, and part of his
infantry to ravage the country throughout in every direction, and to
cut off stragglers. There was a skirmish before the camp, at the same
time that many were killed and put to flight in the fields. But having
by different routes returned to their camp, they so quickly shook off
all fear, that they had courage not only to defend their lines, but
challenge the enemy to fight. They sallied out, therefore, in a body
from the camp, dancing according to their custom. Their sudden
boldness terrified the enemy, who a little before had been the
assailants. Hasdrubal therefore drew off his troops to a tolerably
steep eminence, and secured further by having a river between it and
the enemy. Here the parties of light-armed troops which had been sent
in advance, and the horse which had been dispersed about, he called in
to join him. But not thinking himself sufficiently secured by the
eminence or the river, he fortified his camp completely with a
rampart. While thus fearing and feared alternately, several skirmishes
occurred, in which the Numidian cavalry were not so good as the
Spanish, nor the Moorish darters so good as the Spanish targetteers,
who equalled them in swiftness, but were superior to them in strength
and courage.

27. The enemy seeing they could not, by coming up to Hasdrubal's camp,
draw him out to a battle, nor assault it without great difficulty,
stormed Asena, whither Hasdrubal, on entering their territories, had
laid up his corn and other stores. By this they became masters of all
the surrounding country. But now they became quite ungovernable, both
when on march and within their camp.

Hasdrubal, therefore, perceiving their negligence, which, as usual,
was the consequence of success, after having exhorted his troops to
attack them while they were straggling and without their standards,
came down the hill, and advanced to their camp in order of battle. On
his approach being announced in a tumultuous manner, by men who fled
from the watchposts and advanced guards, they shouted to arms; and as
each could get his arms, they rushed precipitately to battle, without
waiting for the word, without standards, without order, and without
ranks. The foremost of them were already engaged, while some were
running up in parties, and others had not got out of their camp.
However, at first, the very boldness of their attack terrified the
enemy. But when they charged their close ranks with their own which
wer