He orders them, roused by these exhortations, to refresh themselves and prepare
for the journey. Next day, proceeding upward along the bank of the Rhone, he
makes for the inland part of Gaul: not because it was the more direct route
to the Alps, but believing that the farther he retired from the sea, the Romans
would be less in his way; with whom, before he arrived in Italy, he had no intention
of engaging. After four days' march he came to the Island: there the streams
of the Arar and the Rhone, flowing down from different branches of the Alps,
after embracing a pretty large tract of country, flow into one. The name of
the Island is given to the plains that lie between them. The Allobroges dwell
near, a nation even in those days inferior to none in Gaul in power and fame.
They were at that time at variance. Two brothers were contending for the sovereignty.
The elder, named Brancus, who had before been king, was driven out by his younger
brother and a party of the younger men, who, inferior in right, had more of
power. When the decision of this quarrel was most opportunely referred to Hannibal,
being appointed arbitrator of the kingdom, he restored the sovereignty to the
elder, because such had been the opinion of the senate and the chief men. In
return for this service, he was assisted with a supply of provisions, and plenty
of all necessaries, particularly clothing, which the Alps, notorious for extreme
cold, rendered necessary to be prepared. After composing the dissensions of
the Allobroges, when he now was proceeding to the Alps, he directed his course
thither, not by the straight road, but turned to the left into the country of
the Tricastini, thence by the extreme boundary of the territory of the Vocontii
he proceeded to the Tricorii; his way not being any where obstructed till he
came to the river Druentia. This stream, also arising amid the Alps, is by far
the most difficult to pass of all the rivers in Gaul; for though it rolls down
an immense body of water, yet it does not admit of ships; because, being restrained
by no banks, and flowing in several and not always the same channels, and continually
forming new shallows and new whirlpools, (on which account the passage is also
uncertain to a person on foot,) and rolling down besides gravelly stones, it
affords no firm or safe passage to those who enter it; and having been at that
time swollen by showers, it created great disorder among the soldiers as they
crossed, when, in addition to other difficulties, they were of themselves confused
by their own hurry and uncertain shouts.
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