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U. C. 538. ploratis, quum relatum esset, visum procul hostium agmen ; A. C. 216. tum de insequendo eo consilia agitari cœpta. Quum

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utriusque consulis eadem, quæ semper ante, fuisset sententia; ceterum Varroni fere omnes, Paullo nemo, præter Servilium prioris anni consulem, assentiretur; majoris partis sententia ad nobilitandas clade Romana Cannas, urgente fato', profecti sunt. Prope eum vicum Hannibal castra posuerat aversa a Vulturno vento, qui campis torridis siccitate nubes pulveris vehit. Id quum ipsis castris percommodum fuit, tum salutare præcipue futurum erat, quum aciem dirigerent, ipsi aversi, terga tantum afflante vento, in occæcatum pulvere offuso hostem pugnaturi.

Consules, satis exploratis itineribus, sequentes Poenum, ut ventum ad Cannas est, ubi in conspectu Pœnum habebant, bina castra communiunt, eodem ferme intervallo, quo ad Geronium, sicut ante, copiis divisis. Aufidus amnis, utrisque castris affluens, aditum aquatoribus ex sua cujusque opportunitate haud sine certamine dabat. Ex minoribus tamen castris, quæ posita trans Aufidum erant, liberius aquabantur Romani, quia ripa ulterior nullum habebat hostium præsidium. Hannibal spem nactus, locis natis ad equestrem pugnam3 qua parte virium invictus erat, facturos

9 Quæ semper ante, fuisset sententia.] The text would be much improved by reading, quæ semper ante fuisset, sententia esset. Still more, by omitting fuisset altogether. 1 Urgente fato, &c.] "Under the impulse (the instigation) of fate, they took the road to Cannæ, destined to become memorable for, &c."

This battle field, originally called the plain of Diomed, and intersected by a small stream, the Vergellus, which Hannibal bridged over with dead bodies, is still named the Pezzo di sangue, (“field of blood.") Some difficulty has been occasionally felt in explaining the positions of the two armies on the bank of the Aufidus. It appears that, after finally crossing the river, the two fronts were drawn up at right angles with the bank; and, as the direction of the current was due east, the position of the Carthaginians, with their backs to the south, can be explained only by observing, that the Ofanto, after running eastward for some distance, takes a turn, just at this point, to the south, and describes a large

segment of a circle.

"The

2 Aufidus amnis, &c.] river, flowing by both camps, (i. e. both the Roman camps,) did not afford an unimpeded access to the water, as might be expected from their respective convenient positions." The Romans appear to have arrived in the first instance at the left bank, and to have thrown a detachment across the river, in order to command the supplies from the plains south of the Aufidus, and to check the enemy's foraging parties in that direction. Hannibal had also arrived on the left bank, which was the nearest to both parties as they moved southward, and encamped opposite to the main body of the Romans. He then, on the second day, sent his Numidian cavalry across the river, which is always shallow in summer, in order to intercept the watering parties of the enemy; and kept the Romans on the right or southern bank (ripa ulterior) all night without water, which was a serious inconvenience in an atmosphere heated by an Apulian sun.

3 Locis natis ad equestrem pug

copiam pugnandi consules, dirigit aciem, lacessitque Numi- U. C. 538. darum procursatione hostes. Inde rursus sollicitari sedi- A. C. 216. tione militari ac discordia consulum Romana castra: quum Paullus Semproniique et Flaminii temeritatem Varroni, Varro speciosum timidis ac segnibus ducibus exemplum Fabium objiceret: testareturque deos hominesque hic, 'nullam penes se culpam esse, quod Hannibal jam velut ' usucepisset Italiam'; se constrictum a collega teneri ; ferrum atque arma iratis et pugnare cupientibus adimi mili'tibus;' ille, 'si quid projectis ac proditis ad inconsultam ' atque improvidam pugnam legionibus accideret, se, omnis culpæ exsortem, omnis eventus participem fore' diceret. 'Videret, ut, quibus lingua tam prompta ac temeraria, æque ' in pugna vigerent manus.'

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Dum altercationibus magis, quam consiliis, tempus teritur, Hannibal ex acie, quam ad multum diei tenuerat instructam, quum in castra ceteras reciperet copias, Numidas ad invadendos ex minoribus castris Romanorum aquatores trans flumen mittit. Quam inconditam turbam quum vixdum in ripam egressi clamore ac tumultu fugassent, in stationem quoque pro vallo locatam atque ipsas prope portas evecti sunt. Id vero indignum visum, ab tumultuario auxilio

nam.] "On ground adapted by nature to a cavalry engagement." The field was all open and level, with the exception of the eminence standing at a short distance, and clothed with underwood, behind which some cavalry and light infantry were placed in ambush by Hannibal. It was an engagement on ground so favourable to the enemy, whose strongest arm was his formidable cavalry, that Æmilius was especially anxious to avoid it: and this motive too was one of those that induced Fabius, during the whole period of his command, to encamp on the hills. Hannibal is said to have been so gratified by the fatal mistakes of his enemies, that, on the morning of battle, he could not refrain from bantering one of his officers. The particulars have been recorded by Plutarch. "What an astonishing number of troops the Romans have to-day!" observed Gisco. "There is another still more wonderful fact," said Hannibal, "which you do not notice." "What is that?" said Gisco. “That not one among them all is called Gisco!" This reply provoked the laughter of

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the whole staff; and the soldiers,
seeing their leaders so merry, knew
that they were sure of a victory.

4 Varro speciosum timidis, &c.]
"While Paullus taunted Varro with
the precipitation of Sempronius and
Flaminius; and Varro alluded to
(instanced) Fabius as a plausible
precedent for timid and indolent
commanders."

5 Usucepisset Italiam.] i. e. as we
would say, "had taken a lease of
Italy;" "had taken undisputed or
prescriptive possession of Italy."
Usucapio, a technical phrase in civil
law, signifies the right acquired by
enjoying possession for a certain
time, as specified in a law of limit-
ations. A similar right was called
the præscriptio longi temporis, which
was amalgamated with the former
by Justinian. See the Editor's
Manual of Civil Law, book ii. title 6.
6 Videret.] "Let him (Varro)
take care that," &c.

7 Quam inconditam turbam, &c.]
"And when, almost before they
reached the bank, they dispersed
that disorderly multitude.”

8 Tumultuario auxilio.] disciplined auxiliaries."

"Un

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U. C. 538. jam etiam castra Romana terreri: ut ea modo una causa, A. C. 216. ne extemplo transirent flumen, dirigerentque aciem, tenuerit Romanos, quod summa imperii eo die eo die penes Paullum fuerit. Itaque Varro postero die', cui sors ejus diei imperii erat, nihil consulto collega, signum pugnæ proposuit, instructasque copias flumen traduxit, sequente Paullo; quia magis non probare?, quam non adjuvare, consilium poterat. Transgressi flumen eas quoque, quas in castris minoribus habuerant, copias suis adjungunt: atque ita instructa acie, in dextro cornu3 (id erat flumini propius) Romanos equites locant, deinde pedites: lævum cornu extremi equites sociorum, intra pedites, ad medium juncti legionibus Romanis tenuerunt: jaculatores cum ceteris levium armorum auxiliis prima acies facti. Consules cornua tenuerunt; Terentius lævum, Æmilius dextrum. Gemino Servilio media pugna

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tuenda data.

Hannibal luce prima, Baliaribus levique alia armatura præmissa, transgressus flumen, ut quosque traduxerat, ita

9 Itaque Varro postero die, &c.] When Varro, on his day of command, crossed the Aufidus, (apparently for the purpose of protecting the watering parties on the right or southern side,) and placed himself between the enemy and the sea. Paullus could not, on his day, retreat from that position, and thus an action became inevitable.

1 Signum pugnæ.] This was a red flag flying from the Prætorium.

2 Quia magis non probare, &c.] "As he had power to withhold rather his consent than his cooperation." When Varro crossed the river, Hannibal also forded it at two points, and drew up face to face with the enemy.

3 In dextro cornu, &c.] "On the right wing (which rested on the river) he stationed the Roman cavalry; inside them, the Roman infantry: the cavalry of the allies formed the extremity of the left wing; inside them, (i.e. to their right, between them and the main body,) the infantry (of the allies); next to the Roman legions, and with them, formed the centre." As the text is punctuated in some editions, (jaculatores joined to tenuerunt,) it would appear, that the Roman infantry formed but half

the centre, the rest being made up of the skirmishers of the allies. By carrying on jaculatores to the following clause, the Roman and allied infantry together would be described as forming the centre; and the jaculatores as being thrown forward, as they usually were at the commencement of a battle. Polybius states (iii. 113.) the unaccountable fact, that the Romans on this occasion, though on an open plain, were drawn up in columns. By this arrangement they forfeited the opportunity of outflanking the enemy; which, with their superior numbers, they might have easily done by forming in lines. It is possible that this close and deep form of battle array may have been found useful on some former occasion, in preventing the main body from being broken through by elephants or cavalry; and that it was inconsiderately adopted now, when it would have been wiser to secure as much space as possible. If Polybius is right in his statement, (and it is borne out indirectly by that of Livy,) it is nearly certain that the want of the space, which was thus lost, prevented a successful resistance to the charges of Asdrubal's cavalry on the flanks and rear.

in acie locabat. Gallos Hispanosque equites' prope ripam U. C. 538. lævo in cornu adversus Romanum equitatum: dextrum A. C. 216. cornu Numidis equitibus datum, media acie peditibus firmata ita, ut Afrorum utraque cornua essent, interponerentur his medii Galli atque Hispani. Afros Romanam5 magna ex parte crederes aciem: ita armati erant, armis et ad Trebiam, ceterum magna ex parte ad Trasimenum captis. Gallis Hispanisque scuta ejusdem formæ fere erant: dispares ac dissimiles gladii: Gallis prælongi ac sine mucronibus: Hispano, punctim magis, quam cæsim, assueto petere hostem, brevitate habiles et cum mucronibus'. Sane et alius habitus gentium harum tum magnitudine corporum, tum specie terribilis erat. Galli super umbilicum erant nudi: Hispani linteis prætextis purpura tunicis, candore miro fulgentibus, constiterant. Numerus omnium peditum, qui tum steterunt in acie, millium fuit quadraginta, decem equitum. Duces cornibus præerant: sinistro Hasdrubal, dextra Maharbal1: mediam aciem Hannibal ipse cum fratre Magone tenuit. Sol, seu de industria ita locatis, seu quod forte ita starent, peropportune utrique parti obliquus erat, Romanis in meridiem, Pœnis in septentrionem versis. Ventus, (Vulturnum incolæ regionis vocant) adversus Romanis coortus, multo pulvere in ipsa ora volvendo prospectum ademit.

Clamore sublato, procursum ab auxiliis, et pugna levibus primum armis commissa: deinde equitum Gallorum Hispanorumque lævum cornu cum dextro Romano concurrit, minime equestris more pugnæ: frontibus enim adversis

Gallos Hispanosque equites, &c.] This description of the Carthaginian array is so clear and concise, that it scarcely admits of any illustration. It coincides also, exactly, with the account of Polybius, (1. iii. 113, 114.) The left wing, resting on the river, were the cavalry of the Gauls and Spaniards: the centre consisted of three bodies, viz. the Gallic and Spanish infantry in the middle, and standing somewhat in advance of a body of African infantry on either side; and the right wing presented the fierce Numidian cavalry, against the horse of the Roman allies.

5 Afros Romanam, &c.] "One would imagine that the Africans were to a considerable extent a Roman army; they were similarly equipped," &c.

6 Dispares ac dissimiles.] "Dif

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U. C. 538. concurrendum erat, quia, nullo circa ad evagandum3 relicto A. C. 216. spatio, hinc amnis, hinc peditum acies claudebant in directum utrimque nitentes. Stantibus ac confertis postremo turba equis, vir virum amplexus detrahebat equo. Pedestre magna jam ex parte certamen factum erat: acrius tamen, quam diutius, pugnatum est; pulsique Romani equites terga vertunt. Sub equestris finem certaminis coorta est peditum pugna. Primo et viribus et animis pares constabant ordines Gallis Hispanisque: tandem Romani, diu ac sæpe connisi', æqua fronte acieque densa impulere hostium cuneum nimis tenuem, eoque parum validum, a cetera prominentem acie. Impulsis deinde ac trepide referentibus pedem insistere: ac tenore uno per præceps pavore fugientium agmen in

3 Nullo circa ad evagandum, &c.] "No room to expand," &c. The river enclosed them on this side: but for that, the pressure of the infantry on the other would have caused no inconvenience.

4 In directum utrimque nitentes.] "So that they pressed straight forward on both sides."

5 Pedestre magná jam ex parte, &c.] "It now became to a great extent an infantry engagement."

6 Constabant ordines Gallis Hispanisque.] By some commentators ordines is understood to mean the Roman ranks; but the Latin idiom evidently requires that it shall be referred to the datives following (in the sense of genitives); especially as the words tandem Romani, immediately after, seem to introduce a transition.

7 Diu ac sæpe connisi.] "By sustained and repeated efforts."

8 quá fronte acieque densa, &c.] "In a straight (an unbroken) line, and close order, drove back a wedge of the enemy too slender, and consequently deficient in strength, which projected from (stood in advance of) the rest of their line. They then followed them when broken and retreating in disorder, and, penetrating still in the same direction through the mass of fugitives urged on by terror, they forced their way, first to the centre, and eventually, without a check, to the reserves of the Africans who had been standing on the wings which receded on both extremities; as the centre, where the Gauls and

Spaniards were posted, projected considerably: and, when the repulse of that wedge, in the first instance, reduced the front to a straight line; and, after further efforts, presented a hollow (a recess) in the centre; the Africans formed wings all round, and outflanked the Romans as they pressed incautiously on the main body, and at last, by extending their extremities, enclosed the enemy (i. e. the Romans) on the rear also." Such is Livy's account of the fate of the Roman column. We find, as we read on, that the battle was won almost exclusively by Hasdrubal's cavalry, which the Romans had not left themselves room to oppose effectually. He first broke and dispersed the Roman knights; and then rode across to the right to support the Numidian cavalry, who were confronted with that of the Italian allies. When these gave way, he fell on the rear of the Roman infantry. These latter had, as we have seen above, been compressed into one dense column, which had made its way, by its own weight, through the enemy's centre, as the English did at Fontenoy, and was outflanked before his arrival. The slaughter was appalling; resembling nothing in previous history but the slaughter of the Persians after the battle of Platæa. Of that immense Roman army, not more than 3000 escaped from the field; while of the Carthaginians it is said, that not more than 6000 fell.

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