re their
dominions, but drive the enemy out of them. This speech revived the
courage and hopes of the Carthaginians; and Xanthippus was entreated, and,
in some measure, forced, to accept the command of the army. When the
Carthaginians saw, in his exercising of their forces near the city, the
manner in which he drew them up in order of battle, made them advance or
retreat on the first signal, file off with order and expedition; in a
word, perform all the evolutions and movements of the military art; they
were struck with astonishment, and owned, that the ablest generals which
Carthage had hitherto produced, knew nothing in comparison of Xanthippus.

The officers, soldiers, and every one, were lost in admiration; and, what
is very uncommon, jealousy gave no alloy to it; the fear of the present
danger, and the love of their country, stifling, without doubt, all other
sentiments. The gloomy consternation, which had before seized the whole
army, was succeeded by joy and alacrity. The soldiers were urgent to be
led against the enemy, in the firm assurance (as they said) of being
victorious under their new leader, and of obliterating the disgrace of
former defeats. Xanthippus did not suffer their ardour to cool; and the
sight of the enemy only inflamed it. When he had approached within little
more than twelve hundred paces of them, he thought proper to call a
council of war, in order to show respect to the Carthaginian generals, by
consulting them. All unanimously deferred to his opinion; upon which it
was resolved to give the enemy battle the following day.

The Carthaginian army was composed of twelve thousand foot, four thousand
horse, and about a hundred elephants. That of the Romans, as near as may
be guessed from what goes before, (for Polybius does not mention their
numbers here,) consisted of fifteen thousand foot and three hundred horse.

It must be a noble sight to see two armies like these before us, not
overcharged with numbers, but composed of brave soldiers, and commanded by
very able generals, engaged in battle. In those tumultuous fights, where
two or three hundred thousand are engaged on both sides, confusion is
inevitable; and it is difficult, amidst a thousand events, where chance
generally seems to have a greater share than counsel, to discover the true
merit of commanders, and the real causes of victory. But in such
engagements as this before us, nothing escapes the curiosity of the
reader; for he clearly