Warriours as they, who were come from the Pillars of Hercules, through the fierceft Nations, into the very Heart of Italy. As for his part, he fcorns to compare himself with Scipio, a General of fix Months ftanding. He, who was almoft born, brought up at leaft in the Tent of Amilcar his Father, the Conqueror of Spain, of Gaul, of the Inhabitants of the Alps, and what is more, the Conqueror of the Alps themselves. He kindles their Indignation against the Infolence of the Romans, who had dared to demand him and the rest who had taken Saguntum; and stirs up their Jealoufy against the intolerable Pride of those imperious Masters, who imagine all muft obey them, and that they have a Right to give Laws to the whole World.

AFTER these Speeches, both Sides prepare for Battle. Scipio, having laid a Bridge over the Tefin, marched his Troops over. Two ill Omens had filled his Army with Fear and Confternation. As for the Carthaginians, they were brisk and full of Courage. Hannibal animates them with fresh Promifes, and, cleaving with a Stone the Skull of the Lamb he was facrificing, prays Jupiter, that he may be ftruck in like manner, if he did not give his Soldiers their promised Rewards.

SCIPIO places in the Front, the Dart-flingers, with the Gaulish Horfe, and forms his fecond Line of the choice Cavalry of the Allies, then advances with a gentle Pace. Hannibal comes on to meet him with his whole Cavalry, in the Center of which are placed the Horfemen, that ridewith Bridles, and the Numidian on the Wings, with Defign to furround the Enemy. The Officers and Sol

These two ill Omens were, Ift, That a Wolf ftole into the Camp of the Romans, and cruelly mangled fome of the Soldiers, without receiving the leaft barm from those that endeavoured to

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a

kill it: And 2d, That a Swarm of Bees pitched upon a Tree near the Pratorium or General's Tent. Liv. 1. 21. c. 46.

The Numidians ride without Saddle or Bridle.

diers

diers being eager to engage, the Battle begins. At the first Onset, scarce had the Light-arm'd Troops thrown their Darts, when frighted at the Carthaginian Horfe which was pouring upon them, and fearing left they fhould be trampled under the Horfes Feet, they gave Way, and retired through the Spaces that were between the Squadrons. The Fight lafted a long Time with equal Succefs. Many on both Sides alighted from their Horfes, fo that the Action came to be carried on with Infantry, as well as Cavalry. In the mean time the Numidians furround the Enemy, and fall upon the Rear of the DartMen, who had at firft escaped the Shock of the Cavalry, and tread them under their Horfes Feet. The Center of the Roman Forces had hitherto fought with a great Bravery; many were killed on both Sides, and even more on the Part of the Carthaginians. But the Roman Troops were put into Disorder by the Numidians, who attack'd them in the Rear, and especially a Wound the Conful receiv'd, which difabled him from fighting. This General was refcued out of the Enemies Hands by the Bravery of his Son, then but feventeen Years old, who afterwards was honoured with the Sirname of Africanus, for having put a glorious Period to this War.

THE Conful, thus dangerously wounded, retired in good Order, and was carried into his Camp by a Body of Horfe, which covered him with their Arms and Bodies: The reft of the Army followed him. He haften'd to the Po, over which he pass'd his Troops, and then broke down the Bridge; which hindered Hannibal from overtaking him.

IT is agreed, that for this firft Victory Hannibal was indebted to his Cavalry; and from that Time 'twas deem'd that the main Strength of his Army confifted in his Horfe, and therefore the Romans were to avoid large and open Plains, like thofe between the Po and the Alps.

IMMEDIATELY after the Battle of the Tefin, all the neighbouring Gauls ftrove who fhould be first to come and fubmit to Hannibal, to furnish him with Ammunition, and to lift themselves in his Army. And this was, as Polybius hath already obferved, what chiefly induced that wife and skilful General, notwithstanding the fmall Number, and the Weakness of his Troops, to run the Hazard of a Battle, which was become abfolutely neceffary for him in the Impoffibility he was reduced to of going back whenever he fhould have a Mind, becaufe nothing but a Battle would bring the Gauls to declare for him, whofe Affiftance was the only Refuge he had left in the prefent Juncture.

The Battle of Trebia.

Polyb. 1. 23. p. 220----227. Liv. l. 21. n. 51---56.

SEMPRONIUS the Conful, upon the Senate's Orders, returned from Sicily to Ariminum. From thence he marched towards Trebia, a fmall River of Lombardy, which falls into the Po a little above Placentia, where he joined his Troops with Scipio's. Hannibal advanced towards the Camp of the Romans, from which he was parted only by that fmall River. The Nearness of the Armies to one another, gave occafion to frequent Skirmishes, in one of which Sempronius, at the Head of a Body of Horfe, gain'd fome fmall Advantage over a Party of Carthaginians, which very much increafed the high Opinion, this General naturally had of his own Merit.

THIS inconfiderable Succefs feemed to him a compleat Victory. He boafted of having conquered the Enemy in the fame kind of Fight, wherein his Colleague had been defeated, and thereby reviv'd the Courage of the dejected Romans. Bent upon coming as foon as poffible to a decifive Battle, he thought

fit, out of Decency, to confult Scipio, whom he found to be of a quite different Opinion from him. Scipio reprefented, that if Time was given for difciplining the new Levies during the Winter, they would be of much greater Service in the enfuing Campaign; that the Gauls, naturally fickle and inconftant, would fall off by degrees from Hannibal; that as foon as his Wounds was healed, his Presence might be of some Ufe in a Matter of fuch general Concern: In fhort, he befought him earneftly not to proceed any further. THESE Reasons how weighty foever, made no Impreffion upon Sempronius. He faw under his Command fixteen thoufand Romans, and twenty thoufand Allies, befides the Cavalry; which Number in those Days made up a compleat Army, when both Confuls joined their Forces. The Enemies Troops amounted to near the fame Number. This feemed to him a very favourable Juncture. He faid loudly, that all were defirous of a Battle, except his Colleague, whofe Mind being more affected by his Wound than his Body, could not bear to hear of an Engagement. But was it reafonable to let all the World droop and languish with him? What could he expect more? Did he wait for the coming of a third Conful, and a new Army to his Affistance ? Such Difcourfes as thefe he used among the Soldiers, and even Scipio's Tent rung with them. The Time of the Election of new Generals being at Hand, he was afraid a Succeffor would be fent before he had made an End of the War, fo thought he fhould take Advantage of his Colleague's Illnefs, to fecure to himself the fole Honour of the Victory. As he did not, fays Polybius, mind the Seafon that was fit for Action, but convenient for himfelf, he could not fail of taking wrong Meafüres. He therefore gave his Men Orders to prepare to fight.

THIS was the Thing Hannibal wished for, holding it for a Maxim, that a General,when he is once got into a foreign or an Enemy's Country, and has form

ed

ed fome great Defign, has no other Refuge but to enliven continually the Expectations of his Allies by fome fresh Exploits. Befides, knowing he fhould have to deal only with new levied and unexperienc'd Troops, he was for making the most of the Eagernefs of the Gauls, who were extremely defirous of fighting, and of Scipio's Abfence, who could not, by reafon of his Wound, attend the Battle. Mago then was ordered to lie in Ambush with two thoufand Men, both Horfe and Foot, on the fteep Banks of a small Rivulet, that ran between the two Camps, and to conceal himself among the Bushes that grew there in great Plenty. An Ambufcade is generally fafer in a flat and open Country, but full of Thickets, as was this, than in Woods, because fuch a Place is lefs apt to be fufpected. He caufed after that a Detachment of Numidian Cavalry to pass the Trebia, with Orders to advance at Break of Day up to the very Gates of the Enemy's Camp, in order to provoke them to fight, and then to retreat, and come back over the River in order to draw the Romans after them. What he had foreseen, came to pafs. The eager Sempronius immediately dispatched against the Numidians his whole Cavalry, then fix thousand Dart-Men, which were foon followed by all the rest of the Army. The Numidians ran away defignedly: the Romans purfued them with Eagerness, and paffed the Trebia without Refiftance, but not without great Hardfhips, being forced to wade up to their very Arm-Pits through the Rivulet, which was fwoln with Torrents that came down in the Night from the neighbouring Mountains. It was then about the Winter-Solftice; that is, in the Month of December. It happened to fnow that Day, and the Cold was exceffively piercing. The Romans were come out fafting, and without taking any Precaution: Whereas the Carthaginians had, by Hannibal's Order, eaten and drunk plentifully in their Tents, had got their Horfes in a Readiness,

had