22.3
After
losing many men and beasts under these frightful .circumstances, he at last
got clear of the marshes, and as soon as he could find some dry ground he
pitched his camp. The scouting parties he had sent out reported that the
Roman army was lying in the neighbourhood of Arretium. His next step was
to investigate as carefully as he possibly could all that it was material for him
to know -what mood the consul was in, what designs he was forming, what
the character of the country and the kind of roads it possessed, and what
resources it offered for the obtaining of supplies. The district was amongst
the most fertile in Italy; the plains of Etruria, which extend from Faesulae to
Arretium, are rich in corn and live stock and every kind of produce. The
consul's overbearing temper, which had grown steadily worse since his last
consulship, made him lose all proper respect and reverence even for the
gods, to say nothing of the majesty of the senate and the laws, and this
self-willed and obstinate side of his character had been aggravated by the
successes he had achieved both at home and in the field. It was perfectly
obvious that he would not seek counsel from either God or man, and
whatever he did would be done in an impetuous and headstrong manner. By
way of making him show these faults of character still more flagrantly, the
Carthaginian prepared to irritate and annoy him. He left the Roman camp on
his left, and marched in the direction of Faesulae to plunder the central
districts of Etruria. Within actual view of the consul he created as
widespread a devastation as he possibly could, and from the Roman camp
they saw in the distance an extensive scene of fire and .massacre.
Flaminius had no intention of keeping quiet even if the enemy had
done so, but now that he saw the possessions of the allies of Rome
plundered and pillaged almost before his very eyes, he felt it to be a personal
disgrace that an enemy should be roaming at will through Italy and
advancing to attack Rome with none to hinder him. All the other members of
the council of war were in favour of a policy of safety rather than of display;
they urged him to wait for his colleague, that they might unite their forces
and act with one mind on a common plan, and pending his arrival they
should check the wild excesses of the plundering enemy with cavalry and the
light-armed auxiliaries. Enraged at these suggestions he dashed out of the
council and ordered the trumpets to give the signal for march and battle;
exclaiming at the same time: "We are to sit, I suppose, before the walls of
Arretium, because our country and our household gods are here. Now that
Hannibal has slipped through our hands, he is to ravage Italy, destroy and
burn everything in his way till he reaches Rome, while we are not to stir from
here until the senate summons C. Flaminius from Arretium as they once
summoned Camillus from Veii." During this outburst, he ordered the
standards to be pulled up with all speed and at the same time mounted his
horse. No sooner had he done so than the animal stumbled and fell and threw
him over its head All those who were standing round were appalled by what
they took to be an evil omen at the beginning of a campaign, and their alarm
was considerably increased by a message brought to the consul that the
standard could not be moved though the standard-bearer had exerted his
utmost strength. He turned to the messenger and asked him: "Are you
bringing a despatch from the senate, also, forbidding me to go on with the
campaign? Go, let them dig out the standard if their hands are too benumbed
with fear for them to pull it up." Then the column began its march. The
superior officers, besides being absolutely opposed to his plans, were
thoroughly alarmed by the double portent, but the great body of the soldiers
were delighted at the spirit their general had shown; they shared his
confidence without knowing on what slender grounds it rested.
