Italy no longer supported their former reputation. M.
Marcellus, first as praetor, and afterwards as consul, had contributed very
much to this revolution. He harassed Hannibal's army on every occasion,
seized upon his quarters, forced him to raise sieges, and even defeated
him in several engagements; so that he was called the Sword of Rome, as
Fabius had before been named its Buckler.

(M125) But what most affected the Carthaginian general, was, to see Capua
besieged by the Romans. In order, therefore, to preserve his reputation
among his allies, by a vigorous support of those who held the chief rank
as such, he flew to the relief of that city, brought forward his forces,
attacked the Romans, and fought several battles to oblige them to raise
the siege. (M126) At last, seeing all his measures defeated, he marched
hastily towards Rome, in order to make a powerful diversion. He was not
without hope of being able, in case he could have an opportunity, in the
first consternation, to storm some part of the city, of drawing the Roman
generals with all their forces from the siege of Capua, to the relief of
their capital; at least he flattered himself, that if, for the sake of
continuing the siege, they should divide their forces, their weakness
might then offer an occasion, either to the Capuans or himself, of
engaging and defeating them. Rome was surprised, but not confounded. A
proposal being made by one of the senators, to recall all the armies to
succour Rome; Fabius(787) declared, that it would be shameful in them to
be terrified, and forced to change their measures upon every motion of
Hannibal. They therefore contented themselves with only recalling part of
the army, and one of the generals, Q. Fulvius the proconsul, from the
siege. Hannibal, after making some devastations, drew up his army in order
of battle before the city, and the consul did the same. Both sides were
preparing to signalize themselves in a battle, of which Rome was to be the
recompense, when a violent storm obliged them to separate. They were no
sooner returned to their respective camps, than the face of the heavens
grew calm and serene. The same incident happened frequently afterwards;
insomuch that Hannibal, believing that there was something supernatural in
the event, said, according to Livy, that sometimes(788) his own will, and
sometimes fortune, would not suffer him to take Rome.

But the circumstance which most surprised and intimidated him, wa