Page:General History of Europe 1921.djvu/192

 132 General History oj Ewope claim. One of the Carthaginian generals in Spain, Hannibal, a young man only twenty-four years of age, determined on the bold plan of leading a Carthaginian army around through south- ern Gaul and across the Alps into Italy, where he hoped to crush Rome by a direct land attack instead of having to rely, as hith- erto, on victories by sea. 206. Opening of the Second Punic War (218 B.C.). It was late autumn when Hannibal reached the Alps. Overwhelmed by snowstorms ; struggling over a steep and dangerous trail, sometimes so narrow that the rocks had to be cut away to make room for his elephants ; looking down over dizzy precipices, or up to snow-covered heights where hostile natives rolled great stones down upon the troops, the discouraged army of Hannibal toiled on day after day, exhausted, cold, and hungry. At every point along the straggling line where help was most needed the young Carthaginian was always present, encouraging and guiding his men. But when they issued from the Alpine pass and entered Italy in the upper valley of the Po, they had suffered such losses that they were reduced to some thirty-four thousand men. With this little army the dauntless Carthaginian youth had entered the territory of the strongest military power of the time a nation which could now call to her defense over seven hundred thousand men, citizens and allies. Hannibal, however, was thor- oughly acquainted with the most highly developed methods of warfare, and the exploits of Alexander a century earlier were familiar to him. On the other hand, the Roman consuls, com- manding the Roman armies, were simply magistrates like our mayors. They were no match for the crafty young Carthaginian. 207. Hannibal's Early Successes. In spite of his weakened army Hannibal began to gain victories over the Roman troops in northern Italy and was joined by many of the Gauls whom Rome had so recently conquered. On the shores of Lake Trasimene he surprised a Roman army under the consul Flaminius, and the awful news reached Rome that their army was cut to pieces and its leader killed. Hannibal might now have advanced on Rome itself, but he had neither the troops nor the machinery for a