alry to be
immediately overpowered: for when their four thousand already with
difficulty withstood by themselves ten thousand of the enemy, the
wearied, against men for the most part fresh, they were overwhelmed in
addition by a cloud as it were of javelins, discharged by the
Baliares; and the elephants besides, which held a prominent position
at the extremities of the wings, (the horses being greatly terrified
not only at their appearance, but their unusual smell,) occasioned
flight to a wide extent. The battle between the infantry was equal
rather in courage than strength; for the Carthaginian brought the
latter entire to the action, having a little before refreshed
themselves, while, on the contrary, the bodies of the Romans,
suffering from fasting and fatigue, and stiff with cold, were quite
benumbed. They would have made a stand, however, by dint of courage,
if they had only had to fight with the infantry. But both the
Baliares, having beaten off the cavalry, poured darts on their flanks,
and the elephants had already penetrated to the centre of the line of
the infantry; while Mago and the Numidians, as soon as the army had
passed their place of ambush without observing them, starting up on
their rear, occasioned great disorder and alarm. Nevertheless, amid so
many surrounding dangers, the line for some time remained unbroken,
and, most contrary to the expectation of all, against the elephants.
These the light infantry, posted for the purpose, turned back by
throwing their spears; and following them up when turned, pierced them
under the tail, where they received the wounds in the softest skin.

56. Hannibal ordered the elephants, thus thrown into disorder, and
almost driven by their terror against their own party, to be led away
from the centre of the line to its extremity against the auxiliary
Gauls on the left wing. In an instant they occasioned unequivocal
flight; and a new alarm was added to the Romans when they saw their
auxiliaries routed. About ten thousand men, therefore, as they now
were fighting in a circle, the others being unable to escape, broke
through the middle of the line of the Africans, which was supported by
the Gallic auxiliaries, with immense slaughter of the enemy: and since
they neither could return to the camp, being shut out by the river,
nor, on account of the heavy rain, satisfactorily determine in what
part they should assist their friends, they proceeded by the direct
road to Placent