When the minds of the soldiers on both sides had been animated to the contest
by these exhortations, the Romans throw a bridge over the Ticinus, and, for
the sake of defending the bridge, erect a fort on it. The Carthaginian, while
the Romans were engaged in this work, sends Maharbal with a squadron of five
hundred Numidian horse, to lay waste the territories of the allies of the Roman
people. He orders that the Gauls should be spared as much as possible, and the
minds of their chiefs be instigated to a revolt. When the bridge was finished,
the Roman army being led across into the territory of the Insubrians, took up
its station five miles from Victumviae. At this place Hannibal lay encamped;
and having quickly recalled Maharbal and the cavalry, when he perceived that
a battle was approaching, thinking that in exhorting the soldiers enough could
never be spoken or addressed by way of admonition, he announces to them, when
summoned to an assembly, stated rewards, in expectation of which they might
fight. He promised, "that he would give them land in Italy, Africa, Spain, where
each man might choose, exempt from all burdens to the person who received it,
and to his children: if any one preferred money to land, he would satisfy him
in silver; if any of the allies wished to become citizens of Carthage, he would
grant them permission; if others chose rather to return home, he would lend
his endeavours that they should not wish the situation of any one of their countrymen
exchanged for their own." To the slaves also who followed their masters he promised
freedom, and that he would give two slaves in place of each of them to their
masters. And that they might know that these promises were certain, holding
in his left hand a lamb, and in his right a flint, having prayed to Jupiter
and the other gods, that, if he was false to his word, they would thus slay
him as he slew the lamb; after the prayer he broke the skull of the sheep with
the stone. Then in truth all, receiving as it were the gods as sureties, each
for the fulfilment of his own hopes, and thinking that the only delay in obtaining
the object of their wishes arose from their not yet being engaged, with one
mind and one voice demanded the battle.
| 