ds out twelve thousand
infantry and five thousand cavalry against the enemy. Nor did
Sempronius the consul (for he had now returned from Rome) decline the
engagement; and during that day three miles intervened between the two
camps. On the following day they fought with amazing courage and
various success. At the first onset the Roman power was so superior,
that they not only conquered the enemy in the regular battle, but
pursued them when driven back quite into their camp, and soon after
also assaulted it. Hannibal, having stationed a few to defend the
rampart and the gates, and having admitted the rest in close array
into the middle of the camp orders them to watch attentively the
signal for sallying out. It was now about the ninth hour of the day
when the Roman, having fatigued his soldiers to no purpose, after
there was no hope of gaining possession of the camp, gave the signal
for retreat; which when Hannibal heard, and saw that the attack was
slackened, and that they were retreating from the camp, instantly
having sent out the cavalry on the right and left against the enemy,
he himself in the middle with the main force of the infantry rushed
out from the camp. Seldom has there been a combat more furious, and
few would have been more remarkable for the loss on both sides, if the
day had suffered it to continue for a longer time. Night broke off the
battle when raging most from the determined spirit of the combatants.
The conflict therefore was more severe than the slaughter: and as it
was pretty much a drawn battle, they separated with equal loss. On
neither side fell more than six hundred infantry, and half that number
of cavalry. But the loss of the Romans was more severe than
proportionate to the number that fell, because several of equestrian
rank, and five tribunes of the soldiers, and three prefects of the
allies were slain. After this battle Hannibal retired to the territory
of the Ligurians, and Sempronius to Luca. Two Roman quaestors, Caius
Fulvius and Lucius Lucretius, who had been treacherously intercepted,
with two military tribunes and five of the equestrian order, mostly
sons of senators, are delivered up to Hannibal when coming among the
Ligurians, in order that he might feel more convinced that the peace
and alliance with them would be binding.

60. While these things are transacting in Italy, Cneius Cornelius
Scipio having been sent into Spain with a fleet and army, when,
setting out from the mout