21.33
The
following day the rest of the army broke camp in the grey dawn and
commenced its march. The natives were beginning to assemble at their
customary post of observation when they suddenly became aware that some
of the enemy were in possession of their stronghold right over their heads,
whilst others were advancing on the path beneath. The double impression
made on their eyes and imagination kept them for a few moments
motionless, but when they saw the column falling into disorder mainly
through the horses becoming frightened, they thought that if they increased
the confusion and panic it would be sufficient to destroy it. So they charged
down from rock to rock, careless as to whether there were paths or not, for
they were familiar with the ground. The Carthaginians had to meet this
attack at the same time that they were struggling with the difficulties of the
way, and as each man was doing his best for himself to get out of the reach
of danger, they were fighting more amongst themselves than against the
natives. The horses did the most mischief; they were terrified at the wild
shouts, which the echoing woods and valleys made all the louder, and when
they happened to be struck or wounded they created terrible havoc amongst
the men and the different baggage animals. The road was flanked by sheer
precipices on each side, and in the crowding together many were pushed
over the edge and fell an immense depth. Amongst these were some of the
soldiers; the heavily-laden baggage animals rolled over like falling houses.
Horrible as the sight was, Hannibal remained quiet and kept his men back for
some time, for fear of increasing the alarm and confusion, but when he saw
that the column was broken and that the army was in danger of losing all its
baggage, in which case he would have brought them safely through to no
purpose, he ran down from his higher ground and at once scattered the
enemy. At the same time, however, he threw his own men into still greater
disorder for the moment, but it was very quickly allayed now that the
passage was cleared by the flight of the natives. In a short time the whole
army had traversed the pass, not only without any further disturbance, but
almost in silence. He then seized a fortified village, the head place of the
district, together with some adjacent hamlets, and from the food and cattle
thus secured he provided his army with rations for three days. As the natives,
after their first defeat, no longer impeded their march, whilst the road
presented little difficulty, they made considerable progress during those three
days.
