After despatching their business in Rome the consuls started for the war. Fulvius was the first to leave and went on in advance to Capua. After a few days Fabius followed, and in a personal interview with his colleagu e strongly urged him; as he had Marcellus by letter, to do his utmosttokutmost t 七t0Keepo Hannibal on the defensive while he himself was attacking Tarentum..He po峡ed out华at the， enemy had n} w been driven back on alt sides, and ii he were deprived of that city there would be no position where he could make a stand no sure place for retreat, there would be no longer anything to keep him in Italy. He also sent a message to the commandant of the garnson which Laevinus had stationed in Regium check against the Bruttii.’This was a force of 8ooo men, the majority drawn, as stated above, from Agathyrna in Sicily, and all accustomed to live by rapine;their numbers、had been swelled by deserters from Bruttium, who were quite their equals in recklessness and love of desperate adventures. F4bius ordered the commandant to take this force into Bruttium and lay waste the country and then attack the city of Caulonia. They carried out their orders with alacrity and zest, and after plundering and scattering the peasants, they made a furious attack on the citadel. Marcellus engages Hannibal.-The consul's letter and his own 窦lief that no Roman general was so goohimself stirred Marcellus into action. As soon as there was plenty of forage in the fields he brokeand confronted Hannibal at Canusium. up his winter quarters The Carthaginian was but as soon as he heard 忠a toe ap票uce the Canu瓮 to revolt,ach of Marcellus, he moved away. As the country was open, affording no cover for an ambuscade. he began to 杭thdraw into a more wooded district. Marcellus followed at his heels, fixed his camp close to Hannibal's, and the moment he had completed his entrenchments he led his legions out to battle. Hannibal saw no necessity for risking a general engagement, and sent otit detached troops of cavalry and bodies of slingers to skirmish. He was, however, drawn into the battle which he had tried to avoid, for after he had all night, Marcellus caught him up in level an and prevented him from forti幼ng his camp by attacking the entrenching parties on all sides. A pitched battled ensued in which the whole strength of both armies was engaged, and at the approach of nightfall they separated on equal terms. Both camps, separated by only a small interval, were hastily fied hefore dark. As soon as it b the morrow Marcellus marched his men challenge. He said much to encourage his men, bidding them remember Thrasymenus and Cannae, and tame the insolence of their foe, who was incessantly pressing them and following ontheir heels, preventing them from fortifying their camp, givingthem no breathing space, no time to look round. Day after day two objects met their eyes at the same time, the rising sunand the Roman battle-line on the plain. If the enemy gotaway with heavy loss after one battle, he would conduct his operations more quietly and deliberately. Animated by their general's words and exasperated at thedefiant way in which the enemy challenged and provoked them,they began the battle with great spirit. After more than two hours'includ者hting thethe special嘿5，contingent one they Roman。 right,s, began to give way. As soon as Marcellus saw this he brought the i oth legion up to the front. 1 hey were slow in coming up, and as the others were. oecommg unsteady and tailing back,. the whole些“was gradually thrown into disorder and ultimately routed. Their tears got the better of them and they took to flight. 27oo Romans and allies fell in the battle and duringcenturions and two mi忽ursuit; amongst them were fourtribunes, M. Licinius and M. Helvius. Four standards were lost out of the wing which began the fight, and two from the legion which came up in support.