Tarentum fell into the hands of Fabius, whose active career then
closed. He had opposed the more aggressive measures of Scipio which
were to lead to success, but we can hardly think that the old commander
was led to do this because, seeing that victory was to be the result,
he envied the younger soldier who was to achieve the final laurels,
though Plutarch mentions that sinister motive. The career of Fabius,
which had opened at the battle of Cannæ, and had been successful ever
since, culminated in his triumph after the fall of Tarentum, which
occurred in B.C. 209.

[Illustration: PUBLIUS CORNELIUS SCIPIO AFRICANUS.]

Now the Carthaginian army in Spain, under command of Hasdrubal, made an
effort to go to the help of Hannibal, and, taking the same route by the
Little St. Bernard pass, arrived in Italy (B.C. 208) almost before the
enemy was aware of its intention. Hannibal, on his part, began to march
northward from his southern position, and after gaining some
unimportant victories, arrived at Canusium, where he stopped to wait
for his brother. The Romans, however, managed to intercept the
dispatches of Hasdrubal, and marched against him, in the spring of 207,
after he had wasted much time in unsuccessfully besieging Placentia.
The two armies met on the banks of the river Metaurus. The
Carthaginians were defeated with terrible slaughter, and the Romans
felt that the calamity of Cannæ was avenged. Hasdrubal's head was sent
to his brother, who exclaimed at the sight: "I recognize the doom of
Carthage!"

For four years Hannibal kept his army among the mountains of Southern
Italy, feeling that his effort at conquering Rome had failed. Meantime
Scipio was making arrangements to carry out his favorite project,