the　Neopolitans　and　Nolans；　he　confirmed　the　minds　of　the　former；　who；
  indeed；　were　of　their　own　accord　faithful　enough　to　the　Romans；　but　in
  Nola　he　found　a　state　of　discord；　the　senate　not　being　able　to　rule
  and　keep　in　the　common　people；　who　were　generally　favourers　of
  Hannibal。　There　was　in　the　town　one　Bantius；　a　man　renowned　for　his
  high　birth　and　courage。　This　man；　after　he　had　fought　most　fiercely　at
  Cannae；　and　had　killed　many　of　the　enemies；　at　last　was　found　lying　in
  a　heap　of　dead　bodies；　covered　with　darts；　and　was　brought　to
  Hannibal；　who　so　honoured　him；　that　he　not　only　dismissed　him
  without　ransom；　but　also　contracted　friendship　with　him；　and　made
  him　his　guest。　In　gratitude　for　this　great　favour；　he　became　one　of
  the　strongest　partisans　of　Hannibal；　and　urged　the　people　to　revolt。
  Marcellus　could　not　be　induced　to　put　to　death　a　man　of　such　eminence；
  and　who　had　endured　such　dangers　in　fighting　on　the　Roman　side；　but；
  knowing　himself　able；　by　the　general　kindliness　of　his　disposition；
  and　in　particular　by　the　attractiveness　of　his　address；　to　gain　over　a
  character　whose　passion　was　for　honour；　one　day　when　Bantius　saluted
  him；　he　asked　him　who　he　was；　not　that　he　knew　him　not　before；　but
  seeking　an　occasion　of　further　conference。　When　Bantius　had　told　who
  he　was；　Marcellus；　seeming　surprised　with　joy　and　wonder；　replied：
  〃Are　you　that　Bantius　whom　the　Romans　commend　above　the　rest　that
  fought　at　Cannae；　and　praise　as　the　one　man　that　not　only　did　not
  forsake　the　consul　Paulus　Aemilius；　but　received　in　his　own　body
  many　darts　thrown　at　him？〃　Bantius　owning　himself　to　be　that　very　man；
  and　showing　his　scars：　〃Why；　then；〃　said　Marcellus；　〃did　not　you；
  having　such　proofs　to　show　of　your　affection　to　us；　come　to　me　at　my
  first　arrival　here？　Do　you　think　that　we　are　unwilling　to　requite　with
  favour　those　who　have　well　deserved；　and　who　are　honoured　even　by
  our　enemies？〃　He　followed　up　his　courtesies　by　a　present　of　a
  war…horse　and　five　hundred　drachmas　in　money。　From　that　time　Bantius
  became　the　most　faithful　assistant　and　ally　of　Marcellus；　and　a　most
  keen　discoverer　of　those　that　attempted　innovation　and　sedition。
  These　were　many；　and　had　entered　into　a　conspiracy　to　plunder　the
  baggage　of　the　Romans；　when　they　should　make　an　irruption　against
  the　enemy。　Marcellus；　therefore；　having　marshalled　his　army　within　the
  city；　placed　the　baggage　near　to　the　gates；　and；　by　an　edict；
  forbade　the　Nolans　to　go　to　the　walls。　Thus；　outside　the　city；　no　arms
  could　be　seen；　by　which　prudent　device　he　allured　Hannibal　to　move
  with　his　army　in　some　disorder　to　the　city；　thinking　that　things
  were　in　a　tumult　there。　Then　Marcellus；　the　nearest　gate　being；　as
  he　had　commanded；　thrown　open；　issuing　forth　with　the　flower　of　his
  horse　in　front；　charged　the　enemy。　By　and　by　the　foot；　sallying　out　of
  another　gate；　with　a　loud　shout　joined　in　the　battle。　And　while
  Hannibal　opposes　part　of　his　forces　to　these；　the　third　gate　also　is
  opened；　out　of　which　the　rest　break　forth；　and　on　all　quarters　fall
  upon　the　enemies；　who　were　dismayed　at　this　unexpected　encounter；
  and　did　but　feebly　resist　those　with　whom　they　had　been　first　engaged；
  because　of　their　attack　by　these　others　who　sallied　out　later。　Here
  Hannibal's　soldiers；　with　much　bloodshed　and　many　wounds；　were
  beaten　back　to　their　camp；　and　for　the　first　time　turned　their　backs
  to　the　Romans。　There　fell　in　this　action；　as　it　is　related；　more
  than　five　thousand　of　them；　of　the　Romans；　not　above　five　hundred。
  Livy　does　not　affirm　that　either　the　victory　or　the　slaughter　of　the
  enemy　was　so　great；　but　certain　it　is　that　the　adventure　brought　great
  glory　to　Marcellus；　and　to　the　Romans；　after　their　calamities；　a　great
  revival　of　confidence；　as　they　began　now　to　entertain　a　hope　that
  the　enemy　with　whom　they　contended　was　not　invincible；　but　liable　like
  themselves　to　defeats。
  Therefore；　the　other　consul　being　deceased；　the　people　recalled
  Marcellus；　that　they　might　put　him　into　his　place；　and；　in　spite　of
  the　magistrates；　succeeded　in　postponing　the　election　till　his
  arrival；　when　he　was　by　all　the　suffrages　created　consul。　But
  because　it　happened　to　thunder；　the　augurs　accounting　that　he　was
  not　legitimately　created；　and　yet　not　daring；　for　fear　of　the
  people；　to　declare　their　sentence　openly；　Marcellus　voluntarily
  resigned　the　consulate；　retaining　however　his　command。　Being　created
  proconsul；　and　returning　to　the　camp　at　Nola；　he　proceeded　to　harass
  those　that　followed　the　party　of　the　Carthaginians；　on　whose　coming
  with　speed　to　succour　them；　Marcellus　declined　a　challenge　to　a　set
  battle；　but　when　Hannibal　had　sent　out　a　party　to　plunder；　and　now
  expected　no　fight；　he　broke　out　upon　him　with　his　army。　He　had
  distributed　to　the　foot　long　lances；　such　as　are　commonly　used　in
  naval　fights；　and　instructed　them　to　throw　them　with　great　force　at
  convenient　distances　against　the　enemies；　who　were　inexperienced　in
  that　way　of　darting；　and　used　to　fight　with　short　darts　hand　to
  hand。　This　seems　to　have　been　the　cause　of　the　total　rout　and　open
  flight　of　all　the　Carthaginians　who　were　then　engaged；　there　fell　of
  them　five　thousand；　four　elephants　were　killed；　and　two　taken；　but
  what　was　of　the　greatest　moment；　on　the　third　day　after；　more　than
  three　hundred　horse；　Spaniards　and　Numidians　mixed；　deserted　to　him；　a
  disaster　that　had　never　to　that　day　happened　to　Hannibal；　who　had　kept
  together　in　harmony　an　army　of　barbarians；　collected　out　of　many
  various　and　discordant　nations。　Marcellus　and　his　successors　in　all
  this　war　made　good　use　of　the　faithful　service　of　these　horsemen。
  He　now　was　a　third　time　created　consul；　and　sailed　over　into　Sicily。
  For　the　success　of　Hannibal　had　excited　the　Carthaginians　to　lay　claim
  to　that　whole　island；　chiefly　because；　after　the　murder　of　the
  tyrant　Hieronymus；　all　things　had　been　in　tumult　and　confusion　at
  Syracuse。　For　which　reason　the　Romans　also　had　sent　before　to　that
  city　a　force　under　the　conduct　of　Appius；　as　praetor。　While
  Marcellus　was　receiving　that　army；　a　number　of　Roman　soldiers　cast
  themselves　at　his　feet；　upon　occasion　of　the　following　calamity。　Of
  those　that　survived　the　battle　at　Cannae；　some　had　escaped　by
  flight；　and　some　were　taken　alive　by　the　enemy；　so　great　a
  multitude；　that　it　was　thought　there　were　not　remaining　Romans
  enough　to　defend　the　wall　of　the　city。　And　yet　the　magnanimity　and
  constancy　of　the　city　was　such；　that　it　would　not　redeem　the
  captives　from　Hannibal；　though　it　might　have　done　so　for　a　small
  ransom；　a　decree　of　the　senate　forbade　it；　and　chose　rather　to　leave
  them　to　be　killed　by　the　enemy；　or　sold　out　of　Italy；　and　commanded
  that　all　who　had　saved　themselves　by　flight　should　be　transported　into
  Sicily；　and　not　permitted　to　return　into　Italy；　until　the　war　with
  Hannibal　should　be　ended。　These；　therefore；　when　Marcellus　was　arrived
  in　Sicily；　addressed　themselves　to　him　in　great　numbers；　and　casting
  themselves　at　his　feet；　with　much　lamentation　and　tears　humbly
  besought　him　to　admit　them　to　honourable　service；　and　promised　to　make
  it　appear　by　their　future　fidelity　and　exertions　that　that　defeat
  had　been　received　rather　by　misfortune　than　by　cowardice。　Marcellus；
  pitying　them；　petitioned　the　senate　by　letters；　that　he　might　have
  leave　at　all　times　to　recruit　his　legions　out　of　them。　After　much
  debate　about　the　thing；　the　senate　decreed　they　were　of　opinion　that
  the　commonwealth　did　not　require　the　service　of　cowardly　soldiers；
  if　Marcellus　perhaps　thought　otherwise；　he　might　make　use　of　them；
  provided　no　one　of　them　be　honoured　on　any　occasion　with　a　crown　or
  military　gift；　as　a　reward　of　his　virtue　or　courage。　This　decree　stung
  Marcellus；　and　on　his　return　to　Rome；　after　the　Sicilian　war　was
  ended；　he　upbraided　the　senate　that　they　had　denied　to　him；　who　had　so
  highly　deserved　of　the　republic；　liberty　to　relieve　so　great　a
  number　of　citizens　in　great　calamity。
  At　this　time　Marcellus；　first　incensed　by　injuries　done　him　by
  Hippocrates；　commander　of　the　Syracusans　（who；　to　give　proof　of　his
  good　affection　to　the　Carthaginians；　and　to　acquire　the　tyranny　to
  himself；　had　killed　a　number　of　Romans　at　Leontini）；　besieged　and　took
  by　force　the　city　of　Leontini；　yet　violated　none　of　the　townsmen；　only
  deserters；　as　many　as　he　took；　he　subjected　to　the　punishment　of　the
  rods　and　axe。　But　Hippocrates；　sending　a　report　to　Syracuse；　that
  Marcellus　had　put　all　the　adult　population　to　the　sword；　and　then
  coming　upon　the　Syracusans；　who　had　risen　in　tumult　upon　that　false
  report；　made　himself　master　of　the　city。　Upon　this　Marcellus　moved
  with　his　whole　army　to　Syracuse；　and　encamping　near　the　wall；　sent
  ambassadors　into　the　city　to　relate　to　the　Syracusans　the　truth　of
  what　had　been　done　in　Leontini。　When　these　could　not　prevail　by
  treaty；　the　whole　power　being　now　in　the　hands　of　Hippocrates；　he
  proceeded　to　attack　the　city　both　by　land　and　by　sea。　The　land
  forces　were　conducted　by　Appius：　Marcellus；　with　sixty　galleys；　each
  with　five　rows　of　oars；　furnished　with　all　sorts　of　arms　and　missiles；
  and　a　huge　bridge　of　planks　laid　upon　eight　ships　chained　together；
  upon　which　was　carried　the　engine　to　cast　sto