for the most part Romans, they were so equipped with arms captured at the Trebia, and for the greater part at the Trasimenus. The shields of the Gauls and Spaniards were of the same shape, their swords unequal and dissimilar. The Gauls had very long ones, without points. The Spaniards, who were accustomed to stab, more than to cut, their enemy, had swords convenient, from their shortness, and with points. The aspect of these nations in other respects was terrific, both as to the appearance they exhibited and the size of their persons. The Gauls were naked above the navel: the Spaniards stood arrayed in linen vests resplendent with surprising whiteness, and bordered with purple. The whole amount of infantry standing in battle array was forty thousand; of cavalry ten. The generals who commanded the wings were, on the left, Hasdrubal; on the right, Maharbal: Hannibal himself, with his brother Mago, commanded the center. The sun very conveniently shone obliquely upon both parties-the Romans facing the south, and the Carthaginians the north; either placed so designedly, or having stood thus by chance. The wind, which the inhabitants of the district call the Vulturnus, blowing violently in front of the Romans, prevented their seeing far by rolling clouds of dust into their faces.

The shout being raised, the auxiliaries charged, and the battle commenced, in the first place, with the light-armed troops then the left wing, consisting of the Gallic and Spanish cavalry, engages with the Roman right wing, by no means in the manner of a cavalry battle; for they were obliged to engage front to front; for, as on one side the river, on the other the line of infantry hemmed them in, there was no space left at their flanks for evolution, but both parties were compelled to press directly forward. At length the horses standing still, and being crowded together, man grappling with man, dragged him from his horse. The contest now came to be carried on principally on foot. The battle, however, was more violent than lasting; and the Roman cavalry being repulsed, turn their backs. About the conclusion of the contest between the cavalry, the battle between the infantry commenced. At first the Gauls and Spaniards preserved their ranks unbroken, not inferior in strength or courage; but at length the Romans, after long and repeated efforts, drove in with their even front and closely compacted line, that part of the enemy's line in the form of a wedge, which projected

beyond the rest, which was too thin, and therefore deficient in strength. These men, thus driven back and hastily retreating, they closely pursued; and as they urged their course without interruption through this terrified band, as it fled with precipitation, were borne first upon the center line of the enemy; and, lastly, no one opposing them, they reached the African reserved troops. These were posted at the two extremities of the line, where it was depressed; while the center, where the Gauls and Spaniards were placed, projected a little. When the wedge thus formed being driven in, at first rendered the line level, but afterwards, by the pressure, made a curvature in the center, the Africans, who had now formed wings on each side of them, surrounded the Romans on both sides, who incautiously rushed into the intermediate space; and presently extending their wings, inclosed the enemy on the rear also. After this the Romans, who had in vain finished one battle, leaving the Gauls and Spaniards, whose rear they had slaughtered, in addition commence a fresh encounter with the Africans, not only disadvantageous, because, being hemmed in, they had to fight against troops who surrounded them, but also because, fatigued, they fought with those who were fresh and vigorous.

Now also in the left wing of the Romans, in which the allied cavalry were opposed to the Numidians, the battle was joined, which was at first languid, commencing with a stratagem on the part of the Carthaginians. About five hundred Numidians, who, besides their usual arms, had swords concealed beneath their coats of mail, quitting their own party, and riding up to the enemy under the semblance of deserters, with their bucklers behind them, suddenly leap down from their horses, and, throwing down their bucklers and javelins at the feet of their enemies, are received into their center, and, being conducted to the rear, ordered to remain there; and there they continued until the battle became general. But afterwards, when the thoughts and attention of all were occupied with the contest, snatching up the shields which lay scattered on all hands among the heaps of slain, they fell upon the rear of the Roman line, and striking their backs and wounding their hams, occasioned vast havoc, and still greater panic and confusion. While in one part terror and flight prevailed, in another the battle was obstinately persisted in, though with little hope. Hasdrubal, who was then commanding in that quarter, withdrawing the Numidians from the

center of the army, as the conflict with their opponents was slight, sends them in pursuit of the scattered fugitives, and joining the Africans, now almost weary with slaying rather than fighting the Spanish and Gallic infantry.

On the other side of the field, Paulus, though severely wounded from a sling in the very commencement of the battle, with a compact body of troops, frequently opposed himself to Hannibal, and in several quarters restored the battle, the Roman cavalry protecting him; who, at length, when the consul had not strength enough even to manage his horse, dismounted from their horses. And when some one brought intelligence that the consul had ordered the cavalry to dismount, it is said that Hannibal observed, "How much rather would I that he delivered them to me in chains." The fight maintained by the dismounted cavalry was such as might be expected, when the victory was undoubtedly on the side of the enemy, the vanquished preferring death in their places to flight; and the conquerors, who were enraged at them for delaying the victory, butchering those whom they could not put to flight. They at length, however, drove the few who remained away, worn out with exertion and wounds. After that they were all dispersed, and such as could sought to regain their horses for flight. Cneius Lentulus, a military tribune, seeing, as he rode by, the consul sitting upon a stone and covered with blood, said to him: "Lucius Emilius! the only man whom the gods ought to regard as being guiltless of this day's disaster, take this horse, while you have any strength remaining, and I am with you to raise you up and protect you. Make not this battle more calamitous by the death of a consul. There is sufficient matter for tears and grief without this addition." In reply the consul said: "Do thou, indeed, go on and prosper, Cneius Servilius, in your career of virtue ! But beware lest you waste in bootless commiseration the brief opportunity of escaping from the hands of the enemy. Go and tell the fathers publicly to fortify the city of Rome, and garrison it strongly before the victorious enemy arrive; and tell Quintus Fabius, individually, that Lucius Æmilius lived, and now dies, mindful of his injunctions. Allow me to expire amidst these heaps of my slaughtered troops, that I may not a second time be accused after my consulate, or stand forth as the accuser of my colleague, in order to defend my own innocence by criminating

another." While finishing these words, first a crowd of their flying countrymen, after that the enemy, came upon them ; they overwhelm the consul with their weapons, not knowing who he was; in the confusion his horse rescued Lentulus. After that they fly precipitately.

Seven thousand escaped to the lesser camp, ten to the greater, about two thousand to the village of Cannæ itself; those were immediately surrounded by Carthalo and the cavalry, no fortifications protecting the village. The other consul, whether by design or by chance, made good his escape to Venusia with about seventy horse, without mingling with any party of the flying troops. Forty thousand foot and two thousand seven hundred horse, with an equal number of citizens and allies, are said to have been slain. Among these both the quæstors of the consuls, Lucius Atilius and Lucius Furius Bibaculus; twenty-one military tribunes; several who had passed the offices of consul, prætor, and ædile; among these they reckon Cneius Servilius Germinus, and Marcus. Minucius, who had been master of the horse on a former year and consul some years before; moreover, eighty, either senators, or who had borne those offices by which they might be elected into the senate, and who had voluntarily enrolled themselves in the legions. Three thousand infantry and three hundred cavalry are said to have been captured in that battle.

The spoils having been gathered for a great part of the day, Hannibal leads his troops to storm the lesser camp; and first of all interposing a trench, cuts it off from the river. But as the men were fatigued with toil, watching, and wounds, a surrender was made sooner than he expected. Having agreed to deliver up their arms and horses for a ransom of 300 denarii [$50] for every Roman, 200 for an ally, and 100 for a slave, and that on payment of that ransom they should be allowed to depart with single garments, they received the enemy into the camp, and were all delivered into custody; citizens and allies being kept separate. While the time is being spent there, all who had strength or spirit enough, to the number of four thousand foot and two hundred horse, quitted the greater camp and arrived at Canusium; some in a body, others widely dispersed through the country, which was no less secure a course: the camp itself was surrendered to the enemy by the wounded and timid troops, on the same terms as the other was.

THE HAUNTED HOUSE.

BY T. MACCIUS PLAUTUS.

(From "Mostellaria.”)

[TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS, one of the great comic dramatists of the world, was born in Umbria, Italy, probably about B.C. 254; died about 184. He and Terence may be called pre-Roman writers; that is, their dramas are not of Roman life, nor do they form even a germ of Roman literature proper (though, midway of the two, Ennius and his followers were laying the foundations of it), but are adaptations though with genius-of Greek originals. Plautus was very fertile and immensely popular; some twenty of his plays still survive, entire save a few gaps. Lessing called Plautus' "Captives " the best-constructed drama in existence. The most famous besides this are perhaps the "Miles Gloriosus" (Braggart Soldier), "Trinummus " (Threepenny Piece), "Menæchmi " (Twins), "Aulularia " (Little Pot), "Mostellaria " (Ghost), and "Amphitruo" (Amphitryon). Every comic playwright since his time has borrowed freely from him. Ben Jonson and Shakespeare used the Miles Gloriosus for Captain Bobadil and Ancient Pistol; Molière took the hint of his "Miser" from "Aulularia"; Dryden cooked over "Amphitruo " as "The Two Sosias."] DRAMATIS PERSONA (as far as included in selections): THEUROPIDES, an Athenian merchant; SIMO, his neighbor, a grouty old man; PHILOLACHES, son of Theuropides; TRANIO, his servant; GRUMIO, his father's servant; PHILEMATIUM, his mistress, a slave music girl he has bought; SCAPHA, her maid.

Enter, from the house of THEUROPIDES, GRUMIO, pushing out
TRANIO.

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Grumio Get out of the kitchen, will you; out of it, you whip-scoundrel, giving me back-talk among the platters; march out of the house, you ruin of your master! Upon my faith, if I live I'll be more than even with you in the country. Get out, I say, you kitchen-reek: what are you skulking here for?

Tranio- What the plague are you making a row here before the house for? Do you fancy yourself on the farm? Get out of the house; be off to the farm. Go and hang yourself. Get away from the door. [Striking him.] There now, was that what you wanted?

Grumio [running away]-I'm undone ! beating me for?

Tranio-Because you need it.

What are you

Grumio-I've got to stand it, I suppose. But only let the old gentleman come back; only let him come back safe, you eating him up while he is gone.

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