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Cannae, mercenaries were on the point of deserting, and he 

 himself entertained the project of escaping into Gaul 

 with his cavalry alone. But his affairs were destined 

 soon to be retrieved by the foolish impatience ot the 

 Roman populace. A few successful encounters, ha- 

 varded contrary to the injunctions of Fabius, raised 

 the spirits of the giddy rabble to such a pitch of 

 frenzy, that they now began to impeach the courage 

 and even integrity of Fabius, to demand a new sys- 

 tem of war, and to look out for generals of a more 

 enterprising description. Even the senate became 

 infected with these sentiments; and though they made 

 some opposition to the election of Varro, a headstrong 

 fiery character, and gave him for his colleague Paulus 

 JEmilius, a man of the same description as Fabius, 

 they undeniably empowered these two consuls to 

 seek the enemy, and bring the war to the issue of a 

 general engagement. The preparations made for this 

 event were such as Rome had never before witnessed. 

 Each of the four veteran legions already in the field, 

 was recruited to the strength of 5000 foot, and 300 

 horse. In addition to these, four entirely new legions 

 were organised, consisting of the same number as the 

 former ; and the whole being joined by an equal 

 number of auxiliary foot, and twice the number of 

 horse, a magnificent armament was thus quickly 

 formed of about 88,000 combatants, of whom 7200 

 were cavalry. Hannibal's army was only 50,000 

 strong, composed chiefly of Gauls and Spaniards ; 

 but of these, 10>000 were cavalry in the highest state 

 of discipline. This superiority of the Romans in 

 point of numbers, was more than- counterbalanced by 

 the inexperience of their troops, and by the opposite 

 dispositions and unbecoming quarrels of the two con- 

 suls. Varro, all eagerness for engaging, and jEmilius, 

 attached to the Fabian system, soon found it utterly 

 impossible to carry on a joint command. From a 

 partition of the troops, they were imperiously deter- 

 red by the recent disastrous example of Fabius and 

 Minucius : they therefore resolved on the equally 

 dangerous expedient of taking the supreme command 

 each his day alternately. 



Whea the two consuls came up with Hannibal, 

 whom they had followed from the north, they found 

 him encamped near the village of Cannae, but on 

 which side of the Aufidus is uncertain. Their first 

 cgre, as usual, was to fortify a camp, which they 

 pitched not far from Hannibal's, on the same side of 

 the river ; and to secure a free communication with 

 the opposite bank, they pushed across a strong de- 

 tachment, who fortified themselves in a lesser camp 

 on the other side. It is probable, however, that the 

 river was at this season, which was summer, easily 

 fordable in most places, and that it presented no other 

 obstacles than those arising from a 'rugged channel 

 and steep banks. > To Hannibal, who was apprised 

 of every transaction within the Roman camp, the con- 

 sular dissensions augured well ; and on the hot tem- 

 per of Varro he resolved -to practise some of his old 

 artifices. With this view, he ostentatiously offered 

 battle, insulted the enemy by every means in his 

 power, and while he thus encouraged his own troops, 

 who were at first terrified by the-amaxing numbers 

 f the Romans, he succeeded in bringing on what 

 was necessary to him, in his present embarrassed cir- 



cumstances, a gneral engagement. By a trivial 

 event, he completely exhausted the patience of Varro ; 

 for after having repeatedly insulted the greater camp 

 of the Romans, he dispatched a party of Numidian 

 horse across the river, who falling suddenly on the 

 watering parties of the lesser camp, drove them with 

 great slaughter before them, and advanced to the 

 very ramparts. Had ^Lmilius not happened to have 

 the command this day, Varro would have crossed 

 the river instantly to revenge the affront ; but this 

 measure he was compelled to put off for a few hours 

 longer, by the authority of his colleague, who was 

 entirely averse to a general action. 



Next morning's dawn discovered to the eyes of 

 both armies the red flag, the signal for battle, flying 

 over the tent of Varro ; who immediately after con- 

 ducted his forces across the Aufidus, and joined them 

 to those from the lesser camp. ^Emilius seeing now 

 that all opposition was fruitless, accompanied Varro 

 to the field, and, like a faithful soldier, seconded all 

 his measures. The reasons which determined Varro 

 to this movement with his main body, seem to have 

 been both the desire of a position better adapted for 

 his infantry, in which his chief strength lay, and the 

 consideration, that on that side Hannibal had no 

 camp to which he could retire in case of a defeat. 

 The whole Roman army, with the exception of those 

 left to guard the two camps, being now united, was 

 drawn up by the consuls in the following array. In 

 the right wing were posted the knights, the flower 

 of the Roman cavalry, having their right flank pro. 

 tected by the river, and their faces turned to the 

 south. Next came the legions, drawn up, on this 

 occasion, in one very deep compact line, on account 

 of the smallness of the space for such a multitude, 

 and probably the better to resist the shock of caval- 

 ry. On the left of the legions were drawn up in si- 

 milar array, the whole body of the allies, having their 

 own numerous cavalry posted on their left, who ter- 

 minated, on that hand, the general line. An advance 

 or first line was composed of the light infantry, arm- 

 ed with bows, slings, and javelins. The two consuls 

 commanded the wings, -flimilius the right, and Varro 

 the left, and to Servilius, a consul of the preceding 

 year, was committed the conduct of the centre. 



During these proceedings among the Romans, 

 Hannibal was not idle. As soon as he discovered 

 their intention, he hastened to meet them beyond the 

 Aufidus, on the ground which they themselves had 

 chosen for the field of battle. Sending over his Ba- 

 learic slingers and other light troops before him at 

 break of day, to cover his passage, he himself soon fol- 

 lowed at the head of his regular forces, which were con- 

 ducted into the field according to their intended sta- 

 tions. While his men were coming up, Hannibal rode 

 forward to an eminence with a few attendants, in or- 

 der to reconnoitre the enemy, whom he found alrea- 

 dy ranged in order of battle. Cisco, a Carthaginian 

 nobleman, observed to him, with symptoms of alarm, 

 that the number of the enemy was very astonishing ; 

 Hannibal, with a serious countenance, told him, that 

 there was something yet more astonishing ; " for," 

 said he, " in all that immense army, there is not one 

 man whose name is Gisco!" This unexpected jest 

 made all the company laugh, and soon produced a si* 



