Cautious Fabius Saves the Day
As the day broke, and the thoughts and eyes of all
were engrossed in observing the combatants on the hill, the
Romans had no suspicion of the troops lying in ambush. But
as Hannibal kept pouring in reinforcements for his men on the
hill, and followed close behind them himself with his cavalry
and main body, it was not long before the cavalry also of both
sides were engaged. The result was that the Roman lightarmed troops, finding themselves hard pressed by the numbers
of the cavalry, caused great confusion among the heavy-armed
troops by retreating into their lines; and the signal being
given at the same time to those who were in ambush, these
latter suddenly showed themselves and charged: whereby not
only the Roman light-armed troops, but their whole army, were
in the greatest danger. At that moment Fabius, seeing what
was taking place, and being alarmed lest
they should sustain a complete defeat, led
out his forces with all speed and came to
the relief of his imperilled comrades.
Fabius comes to the rescue. |
At his approach the
Romans quickly recovered their courage; and though their
lines were entirely broken up, they rallied again round their
standards, and retired under cover of the army of Fabius, with
a severe loss in the light-armed division, and a still heavier
one in the ranks of the legions, and that too of the bravest
men. Alarmed at the freshness and perfect order of the relieving army, Hannibal retired from the pursuit and ceased
fighting. To those who were actually engaged it was quite
clear that an utter defeat had been brought about by the
rashness of Minucius, and that their safety on this and previous occasions had been secured by the caution of Fabius;
while those at home had a clear and indisputable demonstration of the difference between the rashness and bravado of a
soldier, and the farseeing prudence and cool calculation of a
general. Taught by experience the Romans joined camps
once more, and for the future listened to Fabius and obeyed
his orders: while the Carthaginians dug a trench across the
space between the knoll and their own lines, and threw up
a palisade round the crest of the captured hill; and, having
placed a guard upon it, proceeded thenceforth with their preparations for the winter unmolested.
