Summer 2000: Week 5

   xlviii. Nero primum cum omni equitatu advenit, Porcius deinde adsequutus cum levi armatura. Qui quum fessum agmen carperent ab omni parte incursarentque, et iam omisso itinere-quod fugae simile erat-castra metari Poenus in tumulo super fluminis ripam vellet, advenit Livius peditum omnibus copiis non itineris modo sed ad conserendum extemplo proelium instructis armatisque. Sed ubi omnes copias coniunxerunt directaque acies est, Claudius dextro in cornu, Livius ab sinistro pugnam instruit, media acies praetori tuenda data. Hasdrubal omissa munitione castrorum postquam pugnandum vidit, in prima acie ante signa elephantos collocat, circa eos laevo in cornu adversus Claudium Gallos opponit, haud tantum iis fidens, quantum ab hoste timeri eos credebat: ipse dextrum cornu adversus M. Livium sibi atque Hispanis-et ibi maxime in vetere milite spem habebat-sumpsit: Ligures in medio post elephantos positi: sed longior quam latior acies erat. Gallos prominens collis tegebat: ea frons, quam Hispani tenebant, cum sinistro Romanorum cornu concurrit. Dextra omnia acies extra proelium eminens cessabat: collis oppositus arcebat, ne aut a fronte aut ab latere adgrederentur. Inter Livium Hasdrubalemque ingens contractum certamen erat atroxque caedes utrimque edebatur: ibi duces ambo, ibi pars maior peditum equitumque Romanorum, ibi Hispani vetus miles peritusque Romanae pugnae, et Ligures durum in armis genus: eodem versi elephanti, qui primo impetu turbaverant antesignanos et iam signa moverant loco, deinde crescente certamine et clamore impotentius iam regi et inter duas acies versari velut incerti, quorum essent, haud dissimiliter navibus sine gubernaculo vagis. Claudius "Quid ergo praecipiti cursu tam longum iter emensi sumus?" clamitans militibus, quum in adversum collem frustra signa erigere conatus esset, postquam ea regione penetrari ad hostem non videbat posse, cohortes aliquot subductas e dextro cornu, ubi stationem magis segnem quam pugnam futuram cernebat, post aciem circumducit et non hostibus modo sed etiam suis inopinantibus in sinistrum hostium latus incurrit: tantaque celeritas fuit ut, quum ostendissent se ab latere, mox in terga iam pugnarent. Ita ex omnibus partibus, ab fronte ab latere ab tergo, trucidantur Hispani Liguresque, et ad Gallos iam caedes pervenerat: ibi minimum certaminis fuit, nam et pars magna ab signis aberant, nocte dilapsi stratique somno passim per agros, et qui aderant, itinere ac vigiliis fessi-intolerantissima laboris corpora-vix arma humeris gestabant: et iam diei medium erat sitisque et calor hiantes caedendos capiendosque adfatim praebebat.

   48. First, Nero, with all the cavalry, came up; then Porcius, with the light infantry. While they harassed his wearied army by frequent assaults on every side, and while the Carthaginian, now stopping his march, or rather flight, had a mind to encamp on a high spot of ground, on the bank of the river, Livius arrived with the main body of infantry armed, and marshalled for immediate action. When the Romans had united all their forces, and the line was draw out in array, Claudius took the command of the right wing, Livius of the left; that of the center was given to the praetor. Hasdrubal, laying aside the design of fortifying a camp, when he saw the necessity of fighting, placed his elephants in front, before the battalions, and beside then, on the left wing, he opposed the Gauls to Claudius; not that he had much confidence in them, but thinking that they were much dreaded by the enemy. The right wing, which was to oppose Livius, he took to himself together with the Spaniards; on whom, as being veteran troops, he placed his principal reliance. The Ligurians were posted in the center, behind the elephants; but the line was too long in proportion to its depth. A rising ground, in their front, protected the Gauls; and while that part of the line which was composed of the Spaniards engaged the left wing of the Romans, their right wing stretching out beyond the extent of the fight, stood idle, for the eminence between them and the enemy prevented their making an attack, either on their front or flank. Between Livius and Hasdrubal a furious conflict began, and dreadful slaughter was made on both sides: for here were both the generals; here the greater part of the Roman infantry and cavalry; here the Spaniards, veteran troops, and acquainted with the Roman manner of fighting; and the Ligurians, a race of hardy warriors. To the same part the elephants were driven, which, at the first onset, disordered the van, and made even the battalions give ground; but afterwards, the contest growing hotter, and the shouts louder, they soon became disobedient to the directions of their riders, rambling up and down between the two lines, without distinguishing their own party, and ranging to and fro, not unlike ships without rudders. Claudius in vain attempted to advance up the hill, often calling out thus to his men,--"To what purpose, then have we, with so much speed, marched over such a length of way!" However, seeing it impracticable to reach the enemy's line in that quarter, he drew away some cohorts from his right wing, where the troops would not be able to act, and led them round behind the line. Then, to the surprise not only of the enemy, but of his friends also, he made a brisk attack on their right flank; and so quick were his motions, that almost at the same instant when his men appeared on the flank, they likewise attacked the rear. Thus the Spaniards and Ligurians were cut to pieces on all sides, in front, and flank, and rear, and the havoc in a short time reached the Gauls. These made very little opposition; for great numbers of them were absent from their posts, having slipped away in the night, and lain down in the fields; while those who were present, being exhausted by fatigue and want of sleep, and being naturally ill qualified to endure toil, had scarcely strength remaining sufficient to support their armor. By this time it was mid-day; and while they were panting with heat and thirst, they were slain or taken at the will of the Romans.

   xlix. …Hasdrubal, dux quum saepe alias memorabilis tum illa praecipue pugna. Ille pugnantes hortando pariterque obeundo pericula sustinuit, ille fessos abnuentesque taedio et labore nunc precando nunc castigando accendit, ille fugientes revocavit omissamque pugnam aliquot locis restituit: postremo, quum haud dubie fortuna hostium esset, ne superstes tanto exercitui suum nomen sequuto esset, concitato equo se in cohortem Romanam immisit: ibi, ut patre Hamilcare et Hannibale fratre dignum erat, pugnans cecidit. Numquam eo bello una acie tantum hostium interfectum est, redditaque aequa Cannensi clades vel ducis vel exercitus interitu videbatur: quinquaginta sex millia hostium occisa, capta quinque millia et quadringenti: magna praeda alia quum omnis generis tum auri etiam argentique. Civium etiam Romanorum, qui capti apud hostes erant, supra tria millia capitum recepta: id solatii fuit pro amissis eo proelio militibus: nam haudquaquam incruenta victoria fuit, octo ferme millia Romanorum sociorumque occisa: …

   49. …Hasdrubal, whose conduct in the command of an army, as on so many other occasions so particularly in this battle, merited very high encomiums. By his exhortations, and by taking an equal share in the dangers, he supported the spirits of his men; and at one time by entreaties, at another by reproofs, he reanimated the wearied; when, from the length and labor of the action, they were disposed to lay down their arms. He called back the flying, and restored the battle in many places, where it had been given up. At last, when fortune evidently declared for the Romans, unwilling to survive so great an army, which had followed his standard on the credit of his reputation, he set spurs to his horse, and plunged himself into the midst of a Roman cohort; where, as became the son of Hamilcar, and the brother of Hannibal, he fell fighting. In no one action, during that war, were so great numbers of the enemy slain; so much so, indeed, that the damage retorted on him was deemed equivalent to that sustained at Cannae. Fifty-six thousand of them were killed, five thousand four hundred taken. The other booty was great of every kind, as well as of gold and silver. Besides which, there were recovered above four thousand Roman citizens, prisoners, which was some consolation for the soldiers lost in the battle; for the victory was far from a bloodless one, nearly eight thousand of the Romans and allies being killed.