Polybius - "The Histories (Book I)" (Chap. 76) lyrics

1 Spendius, on learning what had happened, put his two forces in movement to meet in the plain and render mutual a**istance to each other, those from the town near the bridge being not less than ten thousand in number and those from Utica over fifteen thousand. 2 When they got in sight of each other, thinking that they had caught the Carthaginians in a trap between them, they exhorted each other with loud shouts and engaged the enemy. 3 Hamilcar was advancing in the following order. In front were the elephants, after them the cavalry and light-armed troops and last of all the heavy-armed. 4 When he saw that the enemy were attacking him in such precipitation he ordered his whole force to face about. 5 He bade those in front, after facing about, retire with all speed, and reversing the order of those who originally were in the rear he deployed them to await the onslaught of the enemy. 6 The Libyans and mercenaries, thinking that the Carthaginians were afraid of them and retreating, broke their ranks and closed with them vigorously. 7 But when the cavalry, on approaching the line of hoplites, wheeled round again and faced the Libyans, while at the same time the remainder of the Carthaginian army was coming up, the enemy were so much surprised that they at once turned and fled panic-stricken, in the same loose order and confusion in which they had advanced. 8 Consequently some of them came into collision with their comrades who were advancing in their rear with disastrous effect, causing the destruction both of themselves and the latter, but the larger number were trampled to d**h, the cavalry and elephants attacking them at close quarters. 9 About six thousand Libyans and mercenaries fell and nearly two thousand were made prisoners. The rest escaped, some to the town by the bridge and some to the camp before Utica. 10 Hamilcar, successful in this fashion, followed closely on the retreating enemy and took by a**ault the town by the bridge, the enemy in it deserting it and flying to Tunis. He next traversed the rest of the country, winning over some towns and taking others by a**ault. 11 He thus restored some confidence and courage to the Carthaginians, delivering them in a measure from their previous despondency.