pointed for the war. Of Africans, and other nations strangers, he left with him above twelve thousand foot, and two thousand horse, besides one and twenty elephants.

Having in this sort taken order for the defence of Spain and Africa, he sent discoverers before him to view the passages of the Pyrenean mountains, and of the Alps. He also sent embassadors to the mountaineers of the Pyrenees, and to the Gauls, to obtain a quiet passage; that he might bring his army entire into Italy, and not be compelled to diminish his forces by any war in the way, till he came to encounter the Romans. His embassadors and discoverers being returned with good satisfaction; in the beginning of the spring he passed over the river of Iberus, with an army consisting of fourscore and ten thousand foot, and twelve thousand horse. All those parts of Spain, into which he had not entered before, he now subdued; and appointed Hanno (not that old enemy of his house, who sat still in Carthage,) to govern Spain on the east side of Iberus; to whom he left an army of ten thousand foot, and one thousand horse. Being arrived at the borders of Spain, some of his Spanish soldiers returned home, without asking leave; which that others might not do or attempt, he courteously dismissed many more that seemed willing to be gone. Hereby it came to pass, that the journey seemed the less tedious unto those that accompanied him, as being not enforced by compulsion. With the rest of his army, consisting now but of fifty thousand foot and nine thousand horse, he passed the Pyrenees, and entered into Gaul. He found the Gauls that bordered upon Spain ready in arms to forbid his entrance into their country; but won them, with gentle speech, and rich presents that he bestowed upon their leaders, to favour his expedition. So without any molestation he came to the bank of Rhodanus; where dwelt, on each side of the

river, a people called Volcæ. These were unacquainted with the cause of his coming, and therefore sought to keep him from passing over the water. But he was greatly assisted by some of those Gauls that inhabited on the west side of Rhodanus; to wit, by those at Vivaretz and Lionnois. For although many of them had transplanted themselves and their goods into the country of Dauphine, thinking to defend the further bank against him; yet such as remained, being very desirous to free their country of so many ill guests, were better pleased to have their country. men well beaten, which had abandoned them, than to have their own store of corn and cattle wasted by the long stay of so great an army as lay upon them. For which reason they helped him to make boats; informed him of another more easy passage higher up the river, and lent him guides. When the vessels for transportation of his army were in readiness, he sent Hanno, the son of Bomilcar, up the river; himself in the meanwhile making countenance to enter the ford below. The end of this labour was, that Hanno, charging the Gauls unawares upon their own side, and Hannibal at the sametime passing the river in their faces, the further bank was won, though with some difficulty, and the enemies dispersed. Yet was he greatly troubled in conveying over his elephants, who marvellously feared the water. He was therefore driven to make rafts of trees, and cover them with earth and turf; whereof he fastened one to each bank, that might serve as a bridge to and from another of the same sort, but loose, upon which the beasts were towed over.

Having past this first brunt, and overcome both the rage of the river and of those that defended it, he was visited by the princes of the Gauls-Cisalpines, that inhabited Piedmont and Milan, who lately had revolted from the Romans. These informed him of the passages of the Alps; that they were not

so difficult as common report made them; and from these he received guides, with many other encouragements. All which, notwithstanding, he found himself extremely encumbered by the Savoyards; and lost, both of his carriages and of his Carthaginians, more than willingly he would, or had formerly thought that he should; for he was twice mainly assailed by them before he could recover the plain countries on the other side. And whereas this journey over the mountains cost him fifteen days travel, he was every day, more or less, not only charged by those mountaineers, but withal extremely beaten with grievous weather and snow; it being the beginning of winter when he began and overcame this passage. But the fair and fertile plains, which were now ready to receive them, with the assistance and conduct of the Cisalpine-Gauls, who, by their proper forces, had so often invaded the Roman territory, gave them great comfort and encouragement to go on; having nothing else of difficulty remaining, but that which from the beginning they made account to overcome by their proper valour and resolution, namely, the Roman armies and resistance.

SECT. III.

How the Romans in vain solicited the Spaniards and Gauls to take their part. The rebellion of the Cisalpine-Gauls against the Romans.

THE Countries of Spain and Gaul, through which the Carthaginians marched thus far, had been solicited before by the same Roman embassadors who had denounced the war at Carthage. These, as they were instructed by the senate, took Spain in their way homeward from Carthage, with a purpose to

draw into the Roman alliance as many of the cities and princes as they could; at least to dissuade them from contracting any friendship with the Carthaginians. The first which they attempted were the Volcians, a people in Spain; from whom, in open assembly, they received, by one that spake for the rest, this uncomfortable answer :-With what faith (saith he) can ye, Romans, persuade us to value your alliance, or to prefer it before the friendship of the Carthaginians; seeing we are taught by the example of the Saguntines to be more wise than so? for they, relying on your faith and promised assistance, have been utterly rooted out, and destroyed by the Carthaginians, whom they might else have held their assured friends and good neighbours, as we, and other the people of Spain, have found them. Ye may therefore be gone, with this resolution from us, That, for our parts, (and so, I think, I may answer for the rest of our countrymen,) the Romans henceforth are not to expect any kindness at our hands, who are resolved never to make account of their protection nor amity. From the Volcians the embassadors took their way towards the Gauls; using their best arguments to persuade them not to suffer the Carthaginians to pass into Italy through their territory; and withal greatly glorifying themselves, their strength, and large dominion. But the Gauls laughed them to scorn, and had hardly the patience to hear them speak. For shall we, (said one of their princes,) by resisting Hannibal's passage into Italy, entertain a war which is not meant to be made against us? Shall we hold the war among ourselves, and in our own territory by force, which marcheth with a speedy pace from us towards our ancient enemies? Have the Romans deserved so well of us, and the Carthaginians so ill, that we should set fire to our own houses to save theirs from burning? No. We know it well that the Romans have already forced

some nations of ours out of their proper territory and inheritance; and constrained others, as free as themselves, to pay them tribute. We will not therefore make the Carthaginians our enemies, who have noways yet offended us, nor we them.

With this unpleasing answer the embassadors returned home, carrying no good news of friends likely to help them; but rather some assurance from the people of Massilia, which were confederates with Rome, that the Gauls were determined to take part with their enemy. Of this inclination the Cisalpine-Gauls gave hasty proof. For when the news was brought into Italy that the Carthaginians had passed Iberus, and were on the way towards Rome, this alone sufficed to stir up the Boii and Insubrians against the Romans. These people were lately offended at the plantation of new Roman colonies at Cremona and Placentia, within their territories. Relying, therefore, upon the Carthaginian succour, which they supposed to be now at hand, they laid aside all regard of those hostages which they had given to the Romans, and fell upon the new colo

nies.

The towns it seems that they could not win; for Hannibal, shortly after, failed to get them; but they forced the Roman commissioners (who, belike, were abroad in the country) to fly to Modena, where they besieged them. The siege of Modena had continued some small time, when the Gauls, having little skill in assaulting cities, waxed weary, and seemed desirous to have peace, and to come to some good accord with the Romans. This they did of purpose to draw on some meeting, that they might therein lay hand upon the Roman deputies, thereby to redeem their hostages in way of exchange. And it fell out in part according to their wish; for the Romans sent out embassadors to treat with them, and to conclude a peace, whom they detained. Manlius, the prætor, who lay in these quarters with an