The river Krimesus, which had been held up by
the multitudes that were crossing it, was now swollen to a torrent by
the rain, and the plain through which it runs, lying as it does under
many steep glens and ravines, was now covered with streams not running
in the ordinary channels, in which the Carthaginians stumbled and were
hard bested.
At last, from the violence of the storm, and the Greeks having cut to
pieces their front rank, a chosen body of four hundred men, the great
mass turned and fled. Many were overtaken and slain on the plain, and
many more perished in the river, while the light-armed troops prevented
most of them from gaining the shelter of the mountains. It was said that
among the myriads of slain there were three thousand citizens of
Carthage--a great loss and grief to that city, for they belonged to the
noblest and richest classes; nor do we ever hear of so many native
Carthaginians having perished in any one battle before this, as they
generally make use of Libyan, Spanish and Numidian troops, so that in
case of defeat the loss falls upon other nations.
XXIX. The Greeks discovered the rank of the dead by the richness of
their spoil; for when they collected the booty no account was taken of
iron or brass, such an abundance was there of silver and gold; for they
crossed the river and captured the enemy's camp. Of the captives, the
greater part were stolen by the soldiers, and sold privately, but a body
of five thousand was brought into the common stock.
Pages:
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638