cohorts to withdraw to both flanks and halt, while the rest were to quicken their pace and flee.[1] But from the complete line as it passed by, he kept back all the choicest soldiers. Thus, when the enemy were busy with promiscuous pillaging, and in fact were already exhausted, while his own men were refreshed and drawn up in order, he attacked and routed the foe and stripped them of their booty.[2]
When our army was about to pass through the Litana Forest, the Boii cut into the trees at the base, leaving them only a slender support by which to stand, until they should be pushed over. Then the Boii hid at the further edge of the woods and by toppling over the nearest trees caused the fall of those more distant, as soon as our men entered the forest. In that way they spread general disaster among the Romans, and destroyed a large force.[3]
VII. How to conceal the Absence of the Things we lack, or to supply Substitutes for Them
Lucius Caecilius Metellus, lacking ships with which to transport his elephants, fastened together large earthen jars, covered them with planking, and then, loading the elephants on these, ferried them across the Sicilian Straits.[4]
When Hannibal on one occasion could not force his elephants to ford an especially deep stream, having neither boats nor material of which to construct them, he ordered one of his men to wound the most savage elephant under the ear, and then straightway to swim across the stream and take to his heels. The infuriated elephant, eager to pursue
- ↑ i.e. to give the appearance of flight.
- ↑ 389 B.C. Cf. Polyaen. iii. ix. 49, 54.
- ↑ 216 B.C. Twenty-five thousand, according to Livy xxiii. 24.
- ↑ 250 B.C. Cf. Zonar. viii. 14.
