site business, went out of town, perceiving well, that he should not be able to withstand the multitude in hindering the decree. The news of Minutius's advancement was at the camp as soon as Fabius; so that his old lieutenant and new colleague began to treat with him as a companion, asking him at the first in what sort he thought it best to divide their authority; whether that one one day, and the other the next, or each of them successively, for some longer time, should command in chief. Fabius briefly told him, that it was the pleasure of the citizens to make the master of the horse equal to the dictator, but that he should never be his superior: he would therefore divide the legions with him by lot, according to the custom. Minutius was not herewith greatly pleased, for that with half of the army he could not work such wonders, as otherwise he hoped to accomplish. Nevertheless he meant to do his best, and so, taking his part of the army, encamped about a mile and an half from the dictator. Needful it was (though Livy seems to tax him for it) that he should so do. For where two several commanders are not subordinate one unto the other, nor joined in commission, but have each entire and absolute charge of his own followers, then are the forces (though belonging unto one prince or state) not one, but two distinct armies; in which regard one camp shall not hold them both without great inconvenience. Polybius neither finds fault with this disjunction, nor yet reports, that Fabius was unwilling to command in chief successively (as the two consuls used) with Minutius by turns. He saith, that Minutius was very refractory, and so proud of his advancement, that continually he opposed the dictator; who thereupon referred it to his choice, either to divide the forces between them, as is said before, or else to have command over all by course. This is likely to be true. For natures impatient of subjection, when once they have broken loose from the rigour of authority, love nothing more than to contest with it, as if herein consisted the proof and assurance of their liberty.

It behoved the master of the horse to make good the

opinion which had thus advanced him: therefore he was no less careful of getting occasion to fight, than was Fabius of avoiding the necessity. That which Minutius and Hannibal equally desired, could not long be wanting: the country lying between them was open and bare, yet as fit for ambush as could be wished, for that the sides of a naked valley adjoining had many and spacious caves, able, some one of them, to hide two or three hundred men. In these lurking-places Hannibal bestowed five hundred horse and five thousand foot, thrusting them so close together, that they could not be discovered. But lest by any misadventure they should be found out, and buried in their holes, he made offer betimes in the morning to seize upon a piece of ground that lay on the other hand, whereby he drew the eyes and thoughts of the Romans from their more needful care, to business little concerning them. Like unto this was the occasion, which not long before had provoked Minutius to adventure upon the Carthaginians. Hoping therefore to increase his honour, in like sort as he got it, he sent first his light armature, then his horse, and at length (seeing that Hannibal seconded his own troops with fresh companies) he followed in person with the legions. He was soon caught, and so hotly charged on all sides, that he knew neither how to make resistance nor any safe retreat. In this dangerous case, whilst the Romans defended themselves, losing many, and those of their best men, Fabius drew near, in very good order, to relieve them. For this old captain, perceiving afar off into what extremity his new colleague had rashly thrown himself and his followers, did the office of a good citizen, and, regarding more the benefit of his country than the disgrace which he had wrongfully sustained, sought rather to approve himself by hasting to do good, than by suffering his enemy to feel the reward of doing ill. Upon Fabius's approach Hannibal retired, fearing to be well wetted with a shower from the cloud (as he termed the dictator) that had hung so long on the hill-tops. Minutius forthwith submitted himself to Fabius, by whose benefit he confessed his life to have been saved. So from this time forwards

the war proceeded coldly, as the dictator would have it, both whilst his office lasted, which was not long, and likewise afterwards, when he delivered up his charge unto the consuls that followed his instructions.

Servilius the consul had pursued in vain a Carthaginian fleet, to which he came never within kenning. He ran along all the coast of Italy, took hostages of the Sardinians and Corsicans, passed over into Afric, and there, negligently falling to spoil the country, was shamefully beaten aboard his ships, with the loss of a thousand men. Weighing anchor therefore in all haste, he returned home by Sicily, and (being so required by the dictator's letters) repaired to the camp with his fellow-consul, where they took charge of the army.

SECT. VII.

The Roman people, desirous to finish the war quickly, choose a rash and unworthy consul. Great forces levied against Hannibal. Hannibal taketh the Romans' provisions in the castle of Canna. The new consuls set forth against Hannibal.

WITH little pleasure did they of the poorer sort in Rome hear the great commendations that were given to Fabius by the principal citizens. He had indeed preserved them from receiving a great overthrow; but he had neither finished the war, nor done any thing in appearance thereto tending. Rather it might seem, that the reputation of this his one worthy act was likely to countenance the slow proceedings, or perhaps the cowardice (if it were no worse) of those that followed him, in protracting the work to a great length. Else, what meant the consuls to sit idle the whole winter, contrary to all former custom, since it was never heard before, that any Roman general had willingly suffered the time of his command to run away without any performance, as if it were honourable to do just nothing? Thus they suspected they knew not what, and were ready every man to discharge the grief and anger of his own private loss upon the ill administration of the public.

This affection of the people was very helpful to C. Terentius Varro in his suit for the consulship. It behoved

him to strike whilst the iron was hot; his own worth being little or none, and his credit over-weak, to make way into that high dignity. But the commonalty were then in such a mood, as abundantly supplied all his defects. Wherein to help, he had a kinsman, Bibius Herennius, then tribune of the people, who spared not to use the liberty of his place, in saying what he listed, without all regard of truth or modesty. This bold orator stuck not to affirm, that Hannibal was drawn into Italy, and suffered therein to range at his pleasure by the noblemen; that Minutius indeed, with his two legions, was likely to have been overthrown, and was rescued by Fabius with the other two; but had all been joined together, what they might have done it was apparent by the victory of Minutius, when he commanded over all as master of the horse; that without a plebeian consul the war would never be brought to an end; that such of the plebeians as had long since been advanced to honour by the people, were grown as proud as the old nobility, and contemned the meaner sort, ever since themselves were freed from contempt of the more mighty; that therefore it was needful to choose a consul who should be altogether a plebeian, a mere new man, one that could boast of nothing but the people's love, nor could wish more, than to keep it by well deserving of them. By such persuasions the multitude was won to be wholly for Terentius, to the great vexation of the nobles, who could not endure to see a man raised for none other virtue, than his detracting from their honour, and therefore opposed him with all their might. To hinder the desire of the people, it fell out, or at least was alleged, that neither of the two present consuls could well be spared from attending upon Hannibal to hold the election. Wherefore a dictator was named for that purpose; and he again deposed, either (as was pretended) for some religious impediment, or because the fathers desired an interregnum, wherein they might better hope to prevail in choice of the new consuls. This interregnum took name and being in Rome at the death of Romulus, and was in use at the death of other kings. The order of it was this:

All the fathers, or senators, who at the first were an hundred, parted themselves into tens, or decuries, and governed successively by the space of five days, one decury after another in order; yet so, that the lictors, or virgers, carrying the fasces, or bundles of rods and axes, waited only upon the chief of them with these ensigns of power. This custom was retained in times of the consuls, and put in use when by death, or any casualty, there wanted ordinary magistrates of the old year, to substitute new for the year following. The advantage of the fathers herein was, that if the election were not like to go as they would have it, there needed no more than to let slip five days, and then was all to begin anew; by which interruption the heat of the multitude was commonly well assuaged. Upon such change of those that were presidents of the election, it was also lawful unto new petitioners to sue for the magistracies that lay void; which otherwise was not allowed, but a time limited, wherein they should publicly declare themselves to seek those offices. But no device would serve against the general favour borne unto Terentius. One interregnum passed over, and the malice of the fathers against the virtue (as it was believed) of this mean, but worthy man, seemed so manifest, that when the people had urged the business to despatch, only Terentius was chosen consul; in whose hand it was left to hold the election of his colleague. Hereupon all the former petitioners gave over. For whereas men of ordinary mark had stood for the place before, it was now thought meet, that, both to supply the defect, and to bridle the violence of this unexpert and hotheaded man, one of great sufficiency and reputation should be joined with him, as both companion and opposite. So L. Æmilius Paulus, he who few years since had overcome the Illyrians, and chased Demetrius Pharius out of his kingdom, was urged by the nobility to stand for the place, which he easily obtained, having no competitor. It was not the desire of this honourable man to trouble himself any more in such great business of the commonwealth. For, notwithstanding his late good service, he, and M. Livius, that had been his com