led his army into a region watered by the river Ba. 
grada, near which an unlooked for misfortune awaited 
them, and at once affected the Roman camp with con- 
fiderable lofs, and with apprehenfions ftill more terri¬ 
ble ; for a ferpent of prodigious fize attacked the foldi- 
ers who were fent for water, and while they were 
overwhelmed with terror, and unequal to the conflict, 
engulphed feveral of them in its enormous mouth, and 
killed others by writhing round them with its fpiresj 
and bruifingthem with the ftrokes of its tail: andfome 
were even deftroyed by the peftilential effluvia pro¬ 
ceeding from its breath ; it caufed fo much trouble to 
Regulus that he found it neceflary to conteft the poffef- 
fion of the river with it by employing the whole force 
of his army .; during which a conliderable number of 
foldiers were loft, while the ferpent could neither be 
vanquifhed nor wounded ; the ftrong armour of its 
feales eafily repelling the force of all the weapons that 
were directed againft it; upon which recourfe was had 
to battering engines; with which the animal was 
attacked in the manner of £ fortified tower, and was 
thus at length overpowered. Several difeharges were 
made againft it without fuccefs, till its back being 
broken by an immenfe ftone, the formidable monfter 
began to lofe its powers, and was yet with difficulty 
deftroyed ; after having diffufed fuch a horror amongft 
the army, that they confefled they would rather attack 
Carthage itfelf than fuch another monfter. Nor could 
the camp continue any longer in the fame ftation, but 
was obliged to fly; the water and the whole adjacent 
region being tainted with the peftiferous effluvia. A 
moll 
