8.  What was the result?

9.  What expedient did the senate adopt on this occasion?

10.  Who was chosen to this office?

11.  What method of fighting did he adopt?

12.  What was the success of this plan?

13.  Was his situation hopeless?

14.  Describe his stratagem and its consequences?

15.  Did it answer his purpose?

16.  Was Fabius continued in office?

17, 18.  Of what disobedience was Minutius guilty?  Was he punished?

19.  How was the army divided?

20, 21.  What plan did Fabius pursue?  How was its superiority proved?

22, 23, 24.  Who succeeded Fabius?  What was his character, and that of his colleague?

25.  How were the Carthaginians posted at Cannae?

26, 27.  How did the consuls behave?  How did Varro act?

28.  What were the circumstances of the engagement?

29.  How did the battle terminate?

30.  What was the fate of AEmilius?

31.  What generous offer was made by Lentulus?

32.  Did the consul accept the tribune’s offer?

33.  Was the loss of the Romans severe?

SECTION III.

                  The storming Hannibal
  In vain the thunder of the battle rolled. 
  The thunder of the battle they returned
  Back on his Punic shores.—­Dyer.

1.  When the first consternation was abated after this dreadful blow, the senate came to a resolution to create a dictator, in order to give strength to their government. 2.  A short time after Varro arrived, having left behind him the wretched remains of his army.  As he had been the principal cause of the late calamity, it was natural to suppose, that the senate would severely reprimand the rashness of his conduct.  But far otherwise!  The Romans went out in multitudes to meet him; and the senate returned him thanks that he had not despaired of the safety of Rome. 3.  Fa’bius, who was considered as the shield, and Marcellus, as the sword of Rome, were appointed to lead the armies:  and though Hannibal once more offered them peace, they refused it, but upon condition that he should quit Italy—­a measure similar to that they had formerly insisted upon from Pyrrhus.

4.  Han’nibal finding the impossibility of marching directly to Rome, or willing to give his forces rest after so mighty a victory, led them to Cap’ua, where he resolved to winter. 5.  This city had long been considered as the nurse of luxury, and the corrupter of all military virtue. 6.  Here a new scene of pleasure opened to his barbarian troops:  they at once gave themselves up to intoxication; and from being hardy veterans, became infirm rioters.

7.  Hitherto we have found this great man successful; but now we are to reverse the picture, and survey him struggling with accumulated misfortunes, and, at last, sinking beneath them.