had also
defeated Banno in battle and had taken him prisoner. Hasdrubal, the
brother of Hannibal, on learning this crossed the Iber and reduced
some of the rebels, but at Scipio's approach he fell back.

[Sidenote: B.C. 217 (_a.u._ 537)] The people of Rome again chose
Flaminius and Geminus consuls. Just after the advent of spring
Hannibal was apprised that Flaminius together with Servilius Geminus
would march against him with a large force, and he devoted his
attention to deceiving them. He pretended that he was going to spend
his time and meet the issue where he was, and when the Romans,
thinking that he was permanently located, began to show carelessness
in their line of march, he started just after nightfall, leaving his
cavalry behind at camp, noiselessly traversed the passes and hastened
on toward Aretium; and the cavalry, after he had got far ahead, set
out to follow him. When the consuls found out that they had been
tricked, Geminus stayed behind to harass the revolted districts and
prevent them from assisting the Carthaginians, and Flaminius alone
pursued, eager that his alone should be the credit of the expected
victory. He succeeded in occupying Aretium beforehand, for Hannibal in
taking a shorter road had encountered difficult marching, and had
lost numerous men, many pack animals, and one of his eyes. It was
late, then, before he reached Aretium and found there Flaminius, whom
he regarded with contempt. He did not give battle, for the situation
was unsuitable, but by way of testing his enemy's disposition he laid
waste the country. At this the Romans made a sally and he retired, to
give them the idea that he was afraid. During the night he broke up
and found a satisfactory spot for battle, where he remained. He
arranged that most of the infantry should form an ambush along the
mountain sides and ordered all the cavalry to lie in wait concealed
from view outside the pass; he himself encamped with a few followers
on the hilltop. Flaminius was in good spirits and when he saw him with
but a few men on the high ground he believed that the rest of the army
must have been sent to some distant point and hoped to take him easily
thus isolated. So he carelessly entered the mouth of the pass and
there (for it was late) pitched camp. About midnight, when they were
sleeping unguarded through scorn of their enemies, the Carthaginians
surrounded them on every side at once and by using from a distance
javelins, slings, an