12.  By these arts, Fa’bius had actually, at one time, enclosed Han’nibal among mountains, where it was impossible to winter, and from which it was almost impracticable to extricate his army without imminent danger. 13.  In this exigence, nothing but one of those stratagems of war, which only men of great abilities invent, could save him. 14.  He ordered a number of small faggots and lighted torches to be tied to the horns of two thousand oxen, which should be driven towards the enemy.  These, tossing their heads, and funning up the sides of the mountain, seemed to fill the whole neighbouring forest with fire; while the sentinels that were placed to guard the approaches to the mountain, seeing such a number of flames advancing towards their posts, fled in consternation, supposing the whole body of the enemy was in arms to overwhelm them. 15.  By this stratagem Han’nibal drew off his army, and escaped through the defiles that led beneath the hills, though with considerable damage to his rear.

16.  Fa’bius, still pursuing the same judicious measures, followed Han’nibal in all his movements, but at length received a letter from the senate, recalling him to Rome, on pretence of a solemn sacrifice, requiring his presence. 17.  On his departure from the army, he strictly charged Minu’tius, his general of the horse, not to hazard an engagement in his absence.  This command he disobeyed, and Fa’bius expressed his determination to punish so flagrant a breach of military discipline. 18.  The senate, however, favouring Minu’tius, gave him an equal authority with the dictator. 19.  On the arrival of Fa’bius at the camp, he divided the army with Minu’tius, and each pursued his own separate plan. 20.  By artful management, Han’nibal soon brought the troops of the latter to an engagement, and they would have been cut off to a man, had not Fa’bius sacrificed his private resentment to the public good, and hastened to the relief of his colleague. 21.  By their united forces Han’nibal was repulsed, and Minu’tius, conscious of his rashness, resigned the supreme command into the hands of the dictator.

22.  On the expiration of his year of office, Fa’bius resigned, and Taren’tius Varro was chosen to the command. 23.  Varro was a man sprung from the dregs of the people, with nothing but confidence and riches to recommend him. 24.  With him was joined AEmil’ius Paulus, of a disposition entirely opposite; experienced, in the field, cautious in action, and impressed with a thorough contempt for the abilities of his plebeian colleague.

25.  The Romans finding themselves enabled to bring a competent force into the field, being almost ninety thousand strong, now again resolved to meet Han’nibal, who was at this time encamped near the village of Cannae, with a wind in his rear, that, for a certain season, blows constantly one way, which, raising great clouds of dust from the parched plains behind, he knew must greatly distress an approaching