hey obtained over a rival tribe, upon their first encounter when
led by Malchus and his able lieutenant Nessus, that he had no difficulty
in future on this score.

The advantages, indeed, of fighting in solid formation, instead of
the irregular order in which each man fought for himself, were so
overwhelming that the tribe rapidly increased in power and importance,
and became one of the leading peoples in that part of Germany. Above
all, Malchus inculcated them with a deep hatred of Rome, and warned them
that when the time came, as it assuredly would do, that the Romans would
cross the Alps and attempt the conquest of the country, it behooved the
German tribes to lay aside all their disputes and to join in a common
resistance against the enemy.

From time to time rumours, brought by parties of Cisalpine Gauls, who,
like the Orcans, fled across the Alps to escape the tyranny of Rome,
reached Malchus. For years the news came that no great battle had been
fought, that Hannibal was still in the south of Italy defeating all the
efforts of the Romans to dislodge him.

It was not until the thirteenth year after Hannibal had crossed the Alps
that any considerable reinforcement was sent to aid the Carthaginian
general. Then his brother Hasdrubal, having raised an army in Spain
and Southern Gaul, crossed the Alps to join him. But he was met, as
he marched south, by the consuls Livius and Nero with an army greatly
superior to his own; and was crushed by them on the river Metaurus,
the Spanish and Ligurian troops being annihilated and Hasdrubal himself
killed.

For four years longer Hannibal maintained his position in the south of
Italy. No assistance whatever reached him from Carthage, but alone and
unaided he carried on the unequal war with Rome until, in 204 B.C.,
Scipio landed with a Roman force within a few miles of Carthage,
captured Utica, defeated two Carthaginian armies with great slaughter,
and blockaded Carthage. Then the city recalled the general and the army
whom they had so grossly neglected and betrayed.

Hannibal succeeded in safely embarking his army and in sailing to
Carthage; but so small was the remnant of the force which remained to
him, that when he attempted to give battle to Scipio he was defeated,
and Carthage was forced to make peace on terms which left her for the
future at the mercy of Rome. She was to give up all her ships of war
except ten, and all her elephants, to restore all Roman prisoners,
t