Maharbal, the master of Hannibal’s cavalry, begged to be sent at once to Rome. ‘If you will let me lead the horses and follow quickly, you shall dine in the Capitol in five days,’ he said with perfect confidence.
But Hannibal refused to march on Rome, and offered her terms of peace instead.
Then Maharbal turned sadly away, muttering, it is said, these words: ‘You know how to win a victory, Hannibal, but not how to use it.’
The terms offered by Hannibal, Rome in her pride refused, although the loss of her eight legions had left her wellnigh helpless in the hands of her conqueror.
Hannibal seemed indeed not to know how to use his victory. He turned away from Rome, and marched to the wealthy city of Capua, in the south of Italy. The gates were thrown wide to the victorious general, and here he entered and set up his camp.
CHAPTER LXIV
THE DESPAIR OF ROME
After the victory of Cannæ, Hannibal was deemed more than a mere man. Surely he must be endowed with the power of the gods, or he would never be able to sweep eight legions from his path, as he had done on this last dread battlefield.
Even a number of young Roman knights, of the best patrician families, were so sure that nothing could now save their country, that they determined to fly to the coast and thus escape to another land, where they might yet win honour by their arms.
But Cornelius Scipio, although but a lad like themselves, drew his sword and boldly declared that he would kill any one of them who refused to swear never to forsake his country. His courage made the young knights so ashamed that they gave up their selfish plan.