Fabius Returns to Rome
The Romans who were guarding the gorge, no sooner
saw these fiery fagots advancing to the heights, than, quitting the
narrow part of the pass, they made for the ridge to meet the
enemy. But when they got near the oxen, they were puzzled by
the lights, imagining them to be something more dangerous than
they really were; and when the Carthaginian light-armed troops
came on to the ground, after some slight skirmishing between
the two parties, upon the oxen rushing in among them, they
separated and took up their positions on different heights and
waited for daybreak, not being able to comprehend what was
taking place.
Partly because he was at a loss to understand what
Hannibal gets through the pass. Autumn, B. C. 217. |
was happening, and, in the words of the
poet, "some deep design suspecting;"
1 and
partly that, in accordance with his original
plan, he was determined not to risk a general engagement,
Fabius remained quietly within his camp: while Hannibal,
finding everything going as he designed, led his army and
booty in safety through the gorge, the men who had been set
to guard the narrow road having abandoned their post. At
daybreak, seeing the two troops fronting each other on the
heights, he sent some Iberian companies to the light-armed
troops, who engaged the Romans, and, killing a thousand of
them, easily relieved his own light-armed troops and brought
them down to the main body.
Having thus effected his departure from the Falernian plain,
Hannibal thenceforth busied himself in looking out for a place in
which to winter, and in making the necessary preparations, after
having inspired the utmost alarm and uncertainty in the cities
and inhabitants of
Italy.
Fabius goes to Rome, leaving the command to M. Minucius. |
Though
Fabius meanwhile was in great disrepute among the common
people, for having let his enemy escape from
such a trap, he nevertheless refused to abandon
his policy; and being shortly afterwards obliged to go to
Rome
to perform certain sacrifices, he handed over the command of
his legions to his master of the horse, with many parting
injunctions, not to be so anxious to inflict a blow upon the
enemy, as to avoid receiving one himself. Marcus, however,
paid no heed to the advice, and, even while Fabius was speaking, had wholly resolved to risk a general engagement.
