stood their ground; the alarm occasioned by the cavalry on their rear,
and the enemy shout, which was heard at the same time from their camp,
first put to flight the sixth legion, which being posted in the second
line, was first thrown into confusion by the Numidians; and then
the fifth legion, and those who were posted in the van. Some fled
precipitately, others were slain in the middle space, where also
Cneius Fulvius himself, with eleven military tribunes, fell. Who can
state with certainty how many thousands of the Romans and their allies
were slain in this battle, when I find in some accounts that
thirteen, in others that not more than seven, thousand were slain?
The conquerors got possession of the camp and the spoil. Finding that
Herdonea would have revolted to the Romans, and was not likely to
continue faithful to him if he departed thence, he removed all its
inhabitants to Metapontum and Thurium, and burnt it. He put to death
the chief men who were found to have held secret conferences with
Fulvius. Such of the Romans as escaped this dreadful carnage, fled
half-armed, by different roads, into Samnium, to the consul Marcellus.

2. Marcellus, who was not much discouraged at this so great a
disaster, sent a letter to the senate at Rome, with an account of the
loss of the general and army at Herdonea; observing, however, "that he
who, after the battle of Cannae, had humbled Hannibal when elated with
victory, was now marching against him, and that he would cause that
his present joy and exultation should not continue long." At Rome,
indeed, the grief occasioned by what had occurred, and the fears
entertained for the future, were excessive. The consul passing out of
Samnium into Lucania, pitched his camp at Numistro, on a plain
within view of Hannibal, who occupied a hill. He added also another
demonstration of his confidence; for he was the first to lead out his
troops to battle, nor did Hannibal decline fighting when he saw the