javelins　which　they　held　in　their　left　hands；　while　the　Tarentines；
  each　having　two　coupled　horses；　relieved　this　wall　of　soldiers　at　its
  two　extremities。
  The　army　of　the　Barbarians；　on　the　contrary；　had　not　been　able　to
  preserve　its　line。　Undulations　and　blanks　were　to　be　found　through　its
  extravagant　length；　all　were　panting　and　out　of　breath　with　their
  running。
  The　phalanx　moved　heavily　along　with　thrusts　from　all　its　sarissae；
  and　the　too　slender　line　of　the　Mercenaries　soon　yielded　in　the　centre
  beneath　the　enormous　weight。
  Then　the　Carthaginian　wings　expanded　in　order　to　fall　upon　them；　the
  elephants　following。　The　phalanx；　with　obliquely　pointed　lances；　cut
  through　the　Barbarians；　there　were　two　enormous；　struggling　bodies；
  and　the　wings　with　slings　and　arrows　beat　them　back　upon　the
  phalangites。　There　was　no　cavalry　to　get　rid　of　them；　except　two
  hundred　Numidians　operating　against　the　right　squadron　of　the
  Clinabarians。　All　the　rest　were　hemmed　in；　and　unable　to　extricate
  themselves　from　the　lines。　The　peril　was　imminent；　and　the　need　of
  coming　to　some　resolution　urgent。
  Spendius　ordered　attacks　to　be　made　simultaneously　on　both　flanks　of
  the　phalanx　so　as　to　pass　clean　through　it。　But　the　narrower　ranks
  glided　below　the　longer　ones　and　recovered　their　position；　and　the
  phalanx　turned　upon　the　Barbarians　as　terrible　in　flank　as　it　had　just
  been　in　front。
  They　struck　at　the　staves　of　the　sarissae；　but　the　cavalry　in　the　rear
  embarrassed　their　attack；　and　the　phalanx；　supported　by　the　elephants；
  lengthened　and　contracted；　presenting　itself　in　the　form　of　a　square；
  a　cone；　a　rhombus；　a　trapezium；　a　pyramid。　A　twofold　internal　movement
  went　on　continually　from　its　head　to　its　rear；　for　those　who　were　at
  the　lowest　part　of　the　files　hastened　up　to　the　first　ranks；　while　the
  latter；　from　fatigue；　or　on　account　of　the　wounded；　fell　further　back。
  The　Barbarians　found　themselves　thronged　upon　the　phalanx。　It　was
  impossible　for　it　to　advance；　there　was；　as　it　were；　an　ocean　wherein
  leaped　red　crests　and　scales　of　brass；　while　the　bright　shields　rolled
  like　silver　foam。　Sometimes　broad　currents　would　descend　from　one
  extremity　to　the　other；　and　then　go　up　again；　while　a　heavy　mass
  remained　motionless　in　the　centre。　The　lances　dipped　and　rose
  alternately。　Elsewhere　there　was　so　quick　a　play　of　naked　swords　that
  only　the　points　were　visible；　while　turmae　of　cavalry　formed　wide
  circles　which　closed　again　like　whirlwinds　behind　them。
  Above　the　voices　of　the　captains；　the　ringing　of　clarions　and　the
  grating　of　tyres；　bullets　of　lead　and　almonds　of　clay　whistled　through
  the　air；　dashing　the　sword　from　the　hand　or　the　brain　out　of　the
  skull。　The　wounded；　sheltering　themselves　with　one　arm　beneath　their
  shields；　pointed　their　swords　by　resting　the　pommels　on　the　ground；
  while　others；　lying　in　pools　of　blood；　would　turn　and　bite　the　heels
  of　those　above　them。　The　multitude　was　so　compact；　the　dust　so　thick；
  and　the　tumult　so　great　that　it　was　impossible　to　distinguish
  anything；　the　cowards　who　offered　to　surrender　were　not　even　heard。
  Those　whose　hands　were　empty　clasped　one　another　close；　breasts
  cracked　against　cuirasses；　and　corpses　hung　with　head　thrown　back
  between　a　pair　of　contracted　arms。　There　was　a　company　of　sixty
  Umbrians　who；　firm　on　their　hams；　their　pikes　before　their　eyes；
  immovable　and　grinding　their　teeth；　forced　two　syntagmata　to　recoil
  simultaneously。　Some　Epirote　shepherds　ran　upon　the　left　squadron　of
  the　Clinabarians；　and　whirling　their　staves；　seized　the　horses　by　the
  man；　the　animals　threw　their　riders　and　fled　across　the　plain。　The
  Punic　slingers　scattered　here　and　there　stood　gaping。　The　phalanx
  began　to　waver；　the　captains　ran　to　and　fro　in　distraction；　the
  rearmost　in　the　files　were　pressing　upon　the　soldiers；　and　the
  Barbarians　had　re…formed；　they　were　recovering；　the　victory　was
  theirs。
  But　a　cry；　a　terrible　cry　broke　forth；　a　roar　of　pain　and　wrath：　it
  came　from　the　seventy…two　elephants　which　were　rushing　on　in　double
  line；　Hamilcar　having　waited　until　the　Mercenaries　were　massed
  together　in　one　spot　to　let　them　loose　against　them；　the　Indians　had
  goaded　them　so　vigorously　that　blood　was　trickling　down　their　broad
  ears。　Their　trunks；　which　were　smeared　with　mimium；　were　stretched
  straight　out　in　the　air　like　red　serpents；　their　breasts　were
  furnished　with　spears　and　their　backs　with　cuirasses；　their　tusks　were
  lengthened　with　steel　blades　curved　like　sabres；and　to　make　them
  more　ferocious　they　had　been　intoxicated　with　a　mixture　of　pepper；
  wine；　and　incense。　They　shook　their　necklaces　of　bells；　and　shrieked；
  and　the　elephantarchs　bent　their　heads　beneath　the　stream　of
  phalaricas　which　was　beginning　to　fly　from　the　tops　of　the　towers。
  In　order　to　resist　them　the　better　the　Barbarians　rushed　forward　in　a
  compact　crowd；　the　elephants　flung　themselves　impetuously　upon　the
  centre　of　it。　The　spurs　on　their　breasts；　like　ships'　prows；　clove
  through　the　cohorts；　which　flowed　surging　back。　They　stifled　the　men
  with　their　trunks；　or　else　snatching　them　up　from　the　ground　delivered
  them　over　their　heads　to　the　soldiers　in　the　towers；　with　their　tusks
  they　disembowelled　them；　and　hurled　them　into　the　air；　and　long
  entrails　hung　from　their　ivory　fangs　like　bundles　of　rope　from　a　mast。
  The　Barbarians　strove　to　blind　them；　to　hamstring　them；　others　would
  slip　beneath　their　bodies；　bury　a　sword　in　them　up　to　the　hilt；　and
  perish　crushed　to　death；　the　most　intrepid　clung　to　their　straps；　they
  would　go　on　sawing　the　leather　amid　flames；　bullets；　and　arrows；　and
  the　wicker　tower　would　fall　like　a　tower　of　stone。　Fourteen　of　the
  animals　on　the　extreme　right；　irritated　by　their　wounds；　turned　upon
  the　second　rank；　the　Indians　seized　mallet　and　chisel；　applied　the
  latter　to　a　joint　in　the　head；　and　with　all　their　might　struck　a　great
  blow。
  Down　fell　the　huge　beasts；　falling　one　above　another。　It　was　like　a
  mountain；　and　upon　the　heap　of　dead　bodies　and　armour　a　monstrous
  elephant；　called　〃The　Fury　of　Baal；〃　which　had　been　caught　by　the　leg
  in　some　chains；　stood　howling　until　the　evening　with　an　arrow　in　its
  eye。
  The　others；　however；　like　conquerors；　delighting　in　extermination；
  overthrew；　crushed；　stamped；　and　raged　against　the　corpses　and　the
  debris。　To　repel　the　maniples　in　serried　circles　around　them；　they
  turned　about　on　their　hind　feet　as　they　advanced；　with　a　continual
  rotatory　motion。　The　Carthaginians　felt　their　energy　increase；　and　the
  battle　begin　again。
  The　Barbarians　were　growing　weak；　some　Greek　hoplites　threw　away　all
  their　arms；　and　terror　seized　upon　the　rest。　Spendius　was　seen
  stooping　upon　his　dromedary；　and　spurring　it　on　the　shoulders　with　two
  javelins。　Then　they　all　rushed　away　from　the　wings　and　ran　towards
  Utica。
  The　Clinabarians；　whose　horses　were　exhausted；　did　not　try　to　overtake
  them。　The　Ligurians；　who　were　weakened　by　thirst；　cried　out　for　an
  advance　towards　the　river。　But　the　Carthaginians；　who　were　posted　in
  the　centre　of　the　syntagmata；　and　had　suffered　less；　stamped　their
  feet　with　longing　for　the　vengeance　which　was　flying　from　them；　and
  they　were　already　darting　forward　in　pursuit　of　the　Mercenaries　when
  Hamilcar　appeared。
  He　held　in　his　spotted　and　sweat…covered　horse　with　silver　reins。　The
  bands　fastened　to　the　horns　on　his　helmet　flapped　in　the　wind　behind
  him；　and　he　had　placed　his　oval　shield　beneath　his　left　thigh。　With　a
  motion　of　his　triple…pointed　pike　he　checked　the　army。
  The　Tarentines　leaped　quickly　upon　their　spare　horses；　and　set　off
  right　and　left　towards　the　river　and　towards　the　town。
  The　phalanx　exterminated　all　the　remaining　Barbarians　at　leisure。　When
  the　swords　appeared　they　would　stretch　out　their　throats　and　close
  their　eyelids。　Others　defended　themselves　to　the　last；　and　were
  knocked　down　from　a　distance　with　flints　like　mad　dogs。　Hamilcar　had
  desired　the　taking　of　prisoners；　but　the　Carthaginians　obeyed　him
  grudgingly；　so　much　pleasure　did　they　derive　from　plunging　their
  swords　into　the　bodies　of　the　Barbarians。　As　they　were　too　hot　they
  set　about　their　work　with　bare　arms　like　mowers；　and　when　they
  desisted　to　take　breath　they　would　follow　with　their　eyes　a　horseman
  galloping　across　the　country　after　a　fleeing　soldier。　He　would　succeed
  in　seizing　him　by　the　hair；　hold　him　thus　for　a　while；　and　then　fell
  him　with　a　blow　of　his　axe。
  Night　fell。　Carthaginians　and　Barbarians　had　disappeared。　The
  elephants　which　had　taken　to　flight　roamed　in　the　horizon　with　their
  fired　towers。　These　burned　here　and　there　in　the　darkness　like　beacons
  nearly　half　lost　in　the　mist；　and　no　movement　could　be　discerned　in
  the　plain　save　the　undulation　of　the　river；　which　was　heaped　with
  corpses；　and　was　drifting　them　away　to　the　sea。
  Two　hours　afterwards　Matho　arrived。　He　caught　sight　in　the　starlight
  of　long；　uneven　heaps　l