Hannibal fails to secure Nola.-As usual, howevel in seasons of prosperity, these measures were executed wit} great remissness and dilatoriness. The Romans, on the othe. hand, were kept from being dilatory by their native energy anft still more by the necessities of their position. The consul di J not fail in any single duty which he had to perform, nor did the. Dictator show less energy. The force now available comprised l : le two legions which had been enrolled by the consuls at the t ginning of the year, a levy of slaves and the cohorts which ";!Q been raised in the country of Picenum and Cisalpine Gaul. ! he Dictator decided to still further increase his strength by eopting a measure to which only a country in an alIVost hopes state could stoop, when honour must yield to necessity. " ter duly discharging his religious duties and obtaining the [;j p.ssary permission to mount his horse,s he published an t J:: that all '\vho had been guilty of capital offences or who }ere in prison for debt and were willing to serve under him {.ould by his orders be released from punishment and have their -ebts cancelled. 6000 men were raised in this way, and he }rmed them with the spoils taken from the Gauls and which 'ad been carried in the triumphal procession of C. F1aminius. Ie then started from the City with 25,000 men. After taking over Capua, and making another fruitless appeal 1 the hopes and fears of Neapolis, Hannibal marched into the ,. rritory of Nola. He did not at once treat it in a hostile manner ,4 he was not without hope that the citizens would make a ..;jluntary surrender, but if they delayed, he intended to leave , . thing undone which could cause them suffering or terror. "lbe senate, especially its leading members, were faithful sup- /1rters of the Roman alliance, the populace as usual were aU in '{vour of revolting to Hannibal; they conjured up the prospect ([ ravaged fields and a siege with all its hardships and indignities; . r were there wanting men who were actively instigating a ' volt. The senate were afraid that if they openly opposed \e agitation they would not be able to withstand the popular citement, 3;nd they found a means of putting off the evil day t" pretending to go with the mob. They represented that mey were in favour of revolting to IIannibal, but nothing was ' ttled as to the conditions on '\vhich they were to enter into a :':ew treaty and alliance. Having thus gained time, they sent elegates in great haste to Marcellus Claudius the praetor, who ; 'as with his army at Casilinum, to inforn1 him of the critical : osition of Nola, how their territory was in Hannibal's hand, ..nd the city would be in the possession of the Carthaginians less it received succour, and how the senate, by telling the .- opulace that they might revolt when they pleased, had made ';hem less in a hurry to do so. l\{arcellus thanked the delegates nd told them to adhere to the same policy and postpone latters till he arrived. He then left Casilinum for Caiatia .lnd from there he marched across the Vultumus, through tbe districts of Saticula and Trebia, over the hills above Suessu!' and so arrived at Nola. C,'