22.2
While the
consul was occupied in these propitiatory ceremonies and also in the
enrolment of troops, information reached Hannibal that Flaminius had
arrived at Arretium, and he at once broke up his winter quarters. There were
two routes into Etruria, both of which were pointed out to Hannibal; one
was considerably longer than the other but a much better road, the shorter
route, which he decided to take, passed through the marshes of the Arno,
which was at the time in higher flood than usual. He ordered the Spaniards
and Africans, the main strength of his veteran army, to lead, and they were
to take their own baggage with them, so that, in case of a halt, they might
have the necessary supplies; the Gauls were to follow so as to form the
centre of the column; the cavalry were to march last, and Mago and his
Numidian light horse were to close up the column, mainly to keep the Gauls
up to the mark in case they fell out or came to a halt through the fatigue and
exertion of so long a march, for as a nation they were unable to stand that
kind of thing. Those in front followed wherever the guides led the way,
through the deep and almost bottomless pools of water, and though almost
sucked in by the mud through which they were half-wading, half-swimming,
still kept their ranks. The Gauls could neither recover themselves when they
slipped nor when once down had they the strength to struggle out of the
pools; depressed and hopeless they had no spirits left to keep up their bodily
powers. Some dragged their worn-out limbs painfully along, others gave up
the struggle and lay dying amongst the baggage animals which were lying
about in all directions. What distressed them most of all was want of sleep,
from which they had been suffering for four days and three nights. As
everything was covered with water and they had not a dry spot on which to
lay their wearied bodies, they piled up the baggage in the water and lay on
the top, whilst some snatched a few minutes' needful rest by making couches
of the heaps of baggage animals which were everywhere standing out of the
water. Hannibal himself, whose eyes were affected by the changeable and
inclement spring weather, rode upon the only surviving elephant so that he
might be a little higher above the water. Owing, however, to want of sleep
and the night mists and the malaria from the marshes, his head became
affected, and as neither place nor time admitted of any proper treatment, he
completely lost the sight of one eye.
