A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

The Battle of Lake Trasimene 385
compassed them.
As they saw their only safety lay in the
right hand and the sword, each man became his own leader
and encouraged to action, and an entirely new struggle
arose,—not in a regular line of battle, with principes,
hastati, and triarii, nor of such a sort as when the vanguard
fights before the standards and the rest of the troops behind
them, nor when each soldier stands in his own legion,
cohort and company; chance collected them into bands;
and each man's will assigned him his post, to fight in front
or rear.
So great was the ardor of battle, so intent were
their minds upon the fray, that not one of the combatants
felt an earthquake which threw down large parts of many
Italian cities, turned rivers from their rapid courses, carried
the sea up into rivers, and levelled mountains with a tremendous
crash.
Nearly three hours the battle raged, and in every quarter
fiercely; around the consul it was hottest and most determined.
With the strongest of his troops he promptly
brought assistance wherever he saw his men hard pressed
or worried. Knowing him by his armor, the enemy attacked
him furiously, while his countrymen defended him.
Finally an Insubrian horseman named Ducarius,
recognizing
his face, said to his fellows, "Lo, this is the consul
who slew our legions and laid waste our fields and cities.
Now will I offer this victim to the shades of my countrymen
miserably slain!" and putting spurs to his horse, he
dashed through a dense throng of the enemy. First he
killed the consul's armor-bearer, who had opposed himself
to the attack; then he ran the consul through with a lance.
The veterans, by opposing their shields, kept him from
despoiling the body.
Then for the first time many took to flight. Neither
lake nor mountain could now check their hurried retreat;
(The three
lines of
heavy infantry;
Rome, 45;
A ncient
World, 365.)
Flaminius
kiUed.
Livy xxii. 6.
(He had defeated
them
and had conquered
their
country,
223 B.C.)
FUght.