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"had burst at last with a mighty noise, and occa "sioned a terrible storm.'

So important a service, and in such a conjuncture, opened the eyes of Minucius, and brought him to a confession of his fault. To make instant reparation, he went immediately with his army to Fabius's tent, and, calling him his father and deliverer, told him he was come to put himself under his command again, [r] and to make void a decree, which was more burdensome than honourable to him. The soldiers did the same, and nothing was to be seen on both sides but mutual embraces, and the most lively expressions of thankfulness and gratitude; and [s] the rest of the day, which was very near proving so fatal to the republic, was spent in diversions and rejoicings.

THE BATTLE OF CANNÆ.

The most famous action of Hannibal, and which in all probability must have ruined for ever the power of Rome, was the battle of Cannæ. [t] L. Emilius Paulus and C. Terentius Varro, were appointed consuls at Rome. This last, [u] though of à base and mean extraction, had found means to obtain the consulship, through the great wealth his father had left him, and his artifice in gaining the favour of the people by declaring openly against the great men, without any other merit than that of an unlimited ambition, and an equal opinion of his own ability. He loudly exclaimed, "That the only way to perpetuate the war, was to place such as "Fabius at the head of the army; that for his part, "he could put an end to it the very first day he saw "the enemy. His colleague, who was very sensible that [] rashness, besides the unreasonableness

[r] Plebiscitum, quo oneratus magis quàm honoratus sum, primus antiquo abrogoque. Liv. lib. xxiii.

n. 30.

[s] Lætusque dies, ex admodum tristi paulò antè ac propè execrabili, factus est. Ib.

[] Liv. lib. xxii. n. 34-53. [u] His father is said to have been a butcher.

x] Temeritatem, præterquam quod stulta sit, infelicem etiam ad id locorum fuisse. Liv. lib. xxii. n. 38.

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of it, had hitherto been always very unsuccessful, was in a quite different way of thinking. Fabius, upon his departure for the campaign, confirmed him still farther in these sentiments, and often repeated to him, that the only way to conquer Hannibal was to watch occasions, and spin out the war to the ut“But, [y] said he, your countrymen will take pains to make this method impracticable to you, even more than your enemies. Your soldiers will "in this conspire with the Carthaginians; Varro and "Hannibal will think alike upon this subject. Your only way will be to stand unmoved against the "shock of popular rumours and reports, and not be "diverted from your resolution by the false glory of your colleague, or the false infamy which they will "industriously throw upon you. Instead of a cau“tious, vigilant, and able general, let them represent you as cowardly, indolent, and iguorant. I would "rather have you dreaded by a wise enemy, than ap'plauded by foolish citizens."

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[] It was customary among the Romans, in time of war, to raise every year four legions, each of which consisted of four thousand foot, and three thousand horse. The allies, that is to say the people bordering upon the territories of Rome, supplied a like number of foot, with double, and sometimes triple the number of horse. And these troops were usually divided between the two consuls, who made war separately, and in different countries. But as this was an affair of the last importance, the two consuls marched together, the number both of the Roman and Latin forces

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* I think it should be read tibi.
↑ Imbellis must here signify rudis in bello, imperitus belli,

was

was doubled, and every legion augmented with an addition of a thousand foot, and an hundred horse.

The strength of Hannibal's army lay in his horse, for which reason L. Paulus declined engaging in the open plain. Besides, the Carthaginians were in great distress for want of provisions, and could not possibly subsist ten days in the country, so that the Spanish troops were upon the point of disbanding. The armies continued some days in view of each other, till at last, after different motions, Varro, notwithstanding the remonstrances of his colleague, came to an engagement near the little village of Cannæ. The ground was very favourable to the Carthaginians; and Hannibal, who knew how to improve every circumstance, drew up his army in such a manner, that the wind [a] Vulturnus, which rose at a certain regular time, blew directly upon the faces of the Romans during the battle, and poured a shower of dust upon them. The battle was fought. I shall not relate the particulars of it; the curious reader may find them in Polybius and Livy, and especially in the former, who, being himself a soldier, must have succeeded better than the other, in relating all the circumstances of so memorable an action. The victory was long disputed, and at last became complete on the side of the Carthaginians. The consul L. Paulus was mortally wounded, and above fifty thousand men left dead in the field, and amongst them the best part of the officers. Varro, the other consul, escaped to Venusia, with no more than seventy horsemen.

Maharbal, one of the Carthaginian generals, advised Hannibal to march directly to Rome, without losing time, promising him that within five days he should sup in the capitol. And upon the other's reply, that he must take time to consider of that: "I see, b] says Maharbal, the gods have not given "the same man all talents at once. You know how "to conquer, Hannibal; not how to improve the

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[a] It is a wind blowing from the south, which way the Romans were turned.

[b] Tum Maharbal, non omnia

nimirum eidem dii dedere. Vincere scis, Annibal; victoriâ uti nescis. Liv. lib. xxii. n. 51.

victory."

victory." [c] And indeed many are of opinion, that Rome and the empire were both saved by that delay.

It is easy to comprehend how great the consternation was at Rome, upon the news of this bloody defeat. However they did not lose courage. After having implored the assistance of the gods by public prayers and sacrifices, the magistrates, encouraged by the prudent counsels and firm resolution of Fabius, made all proper dispositions, and provided for the security of the city. They immediately raised four legions, and a thousand horse, and granted a dispensation of age to several that were not quite seventeen years old. The allies also raised new levies. Ten Roman officers, that were dismissed by Hannibal their parole, came to Rome to require a ransom for the prisoners. But though the republic was in great distress for soldiers, they constantly refused to redeem them, that they might not injure the Roman discipline, which punished without pity whoever voluntarily submitted to the enemy; and they chose rather to arm the slaves they bought of private persons, to the number of eight thousand, and the prisoners confined for debt or crimes, which amounted to six thousand more; [d] the necessary taking place of the decent, says the historian, in this sad conjuncture.

upon

At Rome, the zeal of particular persons, and regard for the public, shone out at this time in a wonderful manner. But the case was not the same with the allies. The preceding losses had not been able to shake their fidelity; but this last stroke, which, as they thought, must determine the ruin of the republic, they could not withstand, and several of them went over to the conqueror's side. And yet neither the loss of so many troops, nor the revolt of so many of their allies, could induce the Roman people to give any ear to an accommodation. [e] Instead of losing cou

[c] Mora ejus diei satis creditur saluti fuisse urbi atque imperio. Ib. [d] Ad ultimum propè desperate reipublicæ auxilium, cùm honesta

rage,

utilibus cedunt, descendit. Liv. lib. xxiii. n. 14.

[e] Adeo magno animo civitas fuit, ut consuli ex tantâ clade, cujus

rage, they never shewed so great magnanimity; and when the consul returned to Rome, after so considerable an overthrow, whereof he had been the principal cause, all the orders of the state went out to meet him, and returned him thanks for not having despaired of the republic; whereas at Carthage, no punishment would have been great enough for a general after such a disgrace.

Capua was one of the allied cities, which surrendered to Hannibal: but the stay he made there with his troops during the winter, proved very fatal to him. [f] That manly courage, which no misfortunes, no fatigues had been able to subdue, was entirely enervated by the pleasures of Capua, which the soldiers ran into with the greater gust from being the less accustomed to them. This fault of Hannibal, in the opinion of good judges, was greater than the mistake in not marching directly to Rome after the battle of Cannæ. For the delay might seem only to have retarded the victory, whereas this last circumstance absolutely lost him the power of conquering. †Thus Capua was to Hannibal what Cannæ had been to the Romans.

SCIPIO CHOSEN GENERAL, RESTORES THE AFFAIRS OF SPAIN.

The death of the two Scipios, the father and uncle of him I am about to speak of, seemed likely to ruin entirely the Roman affairs in Spain, which hitherto had been very successful. It is a question, whether it occasioned greater mourning at Rome, or in Spain. For the defeat of the two armies, the almost certain loss

jus ipse causa maxima fuisset, redeunti, & obviam itum frequenter ab omnibus ordinibus sit, & gratiæ actæ quod de republicâ non desperasset; cui, si ductor Carthaginiensium fuisset nihil recusandum supplicii foret. Liv. lib. xxii. n. 61.

[f] Quos nulla mali vicerat vis, perdidere nimia bona ac voluptates immodicæ: & eò impensiùs, quo avidiùs ex insolentiâ in eas se mer

serant..... Majusque id peccatum ducis apud peritos artium militarium habitum est, quàm quòd non ex Cannensi acie protinus ad urbem Romanam duxisset. Illa enim cunctatio distulisse modò victoriam videri potuit; hic error vires ademisse ad vincendum. Liv. I. xxiii. n. 18.

+ Capuam Annibali Cannas fuisse. Ib. n. 45.

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