and beat down one another.

They were now come to a worse place than any they had yet met with. This
was a path naturally very rugged and craggy, which having been made more
so by the late falling in of the earth, terminated in a frightful
precipice above a thousand feet deep. Here the cavalry stopped short.
Hannibal, wondering at this sudden halt, ran to the place, and saw that it
really would be impossible for the troops to advance. He therefore was for
making a circuitous route, but this also was found impracticable. As, upon
the old snow, which was grown hard by lying, there was some newly fallen
that was of no great depth, the feet, at first, by their sinking into it,
found a firm support; but this snow being soon dissolved, by the treading
of the foremost troops and beasts of burden, the soldiers marched on
nothing but ice, which was so slippery, that they had no firm footing; and
where, if they made the least false step, or endeavoured to save
themselves with their hands or knees, there were no boughs or roots to
catch hold of. Besides this difficulty, the horses, striking their feet
forcibly into the ice to keep themselves from falling, could not draw them
out again, but were caught as in a gin. They therefore were forced to seek
some other expedient.

Hannibal resolved to pitch his camp, and to give his troops some days'
rest on the summit of this hill, which was of a considerable extent; after
they should have cleared the ground, and removed all the old as well as
the new fallen snow, which was a work of immense labour. He afterwards
ordered a path to be cut into the rock itself, and this was carried on
with amazing patience and ardour. To open and enlarge this path, all the
trees thereabouts were cut down, and piled round the rock; after which
fire was set to them. The wind, by good fortune, blowing hard, a fierce
flame soon broke out, so that the rock glowed like the very coals with
which it was surrounded. Then Hannibal, if Livy may be credited, (for
Polybius says nothing of this matter,) caused a great quantity of vinegar
to be poured on the rock,(745) which piercing into the veins of it, that
were now cracked by the intense heat of the fire, calcined and softened
it. In this manner, taking a large compass about, in order that the
descent might be easier, they cut away along the rock, which opened a free
passage to the forces, the baggage, and even to the elephants. Four days
were employed in this work, du