reported. This was followed by a message, that Hannibal had despatched
his Numidian cavalry in advance, and was himself following them with
all possible speed with a body of infantry. As soon, therefore, as he
was informed, by a signal displayed from the watch-towers, that
the Numidians were drawing near, suddenly throwing open the gate he
sallied out boldly upon the enemy, and at first, more because he
had done it unexpectedly than from the equality of his strength, the
contest was doubtful; but afterwards, when the Numidians came up, the
Romans were so dismayed that they fled on all hands to the sea and
their ships, leaving their works and the engines with which they
battered the walls. Thus the siege of Locri was raised by the approach
of Hannibal.

29. When Crispinus found that Hannibal had gone into Bruttium, he
ordered Marcus Marcellus, a military tribune, to march the army, which
his colleague had commanded, to Venusia. Having set out himself with
his own legions for Capua, though scarcely able to endure the motion
of the litter, from the severity of his wounds, he sent a letter to
Rome stating the death of his colleague, and in how great danger he
himself was. He said, "it was impossible for him to go to Rome to hold
the election, both because he did not think he could bear the fatigue
of the journey, and because he was anxious about Tarentum, lest
Hannibal should direct his course thither from Bruttium. That it
was expedient that commissioners should be sent to him, men of sound
judgment, with whom he might communicate, when he pleased, respecting
the commonwealth." The reading of this letter excited great grief for
the death of one of the consuls, and apprehension for the safety of
the other. They therefore sent Quintus Fabius the younger to Venusia
to the army; and to the consul three commissioners, Sextus Julius
Caesar, Lucius Licinius Pollio, and Lucius Cincius Alimentus, though