ad received advantage from the service of the horsemen, they
would, on that day, exert themselves to insure the invincible renown
of that body; telling them that the enemy stood immovable against the
efforts of the infantry, and the only hope remaining was in the charge
of horse." He addressed particularly both these youths, and with the
same cordiality, loading them with praises and promises. But
considering that, in case that effort should also fail, it would be
necessary to accomplish by stratagem what his strength could not
effect; he ordered Scipio, one of his lieutenants-general, to draw
off the spearmen of the first legion out of the line; to lead them
round as secretly as possible to the nearest mountains; and, by an
ascent concealed from view, to gain the heights, and show himself
suddenly on the rear of the enemy. The cavalry, led on by the
tribunes, rushing forward unexpectedly before the van, caused scarcely
more confusion among the enemy than among their friends. The line of
the Samnites stood firm against the furious onset of the squadrons; it
neither could be driven from its ground, nor broken in any part. The
cavalry, finding their attempts fruitless, withdrew from the fight,
and retired behind the line of infantry. On this the enemies' courage
increased, so that the Roman troops in the van would not have been
able to support the contest, nor the force thus increasing by
confidence in itself, had not the second line, by the consul's order,
come up into the place of the first. These fresh troops checked the
progress of the Samnites, who had now began to gain ground; and, at
this seasonable juncture, their comrades appearing suddenly on the
mountains, and raising a shout, occasioned in the Samnites a fear of
greater danger than really threatened them; Fabius called out aloud
that his colleague Decius was approaching; on which all the soldiers,
elated with joy, repeated eagerly, that the other consul was come, the
legions were arrived! This artifice, useful to the Romans, filled the
Samnites with dismay and terror; terrified chiefly lest fatigued as
they were, they should be overpowered by another army fresh and
unhurt. As they dispersed themselves in their flight on every side,
there was less effusion of blood than might have been expected,
considering the completeness of the victory. There were three thousand
four hundred slain, about eight hundred and thirty made prisoners, and
twenty-three military stand