interred it.
Crispinus, disheartened by the death of his colleague and his own
wound, set out during the silence of the following night, and encamped
upon the nearest mountains he could reach, in a position elevated and
secured on all sides. Here the two generals exerted their sagacity,
the one in effecting, the other in guarding against, a deception.
Hannibal got possession of the ring of Marcellus, together with his
body. Crispinus, fearing lest any artifice should be practised by the
Carthaginian's employing this signet as the means of deception, had
sent round messengers to the neighbouring states, informing them, that
"his colleague had been slain, and that the enemy were in possession
of his seal, and that they must not give credit to any letters written
in the name of Marcellus." This message of the consul arrived at
Salapia a little before a letter was brought from Hannibal, written in
the name of Marcellus, to the effect, that "he should come to Salapia
on the night which followed that day; that the soldiers in the
garrison should hold themselves in readiness, in case he might want
to employ them on any service." The Salapians were aware of the fraud,
and concluding that an opportunity for punishing them was sought by
Hannibal, from resentment, not only on account of their defection,
but also because they slew his horsemen, sent his messenger, who was a
deserter from the Romans, back again, in order that the soldiers might
do what was thought necessary, without his being privy to it, and then
placed the townsmen in parties to keep guard along the walls, and in
convenient parts of the city. The guards and watches they formed with
extraordinary care for that night, and on each side of the gate at
which they supposed the enemy would come, they opposed to them the
choicest of the troops in the garrison. About the fourth watch,
Hannibal approached the city. His vanguard was composed of Roman
deserters, with Roman arms. These, all of whom spoke the Latin
language, when they reached the gate, called up the guards, and
ordered the gate to be opened, for the consul had arrived. The guards,
as if awakened at their call, began to be in a hurry and bustle, and
exert themselves in opening the gate, which was closed by letting down
the portcullis; some raised this with levers, others drew it up with
ropes to such a height that the men could come in without stooping.
The opening was scarcely wide enough, when the deserters ea