noble men and cities of Spayne Cap. xlv ¶ Of the ientilnesse of Scipio in restoryng a fayre yong virgin vndeâ—iled to Luceius vnto whom she was â—â—aunced Cap. xlvi ¶ Anniball sleeth Cn. Fuluius with xiii M. Romaines beside Herdonea Marcellus the consull chaseth Anniball through Apulia makyng many skyrmyshes with hym Cap. xlvii ¶ Marcellus gyueth battayle to Anniball in whiche his men be put to flyght whervpon he maketh them a sharpe oration he reneweth the battaâ—â—e on the morowe putteth Anniball and his host to flyght with losse of many of his menne Cap. xlviii ¶ Howe Q. Fabius Maximus recouered from Anniball the citie of Tarent Cap. xlix ¶ Scipio fyghteth with Asdruball besyde Betula dryueth hym from his hyll sleeth viii M. of 〈◊〉 hoste taketh xii M. prisoners with Massus neuew to Massanissa and a great pray in the campe cap. l. ¶ Marcellus the consull is slayn by an imbushment layd by Anniball Câ—â—spinus the other consull and Marcellus sonne be sore hurt ca. li. ¶ Anniball craftily sendeth letters to Salapia sealed with Marcellus syâ—net Asdruball passeth the mountaines with his army to mete his brother Anniball capi lii ¶ Of the great battayle betwene Asdruball and the consulles in whiche Asdruball was slayne with lvi M. men beside many that weâ—e taken with a great spoyle Cap. liiii ¶ Scipio in dyuers battayles discomfiteth the Carthaginenses taketh Hanno on lyue driueth Asdruball and Mago with all theyr power cleane out of Spayne cap. liiii ¶ M. Liuius and C. 〈◊〉 the consuâ—â—es entre the citie of Rome in â—riumph A prayse of Annibals gouernyng his army Capâ— lv ¶ Scipio and Asdruball arriue both in one daie in Affrica and be lâ—dged bothe togyther in the â—alays of 〈◊〉 Syphax cap. lvi ¶ Massanissa speaketh secretely with Scipio entreth in leage with the Romans Mago saiâ—eth into Italy to ioyne with Anniball ca. lvii ¶ Scipio cometh to Rome and is create one of the consulles he desireth to haue licence to saile into Affrica with an army cap. lviii ¶ The oration of Fabius disswadyng Scipio from saylyng into Affrica and wylling him to defende Italy agaynst Anniball cap. lix ¶ The oration of Scipio wherin he answereth to Fabius cap. lx ¶ The complaynt of the Locrenses to the siuatours of the cruell gouernaunce of Q. Plâ—â—â—nius cap. lxi ¶ Kyng Syphaâ— maâ—â—th Asdruballâ—â— daughter he writteth to Scipio wyllyng hym not to warre in Affrica Scipio arriueth in Affrica to whom cometh Massanissa cap. lxii ¶ Scipio in the nyght â—urneth his enemies 〈◊〉 puâ—â—teth Syphax and Hasdruball to flyght with great losse of theyr men cap. lxiii ¶ Syphax 〈◊〉 the battayle where he is taken prisoner Massasnissa taketh the citie of Cirtha marieth king Syphax wife cap. lxiiii ¶ Syphax is brought to Scipio Massanissa send the to Sophonisba poyson whiche she without feare dryâ—keth capi lxv ¶ Lelius with kyng Syphax and other prisoners cometh to Rome Massanissa is made kyng of Numâ—dia cap. lxvi ¶ Mago is discomfited and 〈◊〉 of whiche wounde he dieth Anniball being coÌ„manded of the senâ—ce to haue Itaâ—y sayieth toward Carthage makyng great doâ—â— for his departyng cap. lxvii ¶ Anniball arriueth in Affrica deâ—iâ—â—th to speake with Scipio who graunteth him and they mete togither at a place appointed cap. lxviii ¶ The witty oration that Anniball made to Scipio before the battayle betwene theim cap. lxix The answere of Scipio to Annibals oration with the battaile had betwene them wherin Anniball was vanquished put to fâ—â—ght ca. lxx The conditions of peace 〈◊〉 to the Carthaginenses by Scipio and the ratifiyng of the same by the 〈◊〉 ca. lxxi Scipio retourâ—eth to Rome with greate triumph and ioye of all the people cap. lxxii Anniball fâ—â—â—th to 〈◊〉 kyng of Siâ—ia 〈◊〉 moueth warâ—â— to the Romans L. Cor. Scipio 〈◊〉 â—nto Asia and vanquisheth him granteth him peace vpon conditions and returneth to Rome ca. lxxiii Anniball flieth to 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 howe he â—â—ded his lyfe capi lxxiiii Thus endeth the Table THE DESCRIPTION OF HANNIBAL and of his fyrste exercyse in warre Cap. 1. AFTER MANY GREAT AND PFrillous batailes fought betwene the Romaines and the Carthaginenses at the last a peace was taken for certaine yeres duryng whiche tyme Amilcar than capitayne of the army of Carthage warred fiue yeres continually in Affrica with the cities and countreyes adioynynge to Carthage And from thens he passed the sea with his army into Spayn where he abode .ix. yeres in whiche tyme he meruaylonsely increased and inlarged the dominion of Carthage This Amilcar was father to Hanniball whyche at his saylynge into Spayne was but .ix. yeres of age but yet his hart and courage was suche that he neuer ceassed tyll he had with fayre and pleasant wordes opteined lycence of his father to goo with hym into Spayne And at his departyng on a solemne day whan his father dyd sacrifice in the Temple accordynge to the vse and ceremonye than vsed yonge Hanniball beinge there present layinge his handes on the holy aultar of the Temple sware and auowed that from thensforth he wolde become a deadly ennemy to the Romayns and that he wolde vtter the same his malice on them as soone as he were able This othe and vowe pleased wel his father Amilcar For his intent was shortly after to moue the CarthagineÌ„ses to warre with the Romaines but he dyed soone after whose deathe with the tender age of his sonne Hannibal stayed that enterpryse and caused the peace to endure betwene them .viii. yeres longer Duryng whiche tyme one Asdruball that maried the daughter of Amilcar gouerned the army a man of great wysedome and policy For he by his gentyll entertainyng of princis and frendly handlyng of his neighbours more than by batayle brought many cities vnder the obedience of Carthage Whose facion in gettyng of frendes whan the Romaynes perceiued they sent vnto hym and renewyng their olde amitie entred into a newe league for the more sure and stable conseruation wherof they determined to set metes and boundes of both their empires Wherfore they agreed that the ryuer of Iberus 〈◊〉 depart their two seigâ—lories Further that the Saguntines a people that dwelled betwene both theyr dominions and were then in amitie and league with the Romaines shulde continue in peace and be at libertie not troubled nor oppressed by warre of nother partie This peace beyng concluded Hasdruball that hartily loued Hanniball sent his letters and for his sake caused the counsell of Carthage to be moued to lycence Hanniball beyng than a freshe yong man to exercise him selfe in warre to the intent when he were of lawfull age he myght optayne both the rule and richesse that were his fathers Wherevnto the mooste parte of the Senatours agreed Whervpon Hannibal was incontinent sent into Spaine to be Capitaine there vnder Asdruball At his fyrst commyng he gate the fauour of al the armie and so resembled his father in al pointes that the olde souldiours supposed Amilcar that was dead to be
trusted to worke deceytfull conclusions Crispinus mystrustinge also the same sente with spede worde to all the cities of the Romaynes nere adioyninge warnynge theim that his felowe Marcellus was slayne and that Anniball had gotten his signet Wherfore he commanded theim in no wyse to gyue credence to any letters that shulde be sente vnto them sealed with the seale of Marcellus or made in his name Soone after a messanger came to Salapia from Anniball with letters written and sealed in the name of Marcellus shewynge vnto them that the nyght folowynge Marcellus wolde priuely come thyther Wherfore he commaunded the capitaynes and garrison to be redy at his commynge to knowe his further pleasure what was to be done The Salapiens fyndynge crafte in the wrytynge sente backe the messangers to Anniball with gentyll answere And they the nyghte prefyxed sette sure watche and warde on the walles specially on that parte of the towne and at that gate where they demed theyr ennemyes wolde come A lyttell before the daye came Anniball with a great company with hym The first company that cam to the yates was of Romans that wer departed from the cuntrey taken in wages by Anniball They had all Romayne armour and when they came to the gate they spake laten as dydde the Romaynes wakynge the watchemen and byddynge them to open the gate to the consull The watche arose and with great leuers lyft vp the port colyes soo hyghe that men myghte entre vnder it Then the sayde bande of Romaynes runawayes entered so fast as they myght But when they were entred to the numbre of .vi. C. of them the rope whiche dyd holde vp the portcolyes was let slyp and fell downe with great noyse makynge The Salapiens with smalle resystence slewe them that were entred the towne For that they mystrustinge no suche thyng bare their harneys hanginge on theyr shulders thynkyng to haue entred with peace Many of the towne with speares and dartes chased theyr ennemyes from the gate and walles ¶ Thus Anniball beinge taken in his owne trappe was deceyued and from thense departed to rayse the syege of his friendes the LocrenuÌ„s whom Cincius with his souldiours and ordynaunce that came from Sicilia kept very harde and strayghte ¶ Mago was in the citie who herynge of the death of Marcellus toke some comforte vnto hym But when he harde tydynges that Anniball had sente his Numidian horsemen before him and was coming hym selfe after with his fotemen as spedely as he myght he was then withoute feare Wherfore when he espyed afarre of the Numidians approchyng he caused the gate to be opened and in arraye with his folke issued out vpon the Romaynes His sodeyne comyng on them more then his strengthe caused the battayle to endure for a season doubtefull But when the Numidians were also come the Romaynes were so stryken with feare that withoute ordre they ranne towarde theyr shyppes leauynge behynde theym all theyr ordynaunce wherwith they had beaten the walles And by this meane was the syege of the Locrensis raysed ¶ Crispinus the consull sente letters to Rome bothe of his felowes deathe and also of his sore hurtes which letted him so that he could not come to Rome to the chosyng of the consuls The senatours were very pensyfe to se two consuls armies destitute of capitaynes Wherfore at the day of the election they loked about to fynd two wisd and circumspect persons for that offyce who had ben acqueynted with the deceites of Anniball Fyrste they aboue other lyked C. Claudius Nero whom they knewe to be a valyaunt man and a good capytayne But they estemed hym to be to quicke for that tyme of the warres and to matche that soobre capytayne Anniball Wherfore they deuysed to match his quickenes with a sobre felowe of great temperance Then was there one M. Liuius a man of great sobrenesse late come agayne into the citie He had before ben consull about .viii. yeres passed and in his consulshyppe was condempned by the comons without fault and put out of his offyce Which shame to hym done he toke so displeasauntly that leauynge the citie he wente forthe into the countrey to dwell out of the company of men And .viii. yeres after his condempnation M. Marcellus and M. Valerius Leuinus the consulles brought hym home agayne into the citie but they founde hym foule and euyll apparellyd his heare and bearde longe as a token of his shame receiued But at this time the censors caused hym to rounde his heare and puttynge on other cleane garmentes to come in to the senate house When he was brought thyther and the fathers were examyned of theyr opinions of M. Liuius touchyng the offyce of consull They agreed all both senatours and the commons that it were a mete couple of hym and Claudius Nero. But he alone refused the office accusyng the citezens of their vnkynde lyghtnesse sayinge ¶ I meruayle moche ye laye nowe the burthen of this office on me whom ye of late thruste oute of that same offyce thynkyng me vnworthy therof If ye accompt me to be a good and an honeste man why then dyd ye condempne me as an euyll man and as an offender And syns ye iudged that I euill gouerned the consulshyp wherin I laste was why truste ye me nowe agayne with the same roume ¶ With such wordes he accused the fathers and also the commons But the senatours rebuked hym for his wordes shewinge him the example of M. Furius Camillus which though he were banyshed the citie of Rome yet was he after restored agayne For sayd they lyke as the childe ought to suffer the sharpe punishement of his father so ought euery man to suffer the punishement of his countrey with pacience and gentilnes ¶ With these wordes they appeased hym and caused hym to take on hym the sayde office ¶ The one consull was appoynted to kepe the warre againste Anniball in Italy leste he shulde drawe nere to Asdruball cominge from the mountaynes to his succour The other was assygned to mete Asdruball the fame of whome was that he beganne to approche the mountaynes to thintent to come ouer to ioyne his power with his brother Anniball The opynion of Anniball dyd also moâ—he helpe the Romaynes in this purpose For althoughe he knewe that his brother woulde that sommer passe the mountaynes to come ouer to hym yet whan he remembred the manyfold lettes that he had him selfe as in passynge the ryuer of Rhodanus and then the dangerus mountaynes stryuinge bothe with men and peryllous places wherin he had spent fyue monethes he loked not for so spedye and quicke coming of his brother whiche caused hym to be so long er euer he remoued froÌ„ the place where he wintred with his army But in this he was moche deceiued For Asdruball had better spede in his passage then he loked for him selfe For the frenchemen and also the mountaynoys dyd not onely receiue him and suffered hym with his army to passe their countreys but also they
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
those whyche supposed theyr wages for one day to be perpetuall libertie ¶ The battayle betwene Hanno and Gracchus with the rewarde and also the punyshement awarded by Gracchus to certayne bondemen of his hoost Capi. xxxiiii THe nexte daye whan the trumpettes blewe to battayle they came togyther in good araye and anone vppon the sonne rysynge Gracchus broughte his sowldyours in to battayle And theyr ennemyes made no taryeng for theyr part There were of them xvii thousande footemen and one M. ii hundred horsemen the battayle was very sharpe and lasted iiii howres not knowynge whiche shulde haue the victorye There was nothynge troubled the Romanes more than the heades of theyr ennemyes whyche Gracchus had appoynted to be the pryce of theyr libertie Wherfore euer as they had stryken downe any of theyr ennemies they wolde strike of his heade and beare it in theyr handes in stede of weapon Whyche thynge Gracchus apperceyuynge commaunded that euery man shulde leaue the head that he had in his hand and take his weapon and fyghte Than the battayle beganne more fierce than before the capitaines on bothe partes exhortynge theyr men to fyghte Gracchus shewed his people that yf theyr ennemyes were not that daye put to vtterance they shoulde neuer loke for theyr libertie Whan the souldyours hearde hym saye so theyr hartes were so kyndled that they ranne fresshe vppon theyr ennemyes with soo greatte vyolence that they were not able to sustayne theyr myghte and courage but incontynent fledde towarde theyr campe The Romaynes folowyng and pursuyng them made a greatter slaughter in the flyght than they dydde before in the battayle There escaped not of the hole hoste aboue .ii. M. whiche fledde with theyr capitayne away the most parte were horsemen all the resydue were other slayne or taken There were not slayne of the Romayns passynge two thousande Whanne they were retourned in to theyr tentes loden with theyr great pray .iiii. ◠of the bondmen which had done euyll their deuoyre that day in battayle had gotten a lyttell hyll not farre from the tentes who were fetched agayne the day folowyng by the Tribunes and came to the conuocation or courte holden by Gracchus to the souldyours wherin he rewarded the old souldiours as he thought euery one had deserued Than as concernyng the bondemen he sayd that he had rather that bothe worthy and vnworthy shulde that tyme be praysed of hym than punysshed Neuerthelesse bycause it had chaunced well to the commune welth and to them he commaunded that all shulde be free at which commaundement all at ones thankynge him desyred all welth to the Romaynes and to hym Than sayd Gracchus Nowe haue I fully performed my promyse of libertie to you all vniuersally neuerthelesse to thentent it may be knowen that I wyll put difference betwene well doing and euyll doinge betwene vertuous courage and cowardnesse I wylle that ye brynge me the names of all those whiche departed from the fielde the day before That doone he caused theym all to be sworne that none of them shulde other eate or drinke otherwyse than standynge onlesse they were diseased so longe as they seryed in the warres This punyshement sayde he ye shall paciently take yf ye consyder with your selues that I could not haue noted you with a lesse marke for your cowardyse than that is Than commaunded he theym to trusse vp theyr stuffe whiche done the souldyours with great prayse came to Beneuentum not lyke men that came from batayle but as mery as though they had come from a bankette The citezens receyued them meruaylous thankfully and desyred Gracchus that he wolde suffer the souldyours to feast with them whiche he graunted ¶ Whyles these thynges were done at Beneuentum Hanniball wastynge the fieldes of the Neapolitanes moued his tentes to Nola. Which whan the consull Marcellus perceiued he sent for Pomponius the pretor to mete him with the hostes that lay at Suessula intendyng that they bothe togyther wolde meete hym and he sente Claudius Nero with a stronge company of horsemen out of the towne by nyght to compasse Anniball on the other syde commandyng hym that whan he sawe the battayle was begunne he shulde sette vpon his ennemies at theyr backes Whiche his diuise Nero could not brynge to passe eyther bicause he knewe not the cumbersome wayes of the countrey or els for that the shortenes of the tyme wolde not suffer hym Marcellus in the mornynge mette with his ennemies and gaue them batayle in the whiche he had the victory and caused his enemies to flee neuerthelesse he durste not folowe theym bycause he wanted his horseman Wherfore he caused his menne to recule There were .ii. thousande of their ennemies slayne and not .iiii. hundred of the Romanes Nero and the horsemen labouryng in vayne the nyght and the day without seing his enemies came home about the sonne sette for whiche his vayne iourney he was sore rebuked of the consull saying that he was the cause as than that theyr ennemies had not receiued as great losse as they gaue at Cannas The next day the Romans discēded into the fieldes but Anniball kepte hym in his tentes knowlegyng hym selfe to be ouercome And the thyrde day without hope of optaynyng Nola trustyng to haue better spede remoued to Tarentum ¶ Quintus Fabius the other consull had his tentes at Cassilinum whiche was kept with .ii. M. of the Campanes and vii C. of Anniballes souldiours He caused Marcellus to come to hym with his hoste And if that the Nolans thought them selfes not safe from Annibal that they shuld send to Beneuentū to Gracchus to com to theyr succours which thing done Cassilinum was quyckely won and the souldiours that were there as well of Annibals as of Capua were taken and sente to Rome and there put in pryson There were taken by Fabius at that time many cities in Italy and in them to the numbre of .xxv. M. of Anniballes souldiours and frendes taken and slayne beside .iii. C. lxx vacabundes and runawayes whyche were taken and sente to Rome and there whypped with roddes and after put to death ¶ The cities of Sagūt in Spayn and Arpos in Italy at wonne by the Romains kynge Siphax is become frende to the Romans is ouercom in batail by Massanissa Ca xxxv THere were the same yere in Spayne many batailes betwene Mago and Hasdruball the capitaynes of Carthage and the Scipions for before the Romane capitaynes coulde passe the ryuer of Iberus Mago and Hasdrubal had slayne a great numbre of Spaniardes frendes to the Romanes and had opteyned the vtter part of Spayn had not the Scipions come in tyme whose commynge stayed the waueryng myndes of many of that countrey And there was betwixte the two capitaines great and many batailes foughten in the whiche the Romaynes had always the vpperhand and in sundry batayles slewe great armyes of the Carthaginenses and theyr frendes wanne diuers townes and castels brought their enemies to so lowe an ebbe that of a longe season they were glad to rest doing no
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
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
so euer they sawe most nede to resist And whan so euer they herde any crye made in any parte through the violent force of the assauting than sodainly the gate was open wherat he caused the .ii. M. souldiours of the towne to issue vpon the Romains at whose fyrst coÌ„ming Scipio caused his men to recule backe to thintent he might draw them further from the towne and more nere the reste of the Romayne army At the fyrst the battayle was styfâ—e and well maynteined on both partes but whan the CarthagineÌ„ses per ceiued so great a numbre cominge from the tentes of the Romains to the succour of their felowes they fledde with greate feare towarde their citie and were chased and slayne harde at theyr gates which caused no lesse tremblyng to be in the citie than was before in the battayle In so moche that diuers places of the walles were lefte bare and naked without men to defende the same euery man lept from his appoynted place so great and sodayne was theyr feare This perceiued well Scipio standyng on an hyll without the towne Wherefore he commaunded his souldiours to come out of their tentes spedyly to the assaulte of the towne and to bring with theim scalyng ladders His commaundement was fulfylled The fyght was strong on bothe partes And to encourage the more his people Scipio hym selfe came thyther vnder the couert of shyldes and pauesses to withstande the shotte that came from the walles of arowes dartes and other ingynnes whiche was greate There he somtyme exhorted and coumforted his men somtime he counsayled them what was best for them to do for the attayning of theyr purpose This his presence was awytnesse bothe ofmens valyant courage and also of theyr cowardyse wherby euery man enforced hym selfe to clymmevp neyther regardynge the heyghte of the walles nor fearyng the men of armes that fiersely defended the walles On the other syde of the towne lyke assault was gyuen from the shyppes by that part that laye towarde the water but all to small purpose For Mago had so furnyshed the walles with armed men euer bryngynge theym plenty of dartes and other ordinances that the Romans lost more than they waÌ„ne And aboue al thinges the sauing of the town was the height of the walles wherby fewe of their ladders were able to reche to the toppe of the same and those ladders that wer longest wer therto most weake so that whan one was ascended vp on any of them other wolde also clyme after him theron and so with heauy burden being loded many of them brake to the great hurt of the climers whervpon Scipio coÌ„sidering his vaine labours caused his wery company to withdraw them and to rest them wherby the CarthagineÌ„ses wer not only eased and releued of their present feare danger but also therby toke a hardy courage and opinion that the citie was out of all danger of taking by any assault that they wer strong inough to defend it tyll their other capitaines of the Carthaginenses armies might haue time inough to come to their rescous and to reise their siege It drewthen towarde the middel of the day when certain fysshermen of Tarracon that had ben fishing in their botes on the said great and large poole that lay on the northwest part of the towne certified Scipio that the water therof was than at a very low ebbe also the northwind being very quicke and driuing the waues with the tide caused a lower vale than had lightly been seen so that men might well wade ouer to the walles of the citie the water being in most places not past the middell of a man and in some partes not past the knees This strange fortune of that vnseen lowe ebbe of the water Scipio tourned to a myracle sayinge It was the wille and pleasure of the goddis to withdraw at that time the water from that great pole to make for the Romains a passage to open them a way by which neuer man before had passed With these stronge persuasions he caused the rest of his army which had rested theÌ„ in their tentes during the time of the first assault to take ladders and engines and to gyue a newe assault in the same place where they were before beaten back There began a fierse a cruel bickering Neuerthelesse the height of the walles was so beneficiall to the citezens that were they neuer so valiante and hardy yet vp could they not get but were ouerthrowen with small peyne to the townes men ¶ While they were busy and attentife to defende the Citie as well there as on the sea cost Scipio with a good numbre of stronge men secretely withdrewe hym to the sayd ponde where he bad his companye folowe the god Neptunus that shulde be theyr guide on their way through that shalowe water Whervpon they with small labour went ouer and set vp ladders to the walles which they found easy to be scaled and not kept with any men of warre For that they hauinge a sure hope in the naturall strengthe on that parte by reason of the water had made no munimentes or defence nor yet lefte any watch there euery man was gone to the defence of the other partes in the which thassault semed most fierse dangerouse so that without any resistence they entred the towne incontinent made hast to come to the gate where the battaile was most busy strong To which whaÌ„ they wer com they found al the townsmen so ernest in their defeÌ„ce or in coÌ„forting their felowes that they neither herd nor saw the Romans tyl they perceiued them at their backes throwing of dartes sleynge them on all partes nother tyl that time knewe they the town to be won ThaÌ„ anon wer the gates broken down a gret nuÌ„bre of armed meÌ„ entred at the gate many had by that time goten in ouer the walles som went incontinent about the towne sleyng all that they met an other company wente in araye to the market place through the myddel of the Citie Than perceyued they theyr ennemies fleyng some to the hyl within the towne that was kepte with .v. C. men of warre Mago with a great numbre with him fledde to the castel Then Scipio sent parte of his host to the sayd hyll whiche anone was wonne and the people slayne or els taken The rest wente to assaulte the castel whiche Mago a season valyantly defended but seyng all the towne full of his ennemies and that he was not lyke to haue any socours he yelded vp him selfe with the castell to the Romaynes Then ceassed they to make any further slaughter in the citie Euery man wente to the spoile of the towne the praye whereof was greate as well of golde and syluer as of ordinaunce artyllary corne shyppes iron laten and many other thinges mete for the apparel of shippes the certayntie wherof I wyll not reherse for that writars vary moch therin There was also .x. M. prysoners taken wherof as many as were
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
that was therin bothe man beaste and stuffe And suche as wold haue fledde from the daunger of the fyre were slayne with the swerde of the Romaynes ¶ Thus in one tyme were bothe the campes wonne Neuerthelesse bothe the capitaines escaped with .xx. M. fotemen and v. C. horsemen wherof manye were wounded and hurte with that fyre There were slayn and burned that night .xl. M. besydes them that there were taken aboue .vi. thousand with many noble men of Carthage whereof .xl. were senatours with a greate and ryche praye of horses armure and other thynges moche of valure whiche were distributed amonges the souldiours The kynge with certayne with hym fledde to his owne countrey ¶ Asdruball with as great speede as he mightcame to Carthage where he founde the citie soore troubled and in greate feare For they iudged that Scipio leauynge the further assault of Vtica wolde incontinent after his victory come to assault and ouercome Carthage Than they determined in hast to assemble a newe host of the citie and countrey about theim They also sent messangers to kynge Syphax to require hym that he would gather his power and healpe to defende bothe his countrey and theyrs Whervnto his yonge wyfe muche moued hym who pyteously wepyng desyred hym not to suffre his fathers and her countrey to be distroyed and the citie of Carthage to be bourned by the Romaynes as they of late bourned the kynges tentes and her fathers The legates of Carthage also shewed hym that good fortune was comminge towardes them For that there were arryued of late .iiii. M. men of warre of Celtiberia a countrey of Spayne whyche were hyred to comme to their succours And that Asdruball woulde not fayle to ioyne with hym with a full noble armye To whome the kyng gaue gentyll aunswere sayinge that he woulde assemble and put in armour all the lusty yonge men of his realme For he sayde he knewe well that he was before ouercome by fyre and not by battayle Wherefore he woulde neuer accompte hym selfe vanquyshed oneles he were ouercome and subdued in the fielde by strength and power With this answere the messangers departed ¶ And shortly after accordyng to theyr appoyntement Asdruball and the kynge mette togyther with their armies and had betweene them bothe .xxx. M. men Scipio herynge of theyr newe comming agayne on hym with that power lefte at the sayde Vtica a smalle numbre of his people bothe by sea and by lande and hym selfe with his greatte power went to mete his ennemies He pitched his campe in the playn fielde not farre from the kynges campe where lyghte skyrmysshes were made betweene the horsemen of bothe partes by the space of .iii. dayes On the fourthe day the capitaynes prepared theyr hostes to battayle ¶ Scipio set his spearemen in the front of his battayle behynde whome were his best assured souldiours footemen set to theyr ayde and succours On the ryghte wynge were his horsemen of Italy In the lefte wynge was Massanissa with his Numidian horsemen ¶ On the other side Asdruball against the wynge of Italyan horsmen set his Numidians and against Massanissa he set his Carthaginenses In the middes were the newe souldiours of Celtiberia Thus beinge ordered the battailles ioyned And at the fyrst encountre both the winges of the Carthaginenses and of the Numidians were driuen backe For the Numidians being now rude and vntaught men of armes were noothinge able to resyste the Romain horsmen neither the Carthaginenses being also vnexpert in feates of warre were able to withstande Massanissa that was fierse and terrible through the ioy of his late victory Wherfore the wynges beinge thus put to flight the poore army of the Celtiberians remained alone naked destitute of helpe or refuge Flie they durste not for that beinge in an vnknowen cuntrey they knewe no place whither to flie to be saued Again if they were taken they looked for no grace at Scipios hand seinge they came from their owne cuntrey into Affrica to fight against hym that had before ofte tymes been their good frende Wherfore being compassed about with their ennemies they were slayne one vppon an other without pitie But whiles al men were busy about theim Syphax and Asdrubal had tyme to escape to whom the night beinge so nere was moche their safegarde ¶ What feare the Carthaginenses were in after this great ouerthrowe of their friendes and seing Scipio with his army ouer ryding the countrey rounde aboute theim and winning the cities and townes which were vnder their subiection no penne can write nor tunge expresse They loked euery houre whan theyr citie shoulde be enuyronned with their ennemies they fortifyed their walles they broughte in vytayles to endure a lenger space and prepared all thynges necessarye They consulted what were best for theym to do It was agreed that messangers shoulde be sent with letters to Anniball commaundyng him to come to Carthage with his power to their socours ¶ Certayn of the senatours gaue counsel that a good nombre of shippes furnyshed with men and ordenance shuld sodeinly inuade the Romayne hoste and nauy that lay in rest at Vtica not mystrustynge but they shulde fynde the shyppes neglygently kept wherby with small peyne they myghte oppresse theim On these two pointes the senators agreed The shippes were sette furthe and letters were also sent to Anniball Scipio retournynge from the battayle leadynge and cariyng with hym the spoile or pray of many townes which he wanne sent his sayde praye with the prisoners to his campe at Vtica He hym selfe came to Tunnes whyche he found void of men of warre They were fled after the battayle and left the town without any garrison Of the takyng of this towne Scipio was very gladde as well for that it was naturally stronge by reason of the syte therof besyde that it was surely fortifyed by the industry of man as also for that the place was so commodyouse for his pourpose It was dystaunt from Carthage twelue myles Yet frome thense he myghte welle see the citie of Carthage and also the sea that bette on the walles of the towne ¶ Whyles the Romaynes were castynge a trenche and fortifiynge this towne of Tunnes they perceyued the nauy of the Carthaginenses saylynge towardes Vtica Than Scipio leauyng his woorkes made haste with his men towardes Vtica to come to the healpe of his shippes that lay at the siege therof and came before the arryuing of the Carthaginenses who trifled the tyme on the sea beinge in feare to set on that enterpryse so that Scipio had prouyded well for the defence of his shyppes before their coming Neuer the lesse after moche trouble and fyght on the sea they toke with them .vi. Romayn shyppes and returned to Carthage where no small ioy was made of that very small gayne ¶ Syphax maketh a new fialde with Lelius and Massanissa where he is taken prisoner and his men put to flighte Massanissa then taketh the citie of Cirtha and there in hast marieth Sophonisba wyfe to kinge Spphax Cap. lxiiii
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
this of fortune that I whiche fyrst fought with your father beinge consull in armes with banners displayed shulde nowe come to his sonne vnarmed for to sue for peace I woulde it had pleased the goddes to haue gyuen suche honest hertes to our fathers and predecessours that they wolde haue ben contented with the dominion of Affrica and to your fathers to haue ben contented with the empyre of Rome For if we make a trewe rekenynge neyther Sicilia nor Sardinia be a worthy recompence of the manyfolde nauyes armies and noble Capytaynes that we haue loste throughe our prowde contention But it is easyer to fynde faulte with thynges that be passed then it is to amende the same And for our partes we haue so coueted others dominions that at lengthe we haue ben fayne to fyghte for our owne We haue for our parte not onelye warred in Italy but also so farre aduaunced our hoste and power that at the verye gates of Rome ye haue sene our standardes and men of armes And in lyke maner we of Carthage haue ben within the herynge of the noyse of your Romayne campes and armye Nowe by your good fortune communication of peace is hadde betweners whiche we of reason shulde leaste care for And ye for your partes shulde chieflye desyre And we nowe intreate thereof whom it mooste behoueth to make peace Consyderynge that what soo euer we two agree vpon our cities wyll ratyfye and coufyrme Wherfore there lacketh nothynge in vs but quyet myndes and peasable hertes And for my parte myne age vppon my returne into my cuntreye frome whense I came forthe but yonge with the tymes sometyme chaungynge to prosperitie sometyme to aduersytie haue so taught me that I can be better contented to followe reason then brittell fortune But I feare greatly leste thy youthe and thy perpetuall felicine ingender in the suche a fyersenesse that thou wylte not regarde quyete counsayle No man shall soo aduysedlye consyder the vncertayne chaunces of Fortune as he that hath benne deceyned by Fortune as I was at the battayle of Trasymenus and at Cannas so art thou now being but a yong souldiour of age made a capitayne the fyrste daye Thou beganste all thynges with a bolde and a stout courage and fortune neuer fayled the throughethy desyre to reuenge thy fathers and thyne vncles deathe wherby all your familye was almoste brought to extreme calamitie thou hast purchased the a noble fame Thou haste receyued Spayne that was before lost driuynge from that countrey .iiii. notable armies of the Carthaginenses that before dyd possesse the same Afterwarde being made consul when other men lacked hertes to defende Italy theyr owne countrey thou tokest on the to sayle into Affrica where sleinge two great hostes and in one houre takynge and burninge two riche and stronge campes And after the taking of the mighty kyng Syphax with many cities and castelles of his realme and of our empire of Carthage at the laste thou haste nowe plucked me frome the possession of Italy whiche these .xvi. yeres I haue with stronge hande kepte and enioyed Nowe hauynge all these prosperous chaunces it is lyke that thy minde may be more desirous of victory then of peace And truely I haue knowen yours and suche lyke hertes and courages to be euer more great and valyaunt then wyse and profytable The daies also haue ben that fortune dyd in lyke maner shine bryghte and smyle vppon me But if the goddes wolde gyue vs in prosperitie good and right mindes we wold not onely consyder thynges that haue happed but also what mighte happen vnto vs. And settynge all other exaumples aparte I my selfe maye be best a document of lernyng vnto the for all kindes of fortune I had not longe agone mine host encamped betwene the riuer of Amenes and the citie of Rome and displayed my banners before the walles of the citie Nowe after the losse of my two bretherne which were full good and noble capitaynes I am here to succour myne owne troubled sore vexed countrey gladde and desyrous to praye that myne owne citie maye be delyuered from the daungers wherwith I assayled then your citie Let no man put to moche confydence in hyghe and swellyng fortune Better it is and more certain to be sure of peace then to hope for victory The one thou hast nowe in thine owne handes the other is in the hande of the goddes Put not the felicitie whiche in many yeres thou hast â—tteigned into one houres ieoperdy Call to thy mynde both thyne owne power and the power of fortune which in warre is common On bothe partes be men and weapons of warre And consyder that chaunces be varyable in all our affayres specially in battayle And in case thou vanquishe vs in battayle thou shalte not wynne so moche glory and profyte aboue that thou mayst haue of vs by peace as thou shalte lose in case fortune turne agaynste the. For in one houre fortune maye ouerthrow that in longe space hath ben gotten and also that is loked for whiche ye truste to haue Nowe it is in thy power to ioyne all thynges to gether by peace P. Cornelius But if it come to further tryall we muste bothe take suche fortune as the goddes wyll sende Amonge other exaumples of felicitie Marcus Attilius may be well remembred for one who arryued here in this same countrey of Affrica and wynning the victorye vppon our forefathes the Carthaginenses denyed to graunt them peace which they instantly required of hym But at the last for that he coulde not measure his felicitie nor moderate Fortune that so hyghly aduaunced hym therfore his fall was the fowler by howe moch he was the more hygher eleuate in prosperitie It beloÌ„geth not to him that asketh peace but to hym that gyueth peace to appoynte the conditions of peace But we knowlegyng our defaulte wyl appoynt to ourselues condigne punishemente for the same not refusynge to leaue vnto you the possession of suche countreys for whiche the warre beganne as Sicilia Sardinia Spayne and all the Iles within the sea betwene Italye and Affrica And we of Carthage beinge contented with Affrica onelye sense it hath soo pleased the goddes wyll suffer you to enioye the Empyre of dyuerse straunge countreys and dominions gotten bothe by sea and by lande Paraduenture in the askynge of peace heretofore ye haue not bene playnelye and iustely delte withall whiche causeth you to mystruste the faythe and promyse of the Carthaginenses But therin as touchyng the obseruynge of peace when it is taken it is moche to be consydered what the persons be by whom the peace is required For as I haue harde it tolde Scipio your fathers heretofore denyed the Carthaginenses peace for that the persones that came to intreate therfore were of small dignitie or estimation But nowe doo I Anniball requyre peace whiche I woulde not desyre onlesse I thoughte it profytable and for the same profyt that I do demande it for the same wyll I also styll kepe and conserue it And
the citie of Carthage in feare on al partes Fyrst sent Lelius to Rome to beare newes of his victory And then sent Cn. Octauius by lande towarde Carthage with his army of horsemen and fotemen Whiles he takyng with hym bothe the newe nauy of shyppes brought hym by Lentulus and also his olde nauye wente by sea from Vtica towardes the hauen of Carthage He had but a whyle sailed on the sea when a shippe of Carthage met hym couered all with white lynnen clothe and full of bowes of Oliue in token of peace In whiche shippe were .x. embassadours of the prynces of Carthage sente by the mynde of Anniball to desyre peace When this shyppe was come to the fore parte of Scipiosship the coueringe was taken awaye and the legates ryght humbly required hym to extende his mercy and pitie vpon them But other aunswere had they none giuen them but that they shoulde come to hym to Tunes for to that place he sayde he wolde remoue his campe With this aunswere they departed and he wente with his nauy of shippes before Carthage partely to viewe the situation of the towne partely to make the inhabitantes ther of the more afraide But after smal soiourninge there he departed frome thense and returned to Vtica And from thense was goinge to Tunes when sodeine newes wer brought him that Vermina the sonne of Syphax with a great numbre of horsemen and fotemen was comyng to the succours of the Carthaginenses To encountre with these people Scipio incontinent sente a good parte of the fotemen of his host and all his horsemen who metynge with theim at theyr fyrste reencountre put them to flyght and stoppinge the passages wherby they myght by fleinge escape they slewe of the Numidiens .xv. M. and toke aboue .xii. C. with many horses of that countrey to the numbre of xv C. and with peyne the capitayne hym selfe escaped hauynge a small numbre with hym From thense the campe was pytched at Tunes in the olde place where they before had set it Thyther came .xxx. noble men of Carthage embassadours sent vnto Scipio who with moche more lamentation then the other had done before required peace of Scipio constrained more therunto through the contrarietie of Fortune and by the late ouerthrow of their friende Vermina And they were lykewise herde with lesse pitie bicause of theyr late vntruthe and rebellion In so moche that it was thought by moste men that the citie of Carthage myghte then iustely and worthely be destroyed by theim And so had it ben in dede had not one thynge specially moued Scipio to the contrarye Whiche was that the newe consull was comynge thyther whose desyre was to haue the honour and fame of that victory and of fynishinge that warre whiche was before achieued by Scipios traueile to his great daungier And for this cause Scipio and his counsaylours wer fully minded to take peace with the Carthaginenses Wherefore the nexte day he called the legates of Carthage before him greatly rebukinge them of the vntrewth to him diuers times shewed Wyllynge theim nowe at the last beinge taughte by good experience to regarde bothe theyr goddes and theyr othes and shewinge them that he hauing pitie of the destruction of theim and of theyr soo noble a citie was contented to graunte them peace vpon these conditions Fyrste that they shoulde lyue free after theyr owne lawes and customes enioyinge all suche cities and townes in Affrica as they hadde in possession before the warre betwene theim taken And that frome that daye forthe the Romaynes shulde no more destroye or spoyle any parte therof Agayne the Carthaginenses shulde restore to the Romaynes all suche persons as were fled and runne away from the Romayns and all the prisoners of the Romains and theyr friendes whom they had in captiuite Also that they shoulde delyuer theim all theyr shyppes of warre and other shyppes excepte onely galeys hauynge thre orders of oores in a piece And that they shoulde also delyuer vp all theyr elephantes whiche were alredye tamed and made apte for the warre neyther shulde they after tame any moo Agayne that they shoulde moue no warre in Affrica nor withoute Affrica but by the lycence or commaundemente of the Romaynes Furthermore that they shulde restore vnto Massanissa all suche thynges as they hadde taken of his makynge a peace and agrement with hym And also yelde vnto the Romayne hoste wheate and wages vnto the return of the legates from Rome Besydes all this they shulde paye .x. M. talentes of syluer in fyftye yeres durynge whiche tyme they shulde yerely paye that summe deuyded in euen portions For the paymente wherof and perfourmaunce of these condytions they shoulde delyuer hym an C. pledges of his owne election Wherof none shuld be vnder thage of .xiiii. yeres neither aboue thage of .xxx. Vpon these conditions he agreed to giue them truce so that they wolde delyuer to him out of hand all suche hulkes or shyppes of burthen with their fraught and implementes which the Carthaginenses toke from theim duringe the laste tyme of truse that he had before graunted theim Or elles they shulde neither loke for truse nor for peace ¶ Whan the legates were come to Carthage they were cōmaunded to declare the same conditions of peace openly before the congregation of the people therevnto assembled Against which conditions one Gysgo a noble man of Carthage spake very sore and wold haue dissuaded the people from the taking of peace To whose sayinges many of the vnruly multitude gaue good audience But Annibal being therwith greatly moued went to him and with force drewe him downe from his place Which his violent facion had not bene vsed before in that citie and was thought of dyuers to be contrary to the libertie of their citie where before all people had free libertie to speake their opinions Annibal being vsed to the facion of the warres more than to the peasible vse of the citie remembrynge the liberties therof excused his rudenesse in this maner Whan I departed from this citie I was but .ix. yeres olde whiche is nowe .xxxvi. yeres agone during which time I haue sufficiently knowen and been instructed in all feates of warre beinge taught by the chaunces of fortune euen frome my chyldehoode Wherfore beynge disvsed soo longe space frome the lawes maners and customes of the citie although I doo forgette the liberties and vses therof I am the lesse to be blamed Thus after he hadde excused his folye he perswaded the people to the takynge of peace and howe necessary it was nowe for theim and also howe reasonable the conditions were consyderynge theyr presente estate To whiche his perswasions the greattest parte of the multiude agreed and the resisters agaynste it were greately blamed The greatest doubte was howe they myghte make restitution of that that was taken frome the Romaynes in the tyme of truce For all was spoyled and goone neyther knewe they who badde theym onely the shyppes and hulkes remaygned But in conclusyon worde was
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
actes of your roiall maiestie that are his verie true champion rewarding your worldly conquestes here with perpetuall renoume and glorie and after this lyfe which almyghty god graunt for our benefite to be veraie longe remuneratyng your graces godly mynde intent and trauailes in his causes with the incorruptible crowne of immortalitie and felicitee eternall bothe of soule and bodie THE TABLE THe description of Anniball at his fyrst exercise in warre ca i. ¶ Of Annibals fyrst warres and victorie Cap. ii ¶ Anniball beâ—â—â—geth the Saguntines and howe he was there foore wounded Cap. iii. ¶ The comyng of the Romayn ambassadours to Anniball and Carthage and what answere they had of hym and theim Cap. iiii ¶ Howe Sagunt was cruelly conquered Cap. v. ¶ How the Romain ambassadours sent to Carthage and from this into Spayne speddâ— Cap. vi ¶ Howe Anniball renewynge the warre conducted his armye into Fraunce to passe the mountaynes Cap. vii ¶ Howe Anniball passed the riuer of Rhodanus put the frenchemen to Nyght refused to fight with the consull of Rome and with what woordes he couraged his souldiors to passe the mountains Ca. viii ¶ How and with what labour peyn excedyng great desigier Annibal his army passed ouer the high mouÌ„tains Alpes into Italy cap. ix ¶ How both the armies of Rome Carthage approched the oratioÌ„ that P. C. Scipio the consul made to encourage his men to fight ca. x. ¶ With what exaumples and woordes Anniball exhorted his souldiours to fyght valyantly Cap. xi ¶ Howe Scipio and Anniball mette by chaunce and fought togither and howe the consull was hurt and Anniball victour Cap. xii ¶ Howe Anniball fought with Sempronius the consul and by what meanes he put the Romayns to fâ—yght Cap. xiii ¶ Anniball intendyng to take a certayn called by â—â—eithe was encountred by the consull wounded and put to the wurse and after a great slaughter of the people he wonne 〈◊〉 And howe Cn. Scipio in Spayne ouerthrewe Hanno in battayle Cap. xiiii ¶ How Anniball passed the daungerous feâ—nâ—s neere to the ryuer of Arnus to the great losse of his men and cattall where the fenny aire caused hym to lose one of his eâ—es And of the haste that Flamminius the Consull maketh to gyue hym battayle Cap. xv ¶ Of the battayle of Trasymenus with the deathe of the Consulie Flamminius and many other Romayns Cap. xvi ¶ Howe Anniball by a â—eafty deceite escaped the straites of Formiana wherin he was enclosed by Q. Fabius Maximus Cap. xvii ¶ 〈◊〉 Scipio fyghteth with Hasdruball and Himilco on the sea vpon the costes of Spayne dryueth theim to lande taketh and distroiâ—th xxv shippes with a great numbre of the Carthaginenses Ca. xviii ¶ How 〈…〉 Spaniard by 〈…〉 the pledges of Spanâ—â—â— the Carthaginenses and delyuered them to the Romains Ca. xix ¶ Fabius beeyng at Rome in displeasure Minutius maister of the horsemen fyghteth with Anniball putteth hym to the wâ—â—s and therfore is made half rular of the host with Fabius he fyghteth with him agayns and is put to flyght and reseued by Fabius Cap. xx ¶ Of Lucius 〈◊〉 Paulus and C. Tetentius Vatto consulles and the oration of Q. Fabius Maximus to Paulus before his departyng from Rome towarde his hoste Capit. xxi ¶ Of the perillous battaile of 〈◊〉 and the victory that Anniball had there of the Romaynes Cap. xxii ¶ How Anniball ordered his buisynesse after the battaile and howe young Scipio vsed him selfe for the sauing of the â—â—en welth ca. xxiii ¶ The oration of the captiue prisoners made to the senate for theyr redemption Cap. xxiiii ¶ The sore answere of T. Manlius Torquatus to the captiues oration wherin he dissuaded their redemption Cap. xxv ¶ How Pacuuius by craft became chiefe rular of Capua and of the yeldyng of that citie to Anniball Cap. xxvi ¶ The newes that Mago brought to Carthage of Annibals victories in Italy and the oration of Hanno a seâ—atour of Carthage made vnto the same Cap. xxvii ¶ Of the battayle betwene Marcellus and Anniball before the citie of Nola and of Anniballes wyntrynge in Capua in delycate pleasures wherby he withdrue the hartes and courages of his men from all warrelyâ—e fascion Cap. xxviii ¶ Of the long siege and wynnyng of Cassilinum with the death and distruction of the consull Posthumius and his hoste in the woode of Lytana by the craft of the Frenchemen Cap. xxix ¶ Of the victory of the Scipious in Spayne Cap. xxx ¶ The oration of the Saâ—â—â—tes and the Harpines to Anniball desiryng his helpe agayste the Romaynes with the order of Marcellus and Anniball about Nola. Cap. xxxi ¶ The exhortation of Anniball to his souldiours the batayl betwene hym and Marcellus the victories of the Scipios in Spayn ca. xxxii ¶ The oration of Quintus Fabius Maximus touchyng the election of the consulles in that daungerous season Cap. xxxiii ¶ The battayle betwene Hanno and Gracchus with the reward and also the punyshement awarded by Gracchus to certayne bondemenne of his hoste Cap. xxxiiii ¶ The cities of Sagunt in Spayn and Arpos in Italy at wonne by the Romaines kyng Syphax is become frende to the Romayns and is ouercome in battayle by Massaâ—â—ssa Cap. xxxv ¶ Anniball through the treason of Nico and Philoâ—â—enes wynneth the citie of Tarent Cap. xxxvi ¶ Fuluius Flaccus the Romayne consulle wynneth the campe of Hanno sleeth and taketh a great numbre of men with a ryche praie Mago sleeth Titus Gracchus and many Romaynes throughe the treason of Flauius a Lucaâ— Cap. xxxvii ¶ Centeniuâ— Penula and Câ—â—ius Fuluius with theyr two armies be discomfyted and slayne by Anniball in seuerall battailes Ca. xxxviii ¶ The citie of Capuâ— is besieged by the two consulles Anniball coÌ„meth to the succour of the citezens gyueth the consuls battayle from theâ— goeth to Rome warde with his hoâ—ste to the intent thereby to drâ—â—â— the consuls from the siege of Capu. Cap. xxxix ¶ The oration of Virius Vixuâ—â— concernyng the yeldyng of Capua the Romaines receiue the towne slea the senatours and conuerte the grounde therof to the profite of the citie of Rome Cap. xl ¶ Marcellus wynneth the citie of Syracusa in Sicilia P. Scipio and Cuâ—ius Scipio are slayne in Spayne with a greatte noumbre of Romaynes Cap. xli ¶ L. Martius is chosen capitayne of the Romaine armye he maketh an oration to his souldiours and in one nyght and a daie vanquisheth two hostes of Carthaginenses winneth their campes and a greatte praie Capit. xlii ¶ Howe Asdruball beeyng enclosed in the straites besyde Mentissa escaped the daunger thereof by mockyng his ennemies and of the chosing of yong P. Cor. Scipio to be capitain in Spayn Capi. xliii ¶ The oration of Scipio to his souldiours in Spayne after his commynge thyther Cap. xliiii ¶ The citie of newe Carthage in Spayne is wonne by the Romans with a great praie of golde syluer all other necessaries for the waâ—â—e with the pledges of the
Whan Anniball hadde cyrcumspectly viewed the walles he founde a corner from the whyche dydde extende a fayre playne valeye vnto the whyche corner he layde his siege reysynge vp certayne engyns of defence for the safegard of his people tyll they myght approche the walles and caryenge other ingyns to gyue assaute and to beate downe the walles But bycause the fayre playne without that corner made that syde to be in mooste ieopardye the citezens therfore had buylded the walles on that parte hygher than the other sydes There was alsoo buylded at that coruer a myghty high towre the strength wherof letted Anniball to lay his siege to the towne as he wold haue done Hot withstandyng he by reason of his engyns gaue so sharpe assaulte that the cytezens beinge vppon the walles were greately abasshed who at the same assaulte not onely defended theyr walles manfully but also couragiously issued out of the towne and assayled their ennemies and breakyng downe theyr munimentes and fortifications entred the towne ageyn welnere to as great losse of their ennemies as of their owne people Whyche thynge whan Anniball perceiued he sodaynly with out aduysement approched to the walles and was stryken with a barbed iauelyn in the thygh so that soore wounded he felle to the grounde Whan his people sawe hym falle there was suche feare and clamour amonge them that they cleane gaue ouer the assaute so that they suffred the towne to be in reste tyll theyr capitayne was healed Durynge whiche time of rest from battayle the citizens were not vnoccupied For they fortified them selfe the more strongly for that they perceyued the assautes to come shulde be more fierce and perillous Whan Hanniball was cured of his wounde the siege and warre became more deadly and terrible than before The Carthaginens dayly increased they were to the noumber of Cl. M. who with theyr engins bet downe the walles of Sagunt to the ground in dyuers partes so that they semed sundry tymes to haue won the citie but they within where the walles lacked with strengthe of men defended it And thus sometyme hope and sometyme dispayre enforced bothe partes to do theyr vttermost ¶ The commyng of the Romayne ambassadours to Hanniball and Carthage and what answere they had of hym and theym Capit. iiii IN the meane season of this longe contynued warre very doubtful and variable on both partes worde came to Hannibal that the Romain Legates were come Vnto whome he sente a messanger to shewe theym that there was ieopardy in passing through so perillous and doutfull battayles of straunge and wylde nations And hym selfe was so intricate with busynesse that he coulde not attende to speake with them or to here their legacy The ambassadours heryng this answere departed towardes Carthage as they were commaunded Whiche thyng Hanniball perceyuynge sent letters to the senate and princes of Carthage that were frendes wyllynge theym so to induce the people that they shulde in no wyse shewe fauour to the Romaines So that it came to passe that as they coulde not be receyued of Hanniball euen soo theyr ambassage was voyde at Carthage For whan Hanno a man of great authoritie had opened in the senate the peryll and ieopardy of the truce breakyng and the vengeance whiche might folowe vpon the same and perswaded that it shuld be necessary that Hanniball shulde be yelded to the Romaynes for amendes of the truce breakynge His oration being fynished the hole senate more inclynynge to the vniuste enterpryse of Hanniball than to any reasonable perswasion to the contrarye estemed hym to haue spoken more vnfrendly than the legates of Rome Whervpon they answered the ambassadours that Hanniball had done nothing but iustely and that the Romayns dyd wronge in takyng part with the Saguntynes agaynst theym of Carthage beynge theyr olde frendes And thus whyles the Romaynes sente theyr ambassadours to and fro Hanniball ceassed not but whan his weary souldiours releued them selfes of theyr peines and trauayle to encourage his men against his ennemies sometyme with hope of victory sometyme with hope of the ryche pray so that they were in suche wyse encouraged and stered that they thought nothyng able to resyste them And contrarywyse the Saguntines were no lesse carefull and diligent to repayre their broken walles and to prouide thinges to make resistence Hanniball who neuer cessed but beinge styll occupied with inuention of subtiltie and crafte commanded a hygh towre of tymber so to be made that it myghte be remoued to euery part of the walles at his pleasure Whiche whan it was fynished he furnyshed with crossebowes and other ordynance wherwith he bette the defenders frome the walles Than incontinent he sent .v. C. Affricanes with pikeâ—xes and instrumentes to vndermyne and breake downe the walles whiche was very easye to brynge to passe with suche tooles The walles were of the olde rude makyng not layde with lyme and sande but with clay and blacke morter Wherfore they had soone ouerthrowen a great part of the walles at whiche breache the Carthaginenses entred and came to a hygh place of the citie whiche they garnyshed with all kyndes of ordynances and made a wall about the same makynge it as a castell or fortresse for them within the citie Not withstandinge the Saguntines with as great shyfte as myght be made countermures in the towne and defended theym selfe and saued those partes that were not gotten as it myght be But in shorte space they were so beaten that they wyste not where to defende Thus the Saguntines defendyng the inwarde partes of theyr towne loste dayely more and more of theyr citie Vitayles also fayled theym sore by reason of the longe siege Agayne the expectation of theyr succours was in vayne bycause the Romaynes theyr onely hope were soo farre of Not withstandyng they were alyttell comforted by reason that Annibal was so sodaynly sent for to go against the Oretanes and Carpetanes whiche than were raised agayne and beganne to rebelle but their warre in the meane tyme semed nothing the lesse by reason of one Maharball Himilcos sonne who kepte the siege so streightly that it semed the capitayne was not absent ¶ Whan Anniball was retourned from the Carpetanes and Oretanes warre the battayle beganne more strongely than before Duringe whyche tyme two souldiours one named Alcon a SaguÌ„tine and the other called Alorcus a Spaniard hauyng some hope of peace determined to moue Anniball to the same Alcon the Saguntine was brought before Annibal who shewed vnto hym what they shulde do if they intended to haue peace Whiche conditions of peace semed vnto Alcon very vnreasonable Wherfore thinkyng that the Saguntines wold in no case agree vnto the same he remained there styll and wolde not retourne agayne to his citie affirmynge that he were worthy to dye that vnder such couenaÌ„tes wold treate of peace Whan Alcon had denied that the Saguntines wold receyue any suchetruce Alorcus aforesayd beinge a souldiour of Annibals and an olde frende to the Saguntines supposyng that theyr myndes
he can not tell of whyche hoste he is gouernour but only by the banners and badges Surely worthy warriors I esteme not this a lyttell that there is none of you before whome I haue not done some worthy feate of warre At that tyme ye dyd extolle and laude me and thought me worthy of gyftes and preferrement And nowe I shall more lyke a father than a capytayne before you all enter into battayle agaynste these people that nother knoweth vs nor any of theym knoweth other Where so euer I caste myne eyes I see nothynge amonge you but hardynesse and strength the moste aunciente and famous footemen the mooste noble armed and vnarmed horsemen and you moste faithfull and hardy Carthaginenses and felowes shall both fyght for your countrey and in a iuste and ryghtuous quarell We brynge warre and banners dysplayed into Italy noysome to the Romaynes And so moche more boldly we may fyght in how moche the hope and courage of vs that inuade is stronger than theyrs that onely defende Besydes all this theyr wronge and vnworthy dealyng towarde vs bothe kendle and encourage our myndes For fyrst I beinge capitayne was requyred and than all you that were at the destruction of Sagunt were in lykewyse requyred to be delyuered to the Romayns to be put to deathe This moste cruell and proude nation dothe all thynges after theyr owne brayne and iudgement they wyll determyn with whome we shall haue warre or peace All thing that they do they thynke it ryghtefull They wylle appoynte hylles and fluddes to be boundes and meres whyche we may not passe yet wyll not they obserue the places and termes whych they haue sette and prescribed them selues Thou shalt not saye they passe Iberus lest thou make the a do with the Saguntines Sagunt is at Iberus Therefore you shall not moue thyther from your appoynted place They esteme it but a litell to haue taken from vs our most auncient prouinces Sardinia and Sicilia but they woll haue Spayn also And if they wynne that than they wyll haue Affrica I may well say Affrica also For they haue sent two consuls this yere one into Affrica and an other into Spayne There is nothynge lefte to vs but that that we muste be fayne to wynne agayne with the sworde If feare compelle theym lyke cowardes to flee here from vs they haue places ynoughe to receyue theym they knowe the countreys and wayes wherby to escape It behoueth you to play the valyant men and settyng all at six and seuen eyther to vanquyshe or elles yf fortune frowne rather manfully to dye in battayle than to be slayne in fleyng away If this that I haue sayd be fast fixed in your myndes I say to you for certayne you haue all ready the vyctorye ¶ Howe Scipio and 〈…〉 and fought togither 〈◊〉 howe the 〈◊〉 was hurt 〈…〉 Cap xii _â—Vhan by these exhortations the men of warre on bothe partes were kendled and stered to battayle the Romaines pitched their tentes â—t Ticinus where they beganne to make a bridge and fyrst they made a towre vpon the same for the safegarde of the bridge whiles it was workyng But while they were occupied about theyr worke Hanniball sent Maharball with a wynge of the Numidies of .v. C. horsemen to destroye the fieldes of suche as were frendes to the Romayns chargyng theym to spare the Frenchemen and to stere the princis to forsake the Romans amitie Whan the bridge was made Scipio conâ—eied his army ouer and pytched within .v. myles of Anniballes campe And whan the Romaines hoste approched Maharball was called backe Whâ—n Anniball who coulde neuer inough stire his souldiours to battayle had promised them gyftes rewardes ye and fredome with landes also other in Affrica Spayn or Italy at theyr owne pleasures in case they myght obteyne the vpper hande he dydde sacrifice vnto the goddis holding a lambe in the lefte hande and a â—â—ynt stone in the ryght hand desyrynge Iupyter and the goddis all so to slea him as he did the lambe yf he wolde weake promyse with them And than euery of them receiuynge a sure hope desyred the battayle The Romans made no suche haste bycause they were feared with strange tokens and fyghtes a lyttell before For a wolfe was seâ—e to come into theyr campe which rent and tore those that he mette and hym selfe escaped without hurte Dyuers other suche tokens very straunge were shewed amonge the Romaynes Whan Scipio had soughte deligently what they myght sygnifye he went with certayne horsemen with hym to a lytteâ—l hyll â—ere adioynyng to viewe the number and demeanour of Annibals hoste where by chance he mette Anniball and certayne horsemen with hym that was also ridden forthe to viewe the countreys aboute Whan they were almost mette with great care and diligence they set them selfes in aray to fyghte The battayle was stronge for a season and doubtfull But in a whyle the Romain fotemen fledde backe to their battayle where beinge myngled with the horsemen they caused great confusion but whan the Numidian horsemen whiche were on the wynges came on theym also than fledde they on all partes to their campe In this conflict was the consul Scipio soore wounded whom with great peyn his horsemen caried out of the fielde to theyr great discomforte Wherfore the nyght folowyng the Romanes makyng as litell noyse as myght be that theyr ennemies shulde haue noo knowledge remeued from Ticinus to Padus and came to Placentia before that Anniball wyst that they were departed from Ticinus Mago with the Spanyshe fotemen swam ouer the water quyckly and Anniball by the hygher parte of the ryuer passed ouer his hoste with as great spede as might be And within a fewe days he came and pitched before Placentia and on the morowe after in the syght of his enemies he ranged his hoste and sette them in aray redy to gyue battayle The nyght folowyng by reason of a sedition that arose in the Romane army there were many Frenchemen slayne of those that came to they raide whervpon two thousand fotemen and two hundred horsemen of the Frenchemen sleinge the watchemen at the gates fledde vnto Anniball whome he gentilly entertained and keÌ„dled with hope of exceding great rewardes and sent euery man home to his owne citie therby the more to allure and tourne the myndes of the commons of theyr countrey vnto hym Scipio demyng this slaughter to be a token that all the Frenchemen wolde forsake hym and that they beinge touched with this yuell dede as a madnesse were fallen vppon theym wolde runne to harneys not withstandynge his wounde greued hym soore yet as pryuily as he myght in the nyghte tyme he remoued his hooste to the ryuer Trebia and pytched in hygher places and on lyttell hylles ylle for horsemen Anniball hauynge knowlege therof sente fyrste certayne Numidians after and thanne all the horsemen whyche shulde haue putte the rerewarde to great trouble hadde not the Numidians for couetousnes of pray tourned to the voyde tentes of
Whan Anniball knowyng his ennemies to be enclosed with the lake and hylles on the one syde whyche he desyred and also compassed about with his army on the other side he gaue a signe to his men sodeinly to inuade their ennemies which his commandement they anon with all diligence executed ruÌ„nyng downe from the hylle and assaylyng the Romanes on all partes One thyng moche amased the Romaynes by the sodayne and straunge chaunge thereof there arose frome the brode lake a myste thycker and darker than the hylles in apparence whyche letted theym of the syght and true knowledge of the maner of theyr ennemies inuasyon The noyse of the sodayne affraye arose amonge theym before they perceyued theym selues to be betrayde and hemmed in And the battayle was begonne bothe before and on bothe sydes before that they coulde be put in good aray or take theyr armor and drawe theyr swerdes ¶ The Consull Flamminius whan all his people were thus oppressed with feare he hym selfe as a man of great courage and lyttell affrayde ordered his troubled company and sette them in order as well as the tyme and place wolde serue him styll exhortyng them by all the meanes he myghte to abyde and to fyghte shewynge theym that it booted theym not to praye and call on theyr goddis or to make vowes theym for theyr delyuerance There was nowe no waye to for theym to escape but by strengthe and hardynesse there was no way than to be made but with the swerd and the lesse feare they dydde take the lesse ieopardye and perylle shoulde they be in But the noyse was soo greatte that the wordes and counsaylle of their Capitayne coulde not be hearde And they were so dismayde that they skarsely knewe theyr standerdes and places to repayre vnto They hadde scante hartes to drawe theyr weapons theyr harneis was rather a burthen to them than a defence They myght heare moche noyse and clamour of those that were wounded but lyttell coulde they see Some fled and in the fleing hapned to fall into companies of Romanes that fought earnestly and by them were stayed from further fleinge Some were commynge towarde the battayle and by the discomfyture of suche as they mette whyche fledde away were discouraged and fledde also But at the laste whan they perceyued no way to escape than felle they earnestly to fyghtyng not kepyng order oraray but by companyes as it happed theym to falle togyther Than beganne the battayle to be fyerce in all partes and endured almoste thre howres and euery where very cruell but moste daungerous about the consull For the strengthe of the hoste folowed hym And on what so euer parte he sawe his men in daunger quyckly and diligently he rescued them And he beinge very valiant bothe myghtyly assayled his ennemies and defended his citezens vntyll one of Insubria called Ducarius knowyng bothe his horse and his face sayd to his company Here is the Consuâ—â— â–ª that not longe agone confounded our legyons and distroyed bothe our cyties and fieldes nowe shall I sende his sowle to the company of our frendes that he all redy hath slayne and hyttynge his hors with the spurres he ranne violently through the thyckest of his ennemyes route sleinge a squyre whyche mette hym vnhappyly in the way And afterwarde with his speare ranne the Consull through the body and hadde spoyled hym had not the stronge company of the Romayne knyghtes withstande hym After his deathe beganne the Romans to flee on al partes and than nother hylles nor lake coulde lette theym they wandred as blynd men through the straites and ouer the rockes some fallyng one ouer an other And whan they coulde fynde none other waye they toke the next way through the fennes runnynge into the water ouer head and shulders and were for the moste parte drowned Thus was the daungerous battayles at Trasymenus .xv. M. Romans were slayne in the bataile and .x. M. sparkled abrode by diuers ways cam came to Rome A. M. and .v. C. of the Carthaginenses were slayne in that battayle and many died after by reason of theyr woundes whiche they had Anniball deliuered all the prysoners of Italy without raunsome but the Romans he kept in prison Than commanded he the bodies of his company that were deade to be disseuered from the other and buried He sought the body of Flaminius with greate diligence to haue buried it but he coulde not finde it Whan the newes of this great slaughter was first knowen at Rome the people assembled with great feare and rumour in the market place gatheryng into companies to knowe the trouth therof And a litel before the sonne settyng Marcus Pomponius pretor saide With great bataile wear ouercome and although the people herd him say no more of certainty yet by receiuing the newes one of an other they filled the hole city with tidingis that the consul with a great part of the host was slayne and that fewe were left on lyue but were other chased abrode or taken of theyr ennemies The women chiefely made eyther great ioy for theyr frendes that escaped or elles great sorowe for the deth and captiuitie of them that were slayn and taken It was sayd that one woman whan she herde sodeinly that her sonne came home escaped from the battaile for ioy dyed at the gate of the citie And an other to whome it was shewed falsely that her chyld was slayne she abode in her house very sorowfull but whan he came home to her sodaynly she at the fyrst syght of hym for great ioye dyed The Pretours kepte the Senate for certayne dayes frome the sonne rysynge to the sonne sette counsaylynge what capytaynes and what hooste they myght haue to withstande the Carthaginenses but before they had made any certayne determination of theyr busynes they had tydynges of an other newe slaughter which was that .iiii. thousand horsemen which were sent by Seruilius the other consull to flamminius vnder the gouernaÌ„â—e of one C. Centronius After they herde of the battaile of Trasymenus they returned backe and in Vmbria were betrayed by Anniball and distroyed Which thyng troubled the myndes of the people meruaylously They were in great trouble and feare the consulle and head officers beinge absent vnto whom they scarsely durst sende theyr letters for feare of the Carthaginenses who were almoste spredde ouer all Italy Wherfore they made Quintus Fabius Maximus Prodietator that was ruler of the commons and Marcus Rufus Minutius mayster of the horsemen to these it was gyuen in charge by the Senate to establysshe and make sure the walles and towers of the cytie and to fortifye suche places as they shoulde thynke conuenient Also to breake the bridges that were ouer the waters and to prouide for the keping of theyr horses and citie seing they coulde not defend Italy ¶ Howe Anniball by a crafty deceyte escaped the straites of Formiana wherein he was enclosed by Q. Fabius Maximus Cap. xvii ANniball came in the meane season by Vmbria to Spoletum
distroyeng and burnyng all before hym Than began he to lay siege to the towne but he was driuen thense with great slaughter of his men Wherfore supposynge the citie of Rome to be of a great strength seing that lytell towne was so stronge whose strength and power he than not very prosperously hadde assayde he withdrewe his armye to the plentyfull countrey of Picenus and from thens to Pelignes to Arpos and to Luceria a countrey adioynyng to Apulia styll robbynge and spoylynge the countreys abrode in the way as he went ¶ Whan Fabius whom the Romanes had chosen hygh officer had set all thynge at a stay in Rome he takyng with him the army that before was with Seruilius the consull and also .ii. other newe Romayn legions for the encreasyng of his army went with the mayster of the horsemen Minutius to mete with Anniball and to stay hym from the destruction of the countrey Fabius committing nothyng rashely to fortune by easy iourneis and good espies came into the feldes of Arpos pytchyng his campe not farre from his ennemies Anniball soone after his cōminge brought his people into the fieldes in good aray redy to fyght but Fabius al that day kepte his men in their campe whervpon Anniball rebuking the feble courage of the Romans withdrew his people into their tentes fearyng in his mynde the sobrenes of Fabius whiche was a capitayne chosen farre vnlyke to Sempronius or Flāminius Neuerthelesse to proue the fascion and conduicte of Fabius Anniball very oftentymes remoued his campe and euer spoyled the countreys of the frendes of the Romanes as he went Sometyme he wolde sodeynly conuey his army and than secretely tourne out of the way and lye in awayte yf by chaunce he myght take his ennemies at auantage but Fabius euer ledde his hoste by the high places of the countreis styll kepynge his ennemies in syghte so that he wolde not be farre from theym yet intended he not to giue them battayle his men went neuer out of theyr campe but only for the prouisyon of thynges necessary And whan they lacked vytailes forage or woode he sent a great numbre togyther that they myght walke surely And also those that wente therfore he suffered not to stray farre from the hoste He hadde euer his horsemen and lyght harneysed footemen in a redynesse and in aray for feare of sodayne inuasions of his enemies And also to thintent they shulde be redy to oppresse his foes that at any tyme shulde roue abrode for spoyle or for vitailes he mynded neuer to ieoparde the hole estate of the empire in open battayl but he remayned styl as a stay to weary his enemies Whiche his sobrenes was no lesse displeasant to Anniball thā it was to Minutius the maister of the horsemen For he beinge rashe and desyrous to put all in auenture fyrst pryuily and than openly dyspraysed the slacknes of Fabius callynge hym bothe slowe and fearefull Anniball often remouing cam from Arpos to Samnium wastyng the fieldes of the Beneuentanes and there he toke the towne of Tilesia trustyng by the shewe of soo moche displeasure to cause Fabius to gyue hym battayle There camme to hym the same tyme thre gentylmen of Italy whome Anniball hadde before at the bataile of Trasimenus taken prysoners and delyuered to lybertie without raunsome These men shewed hym that in case he wolde conuey his army into Campania they wolde helpe him with smalle peyne to wynne the noble citie of Capua To this their motion Anniball at length agreed sendyng them to Capua before hym to stere the myndes of the rulers and of the communes therto and to retorne bryngyng him the certaintie of their speede Than commanded he his guyde to leade hym the next way to the fielde of Cassinus hauyng knowlege by diuers expert men of the same countrey that yf he were ones mayster of the hyll and strayte there he shulde stoppe the Romanes from bryngyng any succours to theyr men but that he shuld at his pleasure distroy them But the guide mistaking the name of the countrey toke Casilinus for Casinus Wherfore leadyng hym a wronge way he conducted hym by the countreys of Alifinus Calatinus and Calenus to the fieldes of Stellates Whan Anniball behelde that countrey to be on all partes enclosed with mountaynes and ryuers he inquired of his guyde in what region he than was He answered agayn that the same day he wold bring him to Casilinus Wherat Anniball being displeased caused him to be sore beaten with roddes after hanged for the example of other Than seing that he was so farre frō his purpose he thought in reuengyng of his malice to bourne and spoile that plentyfull countrey about the ryuer of Vulturnus ¶ By this tyme was Fabius come by the hilles to the toppe of Massicus the mountayn where the Romayns myght beholde the Carthaginensis lodged in the fayre playnes vnder them who ceassed not to spoyle the fieldes of Falernus and to burne the houses of Simessa This displeasure entred ernestly into the hart of Minutius who aboue other maligned at the cowardise of the dictatour Fabius And by an oration full of great inuectiues set the hartis of the most part of the host agaynst hym But all theyr murmurynge Fabius lyttell estemyng contynued the reste of the sommer in his olde fascion euer kepyng Anniball from battaile the thyng that he most desyred Whan the wynter began to draw nere Fabius perceiuyng the countrey not to be able to susteyne the host of his ennemies any long season and that there was none other way for them to passe out of the fieldes of Falernus but only by the same strayte wayes by whych they before had entred he sendyng sufficient power of Romans to the hyll of Callicula and the towne of Casilinus hym selfe with the mayster of the horsemen kept the narowe way by whyche Anniball must nedes passe Anniball wylling to proue the maner of kepyng of that strayt came thyther and there made a skirmishe with the Romanes somewhat to his losse and was fayne to recule backe And he perceyuynge the Romans to haue the Samnites and the Campanes their frendes at theyr backes redy to succour them with all necessaries and that he and his hoste were so enclosed that he was like to winter among the stones of Formiana and the sandes of Linterni he forgatte not than to renewe his accustomed subtiltie and craft He inuented a deceyte and mockery very fearefull to mens syght wherby he myght passe the straites by stelthe in the nyght he caused rotten styckes and drye pieces of woode to be gathered togither in the fieldes and fagottes of yong roddes and bowes to be made whych he caused to be tyed to the hornes of oxen and kyne whiche he had before taken at a pray in the countrey some being wylde and some tame There were .ii. thousande beastis that shuld be thus ordred And the charge was committed to Hasdruball that he shuld in the beginnyng of the darknes of the nyght
fyrst he beganne to shew hym the daunger that the countrey was in consyderyng the stronge armye of the Romans whiche was than at hande He shewed hym also that the Spaniardes had so longe continued in the frendeshyp of the Carthaginenses for feare more than for loue And all by cause the Romane army was so farre from theym but nowe syns they were come ouer Iberus it was to be feared leste they wolde all yelde them selues vnto Scipio Wherfore he desyred hym to worke wysely therin ¶ Whan Bostar demaunded of him what he wold haue him to do for remedy therof he answered I wold aduyse you to sende the children of the noble meÌ„ whom ye haue as pledges in this towne to their parentes frendes and cities so shal ye get all theyr hartes and loues by this kyndnes shewyng whiche ye can neuer get with feare For whan they fynde that ye put trust in them ye shall the more bynde them to be faithful And I my selfe wyll gladly take the peyne to delyuer agayne the pledges to theyr frendes and so worke that I wyll get theyr hartes to you moche more than ye nowe haue Bostar meanynge all truthe and playnnes was anone perswaded to the same purpose and graunted hym the conduite of the sureties Than went Acedux priuyly to Scipio his tentes and there declared vnto hym the good wyll that he bare towarde hym and the Romanes And appoynted with hym the tyme and place of delyuere of the pledges Than went Acedux agayn to Bostar of whom he receyued speciall coÌ„mandementes and tokens to the kepers of the pledges to go with him takyng with them the pledges whan he wold requyre theym Than shewed he the kepers of the chyldren that he wolde depart from the citie in the nyght to thintente the better to escape the danger of the watches of the Roman hoste Wherfore he wylled theym to be redy to ryde with hym whan he called on theym at an howre certayne in the night folowinge They as innocentes in the matter made all thynges redye to departe at the howre appoynted at whyche howre he fayled not to come Thus departed he from the cytie both with the chyldren and also their kepers and â—re they were ware he ledde theym amonge a numbre of Romaynes that by his crafty appoyntement were layde in imbusâ—hementes for the same purpose where they were all taken and brought to Scipio who delyuered the pledges to theyr cities and frendes wherby he gate the loue of the more parte of the cities in Spayne so that they were redy to take armour to the ayde of the Romans whan so euer Scipio commaunded them These thynges were doone in Spayne the seconde yere of the battayl betwene the Carthaginenses and the Romaynes ¶ Fabius being at Rome in displesure Minutius maister of the horsmen fighteth with Annibal putteth him to the worse therfore is made halfe rular of the hooste with Fabius he fyghteth with him again is put to flight rescued by Fabiê° Ca. xx NOwe let vs returne to Fabius who by his wyse absteining from battayl had saued many of the Romans from death Neuer the lesse it was thought at Rome by many that his hart failed him and that he trifled forth the tyme onely to thintent his empire and rule myghte the longer contynue and that he cared not what coste the citie were at infyndyng so great an army so that he myght be at rest with honour Thus had he gotten many enemies at Rome And to encrease their malice towarde him Anniball wrought a meruaylous subtyltie he sente a numbre of his men to spoyle the cuntrey and commaunded them in any wyse to do no hurt to the landes of Fabius of whiche he gate the knowledge by certayne that were fledde to hym from the Roman army This did he to the intent it shuld be thought that som secret bargayn or conspiracy was made betweene hym and Fabius Whyche crafty act of Anniball caused Fabius to be the more suspect tothe senate of Rome But to take awaye that suspection from hym Fabius sent his sonne and solde the grounde or feldes whiche were not violated by Anniballes subtiltie Nowe fortuned it also to encrease Fabius euyll wyll at Rome that after his departing from the hoste Minutius the mayster of the horsemen beinge lefte to guyde the armye caused the campe and tentes whiche were by Fabius sette safe in the hyghe hylles to be broughte downe and pytched in the lowe valeys And there they were disposed after the discretion of the capteyn thynkyng eyther to make a skyrmishe with them that went abrode to robbe or els to inuade theÌ„ that were left behind in the teÌ„tis ¶ Anniball knowing that he shuld kepe warre with a captein moche vnlyke the other and that his ennemies wolde order their busynes more quyckly than wysely and perceyuyng his enemies to draw more nere vnto him he sent the thyrd part of his souldiors to robbe and wast the cuntreys the other .ii. partes he kept within theyr tentes Than remoued he his campe more nere to the RomaÌ„s abode vpoÌ„ a certain hyll where as the Roman host might pceiue that they were redy to succour their robbers if any assaut were made on theÌ„ This did he of purpose to entise the Romans to batail Than could Minutius no loÌ„ger forbere but sent a good nuÌ„ber of horsmen to assaile the robbers who distroid many of them that were sparkled abrode seking theyr pray Than cam Annibal to the rescue of his men But fortune so serued the Romanes that as they werâ— most busy in fighting One Numerius Decimus a capytain of the Samnites cam to the succour of the Romans with viii M. fotemen .ii. C. horsmen by whose help they bet Anniball to his caÌ„pe slew .vi. M. of his men which glad tydinges Minutiê° although he had lost in the same batell v. M. of his owne men sent in his bosting letters to Rome wherwith the citie was moch coÌ„forted Not withstanding Fabius whan all the citie was mery wold nother beleue the newes nor the letters At the last he said if al were trewe he rather feared their prosperous aduenture than reioysed therin Whyche saying caused him greatly to be hated of the citezens Marcus Metellus openly rebuked Fabius therfore sayinge that he kept his men in theyr campes more lyke captiues and prisoners than men of warre Specially it was not to be suffred that he being present wold not only suffer nothing to be done valyantly agaynst his enemies but now also being absent held against the thing that was well done by his master of horsmeÌ„ Fabius answered but fewe wordes for he thought they shuld be euyll harde but he sayd that where .ii. yeres past the citie had susteined great harmes and losse through the folishe hardynesse of the gouernours he douted not but yf he myght beare rule and haue his mynde he wolde make it euident to all men that fortune coulde lyttell do or worke against a good
wythholden therefrome by his felowe Paulus lykewyse professed yf any euyll dyd happen to them and to theyr souldyours that he wold be clere and innocent of the trespasse saying on fote the wynge of the Numidian horsemen wherof Hasdruball was capytayne ioyned also with the Romans ryghte wynge of horsemen The battayle was stronge on both partes but the Carthaginenses vsed greate subtyltie for at the first encounter about .v. C. of the Numidian horsmen hauing swerdes secretely hydde vnder theyr harneys besydes those that they dyd vse to occupy tourning theyr targettes behind theyr backes makyng as though they had forsaken their host and fledde from theyr company ranne to theyr ennemies and leapynge besydes their horses caste theyr swerdes and other apparant weapons at the fete of the Romans as yelded persons whervpon they were receyued first into the myddell of the Romane hoste and anone they were brought to the vtter and hyndermost warde and there cōmanded to stande tyll the ende of the batayle And whan the battayle began on all partes they stode styll without fyghtynge but after whan they sawe that euery man was busyed and occupied with fighting than drawyng forth theyr swerdes from vnder theyr harneys they toke the sheldes of them that were slayn in the field and russhed on the backes of the Romaynes and so hewynge on theyr backes and hammes behinde they made a great slaughter And whyles that some parte conceyued feare and fledde and some other maynteyned the batayle with smal hope of victory Hasdruball sente a greatte parte of the Numidians to chace and distroy the Romanes as they fled Paulus the consull althoughe he was deadly wounded before yet many tymes with his company restored and renewed the battayles with the helpe of the Romane horsemen who at length alighted from theyr horses and foughte on foote the Consulle for feblenes and bledynge beinge not able to gouerne his horse Than the Carthaginenses seinge that theyr enemies had rather dye in the fielde than flee incontinent slewe those that they coulde not make to flee some they toke and the other that were ouercome being than sparkeled abrode toke suche horses as they coulde get and beganne to flee C Lentulus a Tribune leadyng an empty horse in his hande as he fled sawe Paulus the consull fyttyng on a stone all couered with blud to whome he sayde Lucius Aemilius whome the goddis shoulde take and esteeme as innocent of this cruell slaughter take this horse whyles any strengthe is lefte within the And I beinge thy frende shall lyfte the vp and kepe the on leste thou make this battayle dolefull and sorowfull throughe the deathe of a consull without whyche veryly there is cause of weping and mournyng inough Whervnto the consull answered C. Cornelius be thou increased in vertue but beware lest whyles thou doest bewaile this chaunce thou haue smalle tyme to escape thy selfe Go thou therfore and bydde the senate that they make strong the walles of Rome and strength it with succours before the conquerour come And secretly shewe vnto Quintus Fabius that Lucius Aemilius Paulus doth fyrmly remembre his preceptes ye and lyueth in them and fynally dyeth in them And I pray the suffer me to passe the lyfe amonge these companye of my deade knyghtes lest by lengar lyuynge I become an accuser of my felowe defendynge myne innocency by the trespas of an other and yet at length dye taken as fauty of this dede ¶ The company of them whych fled trode the Consull vnder foote and after his enemise not knowynge who he was dyd ouerpresse hym There was slayn at that battayle fortye thousande footemen and two thousande and seuen hundred horsemen in whyche company was slayne one of the consulles with foure score Senatours and such as had borne great offyce in the cytie whyche voluntaryly gaue theym selues to that battaile Furthermore .xxi. that had borne office of Tribunes besydes that in that batayle were taken .iii. thousande footemen and .iii. hundred horsemen Of the Romans that escaped by fleinge .vii. thousande came into the smaller campe and .x. M. fledde to the greater campe And whan the bataile was fynyshed those Romaynes that were retourned to the greatter campe sente to the other whyche were in the lesse campe to repayre vnto theym in the nyghte whyle theyr ennemies beinge weary of trauayle and ioyfull of theyr victory were gyuen to take theyr reste but they doubted to take on theym that enterpryse sayinge that it were as meete that they of the greatte campe shoulde come to theym but that for the daunger of passynge the hoste of theyr ennemies they were afearde so to doo Thus the most refused to goo out of the campe not withstandyng such as were hardy and valiant by the great noble exhortatiō of P. Sēpronius Tuditanus a tribune issued out came through their enmies in the night with their sheldes on the ryght syde towarde the host of the Carthaginenses wherby they passed by them receyuing the arowes and dartes that were shotte at them vpon theyr saide shieldes and so came to the great campe to the noumber of iii. M. vi C. and from thens takyng with them mony of the other of that company escaped at theyr pleasure to Cannusium The other consul with .l. horsemen fledde to Venusia ¶ Howe Anniball ordered his busynes after the battayle and howe yonge Scipio vsed hym selfe for the sauynge of the commen wealthe Capit. xxiii THe battayle thus ended diuers of the army came to Anniball and wylled him to rest all that day and the nyght after his greate labour but Maharball was therewith nothinge contented saying You shuld nowe incontinent with your horsemen folowe the Romans to Rome in suche spede that they shall knowe ye be alredy come before they heare of your cōmyng And thus doing the conclusyon wyll be that within fyue dayes ye shall lyke a conquerour dyne in the capytoll of Rome Than sayd Anniball The way is longe and we had nede of counsayle or we vndertake so great an enterpryse At lengthe he allowed the harte and noble courage of Maharball but he sayd he wolde deliberate vppon that enterpryse Than answered Maharball The goddis haue not gyuen all thynges to one man thou canste well ouercome thyne ennemies Anniball but whan the vyctorye is gyuen to the thou canste not vse it And it was thought that the same one days reste and slacknes was the cause of the sauegarde of the city of Rome and also of all the whole empire ¶ Anniball after that he had rested the fyrst nyght sente his people to the fielde to see whether any of theyr ennemyes shulde reuyue agayne and as they sawe or perceiued any like to recouer he was incontinent slayne and he proceded and toke the campes and all theym that were in them Wherein was a great numbre of men for beinge afrayde to folow their company they remayned styll in theyr campes And he was contented that the captines shulde be raunsomed euery one after his degree the
at his pleasure yelde the citie to the Carthaginenses Yet at the last he consydered that better it were for hym to rule and gouerne a coÌ„mon welth florishing in all thinges than to rule a citie that were vtterly subuerted and distroied whiche he accompted to be yf the noblemen and ancient counsellers therof were slayn he than imagined a way that he might both saue the senate and counsel of the citie and make the couÌ„sell of the same to thinke them selues bound to him and to the commune people Whervpon he called a counsayle wherein he shewed the senatours that to receiue the Carthaginenses and to leaue the Romans frendship dyd nothyng please him consyderynge that he had maryed Appius Claudius doughter and also that Liuius hadde maryed one of his doughters sauynge that necessitie dydde requyre it bycause there was other matters in hande moche more to be doubted whiche was that the commune people were pourposed fyrste to slea theym all that were of the Senate howse and after to yelde vp the citie to Anniball Neuer the lesse he sayde he wolde vndertake that he wolde saue theym frome daunger yf they wolde commytte theym selues wholly to hym wherwith he made theym greatte assurance by othes Whan they all beinge ouercome with feare had consented to hym I wyll shut you saith he into the senate house as thoughe I were of the coÌ„mons councell and dyd alowe their dedes and purpose but after I shall fynde a waye to conserue and saue you And whan they were agreed to the same he enclosed them in the capitoll so that none could come to them nother they gette furthe vnlesse it were by his licence And than he called the common people togyther and sayd My frendes nowe haue you power ouer the detestable and wycked senatours whose death ye haue so longe desyred and that ye haue nowe without stroke stryking For beholde I haue theym enclosed in yonder howse aboue vnarmed And what senteÌ„ce ye wyll gyue of them or any of them that shall they suffer accordyng to theyr desertes but before all thynges I wolde you shulde haue respect to your helth and profite before the executioÌ„ of your wrath For senatours I am sure ye wil haue to gouerne the citie Therfore nowe haue we two thinges to be done togither that is to put downe the old senatours and than to chose newe I wyll wel that you shall iudge what punishment the olde shall haue but firste you shall chuse a newe valiant wise senator in euery of their places ThaÌ„ set he down and causid their names to be put togither in writing into a pot and as their names were seuerally drawen forth of the pot he caused them to be called in order and he that was fyrst named he caused to be fetched out of the senate house wherin they were inclosed And whan the coÌ„mons herd his name they all cried that he was wicked worthy of punishment Than said Pacuuius I here well what you say lette him be cast out for â—ought an other chosen in his place Than were they at the first put to silence bicause they wanted a better to be chosen in his place And whan any man wolde take vpon hym to name any other man there wold arise a greater rumor and noyse at his naming Some saying they knew him not and som reprehending his birthe some his maners some the vilenes of his craft and liuing with such other like obiections moch more the noise was for chosing of the second and third so that they al agreed that it was rather better for them to suffer the olde noughty senatours to remain which they knewe than to haue such new as were worse and vnknoweÌ„ so that they coÌ„manded to let the old senatours go free and vse their romthes After this maner Pacuuius gat the rule of the coÌ„mon welthe peasybly makyng the senators moche more bounde to him for sauinge their lyues than to the commons of the citie And by this meane by al mens consent he had the hole gouernance of the citie Of this cam the losse of the dignitie to the senators forgetting their liberte doing nothiÌ„g in the couÌ„sel hous with out the coÌ„mons aduise The citie was always prone gyuen to lust plesure not only by the noughtynes of their myndes but also by the abundance of pleasures ryches and other delytes and of all fruitefulnes bothe on sea and lande and wared want on through the flattery of pryncis and ouermoche libertie of the people folowyng theyr pleasures and lust beyonde all measure so that they dispised both the senate and other magistrates and also all rule and lawe And than after the battayle of Canuas they that had a lyttell shamefastnesse before were not ashamed to dispise the empire of Rome And in short tyme after they consented to yeld vp the citie to Anniball and to leaue the amitie of the Romans yet before they wolde sende theyr legates to Anniball they sent messangers to Rome to desyre that one of theyr citie myght be euer one of the consuls at Rome yf they wolde that they shuld helpe them in theyr busines Whervpon there arose great indignation and angre for that they that were before in amitie and as subiectes shulde requyre suche equalitie of honour with the Romans Wherfore they coÌ„maunded that the legates shuld be brought out of the senate house and further they sente an officer who shoulde conueye theym oute of the citie and to charge them to departe oute of the limyttes and boundes of Rome The same legates incontinent vppon theyr retourne home were sent to Anniball who receyued them and granted them all the conditions of peace accordynge to theyr askyng so that no ruler or magistrate of Carthage shulde hereafter clayme rule or dominion ouer any citizen of Capua nother shulde any of them be enforsed to go in the warres but at his owne pleasure Agayne that they myghte kepe stylle theyr owne lawes with theyr rulers and magistrates Amongest whyche requestes they desyred .iii. C. Romane captiues to be delyuered vnto them whiche shulde be chaunged for other .iii. C. of theyr horsemen that kepte warre in Sicilia whiche was not denyed theym To this agreement Decius Magius a man of great authoritie sauing that the commons were not agreable to hym dydvtterly withstande fyrst willynge that no legacy shulde be sent to Anniball And as soone as he hearde that the agreement was made and that Anniball wolde sende his men of armes to Capua â–ª be shewed them for an example the proude raygnynge of Pyrthus and the myserable seruitude of the Tarentines crying alowde that if they wolde here hym Anniballes army shulde in no wyse be receyued And yf they were all redye receyued that they shulde be put furth agayne ¶ As soone as these thynges were shewed to Anniball as they were not secretely spoken he coÌ„manded that Magius shulde be taken and sent vnto hym but than he fearynge the displeasure of the people sent worde
to Marius the Pretor that he wold be at Capua the next day folowyng Marius incontinent assembled the people and shewed all men of Anniballes commynge commandynge them to be redy with their wyues to meete hym And whanne he was commynge and all the citie went to mete hym onely Decius with his sonne and a fewe of his frendes wolde not go with them but walked openly and stubburnely in the market place As soone as Annibal came to the citie he called a counsayle myndynge in his angre to do cruell execution of his aduersaries not withstandyng the rulars of the citie desyred hym that he shuld do nothing as that day but be mery and celebrate the same in the worshyp of his commynge To whose request although he was of a sodayne inclination to wrath and angre he was conformable and spent that day in vewyng the citie ¶ Pacuuins Calauius of whome we spake before who was chiefe of the citie and chiefe causer of the yeldynge thereof to the Carthaginenses brought his sonne being a yong mā thyther whom he toke from the companye of Decius with whom the yonge man stode fyrmely agaynste the bandes and frendshyp made with the Carthaginenses nother coulde the citezens being enclyned to that parte nother the auctoritie of his father moue the yonge man to the same vnto whome his father with great intercession made Anniball good lorde and frende Anniball being ouercome and appeased with the request of his father caused the yonge man with his father to be sent for to supper at whiche supper there was none of Capua sauyng those that were lodged in that howse and one Iubellius Taurea a noble warriour The souper was begun before the nyght the feast was sumptuous and not after the maner of fare in warre tyme. This yongeman nother by the prouocation of the rulars nor by the chering of Annibal him selfe coulde be perswaded to be mery but he shewed his father that he was diseased and that his minde was soore troubled And whan his father hearde that he departed oute of the feastynge chaumbre before the sonne was sette whome his sonne folowed And whan they came to a gardeyn at the ende of the house whiche was secrete Father sayth he I haue diuised nowe away wherby we shall not onely purchase our pardon of the Romanes for that we haue forsaken them and chosen Hanniball to be our gouernour but we shall stande nowe from hensforth in moche more dignitie and grace with them than euer we were before Whan his father meruaylyng what it myghte be had inquired of hym that diuise he caste his gowne from hym and shewed his syde beinge gyrte with a swerde Nowe wyll I sayde he establysshe and sanctifye the bandes betwyxte the Romaynes and vs with the bloudde of Anniball Of this counsayle father I thoughte to make the priuey before for bycause I knewe not whether thou haddest rather be present whyles the deede were doinge or not Whyche diuyse whan the olde manne hearde as thoughe he hadde be presente at the doynge of that whyche was spoken with greatte feare he beganne to adhorte and perswade his sonne to the contrary layinge fyrst the greatte othe and promyse made to Anniball by all the whole citie and also shewynge the daunger of the acte to be suche that he coulde neuer escape alyne I beynge thy Father sayde he haue wonne Anniball to be thy good lorde and shall not I wynne my sonne to be frende to Anniball And after that he hadde with longe prayer wepynge and great intercession ouercomme his sonne and disswaded hym frome his enterprise the yonge manne sayde these wordes O countreye receyue thou this swerde with whyche I beynge armed wolde haue defended this citie and castell sparyng nothyng nor Fearynge myne owne deathe but onely beinge ouercome with my fathers perswasyons And whan he hadde so sayde he caste his sworde into the playne ouer the gardeyne walle and than bycause he shulde not be suspecte he wente agayne to the feast ¶ The next day the senate was holden in the whiche Annibals fyrst oration was very gentyll gyuyng thankes vnto the citezens for that they preferred his amitie and frendshyp before the Romanes and among other hygh promises he promysed theym that Capua shulde in shorte space be the heade of all Italye And that the Romaynes with other cities of Italy shoulde seke vnto Capua for theyr ryghte and lawe but he sayde that there was amonge them one named Magius Decius who was noothynge agreable vnto the amytie betweene the Carthaginenses and them of Capua who he sayd was no citezen nor ought to be so called nor reputed Wherfore he requyred that he myghte be yelded vntohym and that also in his presence his cause myght be debated before theym of the counsaylle To whyche requeste euery manne graunted althoughe somme thoughte he was a manne moche vnworthy to sustayne suche myserye and that theyr lybertie beganne to mynysshe not a lytell in the beginnynge The senate was holden in the temple Magius was commaunded to be taken and brought to shewe his mattier and he anone denyed it to be lawfull for theym to breake the truce taken with the Romaynes Wherefore he was commaunded to be bounde with chaynes and ledde to the campe of the Carthaginenses In this leadynge thyther as longe as his face was not couered he wente cryinge to all theym whyche were gathered togyther to see hym Nowe haue ye menne of Capua your lybertie whiche you desyred In the markette place and in the day lyghte and in the presence of you all I beinge chiefe and moste auncient of Capua beinge bounde am drawen to deathe What coulde haue bene done more cruell and violente yf Capua had be taken whan he coulde not be stayed but contynued crienge after this maner bicause the commune people were thoughte to be moued with his wordes his face and head was couered and he was ledde quyckely out of the gates into the tentes of Anniball and from thense in haste sente towarde Carthage by shyppe leste there shoulde be anye sedytion moued for the same amonge the Cytezens but in saylynge thyther the shyppe was dryuen by tempeste to Cyrenas where Magius fledde to the pycture of Ptholomeus the kynge for his sauegarde Wherevppon he was broughte by the kepars of the towne to Alexandria before Ptholomeus And whan he hadde declared vnto the kynge that Anniball hadde sente hym bounde contrarye vnto the league and bandes of the truce taken with the Cytezens of Capua he was delyuered from his bandes and hadde lybertie to goo whyther he wolde to Rome or to Capua To the whyche he made aunswere that Capua was not a place very safe for hym and he sayde that Rome whyles there was warre betweene the men of Capua and it was rather an habitation of vacabundes than of frendes and olde guestes Wherfore he sayd he had not soo great desyre to liue in any place as in his kyngdom by whom he was restored to his libertie ¶ The newes that Mago brought
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
shame than we maye nowe declare those that be chaunced to vs. There dydde inuade the costes of our countreys at that tyme .ii. noble dictatours the maysters of horsemen and two Consulles with two consulles hoostes hauynge all thynge prouyded for theym necessaryly or they wolde aduenture to robbe and dystroy our countrey But nowe we be almoste a praye to one lyttell hoste beynge lefte for the succours of Nola. Nowe they beynge but a smalle noumbre after the maner of robbers ouercome our countreye with lesse feare thanne yf they were in the Romayne fieldes The cause is that nother thou doeste defende vs and also that all our lustye yonge and valyaunt menne whiche without doubt yf they were at home wolde defende vs are with the and vnder thy baner neyther had we knowen the nor thyne hoste hadde not it happed that through thy myght there were soo many Romans slayne and put to flyght to whome we may suppose it but a lyght thyng to suppresse our robbers ronyng abrode in the fieldes without order runnyng whyther as foolysshe and vayne hope of a pray dothe leade theym whome a fewe of thy Numidians wolde vtterly confounde And I doubte not but thou wylte sende vs some sure helpe and succour excepte thou iudge vs vnworthy to be defended and holpen whan heretofore thou thoughtest vs not vnworthy to be taken as thy frendes and companyons receyuyng vs into thy amitie and frendshyppe ¶ To this theyr lamentable oration Anniball answered that the Hirpines and Samnites dyd shewe their ruine and losse requyryng helpe therein and also dyd complayne that they were lefte withoute succour and vnholpen and all at ones where as they shulde fyrst haue shewed theyr cause askynge succour in theyr myschiefe and afterwarde yf they coulde not haue healpe than to complayne that theyr suite was in vayne Neuer the lesse he promised them succours and helpe not that his army shuld come into any of theyr groundes but that he wolde inuade theyr neyghbours whiche were frendes to the Romaines wherby he shulde drawe the Romans from vexyng of them makyng them gladde to defende theyr frendes And as concernyng the warre betwene him and the Romaynes yf the battayle at Trasimenus were nobler than that of Trebia and the battayle at Cannas more noble than that of Trasimenus he wolde make the fame and memorye of the victory at Cannas but obscure and nothyng to be estemed in comparison of a more noble and triumphant victorye that he trusted to haue of them With this answere and great rewardes he sent them home and leauyng a lyttell company at Tisatis he toke his iourney to Nola. At the same tyme Hanno came to hym from the Brusians with stuffe sent from Carthage and with elephantes ¶ Whan Anniball had pytched his tentes not farre frome Nola he founde all thynges otherwyse than it was shewed hym by the legates of the Samnites For Marcellus so ruled hym selfe euer and all his men that he cōmitted nothinge to fortune nother left any thyng rasshely in daunger of his ennemyes for whan he went about any spoyle of the countrey or to gette any pray he dyd it as prouidently as though he shuld haue done it Anniball beinge present And whan he perceiued Anniball to become he kept his hoste within the citie Whervpon Hanno approched nygh vnto the wall callynge furthe Herennius Bassus and Herius Petreius who by the lycence of Marcellus went furthe to talke with hym Than vnto them by an interpretour he beganne to extoll the vertue and fortune of Anniball and dispised the nobilitie of the Romans which he sayd decayed togyther with theyr power and strength whyche nobilitie and power yf it were lyke as it was in olde tyme not withstandyng knowynge the harde and cruell empire and gouernance of the Romans and the great gentylnes of Anniball towardes all the captiues of Italy the frendship and amitie of the Carthaginēses was to be preferred before the amitie of the Romans And yf both the Consuls with theyr hoostes were at Nola they were no more to be cōpared to Anniball than they were at the battell of Cannas moche lesse one pretor with a fewe new vnskilled souldiours was able to defende Nola. And that they rather than Anniball oughte to care after what maner Nola shuld come to Anniballes possession other taken by violēce or yelded for there was no remedy but haue it he wold as he had Capua and Nuceria He sayd further that he wolde not diuine what shuld happen to the citie being taken but durste rather promyse and vndertake that if they wold yelde Marcellus and the citie to Anniball that no man but they theym selues shulde prescribe the bandes and lawes of the frendeshyp that shulde be betwene them ¶ Whervnto Herennius Bassus aunswered that the amitie betwene the Romanes and the Nolanes had continued many yeres of the whiche nother of them dyd forthynke He said furthermore that if they shuld haue changed or broken their faithes whan theyr fortune fayled or chaunged that nowe it were to late to chaunge for that other chaunged a long time agone And that it had ben foly for them to haue sought succour of the Romaynes if they had bene mynded to haue yelded the towne to Anniball Wherfore theyr myndes were that with those whiche came to theyr succours they were in all thynges ioyned and surely knitte togither and to the deth shulde be Whiche answere toke from Anniball the hope of optayuynge the citie without battayle Wherfore he besette the citie rounde about intendynge to gyue assaulte thervnto on all partes ¶ So soone as Marcellus sawe that hys ennemies approched the walles he ordered his hooste wysely within the walles and than sodeynly issued out to batayle makyng great noyse Some at the fyrste encountrynge were dryuen backe and slayne but whan the armies ioyned togyther the battayle beganne to be very fierse on bothe partes And no faile it had bena soore syght had not a huge tempest and raine departed theym wherby hauynge bothe egre myndes the one was dryuen into the towne and the other to his campe or tentes and lyttell hurt done where beynge bothe desyrous of battayle they abode all the next daye so great was the violence of the storme The thyrde day Anniball sent parte of his souldiours to robbe and spoyle the fieldes which whan Marcellus knewe he streight ways brought his hoste furth to the battayle and Anniball on the other syde was nothinge behynde There was almoste a myle betwene the towne and the campe where the two hostes mette togyther The crye that was raysed on bothe partes caused the companye to returne to battayle which were before sent a spoyling and the Nolans with their power were ready to increase the Romanes hoste whome Marcellus greatly praysynge for theyr good wylles and courage commaunded to stande in aray redy to theyr succour and to conuey them which were wounded out of the battayle And that they shoulde in no wyse fyghte vntylle he commaunded theym The
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
act worth memory Than the Romane capytaines remembryng that the citie of Sagunt had ben so long oppressed with the yoke of dominion of the Carthaginenses they remoued theyr hooste thyther and wanne the citie agayne whyche they restored to the olde inhabitantes therof that were lefte on lyue Than they inuaded the Turditans who were the fyrst causers of the warre with the Carthaginenses whom they wan shortly and distroyed their cities These dedes were done in Spayne Quintus Fabius Maximus and Marcus Claudius Marcellus being consuls Thā the officers for the yere to come were chosen at Rome where Quintus Fabius the yonger sonne to the olde Consull was chosen one of the consuls and Titus Sempronius Gracchus the other Than all the other officers in order Whan to euery capitayne was assigned his hoste and warde the warres agaynst Anniball were cōmytted to the consuls Sempronius went to the Lucanes and Fabius to Apulia The father went as legate to the sonne to shewe hym of the mynd of the senate This yong Fabius lay than at the campe aboue Suessula who hearynge that his father was come to hym as imbassadour from the senate came furth to mete hym in his royall astate with his .xii. sergeantes before hym but xi of his sergeantes beholdyng the maiesty of olde Fabius as he came rydyng passed by and nothyng sayd to him Than the sonne being consull commanded the .xii. sergeant to take hede to his office He also with a lowde voyce commaunded his father to descende from his horse Than incontinent his father alyghted and sayde I dyd this sonne onely to proue whyther thou dyddest knowe that thou arte Consull or not and so proceded furthe with hym declarynge as was gyuen hym in charge ¶ Soone after came to the same consull into the campe oone Classius Altinius with his thre sergeantes from the towne of Arpos promising for a good reward to delyuer to him Arpos This matter was debated among the counsell and by the more part agreed that this Altinius shulde be scourged and slayne as an inconstant traytour and common enemye consyderyng that fyrst he after the battayle of Cannas was causer of the yeldyng the towne to Anniball chaungyng his fidelitie as fortune chaunged And nowe agayn seinge the power of the Romaynes to begin to ryse in prosperitie he wold begyn a newe treason Wherfore they thought it not to be suffred but that he shuld be ordred as an vntrewe felowe and a vayne ennemye ¶ Agaynste whyche theyr determynation spake olde Q. Fabius sayinge that they oughte to consyder the peryllous tyme of warre and so to procede that they lose none of theyr faythfull frendes by any occasyon or example that they dyd shewe but by all meanes possible yf any of their frendes were fallen from them to fynde meane to purchase theym agayne And whan any of them knowledgeth their offences and desyreth to returne to their olde amitie with great gentylnes to receyue them for in case ye wylle admytte it to be more heynous for oure frendes to retourne agayne to vs than it is for theym to goo frome vs there is no doubte but shortely we shall see the moste parte of our frendes in Italye leaue our frendshyppe and alye theym selues with Anniball Neuerthelesse saythe he I wylle not aduyse you to gyue moche faythe to Altinius but kepyng a good meane nother repute hym as an ennemye nor truste hym as a frende but that he be sente to somme of youre cyties neere adioynynge there to be safely kepte tyll the warres be ended at whyche tyme we may at lengthe consulte whether the fyrste his departyng from vs hath deserued more punyshment than his retourue hathe deserued pardon This his aduyse toke place He was sente with his companye to Cales And the Consull determyned to besiege Arpos Wherfore folowing his purpose he pitched his campe within a myle of the towne where he myghte viewe the towne and there perceyued on the one parte therof whiche was leste vsed a lowe gate and a narowe To this gate he appoynted certayn good capitaynes and .vi. C. actiue souldiours to beare scalyng ladders about .iii. of the clocke in the mornyng before day cōmandynge them first to assay to scale that towre whiche doone than on the inner part to breke downe the walles or the gate and being masters of part of the towne by the sowne of a horne to gyue hym knowlege wherby he with the reste of his hooste might approche to theyr succour This his deuise with spede was executed And the chaunce was suche that one thynge whiche was thought wolde be a greate let of theyr purpose best holpe them and disceyued their ennemies whiche was that about the myddes of the nyghte there felle so great abundāce of raine with so vehement a storme that the watche men were of force driuen leauyng their appoynted places on the walles to descende and entre into theyr howses where abydyng a good season they fell on slepe In this whyle had the Romans scaled the walles and were besye to breake vp the gates Whose noyse was not hearde of the watchemen so rude was the storme and suche noise made the huge rayne Than blewe they hornes at whose sownde the consull drewe nere and about the breake of the day entred the citie by the broken gate Than was theyr entre discried There was of Anniballes men in that towne .v. M. souldiours the towne also had armed .iii. thousande men whyche townes men the Carthaginenses caused to go in the front of the battaile mystrustynge to haue them behynde at their backes After a littell skyrmyshyng in the stretes dyuers of the townes men of Arpos and certayne of the Romanes whyche were before of acquayntaunce beganne to common and talke togyther Fyrst spake the Romans sayd O ye men of Arpos what do ye meane to take part with these barbarous nation against your own cuntrey men Wherin haue the Romans offended you or what haue the Carthaginenses deserued vnto you that ye shuld thus trauail to make Italy subiect tributary to Affrica The Arpins excused them selues saying that they were betrayed sold by their captains to the Carthaginēsis almost vtterly distroyed Theyr communication stayed the fyghtyng And after a certayn space the pretor or gouernour of the towne was brought by his men to the consull Where they so well agreed that incontinente the Arpines toke the part of the Romans against the Carthaginenses There were also in the towne about a thousande Spanyardes who all in lykewyse tourned to the Romanes but fyrst they opteyned of the Consul that the garrison of the Carthaginenses might freely depart the towne to go at their liberty Whiche was truely performed They departed to Salapia where Annibal was and the towne incontinent was deliuered to the Romanes without losse of any of theyr army ¶ The Scipions in this space had broughte theyr busynesse prosperously to passe in Spayne bothe in conseruyng theyr olde frendes and gettynge of newe besydes this
sodeynly they had comforte to do good in Affrica by the reasone of one Syphax a kyng of Numidia who as thā was become an ennemy to the Carthaginenses To this kynge were sent .iii. legates that shuld bring him in amitie with the Romans and also cause him to make warre vpon the Carthaginenses This message was also very acceptable to Syphax Whervpon he reasoned with the legates that were expert men of warre and perceyued many thynges wherin he and his men before were ignorant Wherfore whan they wolde haue departed he intreated them that two of them wold retourne home to theyr capitaynes to desyre a sure aliaunce betwene hym and the Romanes and to ascertayne them of his full mynde and that the thyrde of them myght remayne styll with hym to be gouernour of his army saying that his men were good horse men but they were nothynge skylfull to fyght on foote To this his request they agreed and departed takyng the kynges othe and promyse that in case theyr capitayns wold not agree therto that incontinent theyr felowe whiche was left behynd shuld be sent home to them agayn The name of hym that remayned with kyng Syphax was Statorius who anon chose out a greate numbre of yonge and actyue men whome he taught to folowe theyr baners and to kepe theyr aray after the Romayne facion So that in shorte space Syphax thought hym selfe able bothe on horsebacke and on foote to gyue battayle to the Carthaginenses Thus was there a safe bande of peace and amytie betweene the Romaynes and Syphax ¶ Whan the Carthaginenses were ware therof they sent incontinent messangers to one Gala kyng of the other part of Numidia This Gala had a sonne of .xvii. yeres of age a noble and wyse yongman called Massanissa The imbassadours shewed the king that better it were for him with theyr helpe to ouercome Syphax betyme than by his meanes the Romans shuld haue any entre into Affrica ¶ With suche wordes they perswaded Gala to the warre and moche the sooner for that Massanissa his sonne desyred to be gouernour of that army Whervppon the army of the Carthaginenses was ioyned to Massanissa his army And at the fyrste battayle Syphax was ouercome and .xxx. M. of his men slayne so that with a fewe horsemen he fledde to the Mauritaynes that inhabyted nygh the Gades or pyllars of Hercules where he gathered a newe army of men thinkyng to sayle ouer into Spayne but er euer he could take the water Massanissa with his armye camme agayne on hym and without the helpe of the Carthaginenses fought a noble batayle with hym and ouercame hym ¶ Anniball through the treason of Nico and Philomenes wynneth the citie of Tarent Cap. xxxvi ANniball this season euer hauing hope that the citie of Tarent shuld by one meane or other be wōne as is before sayd made his abode not farre from that citie And to bring his opinion to his purpose there happed a fortunate chāce by the meanes of oone Phileas a Tarentine who longe tyme had taryed at Rome as a messanger of the Tarentines There were than at Rome dyuers pledges of the noble bludde of Tarent kept in gentyl kepyng To these pledges this Phileas foūd the mean to haue often recours and at length he so corrupted the kepers that they suffered them to depart out of the citie in the begynning of the nyghti and Phileas went with them to guide them by secrete ways In the morning yarly the fame of the pledges departing was sprede abrode through the citie and a great numbre pursued thē with spede so that before they had far trauailed they ouertoke them brought them all backe agayn into the citie Where for theyr offences iudgement was gyuen that they shuld be first scourged with roddes naked and than brought to a hygh rocke from the toppe wherof they shulde be throwen downe to the grounde ¶ This cruell ende of those nobles offended moch the mindes of dyuers cities in Italy and Grece specially those that were of kynne or by amitie alyed to any of theym that were slayne among whiche sort .xiii. of the nobles of Tarent conspired agaynst the Romans of whom the captayns and chief were Nico and Philomenes They were great hunters and vsed moche to issue out of the citie in the nyght to go on huntyng Wherfore by the colour of goinge on huntynge they went towarde the army of Anniball intendyng to speke with him and to declare vnto him theyr intentes Whā they came nere the campe they two leauyng theyr company in a wodde nere adioynyng wente to the campe and anone were taken of the watchemen and brought to Anniball as theyr request was to whom they declared theyr purpose and good wylle And he gaue theym greate thankes and sente theym hoome agayne looded with fayre promyses And to couer the better theyr deuyse he wylled them to dryue with them certayn cattalle of the Carthaginenses sayinge they hadde gotten that praye of theyr ennemyes whyche they were suffered to doo without resystence and brought them home to Tarent with ioye This vsed they to do oftentymes so that it was thoughte meruayle that they soo often enterprysed suche feates and euer escaped vnslayne Thus often they vsed and euer whan they kylled any venyson or brought any praye from the Carthaginenses whyche they were suffered to do at all tymes at theyr pleasures they eyther gaue it to the capytayne of the citie a Romayne or elles to the porter of the gates soo that they had brought the porter in suche a custome that whan soo euer Philomenes dyd but whistell at all tymes of the nyghte the gates were opened vnto hym ¶ Whan they had brought all thynges in this good case for their purpose they wente to Anniball and agreed with hym on this couenaunt that the Tarentines shulde lyue euer vnder their owne lawes and customes Also that they shoulde paye hym noo Trybute nor haue anye armye appoynted by Anniball to kepe the citie but at their owne plesure And that they shulde enioy all their goodes Onely that the souldiours of the Romanes whiche were in the citie and theyr goodes shulde be at the pleasure and wyl of Anniball Than lay Anniball .iii. dayes iourney from Tarent and bycause he wolde not haue his longe abode there to be suspecte he fayned hym selfe to be sycke and caused it to be bruted abrode that his sycknes was the cause of his longe lyinge in that one place But agaynste the tyme he wolde haue the towne he chose out .x. thousand horsemen and of the lightest footemen of his army and remoued from his campe in the nyght makyng spede tyll he came within .xv. mile of Tarent where he secretely abode chargyng his men in no wise to breake their aray or order but that they shuld beredy to do what their capitaynes dyd cōmaunde them and none other But fyrste er he sette furth to couer the better his remouing and to thintent that none of the countrey shulde
descrye his armye he sent .iiii. score Numidians lyght horsemen to go before hym chargyng them to ouerrunne the cuntrey by whiche he with his army shuld passe And yf they ouertoke any men to bring them backe And if they met with any they shuld slea them to the intent it shulde be thought by the inhabitantes as they went that they were robbers and theues and not menne of warre The fame of theyr robbyng came to the eares of the Romayne capitayne at Tarent who toke but smalle regarde therto thynkyng syth Anniball hym selfe was sycke and his army so farre of that he wolde the next day sende furth certayne of his men of armes to dryue away those robbers and to saue the corne and cattall of his frendes The same nyght in the deade parte therof remoued Anniball toward Tarent hauynge Philomenes with hym as his guyde Whan they came nigh to the towne it was appoynted that Philomenes shulde entre the towne with a numbre of men in harneys at the gate where he was wonte to entre bryngynge his praye from huntynge Whan he came thither he awaked the porter saying that he had brought a great bore that he had slayn At the fyrst call the porter opened the gates and fyrste let in two yong men of his company than entred he and other his seruantes pluckyng in the great boore at whose greatnesse whyle the keper was daryng and musynge Philomenes sodeynly slew hym with his boore speare or huntyng staffe and incontinent let in .xxx. other men in harneis who slewe the other watchemen of the said gate and without noise let in the rest of the army and secretely brought theym into the market place where they abode a space without makyng any noyse Whiles this was done at one gate Annibal with a great nūbre with hym came priuily towarde an other gate and a farre of he made a great fyre which was a signe or token made betwene hym and Nico who abode with other his complices redy within the towne loking for his commyng Whiche fyre whan Nico perceyued he as it were answeryng to the same made him an other fyre And whan eyther perceyued other incontinent both theyr fyres were sodeinly put out And Anniball beganne to approche with his army to the gates Nico also within the citie cam to the porters ward which he found open and fyndyng the watche on slepe slewe all the kepers therof and openyng the gates lette Anniball and his company of footemen entre for the horsemen were cōmaunded to abyde in the playnes without to do there as neede requyred Thus they entred the towne and makyng no noyse came into the market place where they mette with Philomenes and his other company Thā had he in his company .ii. M. french men whyche he deuyded in thre partes and sent them to dyuers partes of the citie The affricanes and the Tarentynes he caused to kepe the moste accustomed stretes of the towne commaundynge theym to slea all the Romaynes but in any wyse to spare the Tarentine citezens And to that pourpose he appoynted the sayde yonge gentylmenne of Tarent that were his helpers and frendes to be in the company of the other his souldyours So that whan they sawe any citezens they shulde comfort them byddyng them not to be affrayde for they shulde haue no hurt Than beganne a great rumour and noyse to be raysed in the towne as is euer where soo sodeyne chaunce happeth The capytayne at the fyrste noyse doubtyng treason fledde to the hauen and frome thens in a smalle bote passed ouer into the castell ¶ Whanne the day appeered and that the harneys and armes of the Carthaginenses were perceyued and also of the frenchemen with the deathe of soo many Romaynes than was it manyfest that Anniball had wonne the towne Whervpon the Romanes that might escape fledde into the sayd castell Than caused Anniball the citezens to assemble togither without armure to here his pleasure which they all obeyed There dyd he declare vnto them the loue and great affection that he hath euer borne vnto them and the gentylnes that he had shewed vnto them at the battaile of Trasymenus and the battaile of Cannas whan he sent vnto theym suche of theyr frendes as he had taken captiues without any hurt impediment or raunsome And after he expressed with great inuectiues the cruel and proude dominion that the Romans euer hadde ouer them From the whiche he was come to delyuer them wyllinge euery one of them of the citie to retourne home to his house and with spede to wryte his name on the doore of his owne house for incontinent he wold sende his souldiours to spoyle and distroy suche houses as had not the names entitled on the doores Chargynge theym on peyne of deathe that none of theym shoulde write his name vppon the doore of any Roman for that was the mark wherby his men myghte knowe the houses of his frendes from those of his ennemies ¶ With this exhortation he lycensed euery man to departe home and within a certayn space he gaue a sygne to his souldiours to spoyle the houses of the Romanes Whiche was done and good spoyle therof taken On the morowe he determined to assault the castell but whan he sawe the stronge naturall site therof beyng halfe compassed with the sea beatyng on the great hygh rockes and on the other halfe hauing great dyches and hyghe walles towarde the towne he was lothe to spende his tyme in the assaultyng therof and to leaue other great thynges not folowed Neuerthelesse being loth to leaue his frendes the Tarentines open to all inuasyons of the men of armes of the Castell For to the towne they myght at all tymes haue accesse at their pleasure he thought to make a walle and dyche on the towne syde betwene them and the castelle And he hadde this opinyon that whan the dyche were castynge the Romaynes wolde aduenture to make excursion on the labourers to lette his worke and purpose And he intended that yf they so fiersely wold do so to dispose his men pryuily in imbushmentes that such slaughter of them shulde be made that they shoulde not be able after to hurte the towne And euen as he thoughte soo camme it to passe For so soone as the worke was begunne anone the gate of the castell was sette open and the Romaynes came on the workemen and Carthaginenses with suche violence that anone they gaue backe and sommewhat the more purposely to enhaunce theyr hartes and courage and to allure theym further frome theyr holde But anone at a certayne token gyuen the imbusshemente brake out and with suche force inuaded the Romaynes that they fledde backe with moche speede towarde the castelle but than was the strete soo narowe by whyche they muste passe and they soo troubled with the baggage of the labourers that laye in their waye that many more were slayne in the fleinge than were before in fyghtynge Thus was the power of the Castell lefte so small that
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
finysshed to proclaime that as many of the Campanes as wolde issue with their baggage and bagges before a day by him lymitted shulde go free where they wold and haue their goodes their owne After that day soo many as remained they wolde take and vse as their enemies But this proclamation was so disdainfully taken of the Campanes that besyde that there wold none issue out of the city they also spake proude and opprobrious wordes in dispite of the Romaynes Whervppon the workes of the dyche were ended and the citie fully enclosed ¶ Anniball desyrous to succour his great frendes of Capua left al his heuy cariage among the Brucians and with a great numbre of chosen horsemen and light fotemen hasted thither as faste as he might and after his hooste came .xxxiii. of his elephantes With this army he came to the valey that was vnder a mountayn adioynyng to Capua called Tifata er the Romans had any knowlege of his cōming Than sent he spies to the Romayns hoste to Capua commaundynge them soo soone as he shulde gyue them battaile on his parte that Bostar and Mago with the horsemen and garrison of the Carthaginenses assemblynge also all the power of the citizens shoulde sodaynely issue oute of the citie and with force assayle their ennemies This diuise of Anniball was executed with soo sodayne crye and clamoure that the Romaynes were in greate feare and daunger Neuertheles with as great spede as they coulde they prepared their battayles and dyuyded their people Appius Claudius wente to withstande the Campanes and Fuluius wente agaynste Anniball Claudius was stronge inough for his ennemies but Fuluius was hardly handled of the Carthaginenses and Spaniardes One cōpany or legion of his men were driuen backe and than a great companye of Spanyardes with thre elephantes had broken the myddell warde of the Romaynes and were come to the trench of the campe redy to enter into the tentes and campe of their enmies Whan Fuluius sawe what daunger his people and campe were in he cried to Q. Nanius and other pety capitaines exhorting them to assaile that company of Spaniardes that fought at the diche shewyng them what danger all was in onlesse they might sone be confounded which was easy inough to be done sens there was of them no greatter a number Nanius was a strong man and of a huge stature And whan he hearde the consulles exhortation anone he toke the standerde from hym that bare it and commaundyng his company boldly to take parte with hym he sette furthe towarde the Spanyardes with a great courage As sone as the Spaniardes sawe hym drawe nere they threwe plentye of dartes at hym and beganne violently to assayle him But he nother beynge stayde with the multitude of his ennemies nor with the dartes that were caste at him with great force went stylle forwarde tyl by the helpe of Marcus Attilius Portius Lucius and other they had slain the elephantes and made great slaughter also of Spaniardes ¶ On the other part the Campanes were dryuen back with the garrison alsoo of Numidians and Carthaginenses soo that the battaile was stronge euen at the very gate of Capua that was towarde the ryuer of Vulturnus This gate was garnished with Crossebowes dartes and other suche ingyns wherby many of the Romayns were wounded by the shot out of the towre of the gate Amonge other the Consul Appius Claudius was soore hurt on the breast vnder the left shulder Neuerthelesse the citizens with their helpers were driuen into the citie with great slaughter and losse of theyr company Anniball seing the slaughter of his Spaniardes and that the Romaynes so manfully defended theyr campes he caused his people to withdrawe them and made the horsemen to abyde hyndermoste for the defence of the footemen yf their ennemies happed to chase them The Romaines were very egre and wolde haue folowed them in the chase had not Flaccus caused to sounde the retreate ¶ In this batayle Anniball wrought one crafty poynt he sent dyuers of his men forth that coulde speake the latine tunge into dyuers partes of the hooste of the Romaynes whyche shulde in the consuls name and behalfe declare that the Romayne campes were taken and spoyled Wherfore he wylled euery man to saue hym selfe by fleing to the next mountayns sens by lenger tarying the greater shuld be theyr losse This crafty deceite made many of them amased but at the laste it was espied to the great slaughter of their ennemies ¶ After this battaile the Romaynes kept them in their campes and so straightly besieged the citie that Anniball seinge he could no more drawe them furth to bataile nother through the campes of the Romaines haue any way to enter into Capua fearyng leste his vitayles shuld be cut from hym and his hoste he determined to depart from thens And than he ymagyned that he wolde go towarde Rome not doubtynge but whan the Romayn capitaynes dyd perceyue Rome theyr head citie to be in any daunger that either one or both wolde leaue Capua and come to the defence therof And than theyr powers being diuided bothe partes shoulde be the weaker and he trusted that either he or the Campanes shulde haue a fayre day of some of them One thynge troubled hym soore lest the Campanas seing his departyng from them wolde incontinent yelde the citie to the Romayns Wherfore by fayre wordes and great giftes he had gotten one of Numidia to go with his letters through the campes of the Romains as one that was runne away from the Carthaginenses army whan he shuld come to the further part of the host towarde the citie than secretly to enter into Capua and deliuer his letters which were full of comfort declaring his departyng to be for theyr profite to thintent onely to withdrawe their ennemies from Capua to defende their owne citie bydding them not to dispayre but to take pacience for a season trustyng shortly to lose them of the daunger they were in Sone after he departed with his hoste and passed the ryuer of Vulturnus taking the way towarde Rome His commynge caused great heuynes in the citie The senatours consulted what was beste for to be done in this daungerous case At length it was agreed that Q. Fuluius shulde come from Capua with a certayn legions with him leauing his felowe at the siege with a numbre sufficient for that purpose Q. Fuluius hauing this cōmandement toke with him .xv. M. fotemen and one thousand horse men and folowed Anniball as spedily as he could Now was Anniball come within .iii. miles of Rome where he pitched his tentes and made his campe on a riuer side And soone after came Quintus Fuluius Flaccus into Rome with his army and consulted with the senators of the affaires that were to be done touching their enmies Than toke Annibal .ii. M. horsemen with hym and camme to the walles and gates of Rome riding from the gate called Porta Collina to the temple of Hercules viewynge the situation of the citie and
the strength of the walles This bolde and hygh mynde of Anniball in so doing Fuluius Flaccus coulde not suffer but incontinent sent furth a greate numbre of horsemen who with force droue their enemies to their campe The next day Anniball came into the fielde with his host in good aray redy to gyue battaile And Flaccus hauinge with hym the two newe consuls that of late were chosen with their powers made hym redy also to battaile Thus whan bothe partes were redy to go togither abidynge the chaunce of fortune whether of them shulde be maister of the noble citie of Rome there came sodainly on them so vehement a storme of raine and haile togither that both the partes were faine to withdrawe them to their Campes The nexte daye they were lykewise redye to ioyne battaile whan a like storme also departed theym agayne And after theyr departure incontynente the wether waxed verye bryght and fayre and all the wyndes ceassed whiche euyl chances toke away the hartes and courage from Anniball and his companye for euer to enioye the citie of Rome Wherfore hauynge no further hope therof he returned backe in hast to the Brucians And the consul Quintus Fuluius returned to Capua to his felowe ¶ The oration of Vibius Virius concerning the yeldyng of Capua the Romaines receyue the towne slea the senatours and conuerte the groundes therof to the profit of their city of Rome Cap. xl THe Campanes perceyuing the returne of Quintus Fuluius and not of Annibal iuged them selfes than to be vtterly forsaken of him Wherfore wepyng and mourning the noble men kept them in their houses loking dayly for their owne deathes and distruction of the citie The hole charge of the keping therof was in Bostar and Hanno captains of the garrison of the Carthaginenses They fering their own estate sent priuily letters to Anniball somewhat sharply written wherin they blamed hym not onely for leauyng the citie of Capua to the handes of the Romaines but also that â—e committing his capitaynes and his sure frendes and souldiours of his retinue into the handes of his enemies to suffre tourmentes intollerable was hym selfe gone to the Brucians bycause he wolde not see before hym the takynge of Capua Wherfore they saide in case he wolde come agayn to them and returne his hole power thither they with the hole power of Capua wold be redy to breake forthe on theyr ennemyes trusting to wynne therby moche honour They sayde also that his commyng ouer the mountaines was not to warre with the Rhegines or with the Tarentines but with the Romaynes and where the Romain legions were there shuld the army of the Carthaginenses also be And so doinge he had for the moste part euer good spede as at Cannas at Trasymenus diuers other places by giuing them bataile valiantly ¶ These letters were sent by one of Numidia an espye that counterfaited him self to be run from the Carthaginenses army for the huÌ„ger that daily oppressed the citie Other letters also of the same effect were sent by dyuers other Numidians but it chaunced that a woman whome one of the messangers had kepte as his harlotte feelyng greate hunger in the cytie ranne out of the towne into the tentes of the Romain consull Flaccus and declared vnto hym of suche an espy that was in his campe whiche had letters to conueye to Anniball This man was founde oute And whan he came before her hedenyed any parte of her accusation to be trewe he denied also that he knewe the woman But whanne he sawe tourmentes prepared for hym he confessed the hole truthe and also he confessed that many other of his facion were among the Romayns who wayted but theyr tyme whan they might escape from the Romayn hoste with lyke letters to Anniball Thervpon serche was made and aboue .lxx. of theym taken who were beaten fyrst with roddes and than hadde theyr handes striken of and were sent again into the citie to their captains ¶ Whan the capitayns sawe that extreme punyshement shewed to theyr messangers theyr hartes began to fayle them Whervpon Lesius that yererular of the citie called a generall counsayle In the whyche many of the senatours moued that ambassadours shulde be sent to the Romayn consuls but Vibius Virius who was the chiefe causer of the yeldyng of Capua to Anniball beynge demaunded of his opinyon therin aunswered that all they that spake of peace takyng or of the yeldyng of Capua ought to remembre bothe what they wolde haue done yf they had had the Romayns in theyr power in lyke case as they had them and also what the Campanes were lyke to suffer whan they were submitted wholly to theyr pleasure ¶ Lette vs sayde he remembre howe leauing theyr frendshyp we submytted vs to Anniball and not contented therwith we slewe all the Romaynes lefte here in garrison with vs. And to haue the certayne knowlege of theyr hartes and enuy towarde vs lette vs call before vs theyr actes done of late agaynst vs and therby ye shall perceyue what kyndnes we are lyke to haue at theyr handes Anniball a straunger and theyr vtter enemy being in Italy and the cuntrey on all partes fulfylled with warre yet they leauyng Anniball and all other theyr busynesse sente bothe the consulles with theyr whole armyes to besiege Capua where we by longe contynuall kepyng of the same siege are almost famished with hunger but for further profe of theyr â—â—â—yee towarde vs let vs consyder that although Anniball commyng to our succours had almoste wonne theyr campes sayne many of theyr men and put them in great ieopardy of losing all that they had yet all that ieoperdous peryll of losse neuer coulde moue theym to remoue theyr siege Afterward whan he had passed the riuer of Vulturnus bournynge the fieldes of Calenus theyr fath full frendes yet coulde not the hurtes of them call the capitaynes from our myserable siege Ye than he caused his baners to be displayd before the walles of the citie of Rome saying that onles they wold leaue Capua he wold take their high citie of Rome from them Yet wolde they not leaue the siege of Capua beares wulues and all wyld beastes be they in neuer so great a rage and fury if a man goo to their caues where theyr yong whelpes lye anone they wyll leaue al that they are aboute and runne streighte to the defence of theyr yonge but the furyous Romaynes whan Rome was compassed about with theyr enemies nother for theyr wyues and their chyldren whose lamentable wepinges myght be heard almoste hither nother for their houses the temples of their goddis nor for feare of violating the Sepultures of theyr auncetours coulde be withdrawen from the siege of Capua so desyrous they be to execute on vs greuous punyshement And so sore they do thyrst to drynke of our bludde And but reason for happily we shulde haue done lykewyse to them yf fortune had deserued vs. Wherfore sens it is the pleasure of the goddis that nedes I
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
folowed him to the warres leadinge him many sure wayes whiche to Anniball his brother were then vnable to be passed Agayne the wayes ouer the mountaynes by the continuall vse of goinge ouer them were made moche more easy then they were and the people more gentyll to intreate For before Annibals comynge they were not vsed to the company of straungers neyther had sene any before in the countrey wherfore they were wylde and sauage people They thoughte also at the fyrste tyme that the Carthaginenses had come to take theyr castelles and cattell from them But nowe the fame of the warre holden in Italy betwene the Romaynes and the Carthaginenses taught them and made them to know that the hole contention betwen those noble head cities of the worlde beinge so farre distant a sundre was onely for the honour and for riches so that they wolde trye whether of them shulde possede the dominion of the hole ¶ These causes knowen made the mountaynes open and easy for Asdruball to passe but his speede was not so good in passynge the same as his let was great in the besieginge of Placentia Whan he was come ouer he had thought the citie beinge in a faire plaine countrey had ben easy to wynne and by the fame of the wynnynge therof he thoughte all other cities adioyninge shulde haue trembled for feare But the strength therof moche deceyued him and that knewe Anniball full wel For when he came ouer the riuer of Trebia he in vayne had assayed the strength therof So that Asdrubals assieginge of Placentia was not onely a lette of his owne iourneye but also it stayed Anniball moche longer after he harde therof ere euer he sette forthe of the place where he wyntered with his hoste ¶ The consulles with theyr armyes went to their prouinces M. Liuius towardes Placentia whome ere he departed Q. Fabius warned and exhorted that he shulde not ouer hastyly fyght with his ennemies before he knewe the maners and conditions of theim To whom Liuius remaynynge yet in dyspleasure towarde his citezens for his banyshement answered that he wolde fyght with theim so soone as he might haue fyght of them Whan the cause was demaunded of hym why he wolde make therm suche haste Truely sayd he eyther I wyll quyckely haue great honour by subduinge myne ennemyes or els greatte ioye by the sleynge of myne owne vnkynde cytezens Whyche ioye althoughe it be to me not honeste yet shall it be accordyng to theyr deseruynges ¶ Quintus Claudius Nero made haste tyll he approched nere vnto Anniball who as than was gone into the countrey of the Lucanes and lay by the towne of Grument Claudius hadde in his army forty thousande fotemen and two thousand and fyue hundred horsemen Anniball gatherynge togyther as moche power as he coulde amonge the Brutians and from suche fortresses as he than helde lay incâ—mped nigh vnto the walles of Grument and within halfe a myle of them was the campe of the Romaynes Betwene bothe the campes there was a goodly playne valey hauynge on the oone syde fayre playne hylles without any wooddes or couerte for to hyde any embusshement or cause deceyte Wherfore it was the lesse suspecte to bothe parties These hylles laye adioynyng to the lefte syde of the Carthaginenses and to the ryghte syde of the Romaynes In the playne medowe were many lyght eskyrmysshes made betweene the hostes and many excursyons the Romayne consull caused to be made onely to kepe his ennemyes there frome goynge towarde Asdruball ¶ On the other syde Anniball desyrous to remoue out of that place with all his power intended to gyue hym battaile Wherfore he putte his whole hoste in array Claudius Nero perceyuynge his intent caused secretely the nyght folowynge Titus Assellus and P. Claudius two tribunes with a good noumbre of men with theim to passe ouer the sayde hylle adioynynge and to abyde in the valeye behynde the hylles appoyntynge theim a tyme whan they shoulde descende from the mountayne on the backe of theyr ennemies He hym selfe in the breake of the daye with the reste of his footemen and horsemen came into the fielde in good araye Anniball lykewyse commaunded his men to arme theim and greate noyse was made in the campe euery man runnynge to harneys And whan they were armed they ranne oute of the campe yates bothe horsemen and footemen without array before Anniball had knowledge therof And as soone as they were out of the Campe in the playne they ranne to their ennemyes fyghtynge bothe on horsebacke and on foote as chaunce gaue theym to meete with theyr ennemies kepynge none order ¶ Whan the Consull sawe theym thus rounnynge abrode in the fyelde without order he commaunded C. Arunculeus with the horsemen of a legyon to inuade the Carthaginenses with as moche vyolence as he myght wherby he myght slea theym beinge without order lyke beastes before they coulde be brought in array Whyche he dydde dilygentely execute makynge greate slaughter The battayle was strong for a season by reason of contynuall resorte of freshe souldiours runnyng to the succours of theyr felowes ¶ Anniball being yet in his campe hearyng the noyse of his men fyghtyng came furthe with the reste of his power and so dilygently applyed him selfe that euen as his menne were fyghtynge he put many of theym in araye Whiche thynge hath not bene lyghtly seene and therein he shewed hym selfe to be an experte capytayne hauyng olde and well acquaynted warryours vnder hym And thus had he brought his wholle hoste in order as they were styll fyghtyng had not C. Assellus with his bandes of Romaynes sodainely descended from the hylles at the backe of the Carthaginenses with greate clamour By the meanes wherof they beyng aferde lest they shuld be stopped from their campe began to flee on all partes The horsemen slewe many of them in the chase and many mo had been slayne had not the campe been so nere at hande yet lost Anniball of his men at that battayle .viii. M. which were slayne and vii C. taken aliue The next day and diuers days after the Romains in array kept the fielde desyrous to fight but the Carthaginenses abode styll in theyr tentes ¶ Soone after in the nyght Anniball with his army remoued towardes Apulia makinge great fyres before the campe towardes the Romaynes and leauynge in the entree of his campe certayne Numydian horsemen for a shewe tyl he with his hooste myght be farre gone frome his ennemyes Whan it was day lyght the sayd Numidians shewed theim selues in the gate of the campe for a season purposely to deceyue the Romaines and whan they sawe theyr tyme they spedily rode after theyr companie ¶ Than the consull hearynge noo noyse in the tentes of his ennemyes sent two light horsmen to viewe theyr campe who fyndynge it voyde of theyr ennemies retourned to Claudius certifiynge hym of theyr departyng Whervpon he with his hoste wente thyther and toke the spoyle of suche baggage as was there leste and on the morowe early
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
felowes that foughte they durste not leste they shulde open theyr battayle to theyr ennemies whiche came directly vpon them By this meanes the winges wer anone ouercome and dryuen into the myddell warde and no meruayle For the yong and the hyred souldiours of Spayne were marched with the stronge and olde warriours of the Romaines and the Latines Agayne Asdrubals men were so sodainely taken in the mornynge that they had no tyme to receyue any sustenaunce before the battayle Wherfore whan the daye was somewhat spent they waxed feynte and feble And for that intent Scipio purposely tracted and prolonged the tyme before the myddell wardes shoulde mete to the ende the heate of the sonne towardes the myddell of the daye with the longe standynge in harneis and lacke of meate and drynke shulde take from them bothe theyr strength and corage Thus they beinge wery and assayled bothe before with the middell warde and also on the sydes with the Romayne wynges were constrained to recule Whiche they dyd a great whyle kepynge styll good ordre in theyr withdrawynge for Asdruball continually cried to them and therto exhorted them sayinge If they wolde by lyttell lyttell withdrawe them they shulde sone get the mountaines whiche were at theyr backes and then they shulde be sure out of the daunger of theyr ennemies But at the last seinge them selues ouercome and so many of theyr companye slayne on all partes theyr feare ouercame shame Wherfore with greate slaughter they fledde to theyr campe The Romaynes pursued them faste and had taken theyr campe and tentes had not a vehement storme of rayne sodeynly come vppon them with suche violence that euery man was gladde to gette hym to his owne tent and pauilion ¶ The Carthaginenses althoughe the nighte drewe faste on them being very sore woūded and wet with the rayne wherby they had necessary occasions of slepe rest yet were they so afraide that they ceassed not stylle to strengthen and to fortifie their campe with dyches and stones whiche they gathered in all partes about them trustinge more to the strength thereof then to theyr armour Then many of the hyred souldiours of the hoste of the Carthaginenses lefte Asdruball and came to Scipio Dyuerse stronge townes also were delyuered vp to hym with all the garrisons whiche were left in them Wherfore Asdruball thinkynge hym selfe more sure by fleinge then by his abydinge secretly departed from thense in the nyghte ¶ Scipio in the mornynge being aduertised of the departing of his ennemies sent his horsemenne before and he hym selfe with his army sodeynly folowed them The horsemen at length ouertoke them and made so many skyrmyshes with them that therby they were stayed tyll theyr hole armie of fotemen also ouer toke them Then was there great occuion made of them with small resistence And Asdruball with .vii. M. men with hym was fayne to flee to the next hye mountayne where they encamped them selues and were safe frō any daunger or hurt that coulde be done them Sone after he slypped from thens and stale to the sea whiche was not farre of where he toke shyppynge hym selfe with Mago and a fewe with hym and went to the iles beyonde the furthest parte of Spayne called Gades leauynge the moste parte of his men behynde hym at theyr owne aduenture to prouide for theim selues Parte of them went to the Romaynes parte to such cities as wer then remayninge in the dominion of the Carthaginenses ¶ Scipio after the dryuinge away of Asdruball and his company wyllyng vtterly to expell all the Carthaginenses out of Spayne layde siege to Illiturgus which after longe trauail he wan with force and caused his men to slee al that euer they founde on lyue man woman and childe And after they sette the towne on fyre and threwe downe the walles to the earth that the place whiche hadde ben the chiefe receptacle of theyr ennemies myghte be clerely defaced and the memorye therof abolysshed for euer Frome thense he wente towarde Castulo with his armie The capytayne therof fearynge the crueltie of the Romaynes yelded the towne to them with the Carthaginenses also that were therin Ascapa also a strong towne was won by Martius and brought in subiection with all other townes cities and fortresses that the Carthaginenses before helde Thus were they clerelye expelled oute of Spayne the .xiiii. yere after the warres fyrste beganne and the .v. yere after that Scipio was appoynted by the senate to be capitayne of the army and was assigned to warre in Spayn as his prouince ¶ M. Liuius and C. Nero the consulles entre the citie of Rome in triumphe A prayse of Anniballes gouernynge his armye Capi. lv NOwe let vs retourne to M. Liuius the consull that after the great victory had by hym and his felowe Claudius Nero agaynste the other olde Asdruball in the frontiers of Italy as is before declared He sente Q. Fabius Maximus to Rome to the senatours aduertifynge them that he thought the armye whiche L. Portius the pretor had there was sufficient inoughe for the kepynge of that prouince So that if they thought it beste he and his armye might be well spared there To whom the senatours aunswered that they wylled him to come him selfe to Rome with his army and that Claudius Nero his felowe shuld also mete him the same tyme at Rome leauyng his host with good capitains to kepe the countrey styll against Anniball ¶ Vpon this decree of the senate the consulles wrote letters eyther to other and agreed that lyke as they had with one good wyll and mind gouerned and defended the cuntreye durynge the tyme of their offyce euen soo nowe they shoulde bothe at one tyme come into the citie of Rome althoughe they came frome diuers partes Wherefore it was agreed that who so euer of theim came fyrste to the citie of Preneste shulde there tary the comynge of his felowe Accordyng to the appoyntement there they mette bothe in one baye and frome thense they sent messangers to the citie desyrynge the senatours to mete them in the house of Bellona the goddes of warre the third day folowing There wer they receiued with a great multitude both of senators and of citezins with goodly salutations and great thankes for theyr politike gouernance of their roumes by whose helpe and dexteritie the cōmon welth was nobly preserued and aduaunced Soone after they were brought into the senate there accordinge to the olde custome of conquerours they declared theyr noble actes whiche they had achieued for the common welthe of the citie of Rome and for the same desyred fyrst that honour myghte be giuen to the immortall goddes and then that they mighte with triumphe entre the citie Whiche theyr request was graunted them As touchinge the maner of theyr entringe in triumphe it was appoynted that they shuld not come in seuerally but together as they vainquished theyr ennemies together They agreed also betwene them selues that bicause the victorye was had in the prouince of M. Liuius
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
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
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
none other mans handes After these wordes all abashed he departed to his owne tente where remayninge alone he sighed and sobbed a great season so vehemently that suche as were without his tent myght easely here hym At the laste makynge dolefull lamentation he called to hym one of his faythfull and secrete seruauntes who had the keping of his poyson according to the â—â—age 〈◊〉 kinges and prynces who vsed to haue the same euer kepte nere to them therby to ouercome the incertayntie of fortune parte of this poyson put into drynke he sente by hym in a cuppe to Sophonisba commaundynge hym to saye to her that Massanissa wolde if he had coulde gladly haue kepte his first promyse made vnto her as becometh a man to do to his wife but sens it lieth not in his power to perfurme it yet wyll he kepe his seconde promes made vnto her whiche was that she shuld not whiles she were on lyue come into the daungier of any Romayne Wherfore he wylleth her to remembre the Emperour her father and the .ii. kynges to whom she hath ben maried and therafter regarde her owne honour ¶ When the messanger hadde presented to Sophonisba the poyson and done his message she aunswered I wyll receyue this mariage gyfte and that gladly if a husbande can gyue no better gyfte to his wyfe But sayde she I praye the shewe Massanissa that my deathe had not ben soo greuouse to me if I had not maryed so nere the goinge to my graue And without gyuinge other sharpe wordes to the messanger she without feare or tremblynge toke the drynke empoysoned and dranke it of ¶ Whan this was shewed vnto Scipio lest Massanissa being a fyerse yonge man and takyng this displeasantly in his minde myght do some hurt to him selfe he called hym vnto him somtyme comfortynge hym sometyme gentilly rebukinge him for that he had corrected his fyrst foly with an other folyshe acte makynge of the thynge more sorowe then neded On the next daye to the intent he wolde put all suche fantasies out of his mynde he ascended to the place of iudgemente whyther he caused all his hoste to assemble There he fyrste gaue to Massanissa the name of a kynge and after great lawdes and prayses gyuen to hym he also gaue hym many ryche gyftes as a crowne of golde with a great bolle of golde a chaire of Iuorye a walkynge staffe of Iuorye a ryche gowne with a cote of bawdekyn vsed to be worne in â—ygne of victory And to set the matter forthe to his further honour he declared that in any tryumphe at Rome after any victory hadde of theyr ennemies no man could weare any more noble apparaile then this whiche he hadde â—yuen hym Sayinge also that of al straungers the 〈◊〉 of Rome iudged onely Massanissa worthye to be presented with thâ—se gyftes Then called he forthe Lelius to whom he also gaue great prayses and rewarded hym with a crowne of golde And after he rewarded other his soldiours according to theyr desertes By this gentel handeling and honour gyuen to the kyng Massanissa his troubled minde was pacifyed and he was put in hope after the deathe of Syphax to be ruler of all Numidia Then Scipio sent Lelius to Rome with Syphax and other prysoners with whome also wente the embassadours of Massanissa And he after their departynge wente agayne to Tunise where he encamped his hoste and fortifyed the place makynge an ende of the workes whiche he before had begunne ¶ Lelius with kinge Siphax and other prisoners and the embassadours of Massanissa came to Rome Massanissa is made king of his realme of Numidia Cap. lxvi THe Carthaginenses hering of the takyng of Syphax in whom they had as moche trust as they had in Asdrubal and his armye began then to be faynt harted Wherfore sens they knewe no further helpe in theyr warre they sent .xxx. the most noble senatours of their citie to Scipio to intreate of peace These auncient noble men so sone as they came into the pauilion of the pretor before Scipio of a flatteryng facion they fel prostrate to the grounde and then made an humble and a flatterynge oration not pourgynge them selues and theyr citie of theyr offence but layinge the begynnynge of all the defaulte in Anniball and his adherentes Desyrynge to haue the citie pardoned of this offence synse they trusted that the Romains wolde not desyre theyr destruction but that they wold be contented with theyr humble submission as of people ouercome whiche wolde be glad to obey to any thynge that he shulde coÌ„maunde them to do To whom Scipio answered that his comynge into Affrica was vpon trust to returne home agayne to Rome with victory not to conclude with peace whiche his hope fortune also fauouryng had moche aduanced by prosperous successe Neuerthelesse saide he now 〈…〉 victory almost in my handes yet wil I not refuse pâ—ace to thintente al men may know that the Romains do â—â—stly both begin end theyr warrâ—â— â–ª And these shalbe the conditions of your peace ye shall restore vs all your prysoners and our fugitiue runne aways ye shal remoue your armies out of Italy and France ye shall forbeare to meddle any more in Spayne ye shall departe frome all the Iles whyche be betweene Italy and Affrica ye shall delyuer vs all youre longe shyppes excepte onely .xx. ye shall gyue vs of wheate .v. C. M. busshelles of barley .iii. C. M. bushels of money .v. M. talentes And thre dayes respite I do gyue you said he to take your aduise whether these conditions of peace please you or not And in case ye be contented with theim ye shall haue truce of me and send your embassadours to Rome to the senate for a confyrmation of the same ¶ The Carthaginenses myndynge onely to tracte the tyme tyl Anniball with his power might come into Affrica thought they woulde refuse no conditions of peace that were demaunded to be done for their partes Wherfore they sent some legates vnto Scipio to take truce other they sent to Rome to aske peace leading with theim certain prisoners and fugitiues for a colour to the intent they myghte therby the better obteygne peace ¶ Whyles these thynges were woorkyng Lelius with king Syphax and other noblemen prisoners of Numidia wer com to Rome Where he declared to the senatours by ordre all thinges whiche had ben done in Affrica to their greate comfort and also hope of good ende of that voiage ¶ Then were these newes publyshed abrode in the citie whiche caused great ioy and gladnes ¶ Sone after were the ambassadours of Massanissa brought into the senate where fyrst they said They were glad and ioyfull that Scipio had nobly and happily spedde in Affrica to the no smalle comforte of the senate and also of the citie of Rome Than dyd they gyue thankes for that Scipio hadde not onely giuen to Massanissa the name of a kynge but alsoo had made hym a kyng restoring him to his fathers kyngdom if it were
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
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
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