fabius-第4章

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have　replied；　〃Did　I　only　consider　myself；　I　should　rather　choose　to
be　exposed　to　the　weapons　of　Hannibal　than　once　more　to　the
suffrages　of　my　fellow…citizens；　who　are　urgent　for　what　you
disapprove；　yet　since　the　cause　of　Rome　is　at　stake；　I　will　rather
seek　in　my　conduct　to　please　and　obey　Fabius　than　all　the　world
besides。〃
　　These　good　measures　were　defeated　by　the　importunity　of　Varro；　whom；
when　they　were　both　come　to　the　army；　nothing　would　content　but　a
separate　command；　that　each　consul　should　have　his　day；　and　when　his
turn　came；　he　posted　his　army　close　to　Hannibal；　at　a　village　called
Cannae；　by　the　river　Aufidus。　It　was　no　sooner　day；　but　he　set　up
the　scarlet　coat　flying　over　his　tent；　which　was　the　signal　of　battle。
This　boldness　of　the　consul；　and　the　numerousness　of　his　army；
double　theirs；　startled　the　Carthaginians；　but　Hannibal　commanded　them
to　their　arms；　and　with　a　small　train　rode　out　to　take　a　full　prospect
of　the　enemy　as　they　were　now　forming　in　their　ranks；　from　a　rising
ground　not　far　distant。　One　of　his　followers；　called　Gisco；　a
Carthaginian　of　equal　rank　with　himself；　told　him　that　the　numbers
of　the　enemy　were　astonishing；　to　which　Hannibal　replied　with　a
serious　countenance；　〃There　is　one　thing；　Gisco；　yet　more　astonishing；
which　you　take　no　notice　of；〃　and　when　Gisco　inquired　what；
answered；　that　〃in　all　those　great　numbers　before　us；　there　is　not　one
man　called　Gisco。〃　This　unexpected　jest　of　their　general　made　all
the　company　laugh；　and　as　they　came　down　from　the　hill　they　told　it　to
those　whom　they　met；　which　caused　a　general　laughter　amongst　them　all；
from　which　they　were　hardly　able　to　recover　themselves。　The　army；
seeing　Hannibal's　attendants　come　back　from　viewing　the　enemy　in
such　a　laughing　condition；　concluded　that　it　must　be　profound　contempt
of　the　enemy；　that　made　their　general　at　this　moment　indulge　in　such
hilarity。
　　According　to　his　usual　manner；　Hannibal　employed　stratagems　to
advantage　himself。　In　the　first　place；　he　so　drew　up　his　men　that
the　wind　was　at　their　backs；　which　at　that　time　blew　with　a　perfect
storm　of　violence；　and；　sweeping　over　the　great　plains　of　sand；
carried　before　it　a　cloud　of　dust　over　the　Carthaginian　army　into
the　faces　of　the　Romans；　which　much　disturbed　them　in　the　fight。　In
the　next　place；　all　his　best　men　he　put　into　his　wings；　and　in　the
body　which　was　somewhat　more　advanced　than　the　wings；　placed　the　worst
and　the　weakest　of　his　army。　He　commanded　those　in　the　wings；　that；
when　the　enemy　had　made　a　thorough　charge　upon　that　middle　advance
body；　which　he　knew　would　recoil；　as　not　being　able　to　withstand　their
shock；　and　when　the　Romans　in　their　pursuit　should　be　far　enough
engaged　within　the　two　wings；　they　should；　both　on　the　right　and　the
left；　charge　them　in　the　flank；　and　endeavour　to　encompass　them。
This　appears　to　have　been　the　chief　cause　of　the　Roman　loss。
Pressing　upon　Hannibal's　front；　which　gave　ground；　they　reduced　the
form　of　his　army　into　a　perfect　half…moon；　and　gave　ample
opportunity　to　the　captains　of　the　chosen　troops　to　charge　them
right　and　left　on　their　flanks；　and　to　cut　off　and　destroy　all　who　did
not　fall　back　before　the　Carthaginian　wings　united　in　their　rear。　To
this　general　calamity；　it　is　also　said；　that　a　strange　mistake　among
the　cavalry　much　contributed。　For　the　horse　of　Aemilius　receiving　a
hurt　and　throwing　his　master；　those　about　him　immediately　alighted
to　aid　the　consul；　and　the　Roman　troops；　seeing　their　commanders
thus　quitting　their　horses；　took　it　for　a　sign　that　they　should　all
dismount　and　charge　the　enemy　on　foot。　At　the　sight　of　this；
Hannibal　was　heard　to　say；　〃This　pleases　me　better　than　if　they　had
been　delivered　to　me　bound　hand　and　foot。〃　For　the　particulars　of　this
engagement；　we　refer　our　reader　to　those　authors　who　have　written　at
large　upon　the　subject。
　　The　consul　Varro；　with　a　thin　company；　fled　to　Venusia；　Aemilius
Paulus；　unable　any　longer　to　oppose　the　flight　of　his　men；　or　the
flight　of　his　men；　or　the　pursuit　of　the　enemy；　his　body　all　covered
with　wounds；　and　his　soul　no　less　wounded　with　grief；　sat　himself　down
upon　a　stone；　expecting　the　kindness　of　a　despatching　blow。　His　face
was　so　disfigured；　and　all　his　person　so　stained　with　blood；　that
his　very　friends　and　domestics　passing　by　knew　him　not。　At　last
Cornelius　Lentulus；　a　young　man　of　patrician　race；　perceiving　who　he
was；　alighted　from　his　horse；　and；　tendering　it　to　him；　desired　him　to
get　up　and　save　a　life　so　necessary　to　the　safety　of　the　commonwealth；
which；　at　this　time；　would　dearly　want　so　great　a　captain。　But　nothing
could　prevail　upon　him　to　accept　of　the　offer；　he　obliged　young
Lentulus；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　to　remount　his　horse；　then
standing　up；　he　gave　him　his　hand；　and　commanded　him　to　tell　Fabius
Maximus　that　Aemilius　Paulus　had　followed　his　directions　to　his　very
last；　and　had　not　in　the　least　deviated　from　those　measures　which　were
agreed　between　them；　but　that　it　was　his　hard　fate　to　be　overpowered
by　Varro　in　the　first　place；　and　secondly　by　Hannibal。　Having
despatched　Lentulus　with　this　commission；　he　marked　where　the
slaughter　was　greatest；　and　there　threw　himself　upon　the　swords　of　the
enemy。　In　this　battle　it　is　reported　that　fifty　thousand　Romans　were
slain；　four　thousand　prisoners　taken　in　the　field；　and　ten　thousand　in
the　camp　of　both　consuls。
　　The　friends　of　Hannibal　earnestly　persuaded　him　to　follow　up　his
victory；　and　pursue　the　flying　Romans　into　the　very　gates　of　Rome；
assuring　him　that　in　five　days'　time　he　might　sup　in　the　Capitol；
nor　is　it　easy　to　imagine　what　consideration　hindered　him　from　it。
It　would　seem　rather　than　some　supernatural　or　divine　intervention
caused　the　hesitation　and　timidity　which　he　now　displayed；　and　which
made　Barcas；　a　Carthaginian；　tell　him　with　indignation；　〃You　know；
Hannibal；　how　to　gain　a　victory；　but　not　how　to　use　it。〃　Yet　it
produced　a　marvellous　revolution　in　his　affairs；　he；　who　hitherto
had　not　one　town；　market；　or　seaport　in　his　possession；　who　had
nothing　for　the　subsistence　of　his　men　but　what　he　pillaged　from　day
to　day；　who　had　no　place　of　retreat　or　basis　of　operation；　but　was
roving；　as　it　were；　with　a　huge　troop　of　banditti；　now　became　master
of　the　best　provinces　and　towns　of　Italy；　and　of　Capua　itself；　next　to
Rome　the　most　flourishing　and　opulent　city；　all　which　came　over　to
him；　and　submitted　to　his　authority。
　　It　is　the　saying　of　Euripides；　that　〃a　man　is　in　ill…case　when　he
must　try　a　friend；〃　and　so　neither；　it　would　seem；　is　a　state　in　a
good　one；　when　it　needs　an　able　general。　And　so　it　was　with　the
Romans；　the　counsels　and　actions　of　Fabius；　which；　before　the
battle；　they　had　branded　as　cowardice　and　fear；　now；　in　the　other
extreme；　they　accounted　to　have　been　more　than　human　wisdom；　as　though
nothing　but　a　divine　power　of　intellect　could　have　seen　so　far；　and
foretold　contrary　to　the　judgment　of　all　others；　a　result　which；
even　now　it　had　arrived；　was　hardly　credible。　In　him；　therefore；
they　placed　their　whole　remaining　hopes；　his　wisdom　was　the　sacred
altar　and　temple　to　which　they　fled　for　refuge；　and　his　counsels；　more
than　anything；　preserved　them　from　dispersing　and　deserting　their
city；　as　in　the　time　when　the　Gauls　took　possession　of　Rome。　He；
whom　they　esteemed　fearful　and　pusillanimous　when　they　were；　as　they
thought；　in　a　prosperous　condition　was　now　the　only　man；　in　this
general　and　unbounded　dejection　and　confusion；　who　showed　no　fear；　but
walked　the　streets　with　an　assured　and　serene　countenance；　addressed
his　fellow…citizens；　checked　the　women's　lamentations；　and　the
public　gatherings　of　those　who　wanted　thus　to　vent　their　sorrows。　He
caused　the　senate　to　meet；　he　heartened　up　the　magistrates；　and　was
himself　as　the　soul　and　life　of　every　office。
　　He　placed　guards　at　the　gates　of　the　city　to　stop　the　frightened
multitude　from　flying；　he　regulated　and　confined　their　mournings　for
their　slain　friends；　both　as　to　time　and　place；　ordering　that　each
family　should　perform　such　observances　within　private　walls；　and
that　they　should　continue　only　the　space　of　one　month；　and　then　the
whole　city　should　be　purified。　The　feast　of　Ceres　happening　to　fall
within　this　time；　it　was　decreed　that　the　solemnity　should　be
intermitted；　lest　the　fewness；　and　the　sorrowful　countenance　of
those　who　should　celebrate　it；　might　too　much　expose　to　the　people　the
greatness　of　their　loss；　besides　that；　the　worship　most　acceptable
to　the　gods　is　that　which　comes　from　cheerful　hearts。　But　those
rites　which　were　proper　for　appeasing　their　anger；　and　procuring
auspicious　signs　and　presages；　were　by　the　direction　of　the　augurs
carefully　performed。　Fabius　Pictor；　a　near　kinsman　to　Maximus；　was
sent　to　consult　the　oracle　of　Delphi；　and　about　the　same　time；　two
vestals　having　been　detected　to　have　been　violated；　the　one　killed
herself；　and　the　other；　according　to　custom；　was　buried　alive。
　　Above　all；　let　us　admire　the　high　spirit　and　equanimity　of　this
Roman　commonwealth；　that　when　the　consul　Varro　came　beaten　and
flying　home；　full　of　shame　and　humiliation；　after　he　had　so
disgracefully　and　calamitously　managed　their　affairs；　yet　the　whole
senate　and　people　went　forth　to　meet　him　at　the　gates　of　the　city；　and
received　him　with　honour　and　respect。　And；　silence　being　commanded；
the　magistrates　and　chief　of　the　senate；　Fabius　amongst　them；
commended　him　before　the　people；　because　he　did　not　despair　of　the
safety　of　the　commonwealth；　after　so　great　a　loss；　but　was　come　to
take　the　government　into　his　hands；　to　execute　the　laws；　and　aid　his
fellow…citizens　in　their　prospect　of　future　deliverance。
　　When　word　was　brought　to　Rome　that　Hannibal；　after　the　fight；　had
marched　with　his　army　into　other　parts　of　Italy；　the　hearts　of　the
Romans　began　to　revive；　and　they　proceeded　to　send　out　generals　and
armies。　The　most　distinguished　commands　were　held　by　Fabius　Maximus
and　Claudius　Marcellus；　both　generals　of　great　fame；　though　upon
opposite　grounds。　For　Marcellus；　as　we　have　set　forth　in　his　life；　was
a　man　of　action　and　high　spirit；　ready　and　bold　with　his　own　hand；
and；　as　Homer　describes　his　warriors；　fierce；　and　delighting　in
fights。　Boldness；　enterprise；　and　dating　to　match　those　of　Hannibal；
constituted　his　tactics；　and　marked　his　engagements。　But　Fabius
adhered　to　his　former　principles；　still　persuaded　that；　by　following
close　and　not　fighting　him；　Hannibal　and　his　army　would　at　last　be
tried　out　and　consumed；　like　a　wrestler　in　too　high　condition；　whose
very　excess　of　strength　makes　him　the　more　likely　suddenly　to　give　way
and　lose　it。　Posidonius　tells　us　that　the　Romans　called　Marcellus
their　sword；　and　Fabius　their　buckler；　and　that　the　vigour　of　the　one；
mixed　with　the　steadiness　of　the　other；　made　a　happy　compound　that
proved　the　salvation　of　Rome。　So　that　Hannibal　found　by　experience
that　encountering　the　one；　he　met　with　a　rapid；　impetuous　river；　which
drove　him　back；　and　still　made　some　breach　upon　him；　and　by　the　other；
though　silently　and　quietly　passing　by　him；　he　was　insensibly　washed
away　and　consumed；　and；　at　last；　was　brought　to　this；　that　he
dreaded　Marcellus　when　he　was　in　motion；　and　Fabiu