fter another, driven by storms
upon the sandy shores.

CHAPTER VII.

THE APENNINES.

B.C. 217

Hannibal pursues the Romans.--He takes some prisoners.--Revolt of
some Gauls from the Romans.--Hannibal crosses the river.--Dismay of
the Romans.--Sempronius recalled to Italy.--Sufferings of Scipio
from his wound.--He is joined by Sempronius.--The Roman commanders
disagree.--Skirmishes.--Sempronius eager for a battle.--Hannibal's
stratagem.--Details of Hannibal's scheme.--The ambuscade.--Two
thousand chosen men.--Hannibal's manner of choosing them.--Attack on
the Roman camp.--Success of Hannibal's stratagem.--Sempronius crosses
the river.--Impetuous attack of Hannibal.--Situation of the Roman
army.--Terrible conflict.--Utter defeat of the Romans.--Scene after
the battle.--Various battles of Hannibal.--Scarcity of food.--Valley
of the Arno.--Crossing the Apennines.--Terrific storm.--Death of the
elephants.--Hannibal's uneasiness.--He crosses the Apennines.--Perilous
march.--Hannibal's sickness.

As soon as Hannibal was apprised in the morning that Scipio and his
forces had left their ground, he pressed on after them, very earnest
to overtake them before they should reach the river. But he was too
late. The main body of the Roman army had got over. There was,
however, a detachment of a few hundred men, who had been left on
Hannibal's side of the river to guard the bridge until all the army
should have passed, and then to help in cutting it away. They had
accomplished this before Hannibal's arrival, but had not had time to
contrive any way to get across the river themselves. Hannibal took
them all prisoners.

The condition and prospects of both the Roman and Carthaginian cause
were entirely changed by this battle, and the retreat of Scipio across
the Po. All the nations of the north of Italy, who had been subjects
or allies of the Romans, now turned to Hannibal. They sent embassies
into his camp, offering him their friendship and alliance. In fact,
there was a large body of Gauls in the Roman camp, who were fighting
under Scipio at the battle of Ticinus, who deserted his standard
immediately afterward, and came over in a mass to Hannibal. They made
this revolt in the night, and, instead of stealing away secretly, they
raised a prodigious tumult, killed the guards, filled the encampment
with their shouts and outcries, and created for a time an awful scene
of terror.

Hannibal received them, but he was too sagac