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.

¶ Centenius Penula and Cneius Fuluius with theyr two armies be discomfyted and slayne by Anniball in seuerall battayles. Cap. xxxviii. (Book 38)

IN THIS meane season were the Con∣sulles entred the fieldes of the Campa∣nes, theyr menne ouerspreading the coun∣trey, robbynge, spoylynge and wastynge in dyuers places, whiche beinge perceyued, Mago with his horsemen, by the healpe of the townes men, issued oute sodaynely on theym: and or euer they coulde gather togyther in order of battaile, slewe of them one thousand, and fyue hundred. Which losse caused the consuls more circum∣spectly to worke in all theyr procedynges afterwarde.

¶ Anniball heryng of this prosperous bataile of the Campa∣nes in his absence, drew nere vnto Capua with his army, thin∣kyng that the Romanes shulde be moche lesse able to indure

his power ioyned to the Campanes. Wherfore the third day after his comming, he displayde his baners, and set his com∣pany in order and goodly aray, redy to fight. The Romayns likewise made theym redy, and the horsemen on bothe sydes fought strongly for a season, tyll bothe partes perceiued a strange army comming toward them: wherof nother of them were priuie. The truthe therof was, that C. Cornelius, than bearing the office of Questor at Rome, had taken the legiōs, whyche the yere before were vnder Sempronius, and was commyng to the ayde of the consuls. but his commynge vn∣knowen made as well the consuls affraide, as Anniball: so that as it were by agreement, both partes withdrue to their cam∣pes, the Romans hauing somwhat more losse thā the Cartha ginēses. Than the consuls, wylling to draw Annibal away frō Capua deuised the night folowing to depart awaye. Fuluius with his host, went to distroy the fieldes of the Cumans. Ap¦pius with his host went to the Lucanes. Anniball in the mor∣ning, hauing knowlege of their sundry departing diuers wais, was a whiles in dout, whether of them he might folow: t the last he determined to folowe Appius, wherin he was moche deceiued. For he, leadinge hym a great compasse aboute the countreys, at his pleasure, retourned againe an other way to Capua. Than fortune a whyle smylyng on Anniball, sent hym suche chances, that he was a season stayed in those parties. One was the folishe hardy enterprise of one Centenius Pe∣nula, a gentylman of goodly stature of body, and of noble cou∣rage of mynde, correspondent to the same.

¶ This Centenius, being broughte into the senate house by P. Cornelius Sulla, desyred of the senatours, that he might haue deliuered him only .v. M. souldiours, with whose helpe he doubted not, but that with the knowlege that he had, both of the countreys and also of the crafty feates of his ennemy, he wold with the same subtiltie and policies deceiue Anniball, by whiche he before had deceiued the Romaynes. This his vnwise promise vnto them, was as vnwisely beleued of them. And where he demaunded but .v. M. they gaue him .viii. M. men: and he in the countreys as he went gathered togyther almoste as many mo, of suche as willyngly went with him, ha∣uing hope in his courage and promise. With this noumbre of men he came into the fieldes of the Lucanes, where Anniball

had rested hym and his company, wery of the chase of Appi∣us Claudius. Whan either of them sawe others army, they incontinēt put their folke in aray. The matche was not equall nother of capitaines nor of souldiours: neuerthelesse the ba∣taile indured more than two howres. Centenius perceiuinge his part to suffre the worse, and fearing, leste if he shulde lyue after his men were slayne, he shulde suffer great shame and in∣famy during his lyfe, for the losse of suche a numbre of men by his folishe enterprise: at the last willingly he entred the thic∣kest prease of his enemies, where he was shortly slayne, and than his men fledde on all partes, but they were so harde cha∣sed with horsemen, that of that great company, there esca∣ped scant one thousand.

¶ One other happy chāce fortune sent to Annibal, as it were for a farewel or leue takyng of him, before she thought to de∣part to the Romans: the occasion therof was, that one Cnei{us} Fuluius, bearing the office of pretor, lay than in Apulia with his host, besiegyng suche townes as before were come to the amitie of the Carthaginensis. And in his busynes he had soo well sped, and was become so welthy and riche, bothe he and his men, with prayes whiche they had taken, that leauyng all good order of warre, or the peynfull pursuite thereof, they were growen into slouthe and sluggysshe ydelnes. Of theyr vndiscrete order the Appulians sente woorde to Anniball by messangers. And he knowing by experience what wolde fo∣lowe the gouernance of an army by an vnwise capitane, wher∣of of late he had the triall by Centenius, with spede he remo∣ued into the costis of Apulia. Whan the Romains had know∣lege, that their enemies approched, and were ouen at hande: they were all mynded to haue displayde their baners,. and to haue runne to batail without the cōmandement of their capi∣tain. The night folowing, Annibal perceiuing their great hast to battaile, cōmanded .iii. M. of his light men of warre, to lye priuily hyd in woodes bushes & couertes, next adioyning, gy∣uing them a signe or token, at what tyme they shulde issue out, and assaile their enmies. Than caused he Mago, with .ii. M. horsemen, to lye priuily in the wayes, by which he demed the Romans wolde flee after theyr discomfiture. These thynges in the nyght tyme being wysely disposed, yarly in the morning he came with his host into the fieldes, putting the rest of his

men in goodly aray.

¶ On the other side Fuluius the pretor made no tarying, be∣ing moche inforced therto by the hasty wilfulnes of his soul∣diours: Wherfore with suche aduysement as they came into the fielde, with suche lyke aduysement were the batayles or∣dred. For euery man went to what place him semed best, and chose his cōpany with whom he wold be: and somtyme chan∣ged his place again at his pleasure. The forward and the left wing were fyrst ordered, and that all in length, and of a small thyknesse. The Tribunes cried to them, to set more strength of men in the myddell of their battailes, or els their enemies myght easyly go through them with small force at theyr plea∣sure. But they were so wylfull and hasty, that they gaue noo eare to theyr wordes. By that tyme were the Carthaginen∣ses come in good order redy to ioyne: at whose fyrst cominge with great noise & bruite, the Romains were put to the wors: whervpon the capitayn, seing all lyke to go to mischiefe, toke his hors, and with two hundred horsemen with him, fled. The reste, that abode, were almooste all slayne. for of .xviii. M. of the company, there escaped not past .ii. M. alyue. The tentes and stuffe was also taken by the Carthaginenses, whiche was a good pray. The tydinges of these great sodayn losses were brought to Rome, whiche caused the citie to be in great feare and mournyng. Neuerthelesse by cause bothe the Consulles, with their armies were safe, and did somwhat prosper in their affayres, they toke the more comforte to theym. And incon∣tynent sent messangers to the Consuls, wylling them to serch for all such as were escaped at these two battailes, & that they shuld be gathered togither, and called vnto them: lest either for feare or for dispaire, they wold yeld them to their enmies, whiche thyng with all diligence they dyd execute.