ed by the shields of the besiegers who concealed
themselves behind them to hurl their missiles.

Hannibal hurried to his tent, passing between the cavalrymen who were
deliberately grooming their horses and polishing their weapons, knowing
that they were not to take part in the assault until the last moment.
The chieftain armed himself lightly. He put on a short lorica of bronze
scales, adjusted his helmet, selected a shield, and on leaving his tent
he met Maherbal and his brother Mago, in charge of the reserves who
remained in the camp.

"Your legs are unprotected," said his brother. "Are you not going to
cover them with greaves?"

"No," replied the chieftain spiritedly. "We are going to make an
assault, and to climb over the fallen walls one must have his legs free.
The missiles will respect me as ever."

As he walked out of the camp he thought he saw the queen of the Amazons
standing between two tents, following him with saddened eyes; but
Asbyte, when her gaze met Hannibal's, moved away and turned her back
upon him haughtily.

Trumpets blew, and the army stirred, marching against the city.

The mantelets rolled forward, veritable parapets of wood, through the
interstices of which the bowmen shot. Under cover of these portable
bulwarks the Africans armed with pickaxes advanced, while in other
directions throughout the valley hurried the Celtiberians, carrying
their ladders in front of them.

In an instant the walls were manned with defenders. Over the merlons
appeared sinewy arms hurling missiles, slings swirled discharging
stones, and bows bent followed by sharp hisses.

Hannibal, to animate the assailants, marched behind the fifteen hundred
Africans, laughing at the projectiles which struck the wooden sides of
the mantelets. Several nights, dragging himself on his belly, and at the
risk of being taken prisoner, he had reached the foot of that rampart
which projected on the valley side, and which formed the strongest wall
of the city. The base was composed of great stones laid in clay. The
chieftain being convinced that it was difficult to scale the walls,
decided to open a breach through the foundation by undermining the
reddish rampart before which his army had been confounded.

As they drew near it the Africans abandoned the shelter of the mantelets
and hurled themselves furiously against the barrier of enormous stones.
Naked, black, shouting, raising and lowering their muscular arms which
ended in glit