tely
below, the army, and especially the animals connected with it,
suffered a great deal from hunger. It was difficult to procure forage
for them of any kind. At length, however, as they continued their
descent, they came first into the region of forests, and soon after to
slopes of grassy fields descending into warm and fertile valleys. Here
the animals were allowed to stop and rest, and renew their strength by
abundance of food. The men rejoiced that their toils and dangers were
over, and, descending easily the remainder of the way, they encamped
at last safely on the plains of Italy.

CHAPTER VI.

HANNIBAL IN THE NORTH OF ITALY.

B.C. 217

Miserable condition of the army.--Its great losses.--Feelings of
Hannibal's soldiers.--Plans of Scipio.--The armies approach each
other.--Feelings of Hannibal and Scipio.--Address of Scipio to the
Roman army.--Hannibal's ingenious method of introducing his
speech.--Curious combat.--Effect on the army.--Hannibal's speech
to his army.--His words of encouragement.--Hannibal's promises.--His
real feelings.--Hannibal's energy and decision.--His steady
resolution.--Hannibal's unfaltering courage.--Movements of
Scipio.--Scipio's bridge over the Po.--The army crosses the
river.--Hannibal's warlike operations.--He concentrates his
army.--Hannibal addresses his soldiers.--He promises them
lands.--Ratifying a promise.--Omens.--The battle.--The Romans
thrown into confusion.--Scipio wounded.--The Romans driven back
across the river.--The Romans destroy the bridge over the Ticinus.

When Hannibal's army found themselves on the plains of Italy, and sat
down quietly to repose, they felt the effects of their fatigues and
exposures far more sensibly than they had done under the excitement
which they naturally felt while actually upon the mountains. They
were, in fact, in a miserable condition. Hannibal told a Roman officer
whom he afterward took prisoner that more than thirty thousand
perished on the way in crossing the mountains; some in the battles
which were fought in the passes, and a greater number still, probably,
from exposure to fatigue and cold, and from falls among the rocks and
glaciers, and diseases produced by destitution and misery. The remnant
of the army which was left on reaching the plain were emaciated,
sickly, ragged, and spiritless; far more inclined to lie down and die,
than to go on and undertake the conquest of Italy and Rome.

After some days, however, they