. Nero and Hannibal entered Lucania to encamp and
neither hastened to array his forces for battle, but in other ways
they had some conflicts. Hannibal kept constantly changing position
and Nero kept careful watch of him. As he constantly had the advantage
of him and ere long captured the letter sent to him by Hasdrubal, he
began to despise Hannibal, but fearing that Hasdrubal might overwhelm
Livius through mere numbers he ventured upon a hazardous exploit. He
left on the spot a portion of his force sufficient to check Hannibal
in case the latter should make any movement, and he gave the men
injunctions to do everything to create the impression that he was also
there. He selected the flower of his army and started out apparently
to attack some neighboring city, nor did any one know his true
intentions. He hastened on, then, against Hasdrubal, reached his
colleague at night, and took up his quarters in the latter's
entrenchments. Both made ready for a sudden attack upon the invader.
The situation did not go concealed, but Hasdrubal inferred what had
happened from the fact that the word of command was given twice; for
each consul issued orders to his own troops separately. Suspecting
therefore that Hannibal had been defeated and had perished,--for he
calculated that if his brother were alive, Nero would never have
marched against _him_,--he determined to retire among the Gauls and
there find out definitely about his brother and so carry on the war at
his convenience.

So after giving orders to the army to break up he started out that
night, and the consuls from the noise suspected what was going on, yet
they did not move immediately because of the darkness. At dawn,
however, they sent the cavalry ahead to pursue the enemy and they
themselves followed. Hasdrubal made a stand against the cavalry,
deeming them an isolated troop, but the consuls came up and routed him
and followed after the fugitives, of whom they slaughtered many. Even
the elephants were of no help to the Carthaginians. Inasmuch as some
of them that had been wounded did more harm to those in charge of them
than had been done by the enemy, Hasdrubal gave orders to those seated
upon them to slay the beasts as fast as they got wounded. And they
killed them very easily by piercing them with an iron instrument under
the ear. So they were destroyed by the Carthaginians, but the men by
the Romans. So many fell that the Romans became surfeited with
slaughter and did