introduction of supplies might be prevented, the enemy would either immediately evacuate it, or surrender themselves.”  The Tarentines agreed with him; but were of opinion, that “he who gave the advice ought also to assist in carrying it into execution; for if the Carthaginian ships were brought there from Sicily, they would be able to effect it; but by what means could their own ships, shut up as they were in a confined harbour, the mouth of which was in the command of the enemy, be brought out into the open sea.”  “They shall be brought out,” said Hannibal.  “Many things which are difficult in themselves, are easily effected by contrivance.  You have a city situated upon a plain; you have level and sufficiently wide roads extending in every direction.  By the road which runs through the midst of the city from the harbour to the sea I will convey your ships in waggons without any great difficulty, and the sea will be ours which the enemy now commands.  We will invest the citadel on one side by sea, on the other by land; nay, rather, in a short time, we will take it either abandoned by the enemy, or with the enemy in it.”  This speech not only inspired hopes of accomplishing the object, but excited the greatest admiration of the general.  Waggons were immediately collected from every quarter and joined together; machines were employed to haul the ships on shore, and the road was prepared, in order that the waggons might run more easily, and thus the difficulty of passing be diminished.  Beasts of burden and men were next collected, and the work was actively commenced.  After the lapse of a few days, the fleet, equipped and ready for action, sailed round the citadel, and cast anchor just before the mouth of the harbour.  Such was the state of things at Tarentum, when Hannibal left it and returned to his winter quarters.  Authors, however, are divided as to whether the defection of the Tarentines took place in the present or former year.  The greater number, and those who, from their age, were more able to recollect these events, represent it to have occurred in the present year.

12.  The Latin holidays detained the consuls and praetors at Rome till the fifth of the calends of May; on which day, having completed the solemnities on the mount, they proceeded to their respective provinces.  Afterwards a new difficulty respecting religious matters arose out of the prophetic verses of Marcius, who had been a distinguished soothsayer; and on a search being made the year before, for books of this description, agreeably to a decree of the senate, these verses had fallen into the hands of Marcus Atilius, the city praetor, who had the management of that business, and he had immediately handed them over to the new praetor, Sulla.  The importance attached to one of the two predictions of Marcius, which was brought to light after the event to which it related had occurred, and the truth of which was confirmed by the event, attached credence to the other, the time of whose fulfilment