duct with respect to Fabius._(_761_)--Hannibal, after the
battle of Thrasymenus, not thinking it yet proper to march directly to
Rome, contented himself, in the mean time, with laying waste the country.
He crossed Umbria and Picenum; and after ten days' march, arrived in the
territory of Adria.(762) He got a very considerable booty in this march.
Out of his implacable enmity to the Romans, he commanded, that all who
were able to bear arms, should be put to the sword; and meeting no
obstacle any where, he advanced as far as Apulia; plundering the countries
which lay in his way, and carrying desolation wherever he came, in order
to compel the nations to disengage themselves from their alliance with the
Romans; and to show all Italy, that Rome itself, now quite dispirited,
yielded him the victory.

Fabius, followed by Minucius and four legions, had marched from Rome in
quest of the enemy, but with a firm resolution not to let him take the
least advantage, nor to advance one step till he had first reconnoitred
every place; nor hazard a battle till he should be sure of success.

As soon as both armies were in sight, Hannibal, to terrify the Roman
forces, offered them battle, by advancing almost to the very entrenchments
of their camp. But finding every thing quiet there, he retired; blaming,
in appearance, the cowardice of the enemy, whom he upbraided with having
at last lost that valour so natural to their ancestors; but fretted
inwardly, to find he had to do with a general of so different a
disposition from Sempronius and Flaminius; and that the Romans, instructed
by their defeat, had at last made choice of a commander capable of
opposing Hannibal.

From this moment he perceived that the dictator would not be formidable to
him by the boldness of his attacks, but by the prudence and regularity of
his conduct, which might perplex and embarrass him very much. The only
circumstance he now wanted to know, was, whether the new general had
firmness enough to pursue steadily the plan he seemed to have laid down.
He endeavoured, therefore, to shake his resolution by the different
movements which he made, by laying waste the lands, plundering the cities,
and burning the villages and towns. He, at one time, would raise his camp
with the utmost precipitation; and, at another, stop short in some valley
out of the common route, to try whether he could not surprise him in the
plain. However, Fabius still kept his troops on the hills, bu