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

386 The First and Second Punic Wars
Il
At length the contest was decided; and when the increas-
An army destroye
.
they ran over steep and narrow ways, as though they were
blind; arms and men tumbled upon one another.
Finding
nowhere else to run, many retreating first into the shallow
water along the shore, plunged farther in till only their
heads and shoulders reached above. Some thoughtlessly
tried to escape by swimming; but as the attempt failed,
they lost courage and were drowned in the deep water; or
wearied to no purpose, they made their way with extreme
difficulty back to the shallows,—only to be cut down by
the cavalry of the enemy, who had waded into the water.
Nearly six thousand men in the van gallantly forced
their way through the opposing enemy, and without knowing
what was happening in the rear, escaped from the defile.
Stopping on a certain height, and hearing naught
but the shouts and the clash of arms, they could not
through the mist discover what was the fortune of the
battle.
.^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ dispelled the mist and cleared the
air,—then in the bright light the mountains and the plains
displayed the ruin of the Roman army.
This is the famous battle of Lake Trasimene, recorded
among the few disasters of Rome. Fifteen thousand
Romans were killed in the struggle. Ten thousand, who
had scattered in flight through all Etruria, returned to the
city by various roads. A thousand five hundred of the
enemy perished.
(Next year Hannibal inflicted a still more terrible defeat
upon the Romans at Cannae; and though this was his last
brilliant victory, he maintained himself in Italy many
201 B.C. years. Finally he had to return to Carthage and make
peace with Rome.)
Who could help admiring this great man's strategic