Summer 2000: Week 6

   xxxiii. Non confertas autem cohortes ante sua quamque signa instruebat, sed manipulos aliquantum inter se distantes, ut esset spatium qua elephanti hostium acti nihil ordines turbarent: Laelium, cuius ante legati, eo anno quaestoris extra sortem ex senatus consulto opera utebatur, cum Italico equitatu ab sinistro cornu, Masinissam Numidasque ab dextro opposuit: vias patentes inter manipulos antesignanorum velitibus-ea tunc levis armatura erat-complevit, dato praecepto ut ad impetum elephantorum aut post directos refugerent ordines, aut in dextram laevamque discursu adplicantes se antesignanis viam, qua irruerent in ancipitia tela, beluis darent. Hannibal ad terrorem primos elephantos-octoginta autem erant, quot nulla umquam in acie ante habuerat-instruxit, deinde auxilia Ligurum Gallorumque Balearibus Maurisque admixtis: in secunda acie Carthaginienses Afrosque et Macedonum legionem, modico deinde intervallo relicto subsidiariam aciem Italicorum militum-Bruttii plerique erant, vi ac necessitate plures quam sua voluntate decedentem ex Italia sequuti-instruxit: equitatum et ipse circumdedit cornibus, dextrum Carthaginienses, sinistrum Numidae tenuerunt….

   33. Scipio then drew up the spearmen in the van, behind them the first-rank men, and closed the rear with the veterans. He did not, as usual, form the cohorts in close order each before their own colors, but placed the companies at some distance from each other, that there might be room to admit the elephants of the enemy, without disturbing the ranks. Laelius, who formerly served under him as lieutenant-general, but that year as quaestor, by particular appointment, in pursuance of a decree of the senate, he posted with the Italian cavalry on the left wing; Masinissa and the Numidians on the right. The openings betweeen the companies of the cohorts he filled up with light-armed troops, and gave them directions, on the attack of the elephants, either to retire to the rear of the files, or, opening to right and left, to form along with the cohorts, so as to leave a passage for those beasts, through which they might advance, exposed on both sides to their weapons. Hannibal, in order to strike terror, placed his elephants in the front; of these there were eighty (a number greater than he had ever before brought into the field;) next to them, the auxiliary Ligurians and Gauls, with the Balearians and Moors intermixed. In the second line, he placed the Carthaginian Africans, and the legion of Macedonians; and then, (leaving a moderate interval,) he formed the line of reserve, consisting of Italian soldiers, chiefly Bruttians, a great number of whom followed him on his departure from Italy, by compulsion and through necessity, rather than from inclination. He also covered the flanks with cavalry, the Carthaginians being posted on the right, the Numidians on the left….

   Aliae aliis spes ac metus iactantur: Carthaginiensibus moenia patriae, di penates, sepulchra maiorum, liberi cum parentibus coniugesque pavidae, aut excidium servitiumque aut imperium orbis terrarum-nihil aut in metum aut in spem medium-ostentantur. Quum maxime haec imperator apud Carthaginioenses-duces suarum gentium inter populares-plerique per interpretes interimmistos alienigenis ageret, tubae cornuaque ab Romanis cecinerunt, tantusque clamor ortus ut elephanti in suos sinistro maxime cornu verterentur, Mauros ac Numidas. Addidit facile masinissa perculsis terrorem nudavitque ab ea parte aciem equestri auxilio. Paucae tamen bestiarum interpidae in hostem actae inter velitum ordines cum multis suis vulneribus ingentem stragem edebant: resilientes enim ad manipulos velites cum viam elephantis, ne obtererentur, fecissent, in ancipites ad ictum utrimque coniiciebant, nec ab antesignanis cessabatur, donec undique incidentibus telis exacti ex Romana acie hi quoque in suo dextro cornu ipsos Carthaginiensium equites in fugam verterunt. Laelius ut turbatos vidit hostes, addidit perculsis terrorem.

   Different objects of hope and fear were proposed to each; but to the Carthaginians, nothing but extremes, either on the side of hope or of fear, was presented to view; the walls of their native city, their household gods, the sepulchres of their ancestors, their children, parents, and wives distracted with terror; in a word, utter ruin and abject slavery, or the empire of the world. While the general was thus employed among the Carthaginians, and the commanders of the several nations among their respective countrymen, (many of them speaking by interpreters, being intermixed with foreigners,) the trumpets and cornets sounded on the side of the Romans; and such a shout was raised, that the elephants, particularly in the left wing, turned about against their own men, the Moors and Numidians. Masinissa, charging them while in disorder, easily drove them in, and stripped their line on that flank of the cover of the cavalry. However, a few of these beasts, unaffrighted, being driven forward on the Romans, made great slaughter among the light troops, but not without receiving many wounds; for springing back to the companies, and, to avoid being trodden under foot, opening a passage for the elephants, they discharged their spears at them from both sides, being entirely exposed as they passed through; nor did the javelins from the first line of troops cease, until, being driven away from the Roman line by the weapons showered on them they put to flight even the Carthaginian cavalry in their own right wing. Laelius, seeing the enemy in this confusion, charged their disordered troops, and put them to flight.

   xxxiv. Utrimque nudata equite erat Punica acies, quum pedes concurrit nec spe nec viribus iam par. Ad hoc dictu parva sed magna eadem in re gerenda momenta: congruens clamor a Romanis eoque maior et terribilior, dissonae illis ut gentium multarum discrepantibus linguis voces: pugna Romana stabilis et suo et armorum pondere incumbentium in hostem, concursatio et velocitas illinc maior quam vis. Igitur primo impetu extemplo movere loco hostium aciem Romani: ala deinde et umboni pulsantes, in submotos gradu illato….

   34. The Carthaginian line was exposed on both flanks, not having cavalry to cover them, when the infantry begam to engage; but no longer on an equality with the Roman, either in hope or in strength. There was another circumstance, which, though trifling in appearance, is yet of great consequence in action. The shout on the side of the Romans was composed of the same sounds uttered by everyone; consequently it was the stronger, and more terrible, on the other side, the sounds were dissonant, uttered in the discordant languages of many different nations. Besides, the Roman manner of fighting was steady, being accustomed to press against the enemy with their own weight, and that of their arms. That of the Carthaginian was more loose, with greater agility than strength. Immediately, therefore, at the first onset, the Romans made the line of the enemy give way; and then, thrusting against them with their elbows and the bosses of their shields, and stepping forward into the place from which they had pushed them, they rapidly gained ground.

   xxxv. In tempore Laelius ac Masinissa, pulsos per aliquantum spatii sequuti equites, revertentes in aversam hostium aciem incurrere. Is demum equitum impetus fudit hostem: multi circumventi in acie caesi: per patentem circa campum fuga sparsi tenente omnia equitatu passim interierunt. Carthaginiensium sociorumque caesa eo die supra millia viginti, par ferme numerus captus cum signis militaribus centum triginta duobus, elephantis undecim: victores ad mille et quingenti cecidere. Hannibal cum paucis equitibus inter tumultum elapsus Hadrumetum perfugit, omnia et in proelio et ante aciem, priusquam excederet pugna expertus, et confessione etiam Scipionis omniumque peritorum militiae omnem illam laudem adeptus, singulari arte aciem eo die instruxisse:…
    …Hoc edito velut ultimo virtutis opere Hannibal quum Hadrumetum refugisset, accitusque inde Carthaginem sexto ac tricesimo post anno quam puer inde profectus erat redisset, fassus in curia est, non proelio modo se sed bello victum nec spem salutis alibi quam in pace impetranda esse.

   35. Laelius and Masinissa, who had pursued the flying cavalry to some distance, returning at this critical juncture, fell upon the rear of the enemy; and by this charge effectually routed them. Many were surrounded in the field and slain, many, being dispersed in flight through the open country adjoining, where the cavalry were entirely masters, perished in various places. Of the Carthaginians and their allies that were slain, on that day, above twenty thousand; about the same number were taken, with a hundred and thirty-three military standards, and eleven elephants. Of the conquerors there fell two thousand. Hannibal, escaping during the confusion with a few horsemen, fled to Hadrumetum, having left no effort untried to rally his troops before he left the field. Scipio himself, and all who were skilled in the military art, allowed him the merit of having made the disposition of his forces with singular judgment;…
    Hannibal, after exerting their last effort of bravery, having fled to Hadrumetum, on receiving a summons, returned to Carthage, in the thirty-sixth year after he had left it, and when a boy. He acknowledged, in the senate-house, that he was vanquished not only in the recent battle but in the whole of the war; and that there was no other hope of avoiding ruin, but in obtaining peace.