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.

¶ L. Martius is chosen capitaine of the Romaine army, he ma∣keth an oration to his souldiours, and in one nyghte and a day vanquisheth .ii. hostes of Carthaginenses, winneth their campes, and a greate praye. Capit. xlii. (Book 42)

IN all this peryll and ieoperdous estate, one man was founde in the army, by whose witte courage and fortune the honour and welthe of the Romaynes was saued and restored. And that was Lucius Martius, the sonne of Septinius, a freshe yonge man and an ac∣tiue. This Martius hadde longe ben in the warres vnder C. Scipio, and of hym had learned moche ex∣perience and policy in the gouernance of an army. And nowe, seing all thinges almoste desperate, he gathered togither such souldiours, as by fleing were escaped from the last bataile, and also assembled a good numbre of men of warre out of dyuers townes and fortresses, whiche were vnder the obedience of Rome. With all these he came to the tentes of T. Fonteius, ioynyng all the Romaines power togither, and in short space his name and honour was so exalted, that by the whole con∣sent of the souldyours of the army, he was chosen to be their capitayne and guyde. Whervpon he incontinent applied him¦selfe

busyly to make sure theyr campe, and also to make good prouisyon for vitayles of all sortes. To whose pleasure and commaundement all the men of the hoste gladly obeyed: Ne∣uerthelesse, whan they hearde, that Hasdruball the sonne of Gysgon, was at hande with his army, myndynge to dystroye vtterly all the Romaynes that were lefte: and also whan they sawe theyr newe capitayne, makynge redy his people, and a∣uauncyng his standerdes: they than remembryng theyr olde noble capytaines, and the great power, wherwith they were wont to go to all batayles, coulde not forbeare to wepe and lament theyr myshappe, in suche wyse, that nother theyr pe∣ty capitaynes, nor yet Martius hym selfe, myght appease them: yet dyd they sometime rebuke theyr feminine and vn∣profitable wepinges, sometyme styrre them to defende them selues and their countrey, and also to reuenge the deathe of theyr olde noble capitaynes of late slayne. Whyle they thus were spendyng the tyme vnprofytably, theyr ennemies were at hande, and redye to assaile them, and to enter into their campes, but than the Romaines, tournyng their teares to a furious rage, in haste toke their armure and weapons, and not only defended the entries of their campe, but also issued out fiersely, and ranne on their ennemies, whiche kepte no very good aray, so littell they mystrusted any such resistence. This sodayne issuing out of them caused the Carthaginenses to be striken with a feare, and also to meruaile, howe the Romaine hoste was so shortly encreased, whiche so late was almooste wholly slayn and put to vtterance. They mused also of their sodayne courage and hardynesse, and what newe capytaine they myght haue to truste on, the two Scipios beinge slaine. In that feare and dout they beganne somwhat to giue backe, and than the Romaines folowed vppon them, soo that they were constrayned to flee, and in that flyght many of them hadde bene slayne, or elles the folowers hadde bene putte to greatte hurte and dyspleasure, by theyr faste pursuite, hadde not Martius hym selfe sounde the retreate, and halfe agaynste theyr wylles stayed theym frome the chase, and broughte theym backe to theyr tentes, beynge styll hotte, fyerse, and desyrous, by slaughter to reuenge theym on their enenmies. The Carthaginenses fledde faste for a season: but at the laste, seynge noo manne to folowe them, thought

that they for feare durste noo longer pursue theym. Wher∣efore they made noo more suche haste, but wente softely to theyr campe, and whanne they were come thither, they al∣so regarded not greatly the good watche and kepynge ther∣of, but lefte all thinges negligently and vnsurely, nothynge mystrusting their ennemies that were at hande, for that they demed them to be but the remenaunt and leauynges of two hostes lately beaten, nowe beynge gathered togyther again. This neglygence of the Carthaginenses was knowen to Martius by espies. Wherefore he (at the fyrste apparance) semed rather rasshely than boldly to enterpryse the night fo∣lowinge to inuade theym in theyr tentes and fielde, thinking it more easye for him to wynne the campe of Hasdruball a∣lone, beinge sodainly taken and vnprouided, than he shoulde be able to defende his owne campe and fielde, if he taried tyll the .iii. capitaines of the Carthaginenses, and theyr ar∣inies, were ioyned togither agayne, Neuerthelesse before he wold sodainly and in the night time enterprise so high a feate, he thought fyrst to make his companye priuie therof, and also to make vnto them an oration, whiche he began in this wise.

¶ The greatte loue that I haue euer borne vnto oure good capytaynes (louynge souldiours) as welle whan they were onlyue, as also nowe they are deade, and our presente for∣tune at this tyme is sufficient to perswade any man, that this greatte authoritie and rule, which of your goodnes, ye haue gyuen me, is both weighty and full of care and troubles. For although my mynde be sore troubled and disquieted, that it can almoste at no tyme fynde any comfort or consolation, but onely whan feare dryueth away the sorowes thereof: yet in my dolour, I onely am constrayned to comforte and relieue you all of your sorowes. Neyther whan I am deuysynge, by what meanes I may saue and preserue the leauynges of the two Romaines hostes, for the wealthe of the countrey, can I at any tyme be quitte and ridde of my sorowes. For euen thanne the two Scipios bothe by daye and by nyghte, doo vexe and trouble me: sommetyme in dreames they appeere vnto me, and many tymes they awake me out of my slepes, cōmanding me, not to leaue them, nor yet their noble souldi∣ours your cōpanions, nor the cōmon welth vnreuenged. And for that intent, they will me to folow the rules and discipline,

that they haue taught me: And as (whiles they were lyuing) there was no man more obedient to their commandement thā I was: so lykewyse, now they ar departed, I shall always be as glad to do that thyng, which I do suppose they wold haue done, yf they werehere with vs lyuing. And I wold ye shuld not thynke it best (worthy warriours) to mourne and weepe for theym, as though they were cleane deade, sens they lyue perpetually through the noble fame of their honorable actes: but whan so euer ye shall, going to battayle, remembre any of them, I wolde haue you so vahantly fight, as though ye sawe them setting furthe before you with baners displayde, and ex∣hortyng you to wyn honour. Such an imagination caused you yesterday so manfully to vanquysshe and put to flyght youre enemies. Wherfore I am moche desyrous to proue, whether you, that were so hardy for your owne pleasure, dare now vn∣dertake as moche at the desyre and exhortation of me youre capitayne. For yesterday, whan I called you backe from the chase of your enmies, I dyd it not to plucke downe your sto∣makes, or to quench your noble courage: but only to deferre the same to your more and greatter honour, and also better o∣portunitie: to the intente that you beinge prepared therfore, may assayle theym vnpurueyde for the same, that you armed, may take them vnarmed and a slepe. Our enemies thinke no∣thyng lesse, than to beinuaded of vs in their campe, whome they accompt as people besieged within our owne campe, let vs nowe therfore enterpryse that, whiche no man will thinke, that we dare enterpryse. And that shall be founde moste easy, that semed moste harde to be compassed: I my selfe wyll be your guide in the dead of the night, and leade you so secretly, and with suche silence, that we wyll be within theyr campe, er they shalbe ware of our comming. I am ascertained, that they kepe no watche nor order. Their campe shall we wyn at the fyrst brunt.: And than let me see you make the slaughter a∣monge them, that you intended yesterday to haue made, whā against your wylles I called you back frō the pursuit of thē: wherwith ye were than very angry. This enterprise I know to be very great and hardy: but in suche necessitie suche coū∣sels are best. For whan occasion is offred, and oportunitie ser∣ueth, it muste be taken: or els it wyll flee away without reco∣uerie. One of theyr armies is here at hande, and two other

are not farre hense. Nowe yf we assayle this one hoste, there may we fynde oportunitie and haue some equall matche. Ye haue alredy yesterday assayed bothe your owne strength and theyrs: but in case we delay it, beinge contented with yester∣days honour, it is ieoperdy, lest all the capitayns, with their powers come togither: and than howe shall we be able to su∣stein the power of thre armies with their gouernours, whom Cn. Scipio, with his army was not able to withstand? as by diuyding their hostes our two noble capitaynes were slayne: lykewyse our enemies beinge diuided & seuered, may by vs be oppressed. Other way is there none for vs to take nowe: but only to loke for the oportunitie of this next night. Wherfore in the name of the goddis go ye now to your restes, and che∣rishe your bodies, that whan I call on you, you being strong and lusty, maye enter into the campe of your ennemies, with the same hertes and courage, that of late ye defended your owne Campe.

¶ This newe counsaile of the newe capitayn was wel heard, and so moche the more ioyfully receiued, by howe moche the acte semed to be more bolde and hardy. Wherfore they pre∣pared all thynges in a redynesse for the departure, and rested them selues the rest of the day, and a good part of the night. Than Martius caused them to be called vp, and sette theym secretely on the way forwarde, aboute thre of the clocke af∣ter mydnyght. Than was there an other armye of the Car∣thaginenses seuen myles beyonde the campe of Hasdruball, the sonne of Gysgon, and in the myddes of that waye there was a holowe valeye, and therin a lyttell woode. Into this woode had Martius sent an embushement of Romaine horse∣men, to receyue suche as fledde frome the fyrste campe, and wolde escape to the other. And whan he demed the said em∣bushement to be come thither, he with the rest of his compa∣ny, went to the next campe, where fynding no watche nor re∣sistence, they entred the tentes as easily as they might haue done into theyr owne. Than sodainly they blew vp their trum pettes, and made great clamour and noyse: some slewe their ennemies slepyng, some set the tentes on fyre, many kept the entre or gates of the campe, that none shulde issue out. Thus with sodayne noyse, fyre, and slaughter, the other were so a∣mased, that they wyst not what to do. They that fledde to the

gates were there receiued of armed men and slaine, whan they perceiued the gates so hepte, many to saue their liues lep to∣uer the dyches or closures of the campe, thynking to flee to the next campe of the Carthaginenses, and they were also re∣ceiued of the Romayn embushement and slayne, so that none escaped. And if any had escaped, they could not haue brought word of the newes to the other campe, before the Romaines came theym selues: suche spede they made to go to the secōd campe, after they had so slaine and oppressed them of the first fielde. Thus in the breake of the day, they came to the second campe, where they found all thinges more vnready, then in the fyrste: some were gone forthe for woode, some on for ra∣gynge, some for vytailes, many walked vp and downe before the gate of the campe vnarmed, many were layed downe to take theyr reste: the Romaynes, beynge yet fyers of theyr late victory, slewe fyrste suche as made resystence at the entre of the campe, and after they entred and made great slaugh∣ter. With this great noyse, many arose and armed them, and came to the defence of their fyelde, and thereby the battayle for a season was cruel and stronge: but as sone as they per∣ceyued the freshe blodde on the Romayns shyeldes, whyche was a sygne of the deathe of their companye, they were stry∣ken with suche feare, that they fledde as many as myght sun∣dry wayes, so that nyght and morninge Martius vanquyshed ii. of the hostes of the Carthaginenses, and flewe .xxxvii. M. men, and .i. M. and .viii. C. were taken. He wanne also their tentes, wherein was a ryche praye. Amonge other thynges there he founde a helmette of syluer, waying .C. xxxviii. vn∣ces, and therevppon was grauen the Image of Hasdruball, the sonne of Amylcar: whiche helmet was sent to the senate of Rome, and kepte long after in the Capitolie, for an hono∣rable monumēt or remembrance of the victory of Martius. And after his tyme it was called Martius helmet, vnto the tyme of the burning of the Capitolye. After these great har∣mes and losses, bothe gyuen and taken on bothe partes, they ceassed warryng for a whyle in Spayne, neyther party beyng hastye to put al in ieopardye, tylle they were sure of more so∣cours.