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
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
souldiours and stickyng together defend in that they myght the one cuntrey of the other After he had ordered and assigned strong garrisons to euery part and region as to Carthage Spayne and Affrica remouyng his army from Gades to new Carthage led them from thens to the ryuer of Iberus and to the sea coste There it was sayd he sawe in his slepe a yong man of a heuenly shape whiche sayd he was sent from Iupiter vnto Anniball to conducte hym into Italy shewyng to him before the destruction of Italy and that he shuld procede in his vyage serche no more for the destenies were hid secrete Whan he had sene and herde these thinges he conueied his hoste deuided into thre partes ouer the riuer of Iberus Diuers of his frendes he sent before hym to wyn the hartes of the frenchemen with giftes through whose cuntry he must nedes passe and also to viewe the passages ouer the mountains He conducted .lxxx. and .x. M. fotemen and .xii. M. horsemen ouer the foresayd water of Iberus Than subdued he diuers townes dominions therabout which lay at the fote of the mount of Pyrene and there he appoynted Hanno with .x. thousande footemen and a thousande horsemen to remayne to kepe those passages and straites whiche lay betwene France and Spayne whan they began to approche nigh to the foresaid high and dangerous mountayns and that it was openly knowen that the war was taken against the Romains thre thousande of the Carpetanes footemen sodainly departed from the hoste and forsoke him not for feare of the warre but for the longe iorney and perillous passage ouer the mountayns almoste vnable to be passed Anniball seing he coulde not change theyr mindes and that it was doutfull to kepe them by violence lest it shuld stere the fierce myndes of the resydue and make them wery sent after theÌ„ aboue .vii. M. other more suche as he supposed to be wery of the warfare fayâ—ing that he had also licenced them that were fyrst stolen away to depart home bycause of the tedious iourney this dyd he to thintent the reste shulde haue none occasion to leaue or forsake hym And than lest by prolongyng the tyme he shuld hynder the myndes of the resydue he ledde his hoste forthe with spede and passyng the mountaynes of Pyrene pitched his tentes before a towne called Illiber The frenchmen although they herde that the Carthaginenses were come to warre vpon Italy yet bicause the fame went that the Spaniardes on the other syde of the hyll of Pyrene were by them subdued and strong garrisons therfore there lefte being afraide of seruitude armed them and moche people assembled at a towne called Ruscino Whiche thyng whan Anniball herde fearyng more delay of tyme than warre with as great haste as myght be he sent oratours to theyr rulers desyryng to speake with them shewyng that he came not as an ennemy but as a guest or frende to France and that he wolde not if it pleased theym drawe his sworde before he were passed France The frenchemen hering this incontinent remoued to Illiber and with good wyll came to Anniball whiche wanâ—e theym with gyftes to suffer hym to haue free passage through their townes and countreys ¶ Howe Anniball passed the riuer of Rhodanus put the Frenchmen to flight refused to fyght with the consul of Rome and with what wordes he couraged his souldiours to passe the mountaynes Cap. viii THus Annibal either with feare or with money wynnynge the countreys as he wente brought his hoste to a fielde of the Volcanes a stronge kynde of people which inhabyted on both sydes the water of Rhodanus who doubtyng the power of the Carthaginenses and mystrustynge theyr owne strengthe conueyed all that they hadde ouer the ryuer and formoste kept the parte therof that the ryuer shulde be as a munyment or defence to them The residue of the inhabitantes that remained there bycause they were gladde to rydde the countrey of suche a huge numbre of men of warre were suche contented to be reteyned by Anniball for rewardes to make botes nd shyppes to passe ouer the ryuer so that in shorte space they hadde gotten and newe made a greatte nauye of shyppes and of small cockebotes The frenchemen beganne to fasshion botes hewynge trees and makynge theym holowe after the ryghte fasshion And than the souldyours theym selues bothe for the plentye of tymber and also the easynes of the crafte euery man hewed his tree and made a bote to carye hym selfe and his stuffe ouer Whanne all thynge was made redye to passe ouer the great companye of ennemies on horsebacke and oâ— foote that were on the other syde abasshed theym sore Whiche to driue awaye Anniball sent Hanno Bomilcars sonne with a stronge companye namely of Spaniardes in the begynnyng of the nyght commaundyng them to kepe vp the riuers syde a dayes iourney and as sone as be coulde to conuey his company ouer priuily that they might be redy whaÌ„ tyme required to set vpon their ennemies behynde Certayn frenchemen were appoynted to guyde and conuey them vp alonge the ryuer syde Who conducted them the space of .xxv. myles vp the streame to â—â—â—tell Ile where they felled trees and spedyly made boteâ— in the whyche they myght conuey theym selues theyr horses and theyr necessary stuffe ouer The Spanyardes throwyng theyr clothes vpon botels and sittynge on their sheldes fastned aboue theron passed the ryuer the rest of the hoste ioynyng botes togyther passed ouer and pitched their tentes on the other syde of the riuer where after their nyghtes iorney and wery days labour they rested all that day and nighte to refreshe them The nexte day they remoued from thens and with bournyng made a smoke to signifye that they were passed the ryuer and they were not farre of Which thynge whan Anniball perceyued lest he shulde lose the tyme gaue a â—ygne to his hoste to passe ouer The footemen with theyr baggage passed ouer in botes the horsemen shypped suche horses as at theyr landyng they must nedes occupy the rest of the horses they tyed to smalle botes and caused them to swymme ouer And to asswage the rage of the water as well for the ease of the small botes as of the horses that swamme they sette the great shyppes and botes betwene the streame and them The frenchemen seinge this ranne to the bankes with great shoutyng and synging â—â—ter 〈…〉 knocking their sheldes ouer theyrheades 〈…〉 theyr weapons in theyr ryghthandes not withstandynge it was a terrible bashement vnto them to beholde suche a multitude of shyppes to here the huge noyse and rushe of the water the dyuers cries and clamours of the mariners and souldiours that indeuoured them to ouercome the rage of the water the exhortations that they that were landed gaue to the other Thus being in great feare of the tuâ—â—ltuous rufflyng before them behynd them arose a more 〈◊〉 clamour that Hanno had taken theyr campe and 〈◊〉 on them at theyr backes they fledde
the other syde the Carthaginenses were soo beaten with the rayne myxte with snowe and with the intollerable colde that the beastes elephantes and men were almost peryshed The ryuer of Trebia caused them to retourne from the pursuite of the Romans so that almoste deade for colde they came to theyr campe with very small ioy of theyr victory The next night Scipio conueyed his hoste ouer the ryuer of Trebia and so to Placentia vnware to the Carthaginenses who by reason of the vehement storme of rayne that felle that nyght coulde not here the remouyng or elles for peyne of theyr woundes and werynes of labour dyssembled the matter and toke no hede ther of Thus were the Romans conueyed peasibly to Placentia and from thens they passed ouer Padus to Cremona Whan the chance therof was knowen at Rome there arose suche so dayn feare among them as though theyr ennemies had ben come alredy with baners displayde before the gates of Rome Neyther had they hope of any further succours wherby they myght defende theyr enemyes from their gates and walles The one consul being ouercome at Ticinus and the other called frome Sicilia to helpe hym and nowe bothe beinge togyther ouercome and their two hostis What other capitayns what other legions had they more left to with stande them ¶ Hanniball intendyng to take a certayn castell by stelthe was encountred by the consull wounded and put to the worse and after a great slaughter of the people he wonne VicuÌ„nias And howe Cn. Scipio in Spayne ouerthrâ—we Hanno in battayle Cap. xiiii VVhan Sempronius by chaunce had escaped the great daunger of his enemies he returned to Rome to the chosyng of the new coÌ„suls at which parliament Cneius Seruslius and C. Flaminius were created consulles Whiche thinge done he came to Placentia thynkyng to passe the wynter quietly in that place but the Romans had not quiete so moche as the winter tyme. For the Numidians and other of the hoste of Anniball were sparkled abrode in the coâ—â—es so that they were troubled on euery syde There was a certayn market towne and castell not farre from Placentia very ryche and strongly fensed Thither went Hannibal with his horsemen and suche as were lyght harneysed thynkyng to wynne it by assaâ—â— in the nyght But the watchemen perceyuing his intent reised suche a crye that it was hearde to Placentia Than the consull in the next morning with his horsemen before and his legions in good order folowyng after came thither and gaue them battayle in the whiche Anniball was wounded Wherby the Carthaginenses were in suche feare that they gaue backe and the peace lasted whyles Anniballes wounde was in healynge And ere he was fully cured he went to a place called Vicunuias That place was surely kepte by the Romanes who being a great numbre what of the garrison what of the townes meÌ„ also by reason of the assemble of the people of the countrey who beyng afrayde of the Numidians whiche roued abrode fledde thither for succour these people I say being many in numbre hering of the noble defendyng of the castell adioynynge to Placentia thynkyng to do a great feate with a great route of people without any order ranne to armour and came forth to encounter with Anniball But bycause they were an vnruly company without a capytayne or good order the other being but a fewe in nuÌ„ber and good men of warre hauynge a good capytayn vnto whom they myght truste dyd discomâ—te of them .xxxv. thousande and the nexte daye toke the towne and made suche a slaughter and destruction amonge theym as was not hearde of a great season before These were Anniballes vyctories durynge the wynterseason after whyche they rested the deepe of the wynter And as soone as sprynge tyme of the yere came Sempronius the consull who was than returned from Rome prepared to gyue battayle to the Caathaginenses the first day that they met the Romans had so good for tune that they not only wonne the victory in playn fielde but also draue them to their tentes and indeuored them selfes to wynne their campe But Anniball setting certayn of his fotemen to defend their gates or entrees of their campe and causing the rest as well fotemen as horsemen to recule dyd sette them in aray within the campe to the intent to be in a redines to rushe out vpon their enemies so sone as he made to them a signe The Romans seing they coulde not wynne the campe blewe the retreite Whan Anniball sawe that the bataile was slakid and the Romans began to recule back from his campe he set forthe the horsemen some on the ryght hand and some on the lefte and hym selfe with the fotemen came after from the campe and gaue theym a stronge battayle puttyng them to moch dysplesure But anon the nyght departed them with lyke losse and slaughter on bothe sydes ¶ Whyles these thynges were doone in Italy Cn. Scipio being sent into Spayne with his hoste partely by force and partly by amitie and olde frendshyp he brought all the countreys from Lusitania to the riuer of Iberus vnder the obedience of the Romans And also the fame of his gentil entertayning of people broughte the inhabitauntes on the mountaynes and the wylde nations to be his assured frendes So that they were all redy with theyr armour succours to aide the Romans to the best of their powers Hanno whom Anniball hadde left for the defence of these regions knowynge these actes of Scipio after his arryuall and fearyng leste he shuld be by hym put from the possession of all that countreye appoynted to fight with hym before the matter were ouerfar gone and pytched his campe not farre from the hoste of the Romans Scipio knowyng that yf he did long tary from batayle he shulde haue to do with hym and also with Hasdruball who were bothe lefte for the defence of the countrey thought it better for hym to mete with theym and theyr hostes seuerally thanne to matche with bothe the hostes togither Wherfore he made spede to mete fyrste with Hanno and his company In whyche battayle there were slayne .vi. thousand of the Carthaginenses and .ii. M. taken with their capytayn Hanno and all their tentes with a certain town also nere vnto the campe called Stissus Hasdruball before he herd of the discomâ—iture of his felowe Hanno was passed the ryuer of Iberus with .viii. M. fotemen and one thousande horsemen intendynge to mete the Romaynes at theyr fyrst commynge But whanne he hearde of the ouerthrowe of Hanno and his people he tourned toward the sea where by chance he met with many Romans that were left in the ships not far from Tarracon wandryng abrode vpon the sea costis takynge no hede to theyr ennemies as people mystrustynge nothynge but beynge neglygent by reason of theyr late prosperous successe Of these negligent persons many he 〈◊〉 the rest he drone to their shyppes with greate feare 〈◊〉 the lesse hym selfe being afrayd of Scipios commyng â—urste not
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
restored ageine to them aliue And in short space he brought to passe that his father was not to be compared vnto him in wynnyng the hartes of people He excelled so in wisedome policie and feates of warre that whan the Capitayne wolde haue any weighty matier enterprised he wolde to him aboue all other cōmitte the charge therof He so ordred hym selfe both in obeying his capitayn and rulyng his souldiours that it was harde to knowe whether he was better beloued of his capytayne or of his hooste He was of an hyghe courage in icopardynge on any peryll and of noo lesse counsaile in auoyding the same His body and mind coulde with no labour be weried or ouercomme he coulde as well susteyne heate as colde of meates and dryakes he vsed none excesse but that wolde suffice nature he prescribed no tyme to reste or slepe by nyghte nor by daye And whan he myght from busynes conueniently rest he desired neyther soft beddes nor quiet slepes but being couered with a shorte cloke or souldiours garment he wolde repose him vpon the harde earthe He was not curious in garmentes In pleasant horses and sure armour was alwayes his delite Among all the army on horse backe and on fote he was founde the best he wolde be euer the fyrst and the last in battail Which his noble vertues lacked not dyuers vyces to accompany theym For instede of mercie and pitie he vsed extreme crueltie mixte with vnfeithfulnes he regarded not the obseruyng of his othe whiche was to his great dishonour ¶ Of Hannibals fyrst warres and victory Cap. ii VVHAN THIS YONG capitayn had thus exercysed hym selfe vnder Asdruball the space of .iii. yeres it chaunced that one of that countrey whose mayster Asdruball before had slayne sodeynly ranne on hym and slewe hym Whervpon beinge taken he nother changed countenance nor feared any punyshement that shuld come to hym therfore but with smilyng countenance receyued his deathe Than the souldiours of the army after the losse of Asdruball immediately by one consent chose Hanniball to be theyr gouernour And he appoynting to warre agaynst the Romayns and Italy to be his prouince thought he wold not long stay or tracte the tyme in ouermoch deliberating theron lest therby it myght chance vnto hym as it dyd vnto his father Hasdrubal to be oppressed by some other myschance intēded to moue warre to the Saguntines before rehersed And to colour his intent he fyrste led his army into the costes of Olcades a people of Spayne beyonde the ryuer of Iberus neighbour to the Saguntines to thende it shuld seme that he of purpose or by any pretence of warre dyd not seke to inuade the Saguntines but wynning the countreys adioynyng togyther he shulde also take Sagunt with hym as it laye in his way in order with the other Amonge these he wanne the citie called Carteia that was very riche whiche citie beinge subdued the smalle townes adiacent wyllyngly submitted them selues to be vnder tribute This done he for the wynter tyme withdrue his armye to a citie in Spayne called newe Carthage And with distributing largely to his souldiours the pray before gotten and welpaying of euery mans wages that was behynde he wonne the hartes of all the hoste So that they holly agreed the nexte sommer folowynge to warre vppon the Vacceis Whiche warres brought to passe and ended as they retourned not farre from the ryuer of Tagus the banysshed people of the countreys aforesayde assembled togyther and reysed the Carpetanes by whose helpe they were to the numbre of a hundred thousande and trustyng to theyr great multitude came newly vpon the Carthaginenses Anniball perceyuing that great power commyng vpon hym absteyned from batayle and priuily in the nyght conueyed his 〈◊〉 ouer a fourde and from thense withdrue his people a good space of so that his enemies myght haue place to come ouer the ryuer Than set be xl elephantes alonge the ryuer syde that they myght be redy to oppresse them at the entryng of the water Also he cōmaunded his horsemen that as soone as the footemen were entred the water they shulde fiersly assayle them The Carpetanes with the Vacceis and Carteians thynkyng theyr ennemies for feare to be fledde from theym and intendynge to pursue them without any foresyght or order with all spede makyng great clamour euery man rashely toke his next way through the water Hannibals horsmen perceyuing that they were entred the fourde violently ranne on them and with litell peyne ouerthrewe a great number of their fotemen in the water whiche thyng was easy to doo for a footeman in the strength of the streame coulde in no wyse susteyne the force of a horseman onely the rushe of the horse though the ryder be vnarmed is able to ouerthrowe any foteman so feble is the stay of his fote in the water Thus some were drowned and some other that passed ouer the ryuer were oppressed with the elephantes so that in shorte space they were all vtterly discomfyted and ouercome For before that those whiche last entred the ryuer though they escaped the danger of the horsemen coulde recule backe agayn tolande and assemble togyther and set them selfe in aray Annibal with a freshe band of men entred the water and so quyckly folowed and chased them that fewe escaped Whervpon shortly after he conquered al the Carpetanes and broughtthem vnder subiection of Carthage And thāall the borderers beyonde the water Iberus holly became tributaries to Carthage sauyng only the Sagūtmes with whom as thāthey had not medled but diuers quarels were pycked by their neyghbours to get some occasion to warre ageyuste them And that perceiued well the Sagantines Wherfore to preuent the matter they sent messangers to Rome to require succours in the warres that they vndoutedly loked for ¶ Anniball beslegeth the Saguntines and howe he was there soorewounded Cap. iii. THe same yere that the Ambassadours were sent to Rome Publius Cornelius Scipio Titus Sempronius Lōgus were consuls and whā this matter was waied in the senate hous with many other cōcerning the cōmon welth Publius Valerius Flaccus and Quintus Fabius Pamphilus were chosen ambassadours to go to Anniball with gentyl perswasions to withdraw him from warres with the Saguntines theyr frendes whiche if they coulde nat do that than they shulde go to Catthage to Hasdruball the capitayne chargynge hym vpon peyne of the truce breakyng to cesse and take vp the warres ¶ Whyles the Romaynes prepared theyr legacies and ordered theyr affayres Anniball forslowyng no tyme conuenient to his busynes with his army spoylyng and wastynge the countreye approched and fiersely assayled the citie of Sagunt on thre partes This citie was named the rychest that was beyonde the ryuer of Iberus It stode not passynge a myle from the sea and was in short space so mightily increased by reason of the commodities of the water the fruites of the lande and multitude of people that they excelled all the cities and countreyes aboute theym bothe in number and rychesse
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
the Romanes in which season they escaped ¶ Howe Anniball 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 the coâ—sul and by what meanes 〈◊〉 put the 〈◊〉 to â—â—â—ght Cap. xiii DVryng this tyme was Sempronius the other consull going to Sicilia with his army but in his iourney he receiued letters from the senate of the entring of the Carthaginenses into Italy requiring him to aide the other consule as sone as he might Which whan he perceiued he layd garrisons in diuers places to defend the prouinces and came him selfe with a strong power into Italy to kepe the costes Thus whan the two consuls were met together al the power of Rome was there assembled ageinst Anniball Not withstanding the one consul beinge abâ—ted by his fyrst battayle and sore wounde wold rather prolong the matter than fight But the other being freshe and lusty and therfore more fierce wold haue no delay thinking it great honour vnto him if he might recouer agayn that the other consul had lost Wherfore he sayd that there was no man wold deferre the battaile but only he who being more weaker in his harte than in his body for the remeÌ„brance of his wound did refrain to fighte And also that the tyme ought not to be prolonged with sicke folkes Shal we tary and lose time For what third consull or what other army shall we abyde The Carthaginenses haue pitched theyr tentes in Italy and weluere in the citie of Rome who seeke nowe neither Sicilia nor Sardinia that were afore conquered from them nor Spayne beyonde Iberus but they are come to driue and expell the Romaynes out and from their owne lande and natiue countrey O say the he howe moch wold our fathers who were wont to warre before the walles of Carthage lament if they sawe vs their children ye and two consuls with their two hostes tremblynge and quakynge in Italie within our owne campe and that the Carthaginenses had wonne al the feldis betwene the Alpes and Apenniâ—uÌ„ These wordes spake he to his hurt felowe in the Pretory And also the chosynge of offycers at Rome prouoked hym to make haste leste that the taryinge for his felowe beyng hurte myght be occasyon of theyr losse of preyse and victory and lest the warre myght be coÌ„mytted to new consuls whose election was than at hand Which thin ges consydered they prepared for the batayle in haste Annibal although he thought that nothyng shalde be done vnwarely sens the two coÌ„suls were mette together and that the warre shulde be cruell and strong yet dyd not he mystruste good fortune bycause of his fyrst battayle He was also the more busy and intentiue to do battayle whyles he thoughte the souldiours his ennemies were yong and rawe in the warres and whiles one the beste consull was yet not hole of his woundes and whiles the Frenchemens hartes of his armye of whom he than had a great numbre were stronge and hardy whose courage he thought and knewe well wolde rather dyminyshe than increace whan they shoulde be brought any further from theyr owne countrey These thynges considered he sent certayn Frenchmen abrode the cuntrey as spies who shewed hym that the Romayns were all redy to fyght Than Anniball wente to see and prouide a place for disceyte There was in the myddes betweene the two hostes where the fielde shuld be aryuer whiche was closed on both sides with greatte and hygh bankes be sette aboute with the wiedes of the fennes whiche almoste couered all the grounde with yonge wyllowes and shrubbes and also with hygh busshes and thornes whyche whan he had serched and perceyued it to be a place obscure and darke ynough to hyde an inbusshement of horsemen in he sayde to his brother Mago This place shalt thou kepe and thou shalte sayde he chose vnto the one thousande of horsemen and oone thousande of fotemen of the best of myn army to lye here in these couert places and whan tyme shal requyre to do as I shal shew you what therto appertayneth and be ye sure that ye shall haue ennemies blynd in these feates of warre Whan Mago had a M. horsemen and a. M. fotemen deliuered to him Anniball commaunded the Numidian horsemen the nexte mornyng to passe the water of Trebia and ryde vp and downe before the gates of his ennemies campe and whan they hadde with castyng and throwyng into theyr tentes and stations prouoked them to issue out to batail alluring them to pursue after that then they shuld by litell and litell recule backe again ouer the said riuer The residu of the capitayns he coÌ„maÌ„ded that they shuld cause al their men to dyne refreshe them selfes after to be in a redynes against they shuld be called to the battaile Sempronius bearyng the rumour of the Numidies brought all his army beinge very desyrous of battayle to the ryuer whervnto the other reculed backe as was appointed by Anniball The weather was extremely colde and it showed fast The souldiours hadde taken no sustenance before nor made any prouision to strength and kepe theyr bodies warme from the colde frost and snowe But in all haste folowyng the Numidians theyr crafty ennemyes that fledde before theym entred into the ryuer Nowe was the water rysen that nyghte by reason of that snowe as high as theyr brestis Whan they cam out of the water theyr bodies were so stark and benommed with colde that scarsely they could holde theyr armour vpon them and also towarde the myddes of the daye they beganne to faynt for hunger In the meane season Anniball caused great fyres to be made before his souldiours tentes that euery man might warme him and also to put oyle in their gloues whyche shoulde souple their ioyntes and membres Whan they hearde that theyr ennemies were passed the ryuer beinge lusty bothe in body and harte euery man toke his weapon and went to battayle Anniball ordred his battayles circumspectly fyrst he sette forthe his throwers of dartes whyche were of the yles called Baleares than his light harneysed fotemen to the numbre of .viii. M. and after them the other footemen he also bestowed in the .ii. wynges .x. M. horsemen in whom rested the great strength of his battayle and into these wynges also he departed his elephantes puttynge them craftily before the fyght of his ennemies horses whyche were not wont to them so that for strangenes of the syght and the vnaccustomed sauour of them they scattered abrode and than the battayle by the footemen was maynteyned for a season But â—none what by reason of the horsmen and elephantes and also through the sodayne commynge of Mago with the Numidians that fiersely assayled the Romaynes at theyr backes they were stryken with suche feare that they fledde on all partes Some ieoparded to take the water ageyne and escaped to theyr tentes but of them were but fewe for either they were drowned in the depe water or els slayne of theyr ennemies in the chase at the water syde Many toke the ryght way to Placentia and therby were saued On
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
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
theyr vayne reporte of vyctorye whanne none suche is hadde in dede I thynke than they oughte lesse to be succoured at our handes ¶ With this oration of Hanno very fewe were moued to be of his opynion For the enuye and hatrede that they bare vnto hym and alsoo the greatte kynrede of the other caused hym to be the worse heard Agayne they were soo reioysed with the sodayne and presente ioye that they wold heare noothynge that shoulde hynder the same Supposynge the warres shoulde soone be fynysshed yf they dydde sende any helpe nowe at this tyme into Italye Wherefore by the hole consente of the Senate it was concluded to sende to Anniball forty thousande Numydians to his succours and fortye elephantes and a greatte summe of money And the Dictatoure of Carthage was sente into Spayne with Mago to hyre twenty thousande footemen and foure thousande horsmenne whyche shulde fournyshe agayne the armyes both in Spayne and also in Italy But these thinges were forslowed and done by leysure as commonly it happeth in prosperitie But besyde the naturall industry of the Romaynes Fortune also wrought moche for them for they hapned that yere vppon a Consull that sought all meanes possible to further all suche thynges as shulde be thought necessary to be brought to passe by hym And Marcus Junius beyng Dictatour besydes the Legyons whyche were appoynted before and the bondemenne of the Cytie with other succours suche as he coulde gather togyther of dyuerse countreyes adioynynge to fournysshe the armye He lepte than besydes his horse sayinge All suche as haue commytted any maner of cryme worthye of deathe and they that are condempned to pryson for money yf they wolde be sowldyours with hym and go to the warre he wold pay theyr dettes and lose them from theyr handes and punyshement Thus hadde he of that sort .vi. M. souldyours whom he armed with the armor that C. Flamminius toke from the Frenchemen and than he went out of the citie with .xxv. M. harneyst men ¶ Of the battayle betwene Marcellus and Anniball before the citie of Nola and of Annibals wyntryng in Capua the delycate pleasures wherby he withdrewe the hartes and courages of his men from all warrelyke fascion Cap. xxviii AFter Anniball had taken Capua he assayed many and dyuers ways to haue gotten Naples whiche whan he coulde not brynge to passe he went from thens to the fieldes of the Nolans assayeng by many ways to wyn the towne of Nola. The senate and namely the chiefe stacke surely to their olde frendes the Romaynes The cōmunes being as they are wont desyrous of newes inclyned all to Anniball Wherfore the senate fearyng to stryue with the commons openly agaynste whose power yfnede requyred they were not able to resyst priuyly dissemblyng founde meanes to prolong the time saying they were cōtent to be yelded to Anniball but they knew not after what maner and condition they shuld yelde During whiche tyme of delay they sent ambassadours to Marcellus the pretor of Rome being than at Cannusium shewyng hym the circumstance of the matter wylling him to come to them yf he intended that they shuld kepe the towne Who perceiuyng theyr stedfastnes greately praysed the senate of Nola desyrynge them to perseuere in theyr purpose and vse suche subtiltie in prolonging of tyme as they before had done vntill his commyng to them whych shuld be shortly In the meane season he willed them not to be aknowen of any succour that was commynge Than streyght he made hym redy and with his army toke the way to Calacia and ouer the riuer of Vulturnus and so to Nola. ¶ Anniball before the Pretors comming went from Nola to Naples very desyrous to wynne some towne that laye on the sea costes to whyche the shyppes myght haue free and safe passage from Affrica But whan he vnderstode Naples was defended by a Romane capytayne the Neapolitans had gotten thyther M. Iunius Syllanus and shulde as well be kept out there as he was at Nola he went and layde siege to Nuceria whyche at last vsynge many wayes he caused them by famyne to yelde Marcellus was by that tyme in the towne of Nola and was no surer of his owne souldyours thanne he was of the pryncis of Nola but he feared the commons and aboue all other he dradde a yonge man very hardye and of a noble lygnage whose name was Lucius Bantius who was moche desyrous to yelde the towne to Anniball for beynge founde amonge a heape of dead bodies and soore wounded in the battayle at Cannas Anniball caused hym to be healed and sent home with large gyftes for which gentyll dede he wold fayne that Nola shuld be yelded to Anniball Marcellus perceyued this Bantius to be troubled in his mynde with suche study so that he must eyther with punyshement be refrained orels by benefit reconciled he sent for hym and so beninglye with wordes promyses and gyftes entertayned hym that there was none in the citie so sure after to the Romans as he ¶ Whan Anniball was come from Nuceria which he of late had taken before the gates of Nola Marcellus was entred the citie not fearyng to kepe his campe abrode but lest his taryinge without shulde be an occasyon of betraying and yeldyng vp the citie Than beganne small skyrmyshyng betwene the citie and the Carthaginenses at whiche time the pryncis of Nola shewed Marcellus that the common people hadde secrete metynges and communication in the nyghte with the Carthaginenses in the whiche it was purposed that whanne the Romans were gone out to fyght they wolde take theyr stuffe and cariage and shutte the gates and so whan they had gotten bothe theyr stuffe and goodes they wold receyue the Carthaginenses into the town in stede of the Romans Whā they had shewed these conspiracies to Marcellus he praised theyr fidelitie greatly and thought to assaye what he myght do by battayle before any suche trouble shoulde be within the citie First he ordered his hoste being diuided in thre partes at the .iii. gates whyche opened agaynste his ennemyes He commaunded the stuffe and baggage to folowe a prety space after And at the middel gate he set the strēgth of the Roman legions the newe souldiours and other that cam to their succours he sette at the two other gates straightly commaundyng that the Nolans in no wyse shulde come on the walles nor nere the gates He sent also certayn souldiours to awaite on the cariage and stuffe lest whan they were busy in battaile the Nolanes myghte spoyle and take it Whan all thynges were thus put in good order they stode styll within the walles without makyng any shewe ¶ Anniball standing in aray in the fieldes a longe space as he was wont meruailed that he sawe nother the hooste come to the fieldes nor no man armed on the walles Than he supposed that theyr counsayle was knowen and that for feare the cōmons of the towne were constrayned to forsake their promyse Wherfore he sent part of the
the riuer of Iberus ¶ And whan the purpose of the Carthaginenses and Hasdrubals iourney was knowen and shewed to the Scipions they settyng all other busynes aparte with bothe theyr hostes togyther set forwarde to mete hym and prepared to lette his enterpryse supposynge that yf Hasdruball being a capitayn and that great newe hoste of the Carthaginenses were ioyned to Anniball whom alone Italy was scarsely able to withstande that than the empyre of Rome shoulde soone be at an ende Thus they beinge troubled with care of this busynes brought theyr hooste to Iberus And whan they had passed the ryuer consultynge longe whether they shoulde pytche theyr campe neere to theyr ennemies or elles ouerrunne and subdue some of the Carthaginenses frendes therby to staye and prolonge theyr ennemies purposed iourney At last they determyned to besiege the citie called Ibera of the water whiche was nere it the rychest of the countrey at that tyme. Whiche thyng whan Hasdruball knewe in stede of bryngyng succour to his frendes he wente to besiege a Citie that was lately yelded to the Romans so than the Romans left their liege and turned the battayle wholly to Hasdruball There was betwixt the two hostes for the space of certayn dayes the space of fyue myles duryng whiche tyme they were not without small skyrmyshyng At length as it were pretended of bothe partes at one tyme bothe the hole hostes discended into the playne redy to gyue battaile The Roman host was diuided into thre partes part of the footemen were sette before the standerdes and part behynd the horsemen kept the sydes or wynges On the other part Hasdruball sette in the myddell battayle the Spaniardes and in the right wyng the Carthaginenses and in the left winge the Affricans with the hyred straunge sowldiours And he put the Numidians to the footemen of Carthage the residue of the Affricanes he sette before the wynges nother dyd he sette all the Numydians in the ryght wyng but those whose qualities were suche in lyghtnes and nymblenes that rydyng vpon one horse and leadyng a spare horse in theyr handes whan the one was wery they wold among the thickest of their enemyes leape armed on the other freshe horse theyr agilitie and quycknes was so great and the horses of kind so gentil and wel taught Thus stode they in aray and litel difference there was other in the numbre or kyndes of souldiours of eyther hoste Not withstandyng the souldiours hartes were not like The Romane capitayns although they fought farre from home yet myght they easyly persuade their souldiours that they shuld fyght for theyr cuntrey and for the citie of Rome Wherfore by that doubtfull battaile they purposed other to ouercome or to dye trusting therby to haue short returne home to their cuntrey The other hooste hadde not so sterne valiaunt and hardy men for the more parte of theym were Spanyardes whiche had rather be ouercome in Spayne than wynnynge the victory be conducted into Italy Therfore at the fyrste metynge whan the dartes were scarsly throwen the middell warde fledde and gaue place to the Romanes who came vpon them with great violence not withstanding the battailes were nothynge lesse in the wynges for on the one syde the Carthaginenses and on the other syde the Affricans came on them boldly and fought egerly but whan the Romane hoste had gotten in to the myddell togyther they were stronge ynough to put away the wynges of theyr ennemies Wherefore being in numbre and strength best they shortly put the other to the worse There was a great numbre of men slayne and vnlesse the Spaniardes had fledde away so thicke before the battayle was begunne there hadde scarsely any of theym remayned vnslayne There was no bataile betwene the horse men for as soone as the Mauritaynes and Numidians sawe the myddell warde ouercome and putte to flyghte they dryuynge the elephantes before theym sodaynly departed and fledde leauynge bothe the wynges bare Hasdruball remainyng tyll the last ende of the battaile fledde with a fewe with hym That battayle caused the hartes of the Spanyardes whiche doubted before in the frendshyp of the Romanes to be wholly gyuen to them And it dyd not only take the hope from Hasdrubal of leading his hoste into Italy but also that there was scarse tarieng for hym in Spayne Which thinges after they were certified to the senate at Rome by the Scipions letters they were not so gladde of the victory as that Hasdrubal and his host were prohibited the entre into Italy ¶ The oration of the Samnites and the Hirpines to Anniball desyrynge his helpe against the Romaines with the order of Marcellus and Anniball about Nola. Cap. xxxi VVhyles these thynges were done in Spayn the Romanes ordered theyr busines wysely in Italy Titus Sempronius and Quintus Fabius Maximus were chosen consuls Marcellus than laye at Nola and he made dyuers out runnynges with his armye into the fieldes of the Hirpines and Samnites and so dystroyed all with the swerde and fyre that he renued the memorye of the olde distruction of Samnium and than strayght wayes bothe the nations sente theyr messangers to Anniball at ones who spake to hym after this maner ¶ We were O Anniball ennemies to the Romayns of our selues as longe as our weapons our harneys and strengthe were able to maynteyne vs. Afterwarde whan we had smalle hope and truste in theym we fell into amitie with Pyrrhus of whome we were forsaken beinge not able to defende vs we toke truce and peace necessary for that we were vnable to withstande the Romaynes And we haue endured in the same peace the space of fyfty yeres vnto thy commyng into Italy Sens whyche tyme thy onely gentylnes towarde our cytezens whiche beynge taken thou sendest to vs agayne as well as thy vertue and fortune so hathe wonne vs vnto the that yf thou our frende be safe and in good helth we not only wolde not feare the Romans but also yf it were laufull to be spoken we wold not feare the goddis But verily not only thou being safe and sounde but also present where as thou mayst also beholde our houses burnynge and here the waylyng of our wyues and chyldren we are so spoyled and our goodes wasted and dystroyed that it may be thoughte that Marcus Marcellus hath ouercome at Cannas and not Anniball and also the Romaynes may reioyce that thou onely as it were at one battayle art stronge and valyant and at the next wethered and faynt we kepte warre with the Romaynes the space of one hundred yeres beyng succoured by no man sauyng that Pyrrhus the space of .ii. yeres did increase his strengthe and power with our men rather than defende vs by his power We wylle not reioyse of our prosperitie whan we subdued .ii. Consulles with theyr hostes at one time and brought them into our subiection but omytting all suche prosperous chaunces that we had we myghte shewe those thynges that happed infortunately to vs at that tyme yf there were any with lesse
battayle was stronge the sowldiours fought with all theyr myghtes and lykewyse the Capytaynes prouoked theym to the same Marcellus badde them boldely withstande those that were ouercomme not thre dayes before and that not longe agone fledde from Cuma as vacabundes and the yere before were dryuen from Nola he beynge capytayne And to comforte theym the more he sayde that all theyr enemyes were not in battayle some were a rouynge in the fieldes and those that fought in battayle were wethered with the pleasure of Capua with wyne and hauntynge of harlottes And that the strengthes courage and myghte of theyr bodyes and hartes by the whyche they passed the greatte mountaynes called Alpes and the hylles of Pyrenes was cleane goone He sayde alsoo that those were the leauynges of the foresayde sowldyoures scarse able to beare and susteyne theyr owne membres and harneys shewynge that Capua was as hurtfull and displeasaunt vnto Anniball and his menne as Cannas was to the Romaones for there sayde he they haue lefte all theyr strongthe vertue and good feates of warre yea and haue lefte there not onely all theyr glorye and fame of the tyme past but also hoope of victorye in tyme to come ¶ The exhortation of Anniball to his sowldiours the batayle betweene hym and Marcellus and the victories of the Scipions in Spayne Capitulo xxxii ANd whan Marcellus with suche wordes to his ennemies reproche had incouraged his sowldiours Anniball lykewyse with no lesse rebuke and blame to the Romanes called on his men sayinge that he knewe theym to haue the same armour and standerdes whyche they hadde at Trebia Trasymenus and at Cannas what meaneth it nowe saythe he that ye scarsely are able to withstande one legate Romayne and the battayle of one legyon or wynge where two Consulles hoostes were neuer able to withstande you Shall Marcellus with his newe and vntaught souldyours and the succours of Nola yet agayne prouoke vs and we not reuenged vpon them where are my souldyours that drewe Flamminius from his horse and strake of his heade Where is he that slewe Lucius Paulus at Cannas are your swerdes blunte or are youre ryghte handes astonyed and wearye What a monstrouse thynge is this that you the whyche were wonte whanne that ye were but a verye fewe in noumbre in shorte space to ouercome a great meyny nowe you beinge many suffer a fewe to stycke in your handes you bosted as bolde men with your tongues that you wold wynne Rome yf any man wold bryng you thyther Behold nowe your busines here is moch lesse I wolde ye wolde proue your strength and hardynesse here by wynnyng of Nola a citie of the countrey set in the playne fieldes beinge compassed with nother fludde nor sea and than I shall other leade or folowe you beyng laden with so ryche a pray to what place so euer you wyll ¶ Notwithstandyng neyther these reproches nor his entisynges coulde preuayle to strength theyr hartes they were beaten backe on all sydes The hartes of the Romanes dyd encrease not onely by theyr capytaynes exhortinges but also by the Nolanes steryng and kyndlyng theyr courage to batayle At length the Carthaginenses fledde and were dryuen backe to their tentes And Marcellus brought his souldiours to Nola with great ioye and thankes of the people whose hartes before were most inclined to the Carthaginenses There were slayne that day aboue a. M. of theyr ennemies and one thousande .vi. C. taken of standerdes and baners .xx. and .iiii. elephantes slayne in the battayle There were not a. M. Romanes slayne The nexte daye truce was taken whyche they spente in buryinge the deade bodyes Marcellus made oblation to Vulcan with the spoyle of his ennemies within thre dayes after eyther for displeasure or hope of more wages M. ii C. lxxii of Numidian horsmen and Spanyardes fledde from Anniball to Marcellus whose faithfull stronge helpe and aide the Romanes vsed in that bataile often tymes after Than Anniball sent Hanno agayne to the Brusians with the hoste which he brought before with hym from thens and went hym selfe for the wynter to Apulia and lay about Arpos ¶ So soone as Quintus Fabius harde that Anniball was gone to Apulia and that he had brought corne as moche as he thought necessary to serue them for the winter from Nola and Naples to the campe at Suessula leauyng a sufficiente garry son there he moued his campe nygh vnto Capua burnyng and spoylyng theyr fieldes so that they of Capua were constrayned trustyng lyttel to theyr owne strength to come out of the citie and encampe them selues before the walles fortifyeng them with munimentes without the gates They had .vi. M. souldiours armed they coulde better skylle on horsebacke than on foote Wherfore the horsemen euer prouoked theyr enemies by skyrmyshyng Soone after Quintus Fabius the consull remoued his tentes backe from the Campanes that they myght tyll and sowe theyr grounde nother dyd he come thyther agayne to distroye any of the fieldes of the Campanes before the new corne was come vp of a good height and able to be fother for theyr cattall Than he came thyther agayne and caused it to be gathered and broughte to Claudius tentes aboue Sucssula where he prouided for the wynter cōmaundynge Marcus Claudius that he leauynge a necessary garrison at Nola for the defence therof shuld send the residue of the sowldyours to Rome leste that they shuld be bothe a charge to theyr frendes and a coste to the common wealthe ¶ In the ende of sommer whan all these thinges were done came letters from the Scipions what great and prosperous actes they had done in Spayne but all theyr money grayne and clothynge for theyr souldiours and sea men was spente Whiche beinge pondered in the Senate all thynges necessarye were ordeyned and sente to them And whan these stipendes and necessaries were come into Spayn the towne of Illiturgus was besieged of Hasdruball Mago and Amilcar the sonne of Bomilcar for angre that they had changed their hartes and yelded them to the Romans Neuerthelesse thorough all these thre hostes the Scipions valiantly entred into the towne of theyr frendes not without greate fyght and slaughter bryngynge with theym of grayne good plentye wherof they had great nede there exhorting the citezens so valiantly to kepe and defende theyr towne as they perceiued the Romaynes to fyght for them Sone after they issued out to assayle the great campe wherof Hasdruball was capitayn Thyther came to his succours the other two capitaynes of the Carthaginenses with theyr two hoostes for there they knewe well shulde be the greattest battaile and most busynes And than sodeynly runnyng out of theyr tentes they mette togyther and fought There were of the Carthaginenses at that battayle .lx. M. And of the Romaynes aboute .xvi. M. neuerthelesse the battayle was soo prosperous that the Romanes and that our new man hath gotten good experience the yere is past and a newe muste be put in his roume How can thinges prospere that thus be
afterwarde theyr workes were neuer lette but that the depe dyche and walle were made in suche wyse that he neded not to leaue any garryson in the towne Neuer the lesse for theyr sauegarde he lefte a certayn of his souldiours and he with the reste of his army remoued fyue myles from thense to the ryuer of Galesus where he pitched his tentes Soone after he retourned to viewe the strength of the Castell and thought it myght be wonne with a saute Whervppon he caused all maner of engyns to be made and sette vp agaynste the walles to the greatte feare of theym of the Castell But sodeynly in the nyghte came a certayne of shyppes of menne of warre frome Metapontus whyche than was holden with Romans and entred the hauen by whose healpe they of the Castell threwe downe and burned all the ingynes and munymentes of the Carthaginenses Wherby Anniball loste his hope of wynnynge the castelle by any assaulte but than he ymagyned by contynuall siege to famysshe theym Whyche purpose also serued hym nothynge For they of the castelle hadde the sea free on the oone syde where they receyued vytayles at theyr plesure And the Romaynes beynge maysters of the hauen kepte all prouysyon frome the cytie that was wonte to comme by water Soo that they were moche more lyke to endure famyne thanne the other of the castelle whome they besieged Wherfore Anniball mystrusting the strength of the place called the rulers of Tarent before hym and sayde ¶ I beholde the nature the site and all the strengthe of this castell and I can not see that any assault can preuayle so long as our ennemies be lordes of the sea and haue that at liberty But if we may said he haue shippes which may restrain vitailes to be brought to them either they wil depart thens or yeld vnto vs. To this the Tarentines agreed well but they said that he must helpe that some of the nauy of Carthage which were in Sicilia might be caused to comme thither to kepe the said port Why sayde Anniball haue you no shyppes of your owne Yes truely sayde they but they lye here in a littell creke and so longe as our ennemies haue the dominion of the mouthe of the hauen howe can they euer escape in to the brode seas Yes said Anniball feare it not for many thinges that naturally be letted by witte and policy may be brought to passe Your citie is situate on a playne and euen grounde and your stretes and ways be brode to passe to all partes Your shippes wyll I conuey through the high way that leadeth through the middell of your citie vpon waines and wheles vnto the hauen with smalle charge And the sea shall be ours that nowe our enemies be lordes of Than both by sea and by lande we wyll compasse them so that shortely they shall be dryuen to forsake the castell or els we shall take bothe them and it also ¶ This his wyse diuise made all men to haue wonder and admiration of hym with also a hoope of a good successe of his purpose Furth withal waynes and cartes were gathered and tyed togither Than were engins made to raise and to drawe vp the shippes and the ways made hard euen and leuell that they myght the more easily be drawen on them Thus with strength of beastes and men the shyppes were broughte to the hauen and in fewe daies garnished with men and all thinges necessary and brought rounde about the castell castyng their ankers before the mouthe of the hauen ¶ Fuluius Flaccus the Romane consull wynneth the campe of Hanno sleeth and taketh a great number of men with a ryche pray Mago sleeth Titus Gracchus and many Romaynes through the treason of Flauius a Lucan Capitu. xxxvi VVhyles Anniball was thus occupied aboute the busynesse of Tarent Quintus Fuluius Flaccus and Appius Claudius that were chosen consuls for that yere were com with bothe their armyes into the parties of the Samnites and the rulers of Capua feared greatly lest they dyd intende shortly to besiege their citie Also plentye of corne beganne than to faile them for the legions of the Romans hadde so inuaded their countrey that the Campanes durst neither tyll nor sow their groundes wherfore they sent legates vnto Annibal desiring hym to cause plenty of wheate to be brought to Capua from the countrey adioynyng before that the consuls dydde enter their countrey with theyr armies Whervpon Anniball sent messangers to Hanno that he shuld come from the Brusians with his army into Cāpania And to make prouision that the Campanes might haue good plenty of corne sent to them ¶ Hanno as he was commaunded leauynge the Samnites and the Consuls passed by tyll he came within .iii. myles of Beneuentum where on a mountayne he pitched his campe and in townes of his frendes adioyning to which great plentie of wheate the sommer before had bene caryed he made goodly prouision for the Campanes and sent worde secretely to Capua what day they shuld with all the waynes and cartes that they coulde assemble in the countrey resorte to the sayd places for to fette away their said wheate The Campanes lyghtly and sklenderly foreseing their busines and welth at the day assigned came thither bringyng with them but .iiii. hundred cartes which theyr slouth Hanno greatly rebuked maruaylyng that they wolde no more hedily auoyde hunger whiche all brute beastes labour to eschue Wherfore he sente them home laden and appoynted them an nother day to retourne againe for a moche greatter quantitie ¶ This appoyntment came to the eares of the Beneuentanes Whervpon incontynent they sente tenne messangers to the Consulles certifyenge theym of all the Campanes purpose And they furthwith agreed that Fuluius with his armye shoulde goo to Beneuentum and enter the towne in the nyghte kepynge him close therin tyll he sawe tyme apte for his purpose So soone as Fuluius was entred Beneuentum it was shewed hym that Hanno with a parte of his army was gone furth for wheate and that .ii. M. wayns were come to the campe with a great rude sort of people vnarmed where they lay myngled amonge the souldiours kepyng no order after the vse of men of warre This knowen the consul cōmanded his men to be redy with theyr baners armure for the next night he wold assayle the Campanes and the tentes of the Carthaginenses They executyng his commandement made them redy and about .iiii. of the clocke they set furthe of the towne and came to Hannos campe a lyttell before the dawnyng of the day At theyr fyrst commynge with their sodain noise the Carthaginenses becam so feareful that if the campe had be pitched on plain ground they had wonne it with small resistence but the height of the hyll with the defēses that they had made therabout was such that they could no way get vp vnto them but by great steppes and climming In the daunyng of the day the bataile began to waxe stronge the Carthaginenses not onely defended
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
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
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
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
also bicause Liuius army was come to Rome with him where Nero his host coulde in no wyse be brought thither Therfore shuld Liuius ride in a charyot and his souldiours in order followe hym Nero shuld ryde by hym on horsebacke without any of his souldiours to folowe hym Claudius was contented to gyue the honour to his felowe by whiche his gentilnes he wan moche the more honour praise For euery man said of him that he on horsebacke in .vi. dais had ridden the length of all Italy and had fought with Asdruball in the borders of Fraunce what time Anniball iudged hym to be in Apulia So that his onely name was able to kepe Anniball lurkyng in his campe and his onely comyng was the cause of the victory against Asdrubal Wherfore said they ride the one consull neuer so highe in his charyot yet the other consul that rode but on horsebacke was worthy of the very triumph ye although Nero dyd go but on his fote yet was he worthye of glory and fame perpetual With these prayses they folowed Nero into the capitoly or palaice in Rome Where they presented moche money of theyr gayne and that was put into the treasory On the morowe both the consuls and also the horsemen praysed moche L. Veturius and Q. Cecilius desiring that they might for the next yere folowing be chosen consuls Which at the next election was done and bothe they appoynted with .ii. consuls armies to kepe warre agaynst Anniball ¶ After all thynges were putte in good order they departed from the citie and wente into the countrey of the Lucanes and in shorte tyme they had brought all that countrey into subiection With Anniball there was lyttell doone For he offered not hym selfe to gyue battayle he was so discouraged with the losse of his brother his frendes and his souldiours On the other parte the consulles thought it not best to prouoke hym to battayle seâ—s they founde in hym noo sturrynge So moche they feared and estemed the valour of that noble capytayne to whome this prayse is gyuen That noo man coulde iudge in hym whether he were more to be commended in tyme of prosperitie or in tyme of aduersitie For who woulde not wonder to se that he maynteyned the warre so farre frome his countrey by the full space of thyrtene yeres in the lande of his ennemies hauynge his armye not of his owne citie or countreye but gathered togyther of many nations whyche lyued not vnder one maner of lawe neyther hadde one custome or language but moche different in apparayle armour customes ceremonies ye they hadde all seuerall goddis Yet dydde he so gouerne theim all and knytte theim to gyther all in suche amitie that no man coulde iudge or knowe of any dyssention betweene theym or insurrection agaynste theyr capytaynes althoughe dyuerse tymes he lacked to paye them theyr wages and also vitayles for their sustenaunce by the lacke whereof in other warres moche inconuenience hathe ensewed Agayne after the deathe of Asdruball and his armye in whome was all his trust whan all Italy was taken frome hym saue onely the countrey or corner of the Brutians Who woulde not wonder to see noo rebellyon amongest his owne menne Consyderynge that vyttayles hadde they not but only from that lyttell angle of the Brutians whyche yf it hadde beene wholly tylled and sowed hadde not beene able to susteyne soo greate an armye Neuer the lesse a greatte parte therof was vntylled parte for feare of the Romaynes and theyr friendes partely for that the mooste parte of the yonge menne of the countreye were taken to the warres whyche were before wonte to tylle and manâ—re the grounde for husbandrye These thinges I say conferred togither it wyll make al men to muse howe he coulde so quietly gouerne his greate hoost and to prayse greatly his wyse conduict therin ¶ Scipio and Asdruball arriue both in one daie in Affrica and be lodged bothe togyther in the palays of kynge Syphax Cap. lvi AFter the departynge of P. Scipio to Tarracon the Carthaginenses beinge dryuen out of Spayne Massanissa seinge the great falle of his frendes the Carthaginenses secretely had communication with Sillanus and was woÌ„ne to be a sure frende to the Romayns Whervppon to haue his frendes in Affrica the more obedyent and redy to hym in all his necessities he appoynted to sayle ouer in to his countrey there to make hym selfe as stronge as myght be for the ayde and succour of the Romaynes whan neede requyred And Sillanus soone after retourned to Scipio to Tarracon ¶ Than P. Scipio wylling to certifie the senate of his great victory and happie chaunces sente his brother L. Scipio to Rome as is before rehersed who ledde with hym many noble men prisoners whome he hadde before taken in the warres whervppon he was meruaylousely honoured and praysed of all men Yet he alone that hadde deserued all the sayde honour estemed all his feates done in Spayne to be nothyng in comparison of those thynges whyche he had conceyued in his mynde He looked for the conqueste of greate Carthage and Affrica as the ende of his warre and the consummation of his honour and glory Wherfore to worke in tyme all thinges that afterwardes shoulde serue for his pourpose he determyned to wynne vnto hym the hartes of princis whyche were borderars vnto that countrey And fyrste he mynded to attempt kynge Syphax ¶ This Syphax was kyng of a people in Affrica called Masesuli adioynyng to the Moores and lying on the other side of the sea Mediterrane ouer against new Carthage in Spain who at that tyme was a great friende to the Carthaginenses To hym he sent C. Lelius with a goodly present wherwith the kynge was verye gladde and well pleased And consyderynge in his mynde the good fortune whyche the Romaynes hadde in all partes and seynge the power of his olde friendes the Carthaginenses to be soo greately decayed that in Italy they hadde nowe lyttell to doo and in Spayne nothynge He agreed with Lelius to become a friende to the Romaynes But he sayde he woulde no further procede to the confirmation of the amitie betweene them tyll he myghte personally speake with Scipio the chief capitayn of the Romaynes Whervppon Lelius takynge assuraunce of hym for the safe goynge and commynge of his capitayne retourned to Scipio And declared vnto hym howe he had spedde as is before declared Scipio indgynge his frendshyppe to be a great helpe and furtheraunce to his purpose touchynge his desyrous affayres in Affrica bothe for his greatte strengthe and rychesse and also for that his countrey was adioynyng to Carthage directly ouer agaynste Spayne leauynge Lucius Martius at Tarracon and Sillanus at newe Carthage with a power sufficient for the defence of Spayne he with Lelius in two galeys or rowbarges of fyue oores a piece passed ouer into Affrica ¶ Nowe it happened that euen the same tyme Asdruball who of late had ben dryuen out of Spayne was newely arryued in the same hauen with seuen
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
a citie in the vttermost parte of Italy that then was holden by the Carthaginenses Whiche citie in shorte tyme he obteyned partly by treason of certayne carpenters that wrought in the castell partly by the fauour of the citezens therof Who beinge greuously opressed by Amylcar the capitayne and other Carthaginenses of the garrison that ceassed not to vse all kyndes of oppression ouer them at the last consented to receyue the Romaynes into the towne Whiche brought to passe Scipio returned to Sicilia leauynge behynde hym Q. Pleminius capitayne of the towne with a garryson sufficient for the kepinge of the same After whose departynge Pleminius with his souldyours farre passed Amylcar and the Carthaginenses in pride auaryce and all other vyces So that it seemed they stroue not who shuld ouercome other in feates of armes but who shuld excede other in vice They spared nother mens wiues maidens nor doughters they exercysed cruell rapine of mens goodes and spoilyng of temples Wherof the citizens beynge wery sent message of complaint to Scipio the consul whervpon he eftsones came to Locrus where he had al their matters debated and at length punyshed certayne of theim by emprysonmente and after departed leauynge styll Q. Pleminius capitayne there with no lesse auctority then he had be fore But after he departed Pleminius wyllinge to execute his malice ouer his ennemies put certayne of theym to cruell deathe whiche before had complayned of him to the consull His souldiours also were afterwarde more cruell and vnrulye then they were before Therfore they sent legates to Rome with greuous complaynte to the senate of the manyfolde iniuries hurtes and cruell paynes that they suffered moche more by the Romaynes then euer they hadde by the Carthaginenses Whose complaynte beynge well and delyberately herd in the senate Quintus Fabius replete with olde malyce agaynst Scipio to set forthe his neglygence inquired of the legates whether they had neuer before that time shewed their cause to the consul Scipio They aunswered that at their first complaynt he herd the matter and then putting the tribunes in pryson he let Pleminius go at libertie and put him again in auctority although he was worthy more punishement then the other But at their second complaynt made to him by their legates he was so busied aboute the setting forewardes of his shippes men into Affrica that he could not attend to here or examine their matter Then was there gret reproch spoken of Scipio by many of the princes of the senate specially Q. Fabius alleged that he was born to corrupt and distroy al warlike policy and lernyng by his ouermoche sufferāce and giuing of libertie Some would haue had Pleminius brought to Rome bound and Scipio called frō his prouince At the laste the sentence of Q. Metellus toke place whiche was that it was good to send for Pleminius according to the mynde of Fabius But as touching Scipio whom the whole citie fyrste had chosen in his youth to be a capitaine in Spayn and he according to theyr expectation had delyuered the hole countrey out of the handes of their ennemies whervpon they also of late had chosen hym consull to subdue Affrica and to deliuer Italy of Anniball He thought it not meete for suche a noble man to be sodainly condemned his cause not being duly herd and debated or to haue him called frome his iourney without a greatter cause than this was Consideringe that the Locrenses could lay no defaut to Scipio but only ouermuch sufferance of Pleminius Wherfore he thought it best that M. Pomponius with .ii. tribunes shuld be sent to Locrus frō thens to Sicilia to examyne trie whether the wronges done to the Locrēses wer done by the cōmandement or assent of P. Scipio or not And in case he were consentyng therto then that they shuld cōmand him to returne to Rome other legates to occupy his place or els that he shoulde continue in his purpose and iourney into Affrica as he had appoynted ¶ According to this sentence Pomponius with .ii. tribunes other legates came to Locrus makyng proclamation that yf any man wold accuse Pleminius Scipio or any other mā that they shulde come before theim and they shuld be well herde The Locrenses gyuyng great thankes to the Romaines for the goodnes therin to them shewed answered that they wold accuse Pleminius as chief doer of all the mischief and certain other with him But as touching Scipio they had nothynge to charge hym withal but that he eyther gaue ouermoch credēce to Pleminius or to litell faith to their wordes But they sayd they knewe wery well that the wronges to theim done were neither by the wyll nor commaundement of Scipio but they thought hym to be of the nature of many men which are sory that any wronge or offence shulde be committed and yet whan the iniuries be done they haue not the hertes or willes to reuenge or punishe the offenders of the same ¶ With this aunswere M. Pomponius and the other were moch eased of any further inquirie of Scipios matter Wher fore they toke Pleminius and .xxx. other of his complices that were founde gyltie of dyuers greatte offences and sente them bound to Rome where Pleminius dyed in prison Sone after the other wer put to condigne execution Then thought they to go to Scipio to see whether the sclaunder spoken of his slouthe in gouernaunce or of the mysorder of his hooste were true or not that they myght therof make true reporte whan they were returned to Rome ¶ Scipio hearyng of their coming caused all his army to repayre to Syracusa where he than lay and also caused his nauy of shyppes to be sette furthe and ordered in all poyntes as though he shulde the same day haue fought with the Carthaginenses bothe by water and by lande Whan Pomponius and the other embassadours were come he gentilly and louingly receiued them he shewed them his army on the land in array redy to fight his nauy also on the sea he shewed them not onely redy to battaile but makyng a shew of a fight in the hauen Than ledde he them to his garners of corne and into his armory and store houses of ordinance and artillary and all instrumentes of warre Who seing al his prouision and order were striken with a great admiration of hym and his conduict iudgyng that through his gouernance and his army the Carthaginenses shoulde be ouercome or elles it were neuer possyble for theim to be subdewed Wherfore desyrynge the goddis to prospere welle his iourneye they departed frome hym takynge theyr waye to Rome with greatte ioye as though they were goinge to brynge tydynges to Rome of victory rather than to report the meruaylouse preparation towarde battayle whiche they hadde seene in Sicilia Whanne they came into the senate howse they extolled the fame and actes of Scipio after suche sorte that they sent hym worde incontinent to departe towardes Carthage takynge with him whom he wolde leauynge behynd
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 stnyshed Lelius with his hoste of footemen came to the citie of Cyrtha And knowing of the sodeine weddyng he was so displesed with the act that he was mynded to take her from the plesant bedde of her new husband and to send her to Scipio with her husband Syphax and other â—â—isoners But at the last he being ouercome by thintercessioÌ„ of Massanissa who remitted the order of that matter to the iudgement of Scipio he sent Syphax and other prisoners to the emperour Scipio After whose departyng he by the helpe of Massanissa receiued the other townes and cities of that countrey of Numidia into his handes which before were kept by the retinue of kyng Syphax ¶ Syphax is brought to the campe of Scipio Massanissa sendeth to Sophonisba poyson whiche she without feare drinketh Capi. lxv VVhan tydinges came into the Romain campe of the coming of Syphax and the other noble captiues greatte was the numbre of people that ranne to behold theim The king being bounde was caried formooste and after hym folowed a great numbre of the nobilitie of Numidia And as the opinion of men is dyuers so diuerse were the tales of the people extollynge the honour of the victorye by the myghty power of Syphax and by the noble fame of the people that was ouercome There was recounted the myghty power of the kyng to whose maiestie in one day .ii. of the most noble seignories of the worlde sued for his fauour and frendeship that is to say the Romayns and the Carthaginenses The Romanes sent theyr valyaunt emperour and capitaine Scipio onely with .ii. galeys that bare fiue oores on euery syde into Affrica to seke his amitie leauyng in Spayn than his prouince all his hoste and great charge Agayne Asdruball the capytayne of the Carthaginenses not onely came into his countrey for amitie but also he gaue hym his daughter in mariage for the more sure consyrmation of alyaunce betweene theim Some rehersed the power and actes of Syphax to be suche that he had driuen Massanissa out of his realme brynging him to suche extreme calamitie that his lyfe coulde none otherwyse be saued but by the bruite and fame of his death and he after gladde to hyde his head in dennes or caues and to lyue in the forestes and woddes lyke a wylde beast ¶ With these and suche lyke famous report of the beholders he was brought into the tent of Scipio who was by his presence and syght muche moued with pitie consyderyng the honour that he of olde tyme had knowen hym in and conferryng the same to his present misery Than Scipio after salutations made other coÌ„municatioÌ„ betwene them had 〈…〉 what he wold haue him to do to him seing he 〈◊〉 onely refused the amitie of the Romaynes but also wyllingely gauetheim battayle To whom the kinge aunswered that he knewe wel that he had offended and he confessed that he was not in his right mynde whan he moued warre againste them He was madde when he dyd forget the comynge of Scipio into his realme and the bonde of alliance that he then made with hym but specially whan he receiued into his house a matrone of Carthage of whose hot loue and mariage the fyry brondes had alredy set fyre in his royall palaice That madde and pestilente fury by her intisement neuer ceassed tyll she had turned his harte and mynde from his olde friendes the Romaynes causynge hym to pursue the warre againste them Neuer the lesse sayde he in all my mysery I haue nothynge that so moche doth comfort me and reioyse my herte as when I beholde the same pestilent madde fury nowe to be entred the house of my most ennemy And when I consyder that Massanissa is noo more wyse then Syphar was but that he more madly and with lesse temperaunce hath receiued her then euer I dyd ¶ With these wordes of the kynge Scipio was not a lyttell troubled and then herynge the great offence layde to Massanissa he sawe good cause why he shuld gyue credence therto Consydering the great hast made in the maryage without the aduise of Lelius and without abydinge his comynge This acte also semed worse and more to be abhorred consyderyng that he beinge a yonge man in Spayne was neuer before taken with the loue of any captiue or prisoner ¶ As he was musynge hereon anone Lelius and Massanissa came vnto hym whom in open audience he meryly and ioyfully receyued giuynge them great thankes and praises for their dilygence in that iourney shewed But anone takynge Massanissa alone with hym in to a secrete place he sayde thus vnto hym ¶ I knowe ryght well Massanissa that you dydde perceyue some good qualities and vertues in me whan you fyrste came into Spayne to me defyrynge there my frendshyp and amitie and afterwarde in Affrica when ye holly coÌ„mytted your selfe into my gouernaunce But at that tyme ye thought your selfe that there was no vertue in me whiche ye soo moche estemed as temperaunce and continencie of whiche also I truely dyd most glory of my selfe And these vertues Massanissa I wolde ye shulde ioyne vnto other noble qualities and vertues wherwith ye are indued For beleue me there is not so moche daunger to men of our yonge age by armed ennemies as is by voluptuouse pleasure of our wanton desyres whiche euer are redy to vainquishe vs. And who so euer throughe temperaunce can bridle and subdue those affecions is worthy more honour and hath achieued a greatter victory then we haue nowe had by the takynge of kynge Syphax The actes whiche ye haue so valyauntly and nobly done in myne absence remayne daylye in my memory the other your euill actes I had leuer ye dyd call to remembraunce your selfe then that I shoulde declare theym to youre greatte shame Syphax by the good fortune of the Romaynes is nowe ouercome and taken Wherefore he his wyfe his kyngedome his possessions his townes and castelles his people inhabitauntes of the same with all that euer to Syphax belonged is nowe a praye due to the people of Rome The king and his wife although she had not beÌ„ a citezen of Carthage and althoughe her father were not the capitain of our ennemies ought to be sent to Rome and there she ought to abide the iudgement of the senatours and people of the citie for that she turned the minde of the kyng her husbande from our friendshyp perswadynge hym to take armour agaynste vs. Wherfore nowe ouercome your owne affectionate mynde and beware that with one vyce ye dysgrace not so many your good vertues and by one offence lose the rewarde and the thankes whiche by your merites ye haue here tofore worthely deserued ¶ With these secrete rebukes Massanissa was not onely ashamed but also constrayned to wepe sayinge that he wolde alwayes be at his commaundemente Neuer the lesse he desyred hym as moche as myght be admitted to regarde the faythful promesse that he had vnaduisedly made vnto her whiche was that he wolde delyuer her into
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
langages they were also different in lawes armour and in aparaile To euery one of these he gaue sundry and diuers exhortations either of feare or of comfort To suche as were come to his succours he promysed great rewarde of the pray whiche shulde be wonne by their industry and trauaile To the Liguriens he promised a plentiful reward of the fertile and pleasaunt fieldes in Italy The Moores and Numidians he exhorted to do well for feare leste they shulde els be in greuous seruitude of Massanissa The Frenchemenne wer set on by the naturall hatred which they bare to the Romaynes The Carthaginenses he put in remembrance to fight for the walles of their naturall cuntrey for their propre goodes for the sepulchres of their elders for their children their parentes and trembling wiues There is no meane way sayde he now to be put betwene hope and feare For either must we suffre miserable seruitude after the distruction of our citie and cuntrey orels obteine the empire of all the worlde ¶ By that tyme this noble capitayn had finyshed his wordes the Romaynes blewe vp theyr trumpettes and hornes makynge so terrible a noyse and clamour that a greate numbre of the elephantes beinge furyouse tourned backe vppon theyr companye specially vppon the lefte wynge of the Moores and Numidians Whiche perceyued well Massanissa wherefore he also inuaded the same wing with his horsemen putting theim to suche feare that they fledde leauynge that syde of the hoste bare of succour Dyuers of the elephantes by force wer constrained to entre the myddle battaile to whome anone the lyght armed souldiours gaue place suffryng theim to entre among theim where they were thrust in with speares innelyns so that many were there slain During this while Lelius with his horsmen assailed the right wing of the horsmē of Carthage puttig thē also to slight so that the body of the host was of both sides left without defence of horsmē the winges being chased away thā began the battel of fotemen to be strōg on both partes Great wer the cries that wer there made but the Romans wer of better corage of stronger hope of more strēgth wherfore in a short space they caused their enmies to giue back a certain space of groūd And whā thei had ons gotē some grounde they with theyr shyeldes and targettes came still thrusting on theyr ennemies bearing them backe tyl some sone after the fyrste battayle tourninge theyr backes began to flie and came to the second battayle of the Carthaginenses and Moores who wolde not suffer them to entre leste they shulde cause all theyr arraye to be broken Wherfore betwene them and theyr owne fellowes began great debate and slaughter soo that the Carthaginenses were constrayned to fyghte bothe with theyr owne vnruly felowes and also with the Romaynes theyr ennemies Neuerthelesse they wolde in no wyse receyue theyr felowes that fledde in amonge them leste they shulde mengle that fearefull sorte whiche in the flyghte were hurte and wounded amonge them that were earnestly bent to fight Whiche myght haue turned moche more to theyr dyspleasure But dryuing them away by heapes compelled them to go to gether some into the one side of theym some abrode the fieldes Great was the occision that was made of them in so moche that the Romaynes coulde not come to fyghte with the Carthaginenses but fyrste they muste with peyne go ouer the dead bodies of them that were slayne Then Scipio caused a troumpet to be blowen to withdrawe his men of the first battayle who had ben sore traueyled and many of them were sore wounded These caused he to stand behinde the rereward and made the same rerewarde of his best men to auaunce forewarde vpon the Carthaginenses Then beganne the battayle newe agayne whiche was very sore and fierse For then came the Romaynes to the most assured and strongest men and most expert in warres who before beinge vanquished twyse were nowe lothe and ashamed to be vanquished But the Romaynes were farre moin noumbre and had taken to them a great courage by dryuinge awaye bothe the wynges and also the forewarde of theyr ennemies ¶ Whyles they thus foughte in the seconde battayle Lelius and Massanissa returned with theyr horsemen from the chase of the wynges of the Carthaginenses and with all their power and violence came on the backes of the seconde battayle of the Carthaginenses whiche were busy and valiauntly fought Then were they not able to endure theyr violence but were with force put to flyght and slayne on all partes There were that day slayne and taken of the Carthaginenses aboute .xl. M men Many elephantes and many standardes of noble men were taken in that battayll Great also was the praye of the spoyle founde in the Campe which all the Romanes toke and brought to their shippes The Romaynes also lost at this battayle aboue .x. M. men Anniball with a fewe with him fledde to Adrument But he neuer departed from the field til he had bothe in the battayle and before assayed to do asmoche as was possyble for to be done for the safegard of his people Wherin he that day had prayse bothe of Scipio of al other expert men of warre of the Romains specially for the ordering of his battayl For fyrst he set in the forefront his great nomber of elephantes whose gret strength and intollerable violence shuld breke the arraye of the Romaines putting them out of order whyche is halfe the wynnynge of a battail Then set he foremost his hyred souldiours of diuers nations to the intent such a confused nombre of strangers who fought for no great faith or loue but onely for money sholde haue no place nor tyme to flee from the battayle Also to the intent suche strangers shuld endure the fyrst violence of his ennemies makyng them wery and weake before his chiefe men of most trust should haue any thyng to do Then after theim were his Carthaginenses and Affricans his most trustie souldiours Last of al a good space behinde theim he placed his Italiens as people whome he knew not wel whether they shuld be his friendes or his foes Thus when all his pollicie wolde not serue hym nor yet his strengthe coulde helpe he fledde as I sayd before to Adrument and from thense he was sent for to come to Carthage Whyther he came the .xxxvi. yere after his departynge from thense beinge but a chylde There in the open assemble of the noble men of the citie he confessed hym selfe to be vanquished and that there was none other hope of safegarde for them but by obteyninge of peace ¶ The conditions of peace graūted to the Carthaginenses by Scipio and the ratyfyeng of the same by the senate Ca. lxxi AS Scipio and his hoste were comynge to his shippes laden with a ryche praie worde was brought hym that P. Lentulus was arriued at Vtica with .l. shippes of warre and an C. hulkes laden with all maner of prouision Wherfore Scipio thynkinge to put
that they were nothyng priuie nor consentynge to his departynge ¶ Now was Annibal arriued at Tyrus where he was receyued honorably and with great ioy and there he soiourned certaine daies From thense he sayled to Antioche and after that to Ephesus where he founde the king Antiochus who was in great doubte before his comynge in what maner he shulde mainteygne his warres against the Romayns The kyng was greatly comforted by the meane of his coming and also by the beinge there of the embassadours of the Etholiens whoo the same tyme wer departed from the amitie of the Romaines He was determined to moue warre for agree wolde he not to certaine conditions of peace that the Romaines prescribed vnto him Whiche he thought shuld be greatly to the losse both of his honour and also of his dominions For they wold haue caused hym to leaue the possession of certayne cities that he had And also that he shuld not medle in Grece but how and where he shulde moue this warre he was not determyned Anniball was greatly in his fauour and chieifly for that he thought him an expert man a mete counsaylour in his affayres agaynst the Romaynes Anniball euer was of the opinion that he shulde make warre in Italy for that the countrey of Italy is able to furnyshe an army of vitayles and all thynges necessary and also of souldiours if he shulde haue nede of men of armes at any tyme. But sayde he if no warre be moued in Italy soo that the Romaynes maye haue all the hole power therof to make warre in other regions out of Italy then is there no prynce nor nation of the worlde able to withstande the Romaynes Wherfore if ye wyll delyuer vnto me one C. of shyppes of warre and .xvi. thousande fotemenne with one thousande of horsemen I wyll with that power sayle into Affrica trusting to cause the Carthaginenses to rebel agaynste the Romaynes Or in case they wyll not folowe my request yet wyll I inuade some part of Italy and moue warre to the Romaynes Then maye you sayde he to the kyng with all the rest of your power sayle into Europe kepynge your armye in Grece redy to set forwardes as ye se cause ¶ This his counseyle was well allowed of the kinge wherevppon one Ariston an Ephesien a wyse and a trustie manne was chosen to sayle to Carthage to the friendes of Anniball with priuie and speciall tokens by mouthe whiche they knewe wer true and not feyned to shewe vnto theim his purpose For writinge durste he sende none for feare of takynge of the messangers His message onely was to be declared vppon credence ¶ But whyle Aryston went on his message and therin hadde no good spede the ambassadours of Rome were come to Ephesus to knowe of Antiochus the cause why he intended suche warre agaynst the Romaynes among whiche ambassadours it was sayd that P. Scipio called Affricanus was one Whiche ambassadours hauyng knowledge that the kyng Antiochus was a lyttell before gone agaynste the Pisidians and fyndyng Annibal there they diuers times resorted vnto him and had familyar communication with him onely to the intent to make him haue a good opinion of the Romaynes and not to mystruste that any thyng was intended by theym agaynste him Among other communication betwen the ambassadours and Annibal it is remembred that Scipio demaunded of him whome he iudged to be the most noble capitayne that euer he knewe or hearde of To whome Anniball aunswered that it was Alexander of Macedony for that he with a smal power ouercame so many nations and vanquished so many greate armies in battayle traueylynge so many straunge and farre cuntreis whiche passed the power and witte of mannes cumpasse Then Scipio demaunded of hym whom he iudged to be the seconde most noble capytayn He aunswered Pyrrbus which was the most wyse and expert man in placinge his campes in fortifieng his fortresses with watche and ward and in getting the hertes of men vnto his obeysaunce In soo muche that when he warred in Italye the Italyens were gladder to be vnder his gouernaunce beynge but a straungyer then vnder the dominion and power of the Romaynes Then demaunded Scipio whome he thoughte to be the thyrde Withoute fayle sayde he it is my selfe At whych aunswere Scipio laughed and sayde What wouldest thou then haue sayd in case thou haddest ouercome me in battayle as I haue done the Treuly sayde Anniball then woulde I haue putte myselfe before bothe Alexander and Pyrrhus also This aunswere seemed to Scipio very straunge and proude whereby he mynded to take from Scipio al his glory ¶ Durynge this longe taryenge of the Romayne legates at Ephesus nothynge els was wrought but that the often metynge and communication of theym with Anniball made the kynge more to suspecte and mystrust him Whervpon he was no more called to his councel ¶ Agayn one Thoas an Etholien desirous to haue the kyng with all his power to arryue in Grece withoute partynge of the same his strengthe sayde vnto hym Syr the greatte citie Demetrias and the more part of all the cities in Grece loke daylye for your commynge thyther And agaynste your arryuayle ye shall see all the countreye assemble on the seasyde so sone as they may by watches perceyue your nauy comynge on the sea And as touchyng the parting of your shyppes and power that I can in no wyse allowe And in case ye were mynded so to do Anniball of all men is most vnmete to haue the rule and gouernance therof ¶ Fyrst ye must consyder said this Thoas that Annibal is a Carthaginens and an outlaw or banished man frō his cuntrey Whose crafty witte wyl imagyne dayly a. M. newe deuyses euen as fortune dothe varye or as it shall fall into his brayne Agayne yf it shoulde chaunce that Annibal loose his nauie or his men to be vanquyshed the losse wil be no lesse then if any other capitayne had loste theym But in case it shoulde happen hym to haue the vyctorye the honour therof shall wholly abyde with Anniball and not with Antiochus Furthermore if fortune so well serue that Anniball vtterly subdue the Romaynes what will ye then thynke that he will continue in your subiection whiche in his cuntrey culd not suffre him self to be in any obedience Nay said he he that in his youth hath euer coueted in his minde to be Emperour of the hole world will now in age neuer be contented to be vnder the rule of any other if he may chose Wherfore my coūsayl is that ye haue no nede to make Annibal your capitain But if it please you ye may vse his cōpany as your frēd in your iourney takīg his aduise in your affayrs as a prudēt counsailour none otherwise ¶ This crafty and vntrew coūsail of Thoas turned the kīges mynde cleane frome sendynge of Anniball with any army into Affrica which before was thoughte most mete and necessary Wherfore he prepared to sayl in to Grece where by the
help of the Etholiens he wanne certayn citiâ—s At the last the consul M. Atulius with an army of Romains came to the socors of their frendes and at the great mounteyne whiche passethe throughe the myddle of Grece fought with Antiochus and put him to flyght sleyngal his host except onely .v. C. which fled with the kyng ¶ After whiche discomfiture Antiochus with Annibal and his smalle nomber of men that were lefte hym at the battaylle cam to the see and toke shipping and came to Ephesus where he remayned thynkyng him selfe there to be sure oute of the daunger of the Romayns And that he was perswaded to beleue by many that were about him gladde to please his mynd as many suche dissemblers haue beene and shall be dayly about greatte prynces But onely Anniball aduysed the kynge to prepare for the commynge of the Romaynes sayenge that he meruayled more that they were not already arryued rather then their commynge myghte be loked for Shewynge him also that the Romayns were as stronge and valiant vpon the see as on the land Not doubtyng but shortely they wold striue for the dominion of Asia and that eyther he muste take from theim their Empire or els he shuld be in dangier to lose his kyngdome For he knewe their desire was to be rulers ouer all the worlde Counselynge him to loke for none other thyng at their handes For in case he did he shuld deceiue him self with his vayne and false hope ¶ Not long after this beginnynge of the warres in Grece L. Cornelius Scipio and C. Lelius were choosen consulles After whiche election P. Scipio Affricanus offered the senate that in case they would grant his brother L. Scipio the countrey of Grece for his prouynce he would gladly take the payne to go with him in his iourney Wherunto the senate agreed geuynge him also further auctoritie to go into Asia if he thought it expedient Sayenge they woulde nowe proue whether Antioâ—hus should be more holpen by the counsayl of Anniball which was before vanquyshed or the Romain consull and his army by the help of Scipio that had before made the great conquest in Affrica The armies and shippes were made ready and the consull arriued in Grece where sone receyuing many the rebell cities into his handes he from thense sayled into Asia where by the licence of the kynge Philyp he had passage throughe Macedony and Trace to the kyngdome of Antiochus ¶ Dyuers battaylles were foughte vppon the sea betweene the Romayne nauy and Polixenidas capitayne of the kynges shyppes but euer the Romaynes had the victory by the help of the kyng Eumenes and also of the Rhodiens At the laste it chaunced that the soonne of Scipio Affricanus was taken prisoner and brought to Antiochus who kepte him honorably and gentelly And afterward trustyng to haue the frendshyp of P. Scipio and his healpe for a peace to be made betwene the Romaynes and him he sente him home his sonne withoute payeng any raunsome for him For when he perceyued the Romaynes to approche so nere vnto him he thought it better to common of peace before the battayle then after trustyng to haue more easy conditions of peace if it were moued in tyme. But when the matter came in communication betwene the consulle and the kynges embassadours the conditions of the peace were so sore that Antiochus refused to take theim althoughe he were thervnto perswaded by the letters of P. Scipio the Affricane Wherevpon bothe partyes prepared theim to fyghte The battayle was cruel but at the last the kyng Antiochus was put to fiyght and .liiii. M. of his footemen slayne and of horsemen .iiii. M. besydes .i. M. and iiii C. that were taken prysoners with small losse of the Romayns Then sent Antiochus eftsones his embassadours to the consull for peace which at lengthe by meanes of P. Scipio Affricanus was graunted him vpon these conditions ¶ Fyrste that he shoulde frome thense foorthe no more make warre in Europe Alsoo that he shoulde leaue the possessyons of all the cities landes and countreyes whyche were on that syde the greatte mountayne called Taurus Agayne he shoulde paye the Romaynes fyftene thousande talentes in xii yeres and to pay vnto king Eumenes .iii. hundred talentes and a great quantitie of wheate Vpon these condytions he shoulde haue peace Prouyded that Anniball the authour of this warre with Thoas and dyuerse other capytaynes and counsaylloures myghte bee delyuered vnto hym The kynge beynge at this extreeme myschyeffe receyued the peace vppon the sayde condytyons and putte in for the perfourmance ther of pledges The same peace also was after that confirmed by the senate of Rome ¶ And so all thynges thus prosperously brought to passe L. Scipio the consull returned to Rome who was receyued into the citie with great honour and triumphe And as his brother of his victory in Affrica was named Affricanus so was he of his conquestes in Asia called Asiaticus to the honour of his succession euer after ¶ Anniball fleith to Prusias the kyng of Bithynia and howe he ended his lyfe Cap. lxxiiii ANniball after the battayle begon betwene the Romains and Antiochus wherin he was vanquished and fledde mistrustinge as it folowed after that the kynge of necessitie must be dryuen to take peace in whiche he feared leste the Romaynes bearyng to hym mortall malyce wold require his delyuerie thoughte to prouyde for hym selfe in tyme. Wherfore he incontinent fledde to Prusias then kyng of Bithynia He had not longe taryed there but that T. Quintius Flaminius was sent from Rome to the kynge shewinge hym that the senatours thought he delte not friendly with them to kepe in his realme theyr great and capitall ennemy Annibal a man that made fyrste his owne countrey to make warre with them to the vtter vndoinge of the same and from thense came to Antiochus and was autour also of his warre with the Romaynes and nowe was repayred vnto hym which he thought woulde tourne to his vndoinge Prusias wyllynge to gratyfy the Romaynes deuysed eyther to slee hym or els to take and delyuer hym to Flaminius Wheruppon incontinente the seruauntes of the kynge and also of Flaminius besette the house of Anniball rounde about so that he coulde no waye issue out Anniball foreseinge the hatred that the Romaynes bare hym and the small fayth of prynces specially the lyghtnes of Prusias He therfore thynkynge to haue some waye to flie daungier if nede required had deuysed .vii. wayes and entrees into his house Wherof certayne were very secrete and priuie But the numbre was so great of men of armes whiche were about his house and the watche so straightly kept by the kynges commaundement that where so euer he offered to issue he espyed embushementes of harneyâ—â—â— men 〈…〉 his tyme of death to drawe nere he called for poyson whiche he longe tyme had 〈…〉 hym and had euer redy for suche chaunces and sayde Nowe wyll I delyuer the Romaynes of great thought that they haue longe tyme taken to bringe me to confusion For althoughe I be nowe olde yet they thynke it longe before I dye But of this deathe bothe they and Flaminius theyr legate shal haue small victory Then blaming the detestable falshede of Prusias that so cruelly wolde suffer the murther of his friend whom he had receyued into his keping He drunke the empoysoned drinke and sone after dyed ¶ This was the lamentable ende of the ryght wyse noble and valyaunte capytayne Anniball in a straunge region exiled and banyshed from his owne natiue countrey Aboute which time or not longe before the worthye Romayne Scipio Affricanus also dyed whom the Romaynes after his manyfold benefites to them shewed recompenced with detestable ingratitude certayne of the citie beinge his ennemies as no man in authoritie can escape enuye charged hym with the olde matier betwene Pleminius and the Locrenses Wherin they sayde he being consul was corrupted with money And therfore ministred not iustice Agayne they layde agaynst hym the delyuerye of his sonne beinge prisoner with Antiochus withoute raunsome whiche they thoughte was very suspecious For these smalle causes was he called before the Senate and as though he had ben a meane persone put to aunswere with extremitie without fauour or hauynge any respecte to his noble actes done for the common weale Whiche ingratitude he toke so displesantly that departynge out of the court he went into the countreye to the towne of Lytarne where he dwelled as long as he lyued exilynge hym selfe from Rome for euer And at his deathe he commaunded his body to be buried there also that his bones myght not rest in an vnkynde countrey ¶ Thus were .ii. of the worthyest cities of the worlde found vnkynde to theyr noble rulers and capytaynes and both about one tyme. Carthage banyshed Anniball after that he was vanquished Rome exiled Scipio that had vanquished all her ennemies Wherin she was of the twayne more to be blamed of ingratitude ☞ FINIS ☜ ⧠Londini ⧠IN aedibus Thomae Bertheleti regii impressoris typis excusum ANNO VERBI INCARNATI M. D. X L I I I I. CVM PRIVILEGIO AD IMPRIMENDVW SOLVM Minutius oration