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.

¶ Anniball craftily sendeth lettters to Salapia, sealed with Marcellus sygnet. Asdruball passeth the mountayns with his army, to mete his brother Anniball. Cap. lii. (Book 52)

ANNIBALL knowynge that greatte feare woulde be in the Romayne hooste, by the deathe of the one Consulle, and also by the woundynge of the other: to putte theym to further feare, he incontynent remoued his hooste into the same hylle, where the battayle hadde beene before, where he pytched his Campe. There founde he the bodye of

Marcellus, whiche he caused to be buryed. Crispinus beinge sore feared with the deathe of his fellowe, and also with his owne woundes: in the nyght folowynge remoued secretelye his armye into the highest and nexte hyll, that he for his suer∣tie coulde fynde, there pitchinge his campe and tentes. Both the capitaines endeuoured them selues, to the vttermost, the one to deceyue, and the other to eschewe deceite.

¶ Anniball, with the bodye of Marcellus, founde alsoo his ringe, with his sygnet: wherby he trusted to worke deceyt∣full conclusions. Crispinus mystrustinge also the same, sente with spede worde to all the cities of the Romaynes, nere ad∣ioyninge, warnynge theim, that his felowe Marcellus was slayne, and that Anniball had gotten his signet. Wherfore he commanded theim, in no wyse to gyue credence to any letters that shulde be sente vnto them, sealed with the seale of Mar∣cellus, or made in his name. Soone after a messanger came to Salapia from Anniball, with letters written and sealed in the name of Marcellus: shewynge vnto them, that the nyght fo∣lowynge Marcellus wolde priuely come thyther. Wherfore he commaunded the capitaynes and garrison to be redy at his commynge, to knowe his further pleasure, what was to be done. The Salapiens fyndynge crafte in the wrytynge, sente backe the messangers to Anniball with gentyll answere. And they the nyghte prefyxed, sette sure watche and warde on the walles, specially on that parte of the towne, and at that gate, where they demed theyr ennemyes wolde come. A lyttell be∣fore the daye came Anniball, with a great company with hym. The first company that cam to the yates, was of Romans, that wer departed from the cuntrey, & taken in wages by Anniball. They had all Romayne armour, and when they came to the gate, they spake laten, as dydde the Romaynes, wakynge the watchemen, and byddynge them to open the gate to the con∣sull. The watche arose, and with great leuers lyft vp the port colyes soo hyghe, that men myghte entre vnder it. Then the sayde bande of Romaynes runawayes, entered so fast as they myght. But when they were entred, to the numbre of .vi. C. of them, the rope, whiche dyd holde vp the portcolyes, was let slyp, and fell downe with great noyse makynge. The Sala∣piens, with smalle resystence, slewe them that were entred the towne. For that they, mystrustinge no suche thyng, bare their

harneys hanginge on theyr shulders, thynkyng to haue entred with peace. Many of the towne with speares and dartes, cha∣sed theyr ennemyes from the gate and walles.

¶ Thus Anniball, beinge taken in his owne trappe, was de∣ceyued: and from thense departed, to rayse the syege of his friendes the Locrenūs, whom Cincius, with his souldiours and ordynaunce, that came from Sicilia, kept very harde and strayghte.

¶ Mago was in the citie, who herynge of the death of Mar∣cellus, toke some comforte vnto hym. But when he harde ty∣dynges, that Anniball had sente his Numidian horsemen be∣fore him, and was coming hym selfe after with his fotemen, as spedely as he myght, he was then withoute feare. Wherfore when he espyed afarre of the Numidians approchyng, he cau∣sed the gate to be opened, and in arraye with his folke issued out vpon the Romaynes. His sodeyne comyng on them, more then his strengthe, caused the battayle to endure for a season doubtefull. But when the Numidians were also come, the Ro∣maynes were so stryken with feare, that withoute ordre they ranne towarde theyr shyppes, leauynge behynde theym all theyr ordynaunce, wherwith they had beaten the walles. And by this meane was the syege of the Locrensis raysed.

¶ Crispinus the consull sente letters to Rome, bothe of his felowes deathe, and also of his sore hurtes: which letted him so, that he could not come to Rome to the chosyng of the con¦suls. The senatours were very pensyfe, to se two consuls ar∣mies destitute of capitaynes. Wherfore at the day of the ele∣ction, they loked about, to fynd two wisd and circumspect per∣sons for that offyce, who had ben acqueynted with the deceites of Anniball. Fyrste they aboue other lyked C. Claudius Ne∣ro, whom they knewe to be a valyaunt man, and a good capy∣tayne. But they estemed hym to be to quicke for that tyme of the warres, and to matche that soobre capytayne Anniball.

Wherfore they deuysed to match his quickenes, with a sobre felowe of great temperance. Then was there one M. Liui∣us, a man of great sobrenesse, late come agayne into the citie. He had before ben consull about .viii. yeres passed, and in his consulshyppe was condempned by the comons, without fault: and put out of his offyce. Which shame to hym done, he toke so displeasauntly, that leauynge the citie, he wente forthe into

the countrey, to dwell out of the company of men. And .viii. yeres after his condempnation, M. Marcellus, and M. Va∣lerius Leuinus the consulles, brought hym home agayne into the citie: but they founde hym foule and euyll apparellyd, his heare and bearde longe, as a token of his shame receiued. But at this time the censors caused hym to rounde his heare, and puttynge on other cleane garmentes, to come in to the senate house. When he was brought thyther, and the fathers were examyned of theyr opinions of M. Liuius, touchyng the of∣fyce of consull: They agreed all, both senatours and the com∣mons, that it were a mete couple of hym and Claudius Nero. But he alone refused the office, accusyng the citezens of their vnkynde lyghtnesse, sayinge:

¶ I meruayle moche, ye laye nowe the burthen of this office on me, whom ye of late thruste oute of that same offyce, thyn∣kyng me vnworthy therof. If ye accompt me to be a good and an honeste man, why then dyd ye condempne me as an euyll man, and as an offender? And syns ye iudged, that I euill go∣uerned the consulshyp, wherin I laste was: why truste ye me nowe agayne with the same roume?

¶ With such wordes he accused the fathers and also the com¦mons. But the senatours rebuked hym for his wordes, shew∣inge him the example of M. Furius Camillus, which though he were banyshed the citie of Rome, yet was he after restored agayne: For (sayd they) lyke as the childe ought to suffer the sharpe punishement of his father: so ought euery man to suffer the punishement of his countrey, with pacience and gentilnes.

¶ With these wordes they appeased hym, and caused hym to take on hym the sayde office.

¶ The one consull was appoynted to kepe the warre againste Anniball in Italy, leste he shulde drawe nere to Asdruball, co∣minge from the mountaynes to his succour: The other was assygned to mete Asdruball, the fame of whome was, that he beganne to approche the mountaynes, to thintent to come o∣uer, to ioyne his power with his brother Anniball. The opy∣nion of Anniball dyd also mo••he helpe the Romaynes in this purpose. For althoughe he knewe, that his brother woulde that sommer passe the mountaynes, to come ouer to hym: yet whan he remembred the manyfold lettes that he had him selfe, as in passynge the ryuer of Rhodanus, and then the dangerus

mountaynes, stryuinge bothe with men and peryllous places, wherin he had spent fyue monethes, he loked not for so spedye and quicke coming of his brother. whiche caused hym to be so long, er euer he remoued frō the place, where he wintred with his army. But in this he was moche deceiued. For Asdruball had better spede in his passage, then he loked for him selfe. For the frenchemen, and also the mountaynoys, dyd not onely re∣ceiue him, and suffered hym with his army to passe their coun∣treys: but also they folowed him to the warres, leadinge him many sure wayes, whiche to Anniball his brother, were then vnable to be passed. Agayne, the wayes ouer the mountaynes, by the continuall vse of goinge ouer them, were made moche more easy then they were, and the people more gentyll to in∣treate. For before Annibals comynge, they were not vsed to the company of straungers, neyther had sene any before in the countrey. wherfore they were wylde and sauage people. They thoughte also at the fyrste tyme, that the Carthaginenses had come to take theyr castelles and cattell from them. But nowe the fame of the warre holden in Italy, betwene the Romaynes and the Carthaginenses, taught them, and made them to know, that the hole contention betwen those noble head cities of the worlde, beinge so farre distant a sundre, was onely for the ho∣nour and for riches: so that they wolde trye, whether of them shulde possede the dominion of the hole.

¶ These causes knowen, made the mountaynes open and easy for Asdruball to passe: but his speede was not so good in pas∣synge the same, as his let was great in the besieginge of Pla∣centia. Whan he was come ouer, he had thought the citie, be∣inge in a faire plaine countrey, had ben easy to wynne: and by the fame of the wynnynge therof, he thoughte all other cities adioyninge, shulde haue trembled for feare. But the strength therof moche deceyued him, and that knewe Anniball full wel. For when he came ouer the riuer of Trebia, he in vayne had assayed the strength therof. So that Asdrubals assieginge of Placentia was not onely a lette of his owne iourneye: but al∣so it stayed Anniball moche longer: after he harde therof, ere euer he sette forthe of the place, where he wyntered with his hoste.

¶ The consulles with theyr armyes went to their prouinces, M. Liuius towardes Placentia, whome ere he departed,

Q. Fabius warned and exhorted, that he shulde not ouer ha∣styly fyght with his ennemies, before he knewe the maners and conditions of theim. To whom Liuius, remaynynge yet in dyspleasure towarde his citezens for his banyshement, an∣swered: that he wolde fyght with theim so soone as he might haue fyght of them. Whan the cause was demaunded of hym, why he wolde make therm suche haste: Truely (sayd he) ey∣ther I wyll quyckely haue great honour, by subduinge myne ennemyes, or els greatte ioye, by the sleynge of myne owne vnkynde cytezens. Whyche ioye althoughe it be to me not honeste: yet shall it be accordyng to theyr deseruynges.

¶ Quintus Claudius Nero made haste, tyll he approched nere vnto Anniball: who as than was gone into the countrey of the Lucanes, and lay by the towne of Grument. Claudius hadde in his army forty thousande fotemen, and two thousand and fyue hundred horsemen: Anniball gatherynge togyther as moche power as he coulde amonge the Brutians, and from suche fortresses as he than helde: lay inc••mped nigh vnto the walles of Grument: and within halfe a myle of them was the campe of the Romaynes. Betwene bothe the campes there was a goodly playne valey, hauynge on the oone syde fayre playne hylles, without any wooddes or couerte, for to hyde any embusshement, or cause deceyte. Wherfore it was the lesse suspecte to bothe parties. These hylles laye adioynyng to the lefte syde of the Carthaginenses, and to the ryghte syde of the Romaynes. In the playne medowe were ma∣ny lyght eskyrmysshes made betweene the hostes, and ma∣ny excursyons the Romayne consull caused to be made one∣ly to kepe his ennemyes there frome goynge towarde As∣druball.

¶ On the other syde Anniball, desyrous to remoue out of that place with all his power intended to gyue hym battaile. Wherfore he putte his whole hoste in array. Claudius Ne∣ro, perceyuynge his intent, caused secretely the nyght folo∣wynge, Titus Assellus, and P. Claudius two tribunes, with a good noumbre of men with theim, to passe ouer the sayde hylle, adioynynge, and to abyde in the valeye behynde the hylles, appoyntynge theim a tyme, whan they shoulde de∣scende from the mountayne on the backe of theyr ennemies. He hym selfe in the breake of the daye, with the reste of his

footemen and horsemen, came into the fielde in good araye. Anniball lykewyse commaunded his men to arme theim, and greate noyse was made in the campe, euery man runnynge to harneys. And whan they were armed, they ranne oute of the campe yates, bothe horsemen and footemen, without ar∣ray before Anniball had knowledge therof. And as soone as they were out of the Campe in the playne, they ranne to their ennemyes, fyghtynge bothe on horsebacke and on foote, as chaunce gaue theym to meete with theyr ennemies, kepynge none order.

¶ Whan the Consull sawe theym thus rounnynge abrode in the fyelde without order, he commaunded C. Arunculeus, with the horsemen of a legyon, to inuade the Carthaginenses, with as moche vyolence as he myght: wherby he myght slea theym, beinge without order lyke beastes, before they coulde be brought in array. Whyche he dydde dilygentely execute, makynge greate slaughter. The battayle was strong for a sea∣son, by reason of contynuall resorte of freshe souldiours, run∣nyng to the succours of theyr felowes.

¶ Anniball, being yet in his campe, hearyng the noyse of his men fyghtyng, came furthe with the reste of his power, and so dilygently applyed him selfe: that euen as his menne were fyghtynge, he put many of theym in araye. Whiche thynge hath not bene lyghtly seene, and therein he shewed hym selfe to be an experte capytayne, hauyng olde and well acquaynted warryours vnder hym. And thus had he brought his wholle hoste in order, as they were styll fyghtyng: had not C. Assel∣lus, with his bandes of Romaynes, sodainely descended from the hylles, at the backe of the Carthaginenses, with greate clamour: By the meanes wherof, they beyng aferde lest they shuld be stopped from their campe, began to flee on all partes. The horsemen slewe many of them in the chase: and many mo had been slayne, had not the campe been so nere at hande. yet lost Anniball of his men at that battayle .viii. M. which were slayne, and vii. C. taken aliue. The next day, and diuers days after, the Romains in array kept the fielde, desyrous to fight, but the Carthaginenses abode styll in theyr tentes.

¶ Soone after in the nyght, Anniball, with his army, remo∣ued towardes Apulia, makinge great fyres before the campe, towardes the Romaynes, and leauynge in the entree of his

campe, certayne Numydian horsemen for a shewe, tyl he with his hooste myght be farre gone frome his ennemyes. Whan it was day lyght, the sayd Numidians shewed theim selues in the gate of the campe for a season, purposely to deceyue the Romaines: and whan they sawe theyr tyme, they spedily rode after theyr companie.

¶ Than the consull, hearynge noo noyse in the tentes of his ennemyes, sent two light horsmen to viewe theyr campe, who fyndynge it voyde of theyr ennemies, retourned to Claudius, certifiynge hym of theyr departyng. Whervpon he with his hoste wente thyther, and toke the spoyle of suche baggage as was there leste: and on the morowe early folowed the Car∣thaginenses, by the fame that they hearde of their waie, by whiche they were gone. Anniball, no more willynge to fyght, toke his waie euer in the nyght, and ouer the mountaynes, tyl he came to Metapontus: where he toke of Hanno, the sou∣diours, whyche were there lefte, and ioyned theim to his armye, sendynge hym with a smalle numbre with hym, into the countrey of the Brutians, there to assemble moo men of warre to his succour.