The historie of tvvo the moste noble capitaines of the worlde, Anniball and Scipio of theyr dyuers battailes and victories, excedyng profitable to reade, gathered and translated into Englishe, out of Titus Liuius, and other authoures, by Antonye Cope esquier.

¶ Howe Anniball passed the riuer of Rhodanus, put the French∣men to flight, refused to fyght with the consul of Rome, and with what wordes he couraged his souldi∣ours to passe the mountaynes. Cap. viii. (Book 8)

THus Annibal either with feare or with mo∣ney wynnynge the countreys as he wente, brought his hoste to a fielde of the Volca∣nes, a stronge kynde of people, which inha∣byted on both sydes the water of Rhoda∣nus, who doubtyng the power of the Car∣thaginenses, and mystrustynge theyr owne strengthe, conueyed all that they hadde ouer the ryuer, and formoste kept the parte therof, that the ryuer shulde be as a munyment or defence to them: The residue of the inhabitan∣tes, that remained there (bycause they were gladde to rydde the countrey of suche a huge numbre of men of warre) were suche

contented to be reteyned by Anniball for rewardes to make botes nd shyppes, to passe ouer the ryuer: so that in shorte space they hadde gotten and newe made a greatte nauye of shyppes, and of small cockebotes. The frenchemen beganne to fasshion botes, hewynge trees and makynge theym ho∣lowe, after the ryghte fasshion: And than the souldyours theym selues, bothe for the plentye of tymber and also the easynes of the crafte, euery man hewed his tree, and made a bote to carye hym selfe and his stuffe ouer. Whanne all thynge was made redye to passe ouer, the great companye of ennemies on horsebacke and o•• foote, that were on the o∣ther syde, abasshed theym sore. Whiche to driue awaye, An∣niball sent Hanno Bomilcars sonne with a stronge companye namely of Spaniardes, in the begynnyng of the nyght, com∣maundyng them to kepe vp the riuers syde a dayes iourney, and as sone as be coulde to conuey his company ouer priuily, that they might be redy whā tyme required, to set vpon their ennemies behynde. Certayn frenchemen were appoynted to guyde and conuey them vp alonge the ryuer syde: Who con∣ducted them the space of .xxv. myles vp the streame to ••••••∣tell Ile, where they felled trees, and spedyly made bote••, in the whyche they myght conuey theym selues, theyr horses, and theyr necessary stuffe ouer. The Spanyardes throwyng theyr clothes vpon botels, and sittynge on their sheldes fast∣ned aboue theron, passed the ryuer, the rest of the hoste, ioy∣nyng botes togyther, passed ouer, and pitched their tentes on the other syde of the riuer, where after their nyghtes ior∣ney, and wery days labour, they rested all that day and nighte to refreshe them. The nexte day they remoued from thens, and with bournyng made a smoke, to signifye that they were passed the ryuer, and they were not farre of. Which thynge whan Anniball perceyued, lest he shulde lose the tyme, gaue a ••ygne to his hoste to passe ouer. The footemen with theyr baggage passed ouer in botes: the horsemen shypped suche horses, as at theyr landyng they must nedes occupy, the rest of the horses they tyed to smalle botes, and caused them to swymme ouer. And to asswage the rage of the water, as well for the ease of the small botes, as of the horses that swamme, they sette the great shyppes and botes betwene the streame and them. The frenchemen seinge this, ranne to the bankes

with great shoutyng and synging ••••ter 〈…〉〈…〉, knocking their sheldes ouer theyrheades, 〈…〉〈…〉 theyr weapons in theyr ryghthandes: not withstandynge it was a terrible bashement vnto them, to beholde suche a multitude of shyp∣pes, to here the huge noyse and rushe of the water: the dy∣uers cries and clamours of the mariners and souldiours, that indeuoured them to ouercome the rage of the water: the ex∣hortations that they that were landed gaue to the other.

Thus being in great feare of the tu••••ltuous rufflyng before them, behynd them arose a more 〈◊〉〈◊〉 clamour, that Han∣no had taken theyr campe, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 on them at theyr backes: they fledde euery man what way he might soonest get. Whan Anniball had co••••eyed the rest of his hoste ouer, nothing re∣gardyng the Frenchemen, pitched his tentes. The Romains had sente P. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Scipio with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 armye to ••ere with Anniball, and was a lytell before arriued at Massilia, and had pytched his tentes on the syde of the ryuer of Rhodanus. Whan Annibell knewe therof, he sent .v. C. Numidian hors men, to viewe the Romayns campe, theyr order, and also the ••••••ber of them, who beinge espied were encountred with∣all ••••y .iii. C. Romayns, whiche after great ••••aughter on both sydes opteyned the vyctorye, and perforce put the Numidi∣ans to flyght. Publius Cornelius Scipio, beinge consull and capitayn of the Romaine army, loked for none other thynge but that Anniball shulde gyne hym battayle. And like it was, that he wold so haue done, had not the legates of the Boios, and the ruler of Fraunce (whyche offered them selfes as cō∣panyons in the iourney) tourned his mynde: aduisynge hym in nothynge to mynysshe his power tyll he were come into Italy. Whan Anniball was fyrmely fyxed to goo forthe, he beganne to exhorte and encourage his souldyours, whyche were almost dyscouraged with feare of the doubtfull passage ouer the hygh mountaynes, whyche they shulde passe, she∣wyng vnto them, that before they came out of Spayne, they hadde brought all those people and realmes whiche were in∣closed with two seuerall seas, to be vnder the domynyon of Carthage: And that it were shame for them to departe, seing they had alredy passed the ieoperdous passage ouer the ry∣uer of Rhodanus, and also ouercome so many Frenchemen, that prohybyted them that peryllous passage. Moreouer he

sayde, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hyghmountaynes were in theyr syght, which on the one parte ioyned to Italy. He sh••wed them also, that the sayd mountayne were not so dangerous, as they supposed them to be. For they were but hygh hylles, and that men and beastes dyd inhabyte vpon them, whych hylles whyles they did not touche the skye, myght be ouercome by mans labour. Also seinge that trauaylers paste ouer with theyr stuffe wy∣ues and chyldren, moche more souldyours, hauyng but their armour and weapons, myght go ouer theym: ye may (sayde he) well perceyue, that such as in tymes past went ouer these hylles, had not wynges to ••••ee ouer them, wherfore eyther ye muste gyue place bothe in hardynesse and vertue to the Frenchemen, beinge so oftentymes ouercome of vs, whiche by theyr strength and manhode conquered these mountaynes in olde tyme, orels let vs truste, that the ende of our iourney shall be the great fielde lyenge betwene the ryuer of Tiber, and the walles of Rome.

¶ Whan he had with these exhortations incouraged them, the next day he remoued from Rhodanus, and toke his waye through the myddell of France, not bicause that was his next way, but for that he wolde not mete the Romanes before he came into Italy. Wherfore he wente the further frome the sea, and brought his hoste into a lyttell Ile. The inhabitaun∣tes wherof were called Allobroges, a kynde of people, that in honour and rychesse myghte not lyghtely be matched in Fraunce. Amonge them was great discorde, by reason of two bretherne that stroue for the lande. Whan Anniball was en∣tred the sayd lande, the determination of the contention was committed wholy to hym: who in shorte space sette and esta∣blyshed the elder in possession of the inheritaunce. Whyche done, the sayde lande ayded hym with men, vitayles, clothes, to defende them from the colde of the mountaynes, and other necessaries, and so he departed to go to the mountaynes, not holdyng the ryght waye, but helde on the lefte hande stylle without interruption vntyll he came to a floudde called Dru∣entia, this was in all Fraunce the daungeroust ryuer to passe ouer. For not withstandyng that the water was swyfte and of great strength, yet coulde it beare no shyppes, bycause it was inclosed with noo sure bankes: soo that it made nowe here d••ye grounde, nowe there deepe trylle hooles.

Besyde this 〈…〉〈…〉 stones, so that there 〈…〉〈…〉 to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ouer.

¶ After 〈…〉〈…〉 from the riuer of 〈…〉〈…〉 within .iii. dayes came to the campe where 〈…〉〈…〉 they were gone, and that he coulde not easily 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them, he went to his shyppes, thinkyng to mete them ••s they descended from the mountaynes into Italy, and so the better to medle with them there. And bycause Spayne fhulde not be left without defence, he sente thyther 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Scipio his brother with a great part of his hoste, agaynst 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to the intent not onely to helpe his frendes and get 〈◊〉〈◊〉, but also to daine Has∣druball out therof, if hemyght: he hym selfe with a small ar∣my went to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and with the hoste, that lay about the ry∣uer of Padus, he intended to ••••pe Italy.