Page:Frontinus - The stratagems, and, the aqueducts of Rome (Bennet et al 1925).djvu/303

 STRATAGEMS, III. xvi. 3-xvii. i

extremely trustwortliy steward, who pretended to have deserted on account of embezzlement, and who reported that on the coming night four thousand Gauls, sent out on a foraging expedition, could be captured. Otacilius, not immediately crediting the deserter, nor yet thinking the matter ought to be treated with disdain, placed the pick of his men in ambush. These met the Gauls, who fulfilled Hanno's purpose in a twofold manner, since they not only slew a number of the Romans, but were themselves slaughtered to the last man.^

By a similar plan Hannibal took vengeance on certain deserters ; for, being aware that some of his soldiers had deserted on the previous night, and knowing that spies of the enemy were in his camp, he jniblicly proclaimed that the name of "deserter " ouglit not to be applied to his cleverest soldiers, who at his order had gone out to learn the designs of the enemy. The spies, as soon as they heard this pronouncement, reported it to their own side. Thereupon the deserters were arrested by the Romans and sent back with their hands cut off.

When Diodotus was holding Amphipolis with a garrison, and entertained suspicions of two thousand Thracians, who seemed likely to pillage the city, he invented the story that a few hostile ships had put in at the shore near by and could be plundered. When he had incited the Thracians at that prospect, he let them out. Then, closing the gates, he refused to admit them again. ^

XVII. On Sorties

Whkn Hasdrubal came to besiege Panormus, the Romans, who were in possession of the town,

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