The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-01-05

with the all conQuering HANNIBAL n I
called upon the gods to sanctlon the
defence of Rome, consulted the SlDyi-
line books and took the field with ioui
legions and auxiliarles.
Fabius had made up his mind not to
risk another battle. His plan OF cam
paiyn was to move along the heights,
TO keep Hannibal always in view. TO
cut off his supplies, to intercept ms
communications and to haraSs him I'D
every way without a general action.
Hannibars policy was to force FAB
| Jus to fight, and to tempt his enemy
| down from the heights the Carthagin-
ian descended into the rich F1ernlah
| plain, the garden Of Italy, whence
| came the wine Horace afterWard
praised. But though Hannibal ravag-
ed the rich plain in sight Of Fabius,
the dictator refused to be drawn into
battle. He secured all the passes and
bided his time, nkln he had HAN
nibal in a trap.
From the trap escaped by
the historic strategem Of catching all
the oxen in the country, tying fagots
to their horns, lighting the fagots and
! driving this strange torChlight process
sion toward one of the mountain pas
ses. The defenders Of the pass fed
like rabbit and when morning cam.
Hannibal was gone.
t Fabius despite the first failure OF
, his plan, maintained his Fabian tactics
and retreated to Larinunl. The peo-
> pie at Rome denounced him bitterly
and under pretext Of having him pre-
i side over some sacred games recalled
t him TO the capital, where his enemies
G attempted to depose him from the
q dictatorship. T%erantius VarrO, a dem
agogic candidate for the Consulship,
y succeeding III forcing the passage Of
o a law giving L. Minucius commander
n in chief of the cavalry, equal powers
y with Fabius. OF these powers MIMI
cius promptly availed himself by TAX
n ing the offensive and by falling into a
l. snare set by Hannibal. Only the time
E. ly arrival of Fabius saved him and his
m army from utter destruction.
IN MinuciuS then acknowledged Fab
ln Jus as his benefactor, begged his for
g%iveness and resumed his post as mas
ter of the horse. The Whole Roman
sc army retreated to Larinum. and this
ne ended the second campaign.
us Again the Roman populace was
ca Oud in denunciation of Fabius. who
us was called "Cunctator' (the lingerer,
n. and "Ovicula" the little lamb). A
the next election the demagogue Var
eV 70 was chosen Consul with Aemiliu.
at Paulus. Another result of the popu
p lar madness was the law that Varr'
ne should command the army one da.
and Paulus the next.
- VII ohS VI Ills udyS NdIlO IlOft'
ne the entire rmy down to the sea nea
he C%annae. where Hannibal was in
as trenched and there Hannibal massa
IN cred it. The Romans in the battle G
at Cannae lost 40, 900 infantry. 500
&C. horses, n Consul, Varro, two pro
OF Tribunes and eighty Senator's. 1t VS.
one of the most decisive and blood
battles history records.
les One of the fugitive Tribunes sa
MI Aemilius Paulus sitting mortal
wounded on a stone and offered hi
the his horse. mo" said Paulus, IN
lers hours are numbered; go to Rome. fiji
yer Quintus Fabius and tell him to pr
by pare to defend the city"
ms All Rome indeed turned to Fabiu
He was no longer the lingerer. he w
Rome's savior. Fabius ordered ne
for levies, but SO great had beeen the di
aster at Cannae that he had to enrt
FOR slaves, prisoners and debtors to fill
elus the holes in the Roman ranks.
Hannibal had by this time conque
lpai ed Capua and all southern Italy h
Iar- declared for him. Rome was alme
Car- bankrupt, not only in men but
money. Taxes were doubled, WON
were forbidden to wear any q
clothes or to ornament their perso
rear, with more than an ounce of cold r
1au- coinage was debased and treasr
the notes were issued in navment FOR NJ
tary equipment and supplies redae
'nsul able after the war
MS Marcus Marcellus, called the swc
dis Of Rome. as hi Voc calIod +,
ak shield, was placed at the head Of
ageo field armies which took up positi,
S the around CauDa and harascad uonni
hitch in every possible wav n,aL;ne :
ana quent incursions into Apulia and
lson- cania- For two years the Rom;
oeen pursued these tactics. always retire
! not ing when the enemy attacked them
Foyeo force, While the Carthaginians W:
great awaited reinforcements fro1o G.
unce- under HannihaI,s brother Heed,
rome. who had been della we'd nv The ac.;,.;
i to OF Scipio, now p%roconsul in Spain
BY 210 the bitter lesson IF O.
which had been forgotten and The ~,
Y sur again began to comnIair ~ ~;
h the Watchful waiting and 70 6araas