22.15
Fabius
kept an equally careful watch upon both sides, upon his own men no less
than upon the enemy, and he showed that his resolution was quite unshaken.
He was quite aware that his inactivity was making him unpopular not only in
his own camp, but even in Rome, nevertheless his determination remained
unchanged and he persisted in the same tactics for the rest of the summer,
and Hannibal abandoned all hopes of the battle which he had so anxiously
sought for. It became necessary for him to look round for a suitable place to
winter in, as the country in which he was, a land of orchards and vineyards,
was entirely planted with the luxuries rather than the necessaries of life, and
furnished supplies only for a few months not for the whole year. Hannibal's
movements were reported to Fabius by his scouts. As he felt quite certain
that he would return by the same pass through which he had entered the
district of Falernum, he posted a fairly strong detachment on Mount
Callicula and another to garrison Casilinum. The Vulturnus runs through the
middle of this town and forms the boundary between the districts of
Falernum and Campania. He led his army back over the same heights, having
previously sent L. Hostilius Mancinus forward with 400 cavalry to
reconnoitre. This man was amongst the throng of young officers who had
frequently listened to the fierce harangues of the Master of the Horse. At
first he advanced cautiously, as a scouting party should do, to get a good
view of the enemy from a safe position. But when he saw the Numidians
roaming in all directions through the villages, and had even surprised and
killed some of them, he thought of nothing but fighting, and completely
forgot the Dictator's instructions, which were to go forward as far as he
could safely and to retire before the enemy observed him. The Numidians,
attacking and retreating in small bodies, drew him gradually almost up to
their camp, his men and horses by this time thoroughly tired. Thereupon
Carthalo, the general in command of the cavalry, charged at full speed, and
before they came within range of their javelins put the enemy to flight and
pursued them without slackening rein for nearly five miles. When Mancinus
saw that there was no chance of the enemy giving up the pursuit, or of his
escaping them, he rallied his men and faced the Numidians, though
completely outnumbered and outmatched. He himself with the best of his
riders was cut off, the rest resumed their wild flight and reached Cales and
ultimately by different by-paths returned to the Dictator. It so happened that
Minucius had rejoined Fabius on this day. He had been sent to strengthen the
force holding the defile which contracts into a narrow pass just above
Terracina close to the sea. This was to prevent the Carthaginian from
utilising the Appian road for a descent upon the territory of Rome, when he
left Sinuessa. The Dictator and the Master of the Horse with their joint
armies moved their camp on to the route which Hannibal was expected to
take. He was encamped two miles distant.
