ey announced this with so much fear, Hannibal concluded
he must make haste lest the Romans should get there before him; and
setting out from Arpi, took up his position in his old camp at Tifata,
above Capua. Leaving his Numidians and Spaniards for the protection
both of the camp and Capua, he went down thence with the rest of his
troops to the lake Avernus on the pretence of performing sacrifice,
but in reality to make an attempt upon Puteoli and the garrison in it.
Maximus, on receiving intelligence that Hannibal had set out from
Arpi, and was returning to Campania, went back to his army, pursuing
his journey without intermission by night or by day. He also ordered
Tiberius Gracchus to bring up his troops from Luceria to Beneventum,
and Quintus Fabius the praetor, the son of the consul, to go to
Luceria in the room of Gracchus. At the same time the two praetors set
out for Sicily, Publius Cornelius to join his army, Otacilius to take
the command of the sea-coast and the fleet; the rest also proceeded to
their respective provinces, and those who were continued in command
remained in the same countries as in the former year.

13. While Hannibal was at the lake Avernus, five noble youths came to
him from Tarentum. They had been made prisoners partly at the lake
Trasimenus, and partly at Cannae, and had been sent home by the
Carthaginian with the same civility which he had shown towards all the
Roman allies. They stated to him that, impressed with gratitude for
his favours, they had succeeded in inducing a large portion of the
Tarentine youth to prefer his alliance and friendship to that of the
Romans; and that they were sent by their countrymen as ambassadors to
request Hannibal to bring his forces nearer to Tarentum; that if his
standards and camp were within sight of Tarentum, that city would be
delivered into his hands without delay; that the commons were under
the influence of the youth, and the state of Tarentum in the hands of
the commons. Hannibal after bestowing the highest commendations upon
them, and loading them with immense promises, bid them return home to
mature their plans, saying that he would be there in due time. With
these hopes, the Tarentines were dismissed. Hannibal had himself
conceived the strongest desire of getting possession of Tarentum. He
saw that it was a city opulent and celebrated, on the coast, and lying
conveniently over against Macedonia. And that as the Romans were in
possession of Brun