ut six
months' standing: himself, who was almost born, at least brought up, in
the tent of Hamilcar his father; the conqueror of Spain, of Gaul, of the
inhabitants of the Alps, and what is still more, conqueror of the Alps
themselves. He rouses their indignation against the insolence of the
Romans, who had dared to demand that himself, and the rest who had taken
Saguntum, should be delivered up to them; and excites their jealousy
against the intolerable pride of those imperious masters, who imagined
that all things ought to obey them, and that they had a right to give laws
to the whole world.

After these speeches, both sides prepare for battle. Scipio, having thrown
a bridge across the Ticinus, marched his troops over it. Two ill
omens(750) had filled his army with consternation and dread. As for the
Carthaginians, they were inspired with the boldest courage. Hannibal
animates them with fresh promises; and cleaving with a stone the skull of
the lamb he was sacrificing, he prays Jupiter to dash to pieces his head
in like manner, in case he did not give his soldiers the rewards he had
promised them.

Scipio posts, in the first line, the troops armed with missive weapons,
and the Gaulish horse; and forming his second line of the flower of the
confederate cavalry, he advances slowly. Hannibal advanced with his whole
cavalry, in the centre of which he had posted the troopers who rid with
bridles, and the Numidian horsemen on(751) the wings, in order to surround
the enemy. The officers and cavalry being eager to engage, a charge
ensues. At the first onset, Scipio's light-armed soldiers had scarcely
discharged their darts, when, frighted at the Carthaginian cavalry, which
came pouring upon them, and fearing lest they should be trampled under the
horses' feet, they gave way, and retired through the intervals of the
squadrons. The fight continued a long time with equal success. Many
troopers on both sides dismounted, so that the battle was carried on
between infantry as well as cavalry. In the mean time, the Numidians
surround the enemy, and charge the rear of the light-armed troops, who at
first had escaped the attack of the cavalry, and tread them under their
horses' feet. The centre of the Roman forces had hitherto fought with
great bravery. Many were killed on both sides, and even more on that of
the Carthaginians. But the Roman troops were put into disorder by the
Numidians, who attacked them in the rear; and especially b