22.16
The
next day the Carthaginian army began its march and filled the whole of the
road between the two camps. The Romans had taken up a position
immediately below their entrenchments, on unquestionably more
advantageous ground, yet the Carthaginian came up with his cavalry and
light infantry to challenge his enemy. They made repeated attacks and
retirements, but the Roman line kept its ground; the fighting was slack and
more satisfactory to the Dictator than to Hannibal; 200 Romans fell, and 800
of the enemy. It now seemed as if Hannibal must be hemmed in. Capua and
Samnium and all the rich land of Latium behind them were furnishing the
Romans with supplies, while the Carthaginian would have to winter amongst
the rocks of Formiae and the sands and marshes of Liternum and in gloomy
forests. Hannibal did not fail to observe that his own tactics were being
employed against him. As he could not get out through Casilinum, and
would have to make for the mountains and cross the ridge of Callicula, he
would be liable to be attacked by the Romans whilst he was shut up in the
valleys. To guard against this he decided upon a stratagem which, deceiving
the eyes of the enemy by its alarming appearance, would enable him to scale
the mountains in a night march without fear of interruption. The following
was the ruse which he adopted. Torch-wood gathered from all the country
round, and faggots of dry brushwood were tied on the horns of the oxen
which he was driving in vast numbers, both broken and unbroken to the
plough, amongst the rest of the plunder from the fields. About 2000 oxen
were collected for the purpose. To Hasdrubal was assigned the task of
setting fire to the bundles on the horns of this herd as soon as darkness set
in, then driving them up the mountains and if possible mostly above the
passes which were guarded by the Romans.
