bal's march into the rich plains
to the east, and would prevent him from making across the Apennines and
following the road by the coast, as they would, should he undertake such
a movement, be able to fall on his rear.

Hannibal pitched his camp on the Nure, about five miles from Piacenza,
but Scipio remained immovable in his lines waiting for the arrival of
his colleague. Hannibal's position was a difficult one. He had traversed
the Pyrenees and the Alps that he might attack Rome; but between him and
Southern Italy lay yet another barrier, the Apennines. Scipio had missed
him after he had crossed the Pyrenees, had been too late to attack him
when, exhausted and worn out, his army emerged from the Alps; but
now, united with Sempronius, he hoped to crush him at the foot of the
Apennines. Hannibal wished, if possible, to prevent a junction of the
two Roman armies, but if that could not be done he determined to fight
them together.

Scipio perceived the danger of his position; and in order to be able
the better to join Sempronius he left Piacenza under cover of night,
and took up a strong position on the banks of the Trebia. Here he
could maintain his communications direct with Rome, and, if absolutely
necessary, fall back and join his colleague advancing towards him.
Hannibal, when he perceived Scipio's change of position, broke up his
camp and took post on the Trebiola, a little stream running into the
Trebia and facing the Roman camp at a distance of four miles.

He was now powerless to prevent the junction of the two Roman armies,
and for nearly a month Scipio and Hannibal lay watching each other. By
that time Sempronius was within a day's march of Scipio. Hannibal
had not been idle during this time of rest. He had been occupied in
cementing his alliance with the Gaulish tribes inhabiting the Lombard
plains. These, seeing how rapidly Hannibal had cleared the province of
the Romans, believed that their deliverance would be accomplished, and
for the most part declared for the Carthaginians.

Hannibal's agents had also been at work at Clastidium, and the prefect
of the garrison was induced by a bribe to surrender the place to him.
This was of enormous advantage to Hannibal, and a corresponding blow
to the Romans, for Clastidium was the chief magazine north of the
Apennines. The news of the fall of this important place filled
Sempronius, an energetic and vigorous general, with fury. He at once
rode down from his camp t