ion, sweeping the pavements of the temples with
their hair: for this is their customary way of behaving when any
serious danger comes upon their country. But just as Hannibal had
encamped, and was intending to attempt the city itself next day, an
extraordinary coincidence occurred which proved fortunate for the
preservation of Rome.

For Gnaeus Fulvius and Publius Sulpicius, having already enrolled one
consular army, had bound the men with the usual oath to appear at Rome
armed on that very day; and were also engaged on that day in drawing
out the lists and testing the men for the other army: whereby it so
happened that a large number of men had been collected in Rome
spontaneously in the very nick of time. These troops the Consuls
boldly led outside the walls, and, entrenching themselves there,
checked Hannibal's intended movement. For the Carthaginians were at
first eager to advance, and were not altogether without hope that they
would be able to take Rome itself by assault. But when they saw the
enemy drawn up in order, and learned before long from a prisoner what
had happened, they abandoned the idea of attacking the city, and began
devastating the country-side instead, and setting fire to the houses.
In these first raids they collected an innumerable amount of booty,
for the field of plunder upon which they were entered was one into
which no one had ever expected an enemy to set foot.

But presently, when the Consuls ventured to encamp within ten stades
of him, Hannibal broke up his quarters before daylight. He did so for
three reasons: first, because he had collected an enormous booty;
secondly, because he had given up all hope of taking Rome; and
lastly, because he reckoned that the time had now come at which he
expected, according to his original idea, that Appius would have
learned the danger threatening Rome, and would have raised the siege
of Capua, and come with his whole force to the relief of the city; or
at any rate would hurry up with the greater part, leaving a detachment
to carry on the siege. Publius had caused the bridges over the Anio to
be broken down, and thus compelled Hannibal to get his army across by
a ford; and he now attacked the Carthaginians as they were engaged in
making the passage of the stream and caused them great distress. They
were not able however to strike an important blow, owing to the number
of Hannibal's cavalry, and the activity of the Numidians in every part
of the field.