discountenance the man, and make him little esteemed, as one out of office, among his Numidians. But it fell out quite contrary; and this spiteful dealing occasioned the loss of whatsoever the Carthaginians held in Sicily. For the Numidians were so incensed by the indignity offered unto their countryman, being such a brave commander, that they offered him their service to requite the wrong; and were thenceforth absolutely at his own disposition. M. Valerius Lævinus, the Roman consul, was newly come into the province when this fell out, and with him did Mutines enter into intelligence. For he could no longer brook these indignities; but being neither a Carthaginian, nor favoured by those that bore all the sway in Carthage, he thought it the wisest way to play the best of his own game, and forsake that city, which was likely to perish by the evil counsel that governed it. He did not therefore, as his countrymen had lately done, content himself to see his adversaries reap the bitter fruits of their own malicious overweening, and to suffer that harm, in doing whereof he would not bear a part; but conspired against them to deliver up Agrigentum, and to help to expel them utterly out of Sicily. The consul was glad of his friendship, and carefully followed his advertisements. Neither was there much cunning needful, to the performance of that which Mutines had undertaken. For he with his Numidians did forcibly seize upon a gate, whereat they let in some Roman companies, that lay near in a readiness for the purpose. Hanno, when first he heard the noise, thought it had been no worse matter than some such tumult of the Numidians as he had been well acquainted with of late. But when, making haste to pacify the trouble, he saw and heard the Romans intermixed among those discontented followers of Mutines, forthwith he betook himself to flight, and saving himself, with Epicides, in a small bark, set sail for Afric; leaving all his army and adherents in Sicily to the mercy of the Romans, that henceforward continued masters of the whole island.

Lævinus the consul, having taken Agrigentum, did sharp execution of justice upon all the citizens. The principal of

them he scourged with rods, and afterwards beheaded, as was the manner of the Romans; all the rest of them he sold for slaves, and confiscated their goods; sending home to Rome the money that was raised of the booty. This was indeed a time wherein Rome stood in no less necessity of gold than of steel; which may have been the reason why Lævinus dealt so cruelly with the Agrigentines. Nevertheless the fame of such severity bred a terror among all the dependants of the Carthaginians, so that in great haste they sought to make their peace. About forty towns yielded themselves quickly unto the Romans, twenty were delivered up by treason, and six only stayed to be won by force. These things done, Lævinus returned home to Rome, carrying with him about four thousand men from Agatirna, that were a company of outlaws, bankrupts, and banished men, accustomed to live by spoil of others, in these troublesome times. He bestowed them about Rhegium in Italy, where they might exercise their occupation against the Brutians; a thievish kind of people, that were enemies unto those of Rhegium, and to the Romans. As for Mutines, he was well rewarded, and made citizen of Rome; where he lived in good account, accompanying the two Scipios in their journey against Antiochus, and therein doing (as it is said) very especial service. So by this enterprise of Sicily the Carthaginians wasted much of their forces, that with greater profit might have been employed in Italy; leaving yet unto the Romans, in the end of this war, the entire possession of this island, which they wanted when it began.

SECT. XVI.

How the war passed between the Romans and Hannibal in Italy, from the taking of Capua to the great victory at Metaurus. SHORTLY after the winning of Capua, Marcellus came to Rome; where, for his good services done in the island of Sicily, he had granted unto him the honour of the lesser triumph, which was called ovation. The greater triumph was denied him, because he had not finished the war, but was fain to leave his army behind him in the province. He

stayed not long in Rome before he was again chosen consul, together with M. Valerius Lævinus, who succeeded him in the government of Sicily, and was, at the time of his election, making war against king Philip in Greece. Great complaint was made against the consul Marcellus by the Syracusians, for that which he had done unto them; they alleging their great friendship to the people of Rome in the time of their late king Hiero; and affirming, that their city did never willingly break the alliance, excepting when it was oppressed by such tyrants, as were not greater enemies to Rome, than to all good men that lived in Syracuse. The consul, on the other side, reckoned up the labours and dangers whereunto they had put him; willing them to bemoan themselves to the Carthaginians, that had holpen them in their necessity, and not unto the Romans, whom they had kept out. Thus each part having some good matter to allege, the senate made such an end of the controversy as best agreed with the benefit of their own commonwealth; blaming the too much rigour of Marcellus, yet not restoring the booty that he had taken, nor making the Syracusians free from their subjection, but comforting them with gentle words and hopeful promises, as hath been shewed before. The two new consuls, Marcellus and Lævinus, were appointed to make war as their lots should fall out; the one in Italy, the other in Sicily. The isle of Sicily fell unto Marcellus, which province he willingly changed with his colleague; to the end that the Syracusians (whose cause had not as yet been heard in the senate) might not seem hindered by fear from uttering their grievances freely. Afterwards, when his business with them was despatched, he gently undertook the patronage of them; which remained long in his family, to the great benefit of their country in times following. So Valerius, the other consul, was sent into Sicily, whose doings there have been already rehearsed; but Marcellus was employed against Hannibal.

Before the consuls departed out of Rome, they were much troubled with pressing of soldiers to the war; and most of all with getting mariners for their navy. They

were all of the poorer sort that used to be employed in seaservices, especially in rowing. These could not live without present wages, neither was there money enough in the treasury to give them pay: wherefore it was ordained that they should be set out at the expense of private men; who, in this necessity of the state, were driven to sustain all public charges. Hereat the people murmured, and were ready to fall into sedition, had not the consuls deferred the matter unto further consideration. The senate could ill tell what to determine or do in a case of such extremity. For manifest it was, that the multitude had already endured so much as well it could undergo; and somewhat more, than could with honesty have been imposed upon it. Nevertheless it was impossible to maintain the war against the Carthaginians, or to keep the Macedonian out of Italy without a strong fleet. Wherefore some were of opinion, that since the common treasury was so empty, the people must be forced, by right or wrong, to take the burden upon them. At last the consuls began to say, that no persuasions would be so effectual with the people as good examples; and that if the senators would follow the consuls, like it was that the people also would follow the senate. Wherefore they propounded, and it was immediately concluded, that every one of them should bring forth and put into the treasury all the money that he had, and that no senator should keep any vessel of gold, or plate whatsoever, excepting one saltseller, and a bowl, wherewith to make their offerings unto the gods; as also a ring for himself, with such other tokens of ingenuity for his wife and children, as every one did use, and those of as small value as might be. This advice of the consuls was not more thankfully accepted by the senate, than the ready performance thereof by the senate was highly ap plauded, and hastily followed by the gentlemen of Rome. Neither did the commonalty refuse to do that which their betters had openly done before them. For since the public necessity could no otherwise be holpen, every one was contented that his private estate should run the same fortune with the commonwealth, which if it suffered wrack, in vain

could any particular man hope to enjoy the benefit of his proper substance. This magnanimity deserved well that greatness of empire whereof it was the foundation.

Convenient order being thus taken for an army and fleet, Marcellus went forth of the city against Hannibal, and Lævinus towards Sicily. The army of Hannibal was greatly diminished, by long and hard service; neither did his Carthaginians seem to remember him, and think upon sending the promised supply, or any such proportion as he needed. His credit also among his Italian friends was much weakened by the loss of Capua, which gave them cause to look unto themselves, as if in his help there were little trust to be reposed when they should stand in need. This he well perceived, yet could not tell how to remedy: either he must thrust garrisons into all towns that he suspected, and thereby so diminish his army that he should not be able to keep the field; or else he must leave them to their own fidelity, which now began to waver. At length his jealousy grew so outrageous, that he sacked and wasted those places that he was unable to defend; thinking that the best way to enrich himself, and make unprofitable to his enemies the purchase from which he could not hinder them. But, by this example, many were quite alienated from him, and some of those whom before he had least cause to doubt. The town of Salapia yielded unto Marcellus, and betrayed unto him a gallant regiment of Numidian horse, the best of all that served under Hannibal; which was a greater loss than the town itself. Blasius, the author of this rebellion, could not bring his desire to effect, without getting the consent of one Dasius, that was his bitter enemy. Wherefore he brake the matter to this Dasius in private, and was by him accused unto Hannibal. But when he was convented, and charged of treason, he so stoutly denied it, and by way of recrimination so vehemently pressed his accuser with the same fault, that Hannibal thought it a matter devised out of mere malice, knowing well what enemies they were, and seeing that neither of them could bring any proof of what he affirmed. This not