his forces shaken and
weakened; while Fabius, like a deep quiet river kept constantly
undermining them and wasting them away unperceived. Hannibal was at
length reduced to such extremities that he was weary of fighting
Marcellus, and feared Fabius even though he did not fight: for these
were the persons whom he generally had to deal with, as praetors,
consuls, or pro-consuls, for each of them was five times consul. He drew
Marcellus, when consul for the fifth time, into an ambuscade; but
although he tried every art and stratagem upon Fabius he could effect
nothing, except once, when he very nearly succeeded in ruining him. He
forged letters from the leading citizens of Metapontum, and then sent
them to Fabius. These letters were to the effect that the city would
surrender if he appeared before it, and that the conspirators were only
waiting for his approach. Fabius was so much moved by these letters as
to take a part of his army and commence a night march thither; but
meeting with unfavourable omens on the way he turned back, and soon
afterwards learned that the letters were a stratagem of Hannibal's, who
was waiting for him under the city walls. This escape one may attribute
to the favour of Heaven.

XX. In the case of revolts and insurrections among the subject cities
and allies, Fabius thought it best to restrain them and discountenance
their proceedings in a gentle manner, not treating every suspected
person with harshness, or inquiring too strictly into every case of
suspected disloyalty. It is said that a Marsian soldier, one of the
chief men of the allies for bravery and nobility of birth, was
discovered by Fabius to be engaged in organizing a revolt. Fabius showed
no sign of anger, but admitted that he had not been treated with the
distinction he deserved, and said that in the present instance he should
blame his officers for distributing rewards more by favour than by
merit; but that in future he should be vexed with him if he did not
apply directly to himself when he had any request to make. Saying this,
he presented him with a war horse and other marks of honour, so that
thenceforth the man always served him with the utmost zeal and fidelity.
He thought it a shame that trainers of horses and dogs should be able to
tame the savage spirit of those animals by careful attention and
education rather than by whips and clogs, and yet that a commander of
men should not rely chiefly on mild and conciliatory measures,