Hannibal Advances Upon Rome
With this purpose in his mind he sent a letter-carrier
note
into Capua. This he did by persuading one of
his Libyans to desert to the Roman camp, and
thence to Capua. He took this trouble to
secure the safe delivery of his letter, because he was very
much afraid that the Capuans, if they saw him departing,
would consider that he despaired of them, and would therefore
give up hope and surrender to the Romans. He wrote therefore
-- 567 -- an explanation of his design, and sent the Libyan the day
after, in order that the Capuans, being acquainted with the
purpose of his departure, might go on courageously sustaining
the siege.
When the news had arrived at Rome that Hannibal had note
encamped over against their lines, and was
actually besieging their forces, there was a
universal excitement and terror, from a
feeling that the result of the impending battle would
decide the whole war. Consequently, with one heart and
soul, the citizens had all devoted themselves to sending out
reinforcements and making preparations for this struggle. On
their part, the Capuans were encouraged by the receipt of
Hannibal's letter, and by thus learning the object of the
Carthaginian movement, to stand by their determination, and
to await the issue of this new hope. note At the end of the fifth day,
therefore, after his arrival on the ground, Hannibal ordered his
men to take their supper as usual, and leave
their watch-fires burning; and started with such
secrecy, that none of the enemy knew what was happening.
He took the road through Samnium, and marched at a great
pace and without stopping, his skirmishers always keeping
before him to reconnoitre and occupy all the posts along the
route: and while those in Rome had their thoughts still wholly
occupied with Capua and the campaign there, he crossed the
Anio without being observed; and having arrived at a distance of not more than forty stades from Rome, there pitched
his camp.
