Page:Frontinus - The stratagems, and, the aqueducts of Rome (Bennet et al 1925).djvu/195

 STRATAGEMS, II. v. 25-29

worn out by sentry duty on the rampart and by the rain, which hap})ened to fall continuously, so that in the morning, when Junius gave the signal for recall, Hannibal led out his own troops, who had been well rested, and took Junius's camp by assault.^

In the same way, when the Spartans had drawn entrenchments across the Isthmus and were defend- ing the Peloponnesus, Epaminondas, the Theban, with the help of a few light-armed troops, harassed the enemy all night long. Then at daybreak, after he had recalled his own men and the Spartans had also retired, he suddenly moved forward the entire force which he had kept at I'est, and burst directly through the ramparts, which had been left without defenders.-

At the battle of Cannae, Hannibal, having drawn up his line of battle, ordered six hundred Numidian cavalry to go over to the enemy. To prove their sincerity, these surrendered their swords and shields to our men, and were dispatched to the rear. Then, as soon as the engagement began, drawing out small swords, which they had secreted, and picking up the shields of the fallen, they slaughtered the troops of the Romans.^

Under pretence of surrender, the lapydes handed over some of their tribesmen to Publius Licinius, the Roman proconsul. These were received and placed in the last line, whereupon they cut to pieces the Romans who were bringing up the rear.

Scipio Africanus, when facing the two hostile camps of Syphax and the Carthaginians, decided to make a night attack on that of Syphax, where there was a large supply of inflammable material, and to set fire to it, in order thus to cut down the Numidians

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