the strengthe of Anniball was waxed faynte ¶ When they had all hole consydered theyr wofull state and condition then began the senatours to counsayle and prouide for helpe in theyr present necessitie They mustered theyr men both in the citie without They hyred many souldiours Affricans They vytayled theyr citie they amended theyr shippes they prouided harnesse and all other thynges nedefull ¶ When they were thus busy true tidinges came that it was not the capitayne Scipio that was arryued it was Lelius that with certayne shyppes and menne was come to robbe and spoyle the countrey onely And that the great rest of the army was yet in Sicilia With these newes they were somewhat comforted and then they deuysed to sende embassadours to Syphax and to other princes aboute theim for a sure aliance and frendshyp They sent also to Phillip kyng of Macedonia promysynge hym great summes of money to inuade eyther Italy or Sicilia with a great host Into Italy also were messangers sent to cause the capitayns Annibal Mago to stay Scipio in Italy To Mago was sente .xxv. longe shyppes .vi. M. fotemen .viii. C. horsemen and .vii. elephantes with greate plenty of money to hyre mo men in those parties willyng him with all his strengthe to remoue towardes the citie of Rome and ioyne his host with Annibals This preparation made the Carthaginenses ¶ When the shippes of Carthage were arriued at Gene they founde there Mago with his army and nauy of shyppes who knowyng the mynde of the Carthaginenses called before him a great numbre of frenchemen and Liguriens vnto whome he shewed that he was sent into those parties to purchase theim lybertie and delyuer them from bondage wherin they hadde longe ben holden He declared also to them how M. Liuius and Sp. Lucretius laye with theyr two Romayne armies not farre from them The one in Hetruria the other in Fraunce Whose powers to resyst he neded to haue a great assemble of people Then the frenchemen aunswered that theyr hertes myndes were holly to serue hym therin But they sayd there was an host of Romaynes all redy in theyr countrey whiche if they dyd perceyue that Mago were ayded by theym they wolde incontinent wast and destroy theyr countrey Wherfore they desyred that the Liguriens might helpe hym who were nothynge so nere daunger and they wolde priuely helpe hym with vittayles and all thynges necessarye to the beste of theyr power Wherunto the Liguriens agreed and desyred two monthes space to assemble and take musters of theyr beste soudiours ¶ Marcus Liuius herynge that Mago gathered to gether so great a numbre of people he remoued with his hoste in to Fraunce and ioyned hym selfe to Sp. Lucretius lyinge euer in awayte to mete with Mago so sone as he remouynge from the Liguriens wolde offer to entre into Italye and take his iourney towardes Rome But in case Mago wolde rest in the angle of the mounteynes without further procedynge then they lyke wyse wold abyde about Arminius euer redy for the defence of Italy ¶ The complaynt of the Lortenses to the senatours of the cruell gouernaunce of D. Pleminius Cap. lxi MAssanissa hearynge of the arriuaile of a Romayne army in Affrica with a small numbre of horsemen cam to Lelius to whom he complayned moche of the slowenes of Scipio that he hadde not all that tyme ben in Affrica with his great power consyderinge the lowe ebbe that the Carthaginenses were broughte vnto and also seynge that Syphax was now busyed with warre with the prynces adioynynge vnto hym Whom he sayde he knew suerly after that he had brought his owne purpose to good effecte and had leiser to settle all his owne busynes that then he wolde obserue no promise or bonde that he had before made to the Romains So lyttle good faythe he knewe to be in hym Wherfore he desyred Lelius to moue and styrre Scipio to make hast thyther and he wolde not fayle although he were dryuen out of his owne realme to mete with hym soone after his landinge with a good numbre bothe of horsemen and of fotemen ¶ On the morowe after Lelius departed with his shippes loded with theyr pray landed in Sicilia where he found Scipio to whom he declared the mynde and message of Massanissa Wherupon he had shortly set forwardes into Affrica had he not hearde comforte of the wynnynge of Locres
hym for the defence of Sicilia certaine at his pleasure ¶ King Syphax marieth the daughter of Asdruball he sendeth letters to Scipio willing him to abstein from any warre in Affrica with the aunswere and dyssimulation of Scipio vnto the same Scipio arryueth in Affrica with his hoost to whom cometh Massanissa Ca. lxii VVhyles the Romaynes made this great ordynance for the warre the Carthaginenses fearing greatly the coming of Scipio prepared as moche as they coulde for theyr defence and strengthe Wherfore to plucke Syphax from the amitie of the Romaynes Asdrubal the sonne of Gisgon made hast to fynishe a maryage betwene Syphax and his daughter that was a very fayre mayden The kynge being inflamed with loue made hast also to be maried Then Asdrubal besides his particular aliance made a newe general bonde of amitie betwene hym and the Carthaginenses with greate solempnitie and othes takynge promisynge faythfully that the friendes and ennemies of the one shulde also be the friendes or ennemies to the other Neuer the lesse Asdruball remembringe the promyse of amytie that the kynge had ones made with Scipio when he was lodged with him in his palais knowynge the mutabilitie and vnstedfastnes of those barbarous nations and fearynge leste if that Scipio were ones arryued in Affrica that the bande of mariage wolde be but lyttel worthe Therfore whyles the loue was feruent betwene the kyng and his daughter he by his greate desyre and his daughter also with her fayre entreatynge caused the kynge to sende his embassadours to Scipio into Sicilia with letters gyuynge hym warnynge that he shulde not vpon the truste of any promise to hym before made by the kynge sayle ouer into Affrica aduertisynge hym that he had maryed the daughter of one Asdruball of Carthage whom Scipio mette in his palaice when he arriued in Affrica Furthermore he sayde he was in a greate leage and amitie with the people of Carthage Wherfore he desyred hym and the Romaynes if they wolde warre with the Carthaginenses that they do it farre from Carthage as they haue done heretofore that he shulde not nede to be present at theyr battailes For in case Scipio wold not forbeare Affrica but lay siege to Carthage he coulde no lesse do but fighte for the defence of his countrey of Affrica in which he was gotten borne and brought vp and for the defence of the countrey of his wyfe for her father and family ¶ With these letters came the messangers to the citie of Syracusa to Scipio who parceiued by the contentes of the same that he shuld haue great lacke of the kynges helpe in his busines of Affrica yet he set forth a countenaunce kepynge secrete the cause of theyr coming tyll he had sent them home agayne to the kynge with letters wherin he moued him neuer to breake the promise that he ones made him nor swarue from the faith and amitie made with the Romains wherof the goddes were witnesses When the messangers wer departed with his letters Scipio fearing lest his soudiours wold muse moch and deuise also of the cause of the comynge of the sayd messangers to hyde the sayd cause from them and to put them in courage he dissembled the matter and callinge his men to gether sayde to them ¶ Sirs nowe is the ful tyme for vs to depart hense into Affrica without further tarieng For the kinges our friendes haue sent vnto vs instantly desiring vs to make spede Fyrst Massanissa came to Lelius complaining greatly of our tractynge of tyme. And nowe Syphax hath also sent vnto vs marueylynge why we tary so longe Desiringe that we wyll eyther shortlye come ouer to him or els in case we be otherwise minded to certifie hym by writing that therupon he maye prouyde for hymselfe and his countrey Wherfore sens althinges is now redy and the matter requireth hast I intende to leade mine army nauy to the partes of Lilibeus as soone as the wether serueth to depart with the fauour of the gods towardes Affrica ¶ After these wordes to them spoken he ordered al thynges for his departynge and soone after came to the sayde porte with all his host All his shyppes also met him there The nomber whereof was so greatte that the hauen suffysed not to conteine theym nor the citie coulde not receyue the men Of the certainte of the nombre wrytars do not agre Wherefore I wyll let it passe But it semeth the nomber of the men was greatte that achyeued so greatte an enterpryse and for whom so gret prouisiō was made For there were .iiii. C. shippes charged with men vitailes ordinances and other necessary cariage besides .xx. great and long shippes wherof Scipio him selfe and L Scipio his brother toke the gouernance and other .xx. like shippes vnder the rule of C. Lelius his admyrall of the sea Whiche .xl. great shippes thus deuided sailed euer on both sydes of the other .iiii. C. as wafters for the defence of theyr vitayles and cariage In euery shyppe also he caused to be vittailes and freshe water for .xlv. dayes wherof the meate that wolde serue for .xv. dayes was redye sodden the other was rawe Then gaue he commaundement to al his souldiours to kepe peace and sylence in theyr shyps for troublynge the shipmen and that they shulde be redy to do al that the sayd shypmen desyred them to do if nede requyred With this great numbre of shippes and of mē they departed the day folowyng Euery one of the .xl. long shyppes beinge appointed to haue in the nyght season one lyght euery one of the .iiii. C. laden shyppes u. lyghtes and the capitaynes chiefe ships for a speciall marke or knowlege had thre fayre lightes In the mornynge at the soundinge of a trumpet the vesselles set forth in good order And Scipio hym selfe at his departynge made his praier openly in the audience of many peple on this maner ¶ Oye goddes and goddesses whiche inhabite rule and gouerne both sea and lande I humbly beseche you that ye graūt all thynges that I haue done do or shall do may turne to the honour and welthe of me and the citizens of Rome and that ye wyll be aydynge and assistinge to me in my procedinges So that our ennemies beinge ouer come we maye safe and sounde returne home to our houses laden with the pray gotten by the spoyle of our ennemies Graunt ye also that I may haue power so to do vnto the people and citie of Carthage as they haue intended to do to the citie of Rome ¶ After these wordes doing sacrifice after the custome that they vsed he departed The wynde was good and in shorte space toke them from the fyght of the lande and within foure dayes they were brought vpon the cost of Affrica Then Scipio seinge a great mounteyne or rocke lienge out vpon the sea inquired of the mayster of his shyppe what was the name of that mountain He answered it is named the mount of Beaute Then sayde Scipio I lyke the name and
the lucke therof very well in the nexte hauen therto set vs on lande When the armye was landed they get them to the nexte hylles whervpon they pitched theyr tentes and encamped them selues Then were the inhabitantes of the sea costes and all the coūtrey there about in great feare and trouble perceyuynge the arriuaile of so great a nauy euery man fled from those parties takynge with them theyr wynes theyr chyldren and substance driuinge before them their cattell to the nexte strong townes to the great feare of all the countrey where the newes therof was brought Specially in Carthage such feare sorowe and trouble inuaded the people as though theyr citie had ben all redy taken by theyr ennemies They were then vnprouyded bothe of men of warre and also of a good capitayne to be their gouernour The best capitayne that they then had was Asdrubal the sonne of Bysgon whom Scipio at diuers battelles in Spayne had before put to flyghte and at the last droue him cleane oute of Spayne with all his helpers soo that they estemed the capitaynes to be as farre vnlyke as the armye of Carthage was vnlyke to the Romayne hoste In this greate feare the gates of the citie were shutte the walles kepte with watche and warde as thoughe theyr ennemies had ben already come before the walles of the towne Fyue hundred horsemen were also sente forthe to espye the conduite of the Romaynes who by chaunce mette with manye Romayne horsemen that were sent out to robbe and spoyle the fieldes adioynynge and were by them put to flyghte to the greate losse of many of the Carthaginenses ¶ Sone after the arriuaile of the Romaynes came Massanissa to Scipio bryngynge with hym .ii. C. good men well horsed His power was then not greate for he had ben driuen and chased out of his owne realme and was banished by strengthe out of his owne countrey Whose comynge was verye ioyfull and comfortable to the Romaynes The Carthaginenses after the losse of theyr horsemen assembled againe a newe winge of horsmen wherof they made gouernor Hanno the son of Amilcar Then sent they letters and legates to Asdruball to come to the succour of the citie that was at pointe to be besyeged They sent also to kyng Syphax desyring him to come to the socour defence both of Carthage also of all Affrica Then lay the Romaines nere vnto the citie of Vtica Hanno hauyng with him .iiii. M. horsemen came to the towne of Salera xv miles from the Romain campe When Scipio had knowlege therof he sent Massanissa before with certayn horsemen with hym to shirmishe with them at the gates Commaunding him that so sone as the multitude of his ennemies were ones come forth and that he coulde no longer endure theyr strength that then he shuld softly withdrawe him selfe towardes the hylles where he shuld fynde hym with his host redy to succour him With this instructiō Massanissa departed rode to the gates of the citie skirmishing with such as were at the said gates ma ny came forth to the battayl without good order then Massanissa faining him selfe to be afraide somewhat reculed sometime he turned again and fought with them that folowed him Thus he played at base with them tyll the whole multitude of horsemenne were come furthe of the yates Than sobrely he withdrewe him selfe tyll he came to the hylles to which hilles the Romayne horsemen were than couertely come Than Massanissa fiersely retourned and assayled his ennemies and the Romaines beinge fresshe them selues and hauyng fresshe horses compassed and assailed them that were before almoste weery with chasing Massanissa so that at the fyrst brunt Hanno him selfe and ◠M. horsemen with hym were slayne The rest fledde wherof the Romaynes in the chase slewe and toke other .ii. M. amonge whom wer many noble men of the citie of Carthage The pray after the victory was greatte The towne was taken and the capytains with other men of armes were welle rewarded by Scipio But aboue other he gaue Massanissa great gyftes and leauynge a sufficient garrison in the towne he with his hoste remoued thense sendynge moche of the pray whiche he had taken bothe men beastes and other rychesse by certayne of his shippes into Sicilia intendyng hym selfe to assayle the citie of Vtica with all his power whiche yf he myght ones wynne he reckened to be a restyng place for him and his tyl the rest of his voiage were acheued ¶ Thus was the town of Vtica besieged round about their hope was to haue succours of Asdruball who had assembled togyther .xxx. M. fotemen and .iii. M. horsmen Neuer the lesse for all that numbre Asdruball durste not sette furthe of Carthage tyll kyng Syphax was also come to hym with fyfty thousande footemen and .x. M. horsemen Then set he forewardes and came nere vnto Vtica pytchinge his tentes and campe not farre from the Romayn army There came aboute this tyme from Sicilia and Sardinia great plenty of wheate to vitaile the Romaines so that they had therof great plenty There was also brought thither .xii. C. gownes and .xii. M. cotes for the souldiours and prouision was made for all thynges that they lacked These were the actes of Scipio in Affrica this sommer ¶ Duryng whych sommer P. Sempronius the consull in Italy fought with Anniball where the Romayns had the worst and loste .xii. C. of theyr men But soone after Sempronius sent for P. Licinius the proconsull to come to hym with his armye After whose cōmyng theyr powers beinge ioyned together they went towardes Anniball and he beynge ioyefull of his laste victory foughte with theim agayne to his greate losse For there were aboue .iiii. M. of his men slayne and iii. C. taken Then Anniball beynge greately dyscomforted with this losse retourned from thence to Croton Sone after the tyme of the chosyng of consulles was come at whiche Cn. Seruilius Cepio and Cn. Seruilius Geminus were create consulles other officers were chosen according to the olde custome diuers cities also of the Brutiens as Consentia Pandosia and other submytted theym selues and retourned agayne to the Romaynes ¶ Scipio wisely espieng the maner of his ennemies campes in the nyght burneth them bothe putteth Syphax and Asdruball to flyght with great losse of theyr men They make agayn a newe fylde and are eftsones discomfyted and put to flyghte Cap. lxiii THe winter drewe nere and both the gret hostes lay encamped not farre from Vtica Yet Scipio neuer ceassed from the besiegynge of the towne and his campe was in syghte of his ennemyes His mynd was styll vpon his busynes touching the warre Amonge other his cares he deuised greatly by what meanes he myght wynne king Syphax from the Carthaginenses iudgyng that the heate of loue which he had to his yonge wyfe was by that tyme somewhat asswaged and that he was then werye of the pleasure in loue beinge as he thoughte satisfyed therin to his contentation When he had by legates assaied the mynde
THe morowe after the battaile was fought and the kyng Syphax escaped as is before declared Scipio sent Lelius and Massanissa with all the Romayn horsmen the lyghtest harneissed footemen and also the Numidians to folowe the kyng and Asdruball whiles he went about to wynne the townes and countrey adiacent to Carthage They within xv dayes came into Numidia at whose coming a people therof called Masesuli receiued gladly Massanissa and deliuered hym the whole realme as to theyr ryghtfull kynge whose cominge they had so longe desyred expellynge cleane out of the cities and fortresses therof all the garnysons of Syphax soo that he was glad to kepe hym within the bondes of his owne realme His harte swelled at this displeasure wyllynge to be reuenged whervnto his wyfe and her father moche intyced hym and prycked hym forwardes He hadde great plentie of men and also of horses whyche moche encouraged hym to make a newe fielde Wherefore he assembled as many as he thoughtable gyuyng theim horses and harneys diuydynge his horsemen and footemenne into companyes appoyntynge to theim capitaines accordynge as he before had learned of the Romaynes Thus hauyng all thinges in a redynesse he marched towardes his ennemies with as great an hooste as he had before but they were almoste all newe souldiours and yonge men of warre Whan he came nere the host of the Romains he there fortified his campe And anone certayne of his horsemen issued and badde base to an nother numbre of the Romayne horsemen And who soo was beaten retourned agayne to his company and was anon rescued of an other numbre of his company Thus by diuers issuynges and helpynge euery part theyr companies beyng either ashamed or angrye of theyr driuynge backe the battayle beganne to be quicke on bothe partes so that at the last the hole companyes of horsemen on bothe partes were come to the fieldes The noumbre of kynge Syphax hoste was come so thicke to the bataile that the Romaynes were fayne to recule and had been put to the worse had not the Romain legyons of fotemen come to theyr succours At whose comynge the kynges people musynge of theyr order and maner of fyghtyng began to stay and at the laste were dryuen backe and began to flee Syphax wyllynge to withholde his people from flyght beganne to exhort them to abyde and manfully to fyght shewynge vnto theim bothe the shame and also the ieoperdye that woulde ensue through theyr flyinge ¶ And whyles he rode about the fielde comfortyng his people he hapned to come nere a company of Romaynes where his horse was stryken downe and slayne vnder hym and he taken alyue and brought to Lelius His people fledde as faste as they myght and came to the citie of Cirtha whyche was the chiefe citie of all that realme There were of his menne slayne in that battayle .v. M. and aboute .ii. M. v. C. taken Than sayd Massanissa to Lelius There were nothynge to me more pleasant than hauyng nowe victory to visite my fathers kyngdom which after my long exyle I haue now recouered But the time will not suffre vs to cesse from our enterprise wherfore if ye wil suffre me to take with me all the hors men and the kyng also nowe prisoner I will goo before you to Cirtha where I shall fynde euery man soo supprised with feare that I shall soone wynne it with smal resistence ye with your fotemen may come after me small iourneys at your ease ¶ To this his diuyse Lelius assented And Massanissa with his horsemen hasted tyll he came to the walles of the citie of Cirtha where he called certaine of the towne to him and desired to haue certain of the noble meÌ„ of the citie to come furth and speake with hym which done he moued them gentylly to yelde vp their citie But they not knowing of the takinge of their king in no wise wold be perswaded to submit them selfes to the Romains Than caused Massanissa the king Syphax to be brought before them bound as a prisoner After which pitifull syght the citezens partly for feare partly trustyng therby to obteine fauor of Massanissa and of the Romains opened the yates of the citie And Massanissa leauyng fyrst the gates wals furnished with his people to thintent none of the citie shuld escape out he with great spede rode to the kinges palaice Where at his fyrst entre he found Sophonisba the wife of Syphax daughter to Asdruball of Carthage who abode his coming at the gate of his palaice whan she espied him coming amonge a great route of men of armes she iudging partly by his goodly armure partly by his riche apparaile that he was the kyng she fell on her knees before hym and sayd The goddis thy strength and thy good fortune 〈…〉 the full power to do with vs what so euer shall be tâ—y pleasure Neuer the lesse if the praier of a poore woman â—â—y take place with her lord that hath power both of lyfe and of deth I humbly beseche the by that royall maiestie wherin of late also we wer and for the loue of the name of the people and cuntrey of Numidia which appertained both to Syphax and to you for the loue also of the goddis of this place whoÌ„ I desire to send the better more prosperus coming hither thaÌ„ they gaue to Syphax a departing hens that thou wilt graunt me to be thy prisoner and what so euer thy plesure be to do with me I shal not refuse it so that thou suffre me not to come into the cruell and proude dominion of any Romayne I had leauer auenture to yelde me into the power of a Numidian and of one that is borne in myne owne countrey of Affrica than to the handes of a stranger For it is not vnknowen to you howe moche the daughter of Asdruball and a Carthaginense borne hath cause to feare the hande of a Romayne And in case thou canste none otherwise helpe my desire I mooste hartily require the to steame and thus by deathe delyuer me from the daunger of the Romaynes ¶ This quene being of excellent beautie and in her lusty flourishyng age what with her humble behauiour what with her fayre speche so persuaded the king Massanissa that he not only toke her to mercy but also hauyng the victory of her the hole citie he becam so captiue to her by loue that he takig her by the right hand promised her her request and thervpon he mounted into the kinges palaice Than he began to dyuise in his imagination by what meanes he myght performe his promise vnto the queene And whan he coulde fynde noo way to bringe his purpose to passe as one that was ouercome with blynd loue he inuented a folishe and a shamefull diuise whiche was to be maried incontinent vnto her the same day thynking by the mariage of her vnto him he had taken away all occasion both from Lelius and also from Scipio of doing her any hurt or displeasure Whan the mariage
was that they myght continue in the same leage and conditions of amitie and peace with the Romaines as were before at the last truce taken with them by Luctatius than being consull ¶ Then dyuers of the auncient Senatours of Rome whyche were presente at the leage taken by Luctatius demaunded sundrye questyons of the legates of Carthage concernynge the sayde condition of peace conteyned in that leage Wherevnto they beynge all younge menne aunswered that they were not of aege to remembre that treatie This aunswere was greattely suspected of the fathers Wherefore they said with one assent that the Carthaginenses accordyng to theyr olde accustomed crafte and falsehode had chosen suche imbassadours to requyre a peace to be renued wherof they had no knowlege nor remembrance Whervppon the legates were caused to auoide the place whiles they counsayled vppon the matter And after longe deliberate discussynge therof Lelius and Fuluius declared to theim the opinyon of Scipio touchyng this peace whiche was that he dydde not myslyke the meanyng of the Carthaginenses in case they dyd not sende to call home Anniball and Mago out of Italy but if they so dyd than he thought they wolde dissemble the matter vnto their capitains coming with succours and afterward forgettyng their promise wolde renewe the warre Vpon these wordes the whole counsayle agreed to the saying of M. Valerius Leuinus who sayde that they were to be taken as espies and not as embassadours and that they shuld be cōmanded to auoyde Italy hauyng guides sente with theim to conduct theim vnto their shyppes And that word shulde be sente to Scipio to procede in the warre as he had begunne ¶ Nowe in the meane space whiles the legates of Scipio and of Carthage were at Rome Cn. Octauius with .ii. C. shippes of cariage and .xxx. other longe shippes to guyde theim passed from Sicilia to go into Affrica but the windes were so vehement the stormes so importunate that he with the long shyppes with peyne saued hym selfe in a porte neere to the mountayn of Apollo The other hulkes of cariage were driuen to diuers places on the coste of Affrica in the sight of the men of Carthage The Carthaginenses perceyuing this great praye easy to be taken forgettynge theyr desyre of peace and also the tyme of truse taken with Scipio yet mention of them bothe was made to them by certayne of the citie they by hole assente appoynted Asdruball with fyfty shyppes to gather togither and to bring home those seabeaten disparpled shippes with all that was in them At whose comynge the shypmenne fled away leauynge theyr vesselles and he without any resystence drewe them with hym to Carthage Scipio considering this theyr acte to be doone before the legates were returned from Rome or that they knewe what aunswere they shuld receyue eyther of warre or of peace Also seinge the tyme of truse was not yet expyred toke it to be moche more heynous and displeasaunt ¶ Sone after this breake of truse on the parte of the Carthaginenses arryued Lelius and Fuluius with the legates of Carthage to whom Scipio declarynge theyr vntrewe dealynge cōmaunded them to departe and he with all spede prepared for the warre ¶ This yere folowynge were chosen consulles M. Seruilius Geminus and T. Claudius Nero. Seruilius was apoynted to Hetruria as his prouynce and Claudius Nero to Affrica He had ordeyned fyfty good shyppes wherwith he and his host shulde passe into Affrica where he shulde be equal ruler with Scipio ¶ NOVVE VVAS Anniball with his armye arriued safe in Affrica and by land came to Zama fyue days iourney from Carthage From thens sente he espies before hym to knowe the state of the Romayne campe and armye These spyes by chaunce happed on the skoute watche of the Romaynes and were taken and brought to Scipio Who demaunded of them the cause why theyr capitayne sent them thyther They aunswered to espye and to haue knowlege of his army and order Then Scipio called certayn of his capitaines called tribunes commaundinge them to go with the espies of Anniball and to conducte them throughe all his campe not fearynge to shewe them what so euer they desyred to see Whan they had gone rounde about a longe season and were brought agayne to him he demaunded of them whether they had well accordinge to theyr myndes viewed his campe and hoste They sayde ye Then said he Go ye to Anniball and make to hym relation of that ye haue seene Thus let he them departe sendynge with them guides to conduct them out of daunger ¶ The spies whan they came to Anniball declared vnto him how Scipio had intreated thē Besides that they shewed him that Massanissa the same day was come to Scipio with .vi. M fotemen and .iiii. M. horsemen But there was nothyng that euer they tolde him so moch abated his courage as the libertie that he gaue his espies to viewe his order and power For that great boldenes of his ennemye he iudged and knewe well proceded of some great assuraunce that he had in his strength and good order Wherfore although he him selfe was the first cause and occasion bothe of the warre and also of the truse brekinge yet he deuysed hym selfe to speake with Scipio thinkinge before any battayle whyles his power was not assayed he shuld obteine peace with more easy conditiōs then he shuld in case it chaunced hym to be ouercome Wherfore he sente a messanger to Scipio desyringe that he myght haue lybertie to speake with him and that he wolde apoynt a place where they might come together Scipio refused not to accomplysshe his desyre The place was apoynted voyde of al deceite and gile Thyther came the .ii. most noble capitaines of the worlde hauing onely eche of them one interpretour with him to declare to eche other what shulde be spoken by them Theyr hostes abode a good space from them When they were come together either of them was astonied with the fyght of the other So that as persons amased through admiration they spake no worde of a good season At the laste Anniball began to speake in maner folowynge ¶ The wytty oration that Anniball made to Scipio before the battayle betwene them Cap. lxix IF it be gyuen me by the fatall fortune that I whiche fyrst moued this warre against the people of Rome that so many tymes haue had the victorye ouer theim shuld nowe of mine owne voluntary wyll come to be a suiter to haue peace I am glad that it is thy chance Scipio to be the man appoynted of the goddes of whom I shulde come to require the same peace And among many other prayses that be gyuen vnto the this maye be as one of the greatest That Anniball to whome the goddes haue gyuen so many victories of the Romaynes shulde nowe gyue place and obey vnto the. So that thou mayst make an ende of this notable warre that hath ben betwene vs as yet more to your losse then to ours Again what worke is
sent agayne to Scipio by the same legates that they wold receyue his conditions of peace And where they coulde not knowe who had the goodes that wer in the hulkes they wold pay therfore at his owne iudgement The vessels and men shulde be restored ¶ Thus was the truce gyuen to the citie of Carthage for thre monethes with a commaundement that duryng the time of truce they shulde sende embassadours to no place but only to Rome And in case that any embassadours were sent frome any place to Carthage that they shuld in no wyse depart from thens vntyll the Romayne capitayne were ascertayned what they were and what was the cause of theyr comming ¶ Soone after went the legates of Carthage to Rome with whom were sent C. Veturius Philo M. Martius Valla and Lucius Scipio brother to P. Scipio the Romayn capytayn ¶ When they were come thyther L. Veturius Philo declared howe Scipio hadde foughten with Anniball and ouercome the Carthaginenses to theyr vtter confusyon makynge nowe an ende of the dolefull longe warre that had been betwene the Romaynes and theim And that also Vermina the sonne of Syphax with his power was beaten and ouercome Of whyche newes the senatours beinge meruaylous ioyfull commaunded hym to publysshe the same gladde tydynges to the whole multitude of the citezens Who makynge greatte ioye gaue thankes for the vyctory to the goddis Than wer the legates of Carthage broughte into the senate And whan the senatours behelde the age the dignitie and the grauitie of the ambassadours who were of the mooste noble menne of the citie of Carthage than they iudged that they intended playnely and syncerely to intreate of peace Amonge other of these nobles of Carthage there was one Asdruball called Hedus one of the chiefe of theim bothe in auctoritie and in nobilitie who was euer desyrous of peace and held moche agaynste Anniball and his affinitie This Asdruball sayde that a fewe couetous personnes of the citie were culpable for this warre and not the comminaltie Some faultes whyche were layde to theym he excused some other he confessed leste by the denying of all he myght be the worse hearde of the senate Than he perswaded the Senatours to vse theyr prosperous fortune gentylly and in due temperance professynge euer that in case the Carthaginenses would haue folowed the myndes of hym and of Hanno takynge the tyme whan it was offered that they had beene the gyuers to other of peace vppon suche conditions as they were nowe gladde to take at others handes But sayde he it is but seldome sene that good fortune and a good mynd be gyuen both at ones to men The cause of the conquestes of you Romains euer chiefly hath been for that in prosperitie ye haue had the remembrance to consulte of thynges to come And your empyre hath bene more encreased by gentylnes and fauour shewed to nations whom ye haue vanquyshed than it hath bene by the victories gotten on theim ¶ After that Asdruball had finysshed his oration the other ambassadours made moche more lamentable propositions bewayling the miserable fall of the state of the Carthaginenses who being the greattest lordes in honour of the worlde were nowe constrayned to abyde enclosed within the walles of the citie hauyng nothing els that they myghte clayme propretie of ye and that same only citie they helde but vpon the goodnes and forbearyng of the Romaynes whiles theyr pleasure was to forbere the vtter distruction therof With these humble and gentyll woordes the senatours vniuersally were fully inclyned to peace Than one of the senatours spake out with loude voyce If peace be graunted to the Carthaginenses by what goddis shall they sweare and make peace whan they haue broken promise and deceiued the goddis by whom they sware whan they laste toke peace with vs To whom the sayd Asdruball answered euen by the same goddis wyll we sweare who be so angry and are reuenged on vs that brake oure laste truse and leage Herevpon all the senatours and the comons being inclyned to peace determined that by thaduise of .x. legates of Rome P. Scipio shulde make with theim the peace vpon suche conditions as to him semed best The legates wer named and made theim redy to depart with the Carthaginenses For the whiche the ambassadours gaue greate thankes to the senate of theyr goodnes to theim shewed desyryng them before their departyng to licence theim to entre the citie and to visite certayne of their frendes and kynnesmen that were kepte in the citie as prisoners whiche requeste was graunted theim And they desyred also that they myght redeme diuers of theim vpon reasonable raunsom They were cōmaunded to write the names of suche as they wolde haue redeemed And they named .ii. C. of theim who incontinent were delyuered to the x. legates to take with theim into Affrica to Scipio wyllyng him in case the peace went forwardes with the Carthaginenses that then he shoulde rendre these .ii. C. prysoners to the Carthaginenses free without payinge any raunsome These thynges beynge so concluded the Carthaginenses with the Romayne legates departed towardes Affrica And whan they cam to Scipio they concluded the peace with hym vppon the conditions before specified The shyppes of Carthage the elephantes the fugitiues and prisoners to the numbre of .iiii. M. were delyuered to Scipio among whome was one Terentius Culleo a notable senator of Rome The shyppes vpon the deliuerie of theim were had furth into the sea to the numbre of .v. C. of al sortes and there by the commaundement of Scipio were set all on fyre Which bourninge was as sorowfull a syght to the Carthaginenses as if they had sene the whole citie of Carthage on fyre ¶ Scipio teturneth to Rome with greate triumphe and ioye of all the people Cap. lxxii THus ended the warres betwene the Romaynes and the Carthaginenses more gentylly than it was thoughte it shulde haue done For Scipio dyuers tymes after reported that the conctouse and hyghe mynde fyrst of Claudius Nero and after of Cu. Cornelius desyrynge both the honoure of the vyctorye of Carthage was the cause that the citie of Carthage was not vtterly distroyed and wasted After the sayde peace thus taken the money whyche shulde be presently payde to the Romaynes was very greuous to the Carthaginenses Whose stocke and common substaunce was before greatly wasted by reason of the longe contynuall warres Wherefore at the leuyinge of the sayde summe of theyr pryuate substaunce greate lamentation and wepinge was made in the citie Whiche Anniball beholdynge coulde not forbeare to laugh Wherat Asdruball Hedus toke great indignation rebukynge hym for that he beynge the verye origynall cause of al theyr sorowe in the common mournyng of the citie shulde so laugh Thervnto Anniball aunswered If ye myghte beholde the inwarde thoughte of my mynde as ye maye the outwarde apparent countenaunce of my face ye shulde parceiue this laughter not to come of any ioy of the herte but of a madnesse and a frenesie