ement, in which portion of his forces he was invincible, formed
his line, and provoked the enemy by a skirmishing attack with his
Numidians. Upon this the Roman camp began again to be embroiled by a
mutiny among the soldiers, and the disagreement of the consuls: since
Paulus instanced to Varro the temerity of Sempronius and Flaminius;
while Varro pointed to Fabius, as a specious example to timid and
inactive generals. The latter called both gods and men to witness,
"that no part of the blame attached to him that Hannibal had now made
Italy his own, as it were, by right of possession; that he was held
bound by his colleague; that the swords and arms were taken out of the
hands of the indignant soldiers who were eager to fight." The former
declared, "that if any disaster should befall the legions thus exposed
and betrayed into an ill-advised and imprudent battle, he should be
exempt from any blame, though the sharer of all the consequences. That
he must take care that their hands were equally energetic in the
battle whose tongues were so forward and impetuous."

45. While time is thus consumed in altercation rather than
deliberating, Hannibal, who had kept his troops drawn up in order of
battle till late in the day, when he had led the rest of them back
into the camp, sends Numidians across the river to attack a watering
party of the Romans from the lesser camp. Having routed this
disorderly band by shouting and tumult, before they had well reached
the opposite bank, they advanced even to an outpost which was before
the rampart, and near the, very gates of the camp. It seemed so great
an indignity, that now even the camp of the Romans should be terrified
by a tumultuary band of auxiliaries, that this cause alone kept back
the Romans from crossing the river forthwith, and forming their line,
that the chief command was on that day held by Paulus. Accordingly
Varro, on the following day, on which it was his turn to hold the
command, without consulting his colleague, displayed the signal for
battle, and forming his troops, led them across the river. Paulus
followed, because he could better disapprove of the proceeding, than
withhold his assistance. Having crossed the river, they add to their
forces those which they had in the lesser camp; and thus forming their
line, place the Roman cavalry in the right wing, which was next the
river; and next them the infantry: at the extremity of the left wing
the allied cavalry; within the