panion in office, were afterwards injuriously vexed by the people, and called unto judgment; wherein Livius was condemned, and Æmilius hardly escaped. But of this injustice they shall put the Romans well in mind, each of them in his second consulship, wherein they shall honourably approve their worth, the one of them nobly dying in the most grievous loss, the other bravely winning, in the most happy victory that ever befell that commonwealth.

These new consuls, Varro and Paulus, omitted no part of their diligence in preparing for the war; wherein, though Varro made the greater noise, by telling what wonders he would work, and that he would ask no more than once to have a sight of Hannibal, whom he promised to vanquish the very first day; yet the providence and care of Paulus travailed more earnestly toward the accomplishment of that whereof his fellow vainly boasted. He wrote unto the two old consuls, Servilius and Attilius, desiring them to abstain from hazard of the main chance, but nevertheless to ply the Carthaginians with daily skirmish, and weaken them by degrees; that when he and his colleague should take the field with the great army which they were now levying, they might find the four old legions well accustomed to the enemy, and the enemy well weakened to their hands. He was also very strict in his musters, wherein the whole senate assisted him so carefully, as if in this action they meant to refute the slanders with which Terentius and his adherents had burdened them. What number of men they raised it is uncertain: fourscore thousand foot, at the least, and six thousand horse, they were strong in the field, when the day came which Varro had so greatly desired of looking upon Hannibal.

Hiero, the old king of Syracuse, as he had relieved the Carthaginians when they were distressed by their own mercenaries, so did he now send help to Rome, a thousand archers and slingers, with great quantity of wheat, barley, and other provisions; fearing nothing more than that one of these two mighty cities should destroy the other, whereby his own estate would fall to ruin, that stood upright by

having them somewhat evenly balanced. He gave them also counsel to send forces into Africa, if perhaps by that means they might divert the war from home. His gifts and good advice were lovingly accepted, and instructions were given to Titus Octacilius the pretor, which was to go into Sicily, that he should accordingly pass over into Afric, if he found it expedient.

The great levies which the Romans made at this time do much more serve to declare their puissance than any, though larger, account by poll, of such as were not easily drawn into the field, and fitted for service. For besides these armies of the consuls, and that which went into Sicily, twenty-five thousand with L. Posthumius Albinus, another of the pretors, went against the Gauls, to reclaim that province which the passage of Hannibal through it had taken from them. The contemplation of this their present strength might well embolden them to do as they did. They sent ambassadors to Philip the son of Demetrius, king of Macedon, requiring him to deliver into their hands Demetrius Pharius; who, having been their subject and rebel, was fled into his kingdom. They also sent to the Illyrians to demand their tribute, whereof the day of payment was already past. What answer they received, it is not known; only this is known, that Demetrius Pharius was not sent unto them, and that Philip henceforth began to have an eye upon them little to their good. As for the Illyrian money, by the shifts that they were driven soon after to make, it will appear, that the one half of it (how little soever) would have been welcome to Rome, and accepted without any cavil about forfeiture for nonpayment of the whole.

Whilst the city was busied in these cares, the old consuls lay as near unto Hannibal as possibly they could, without incurring the necessity of a battle. Many skirmishes they had with him, wherein their success, for the most part, was rather good than great. Yet one mischance not only blemished the honour of their other services, but was indeed the occasion to draw on the misery following. Hannibal,

for the most part of that time, made his abode at Geryon, where lay all his store for the winter. The Romans, to be near him, lodged about Cannusium, and, that they might not be driven to turn aside for all necessaries, to the loss of good opportunities, they bestowed much of their provisions in the castle of Cannæ, for the town was razed the year before. This place Hannibal won, and thereby not only furnished himself, but compelled his enemies to want many needful things, unless they would be troubled with far carriage. Besides this, and more to his advantage, he enabled himself to abide in that open country, fit for the service of his horse, longer than the Romans, having so many mouths to feed, could well endure to tarry, without offering battle, which he most desired. Of this mishap when Servilius had informed the senate, letting them understand how this piece, taken by Hanibal, would serve him to command no small part of the country adjacent, it then seemed needful, even unto the fathers themselves, to adventure a battle with the Carthaginian, rather than suffer him thus to take root in the ground of Italy. Nevertheless, answer was returned unto Servilius, that he should have patience yet a while, for that the consuls would shortly be there, with a power sufficient to do as need required.

When all things were ready in the city, and the season of the year commodious to take the field, the two consuls, with their army, set forth against Hannibal. This was always done with great solemnity, especially whensoever they went forth to war against any noble or redoubted enemy. For sacrifices and solemn vows were made unto Jupiter, and the rest of their gods, for good success and victory; which being performed, the generals, in warlike attire, with an honourable train of the principal men, not only such as were of their kindred and alliance, or followed them to the war as voluntaries for love, but a great number of others that meant to abide at home, were accompanied on their way, and dismissed with friendly leave-taking and good wishes. At this time all the fathers and the whole nobility waited upon Æmilius Paulus, as the only man whom they

thought either worthy of this honour, or likely to do his country remarkable service. Terentius's attendants were the whole multitude of the poorer citizens, a troop no less in greatness than the other was in dignity. At the parting, Fabius the late dictator is said to have exhorted the consul Paulus, with many grave words, to shew his magnanimity, not only in dealing with the Carthaginians, but (which he thought harder) in bridling the outrageous folly of his fellow-consul. The answer of Paulus was, That he meant not again to run into danger of condemnation by offending the multitude; that he would do his best for his country; but if he saw his best were likely to be ill taken, he would think it less rashness to adventure upon the enemy's sword, than upon the malice of his own citizens.

SECT. VIII.

Dissension between the two Roman consuls. Whether it be likely that Hannibal was upon point of flying out of Italy, when the Romans pressed him to fight. The great battle of Cannæ.

THESE new generals arriving at the camp, dismissed M. Attilius, one of the last year's consuls, requesting it, because of his age and weakness; Servilius they retained with them as their assistant. The first thing that Æmilius thought necessary was to hearten his soldiers with good words, who, out of their bad success hitherto, had gathered more cause of fear than of courage. He willed them to consider, not only now, their victories in times past against the Carthaginians, and other more warlike nations than were the Carthaginians, but even their own great numbers, which were no less than all that Rome at the present was able to set forth. He told them in what danger their country stood, how the state and safety thereof rested upon their hands; using some such other common matter of persuasion. But the most effectual part of his oration was, that Hannibal, with this his terrible army, had not yet obtained one victory by plain force and valour; but that only by deceit and ambush he had stolen the honour which he had gotten at Trebia and Thrasymene. Herewithal he

taxed the inconsiderate rashness of Sempronius and Flaminius, of whom the one saw not his enemies until he was surrounded by them, the other scarce saw them when they struck off his head, by reason of the thick mist, through the darkness whereof he went groping (as it were blindfold) into their snares. Finally, declaring what advantages they had against the enemy, and how destitute the enemy was of those helps by which he had hitherto prevailed against them, he exhorted them to play the men, and do their best. They were easily persuaded; for the contemplation of their own multitude, and confidence of the Roman virtue in matter of arms, gave them cause to think, that under a captain so well experienced, and every way sufficient, as Æmilius was known to be, they should easily prevail against the Carthaginians, that came far short of them in all things else, save craft, which would not always thrive. But in one thing they mistook the meaning of their general: it was his desire that they should have heart to fight, not that they should lose the patience of awaiting a convenient season. But they, having preconceived a victory, thought all delays to be impediments, and thereby sought to rob themselves of their best help, which was, good conduct. They remembered what talk they had heard at Rome, and were themselves affected with the vulgar desire of ending the war quickly, wherein since Æmilius had acknowledged, that the advantage was theirs, why did he make them forbear to use it? Thus thought the common soldier, and thus also thought the consul Terentius, who was no less popular in the camp than he had been in the city. Expectation is always tedious, and never more than when the event is of most importance. All men longed, both at Rome and in the army, to be freed from the doubtful passions of hope and fear; therefore Terentius, who hastened their desire to effect, was likely to win more thanks than should his colleague, though greater in the performance.

Thus, while the Romans think themselves to have the better of their enemies, they fall into an inconvenience, than which few are more dangerous; dissension of their