ion but did not come into close quarters with him. They followed
and kept him in view in the hope that a favorable opportunity for
battle might possibly befall. Fabius was unwilling to risk a conflict
with cowed and beaten soldiers against a greater number who had been
victorious. Furthermore he hoped that the more his foes should injure
the country, the sooner would they be in want of food. Calculating in
this way he did not defend Campania nor any other district. For these
reasons he confined hostilities entirely within Campania; unknown to
the enemy he had surrounded them on every side and now kept guard over
them. He himself secured an abundance of provisions both from the sea
and from the territory of allies, but the invaders, he knew, had only
the products of the land which they were devastating to depend upon.
Therefore he waited and did not mind the delay. Hence also he was
blamed by his fellow-citizens and was even given the name of The
Delayer.

VIII, 26.--When it came to be nearly winter and Hannibal could not
pass that season where he was owing to a lack of the necessities of
life and had been checked in many attempts to get out of Campania, he
devised a plan of this kind. He first slew all the captives, that no
one of them might escape and acquaint the Romans with what was being
done. Then he gathered the cattle which were in camp, affixed torches
to their horns, and went at nightfall to the mountains forming the
boundary of Samnium, where he lighted the torches and threw the cattle
into a fright. They, maddened by the fire and the driving, set fire to
the forest in many places and consequently rendered it easy for
Hannibal to cross the mountains. The Romans in the plain as well as
those on the heights dreaded an ambuscade and would not budge. Thus
Hannibal got across and made his way into Samnium.

Fabius, ascertaining the next day what had been done, gave chase and
routed those left behind on the road to hinder his men's progress,
afterward defeating also troops that came to the assistance of the
first party. He then encamped not far from the enemy, yet would not
come into conflict with them. However, he prevented them from
scattering and foraging, so that Hannibal in perplexity at first
started for Rome. As Fabius would not fight, but quietly accompanied
him, he again turned back into Samnium. [Sidenote: FRAG. 56^10] AND
FABIUS FOLLOWING ON CONTINUED TO BESIEGE HIM FROM A SAFE DISTANCE,
BEING ANXIOUS N