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enemy keeping himself upon the hills； pitched his camp in a level
plain； and the next day drew forth his army in order for fight。 Nor
did Hannibal refuse the challenge。 They fought long and obstinately on
both sides； victory yet seeming undecided； when； after three hours'
conflict； night hardly parted them。 The next day； as soon as the sun
was risen； Marcellus again brought forth his troops； and ranged them
among the dead bodies of the slain； challenging Hannibal to solve
the question by another trial。 When he dislodged and drew off；
Marcellus； gathering up the spoils of the enemies； and burying the
bodies of his slain soldiers； closely followed him。 And though
Hannibal often used stratagems； and laid ambushes to entrap Marcellus；
yet he never could circumvent him。 By skirmishes； meantime； in all
of which he was superior； Marcellus gained himself such high repute；
that； when the time of the Comitia at Rome was near at hand； the
senate thought fit rather to recall the other consul from Sicily
than to withdraw Marcellus from his conflict with Hannibal； and on his
arrival they bid him name Quintus Fulvius dictator。 For the dictator
is created neither by the people nor by the senate； but the consul
of the praetor； before the popular assembly； pronounces him to be
dictator whom he himself chooses。 Hence he is called dictator；
dicere meaning to name。 Others say that he is named dictator because
his word is a law； and he orders what he pleases； without submitting
it to the vote。 For the Romans call the orders of magistrates Edicts。
And now because Marcellus's colleague； who was recalled from Sicily；
had a mind to name another man dictator； and would not be forced to
change his opinion； he sailed away by night back to Sicily。 So the
common people made an order that Quintus Fulvius should be chosen
dictator： and the senate； by an express； commanded Marcellus to
nominate him。 He obeying proclaimed him dictator according to the
order of the people； but the office of proconsul was continued to
himself for a year。 And having arranged with Fabius Maximus that；
while he besieged Tarentum； he would； by following Hannibal and
drawing him up and down； detain him from coming to the relief of the
Tarentines； he overtook him at Canusium： and as Hannibal often shifted
his camp； and still declined the combat； he everywhere sought to
engage him。 At last； pressing upon him while encamping； by light
skirmishes he provoked him to a battle； but night again divided them
in the very heat of the conflict。 The next day Marcellus again
showed himself in arms； and brought up his forces in array。
Hannibal； in extreme grief； called his Carthaginians together to an
harangue： and vehemently prayed them to fight to…day worthily of all
their former success； 〃For you see；〃 said he； 〃how； after such great
victories； we have not liberty to respire； nor to repose ourselves；
though victors； unless we drive this man back。〃 Then the two armies；
joining battle； fought fiercely； when the event of an untimely
movement showed Marcellus to have been guilty of an error。 The right
wing being hard pressed upon； he commanded one of the legions to be
brought up to the front。 This change disturbing the array and
posture of the legions gave the victory to the enemies； and there fell
two thousand seven hundred Romans。 Marcellus； after he had retreated
into his camp； called his soldiers together。 〃I see；〃 said he； 〃many
Roman arms and bodies； but I see not so much as one Roman。〃 To their
entreaties for his pardon； he returned a refusal while they remained
beaten； but promised to give it so soon as they should overcome； and
he resolved to bring them into the field again the next day； that
the fame of their victory might arrive at Rome before that of their
flight。 Dismissing the assembly； he commanded barley instead of
wheat to be given to those companies that had turned their backs。
These rebukes were so bitter to the soldiers； that though a great
number of them were grievously wounded； yet they relate there was
not one to whom the general's oration was not more painful and
smarting than his wounds。
The day breaking； a scarlet toga； the sign of instant battle； was
displayed。 The companies marked with ignominy begged they might be
posted in the foremost place； and obtained their request。 Then the
tribunes bring forth the rest of the forces； and draw them up。 On news
of which； 〃O strange！〃 said Hannibal； 〃what will you do with this man；
who can bear neither good nor bad fortune？ He is the only man who
neither suffers us to rest when he is victor； nor rests himself when
he is overcome。 We shall have； it seems； perpetually to fight with
him； as in good success his confidence； and in ill success his
shame； still urges him to some further enterprise。〃 Then the armies
engaged。 When the fight was doubtful； Hannibal commanded the elephants
to be brought into the first battalion； and to be driven upon the
van of the Romans。 When the beasts； trampling upon many； soon caused
disorder； Flavius； a tribune of soldiers； snatching an ensign； meets
them； and wounding the first elephant with the spike at the bottom
of the ensign staff； puts him to flight。 The beast turned around
upon the next； and drove back both him and the rest that followed。
Marcellus； seeing this； pours in his horse with great force upon the
elephants； and upon the enemy disordered by their flight。 The horse；
making a fierce impression； pursued the Carthaginians home to their
camp； while the elephants； wounded and running upon their own party；
caused a considerable slaughter。 It is said more than eight thousand
were slain； of the Roman army three thousand； and almost all
wounded。 This gave Hannibal opportunity to retire in the silence of
the night； and to remove to greater distance from Marcellus； who was
kept from pursuing by the number of his wounded men； and removed； by
gentle marches； into Campania； and spent the summer at Sinuessa；
engaged in restoring them。
But as Hannibal； having disentangled himself from Marcellus；
ranged with his army round about the country； and wasted Italy free
from all fear； at Rome Marcellus was evil spoken of。 His detractors
induced Publicius Bibulus； tribune of the people； an eloquent and
violent man； to undertake his accusation。 He； by assiduous
harangues； prevailed upon the people to withdraw from Marcellus the
command of the army； 〃Seeing that Marcellus；〃 said he； 〃after brief
exercise in the war； has withdrawn as it might be from the wrestling
ground to the warm baths to refresh himself。〃 Marcellus； on hearing
this； appointed lieutenants over his camp and hasted to Rome to refute
the charges against him： and there found ready drawn up an impeachment
consisting of these calumnies。 At the day prefixed； in the Flaminian
circus； into which place the people had assembled themselves；
Bibulus rose and accused him。 Marcellus himself answered； briefly
and simply； but the first and most approved men of the city spoke
largely and in high terms； very freely advising the people not to show
themselves worse judges than the enemy； condemning Marcellus of
timidity； from whom alone of all their captains the enemy fled； and as
perpetually endeavoured to avoid fighting with him as to fight with
others。 When they made an end of speaking； the accuser's hope to
obtain judgment so far deceived him； that Marcellus was not only
absolved； but the fifth time created consul。
No sooner had he entered upon this consulate； but he suppressed a
great commotion in Etruria； that had proceeded near to revolt； and
visited and quieted the cities。 Then； when the dedication of the
temple； which he had vowed out of his Sicilian spoils to Honour and
Virtue； was objected to by the priests； because they denied that one
temple could be lawfully dedicated to two gods； he began to adjoin
another to it； resenting the priests' opposition； and almost
converting the thing into an omen。 And； truly； many other prodigies
also affrighted him； some temples had been struck with lightning；
and in Jupiter's temple mice had gnawed the gold： it was reported；
also； that an ox had spoken； and that a boy had been born with a
head like an elephant's。 All which prodigies had indeed been
attended to； but due reconciliation had not been obtained from the
gods。 The aruspices therefore detained him at Rome； glowing and
burning with desire to return to the war。 For no man was ever inflamed
with so great desire of anything as was he to fight a battle with
Hannibal。 It was the subject of his dreams in the night； the topic
of all his consultations with his friends and familiars； nor did he
present to the gods any other wish； but that he might meet Hannibal in
the field。 And I think that he would most gladly have set upon him；
with both armies environed within a single camp。 Had he not been
even loaded with honours； and had he not given proofs in many ways
of his maturity of judgment and of prudence equal to that of any
commander； you might have said that he was agitated by a youthful
ambition； above what became a man of that age； for he had passed the
sixtieth year of his life when he began his fifth consulship。
The sacrifices having been