The Romans having had in view since early morning the troops arrayed about Hannibal were now arming themselves and taking their places.  The trumpets incited both parties, the signals were raised, and then ensued the clash of battle and a contest which assumed a variety of aspects.  Until noon the advantage had not fallen distinctly to either side.  Then the wind came up and the false deserters were received as men destitute of arms and got behind the Romans, alleging the very natural reason that they wanted to be out of the way of the Carthaginian attack.  At this moment the men rose from ambush on both sides, Hannibal with his cavalry charged the front ranks, the enemy confused the Romans on every hand, the wind and the dust cloud assailed their faces violently, causing perplexity, and interfered with their breathing, which was already growing quick and labored from exertion, so that deprived of sight, deprived of voice, they perished in a wild melee, preserving no semblance of order.  So great a multitude fell that Hannibal did not even try to find out the number of the common people, and in regard to the number of the knights and members of the senate he did not write to the Carthaginians at home but indicated it by the finger-rings; these he measured off by the quart and sent away.  Only the senators and the knights wore finger-rings.  Yet after all a number made good their escape even on this occasion, among them Terentius; Paulus was killed.  Hannibal did not pursue nor did he hasten to Rome.  He might have set out at once for Rome with either his entire army or at least a portion of it and have quickly ended the war; yet he did not do so, although Maharbal urged him to do so.  Hence he was censured as being able to win victories but not understanding how to use them.  Since they had delayed this time, they could never again have an opportunity to make haste.  Therefore Hannibal regretted it, feeling that he had committed a blunder, and was ever crying out:  “Oh Cannae, Cannae!”

IX, 2.—­The Romans, who had been in such imminent danger of being destroyed, won back their superiority through Scipio.  He was a son of the Publius Scipio in Spain, and had saved the life of his father when the latter was wounded:  [Sidenote:  FRAG. 56^24] HE WAS AT THIS TIME SERVING IN THE ARMY, HAD FLED TO CANUSIUM, AND LATER ACHIEVED RENOWN.  BY COMMON CONSENT OF THE FUGITIVES ASSEMBLED AT CANUSIUM HE RECEIVED THE LEADERSHIP, SET IN ORDER AFFAIRS AT THAT PLACE, SENT GARRISONS TO THE REGIONS IN PROXIMITY, AND BOTH PLANNED AND EXECUTED ALL MEASURES WELL.

The people of Rome heard of the defeat but did not believe it.  When they at last came to believe it, they were filled with sorrow and met in the senate-house, but were ready to break up without accomplishing anything, when finally Fabius proposed that they send scouts to bring a report of what had really happened and what Hannibal was doing.  He advised them not to lament but to go about in silence that the necessary