Fabius Maximus

Now, Paulus Aemilius was the colleague of Terentius, a man of experience in many wars, but not acceptable to the people, and crushed in spirit by a fine which they had imposed upon him. Therefore Fabius tried to rouse and encourage him to restrain the madness of his colleague, showing him that he must struggle to save his country not so much from Hannibal as from Terentius. The latter, he said, was eager to fight because he did not see where his strength lay; the former, because he saw his own weakness.

But, said he, it is to me, O Paulus, that more credence should be given in regard to Hannibal’s affairs, and I solemnly assure you that, if no one shall give him battle this year, the ,man will remain in Italy only to perish, or will leave it in flight, since even now, when he is thought to be victorious and to be master of the country, not one of his enemies has come over to his side, and not even so much as the third part of the force which he brought from home is still left.

To this Paulus is said to have answered: If I consult my own interests, O Fabius, it is better for me to encounter the spears of the enemy than to face again the votes of my fellow-citizens. But if the state is in such a pass, I will try to be a good general in your opinion, rather than in that of all the rest who so forcibly oppose you. With this determination, Paulus went forth to the war.

But Terentius, insisting on his right to command a day in turn, and then encamping over against Hannibal by the river Aufidus amid the town called Cannae, at break of day put out the signal for battle,—a scarlet tunic displayed above the general’s tent. At this event the Carthaginians were confounded at first, seeing the boldness of the Roman general and the number of his army, which was more than double their own.