those things
which happened after it, because the enemy did not follow up the blow,
so was it more important and more horrible with respect to the
slaughter of the army; for with respect to the flight at the Allia, as
it betrayed the city, so it preserved the army. At Cannae, scarcely
seventy accompanied the flying consul: almost the whole army shared
the fate of the other who died. The troops collected in the two camps
being a half-armed multitude without leaders, those in the larger send
a message to the others, that they should come over to them at night,
when the enemy was oppressed with sleep, and wearied with the battle,
and then, out of joy, overpowered with feasting: that they would go in
one body to Canusium. Some entirely disapproved of that advice. "For
why," said they, "did not those who sent for them come themselves,
since there would be equal facility of forming a junction? Because,
evidently, all the intermediate space was crowded with the enemy, and
they would rather expose the persons of others to so great a danger
than their own." Others did not so much disapprove, as want courage to
fulfil the advice. Publius Sempronius Tuditanus, a military tribune,
exclaims, "Would you rather, then, be captured by the most rapacious
and cruel enemy, and have a price set upon your heads, and have your
value ascertained by men who will ask whether you are Roman citizens
or Latin confederates, in order that from your miseries and
indignities honour may be sought for another? Not you, at least, if
you are the fellow-citizens of Lucius Aemilius, the consul who
preferred an honourable death to a life of infamy, and of so many
brave men who lie heaped around him. But, before the light overtakes
us and more numerous bodies of the enemy beset the way, let us break
through those disorderly and irregular troops who are making a noise
at our gates. By the sword and courage, a road may be made through
enemies, however dense. In a wedge we shall make our way through this
loose and disjointed band, as if nothing opposed us. Come along with
me therefore, ye who wish the safety of yourselves and the state."
Having thus said, he draws his sword, and forming a wedge, goes
through the midst of the enemy; and as the Numidians discharged their
javelins on their right side, which was exposed, they transferred
their shields to the right hand, and thus escaped, to the number of
six hundred, to the greater camp; and setting out thence forthwi