This Decree, However, Was Not Long Acted Upon; For The Carthaginians,
Perceiving That The Romans No Longer Dared To Meet
Them at sea, made such
formidable preparations for invading Sicily, by equipping a fleet of 200
sail, and raising an
Army of 30,000 men, besides 140 elephants, that the
Romans, being reduced to the alternative of either losing that valuable
island, or of again encountering their enemy at sea, resolved on the latter
measure. Accordingly a new fleet was built, consisting of 240 galleys, and
sixty smaller vessels, and Lilibaeum was besieged by sea and land. This city
was deemed impregnable, and as it was the only place of retreat for the
Carthaginian armies in Sicily, it was defended with the utmost obstinacy.
During this siege, two bold and successful enterprises were undertaken for
the purpose of supplying the garrison with provisions. The Romans had shut
up the port so closely, that the governor could have no communication with
Carthage: nevertheless, Hannibal, the son of Hamilcar, resolved to enter it
with a supply of provisions. With this intention, he anchored with a few
vessels under an island near the coast, and as soon as a strong south wind
arose, he set all sail, and plied his oars with so much vigour and
alacrity, that he passed safely through the midst of the Roman fleet, and
landed 10,000 men and a considerable quantity of provisions. Having
succeeded thus far, and being convinced that the Romans would be on the
alert to prevent his sudden escape, he resolved to intimidate them, if
possible, by the open boldness of the attempt; and in this also he
succeeded.
Shortly afterwards the harbour was again so closely blockaded, that the
senate of Carthage were quite uninformed of the state and resources of the
garrison. In this emergency, a Rhodian, of the name of Hannibal, undertook
to enter the harbour, and to come back to Carthage with the requisite and
desired intelligence. The Roman fleet lay at anchor, stretched across the
mouth of the harbour. Hannibal, following the example of his namesake, with
a very light galley of his own, concealed himself near one of the islands
which lie opposite to Lilibaeum. Very early in the morning, before it was
light, with a favourable wind blowing rather strong, he succeeded in
getting through the Roman fleet, and entered the port. The consul,
mortified at this second enterprise, ordered ten of his lightest vessels to
lie as close as possible to each other, across the mouth of the harbour;
and that they might not be taken by surprise and unprepared, he further
directed that the men should constantly have their oars in their hands,
stretched out, so as to be ready to plunge them into the water at a
moment's warning. The skill and experience of the Rhodian, however, and the
extreme lightness and celerity of his vessel, rendered all these
precautions unavailing; for, not content with securing his escape, he
mocked the Romans, by often lying to till they came near him, and then
rowing round them.
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