The Result Was, That The
Romans Gained A Complete Victory.
The loss of the Carthaginians is
variously related by the Roman writers:
This is extraordinary, since they
must have had access to the best possible authority; the inscription of the
Columna Rostrata of Duilius, which is still preserved at Rome. According to
this inscription, Duilius fitted out a fleet in sixty days, defeated the
Carthaginians, commanded by Hannibal, at sea, took from them thirty ships,
with all their rigging, and the septireme which carried the admiral
himself; sunk thirty, and took several prisoners of distinction. When
Hannibal saw the Romans about to enter his septireme, he leaped into a
small boat and escaped.
A circumstance occurred during this engagement which clearly manifested the
ardour and perseverance, by means of which the Romans had already become
expert, not only in the management of their ships, but also in the use of
their corvi. It has already been noticed that the Carthaginians bore down
on them in disorder, each ship endeavouring to reach them as soon as
possible, without waiting for the rest: among the foremost was Hannibal.
After the defeat of this part of the fleet, the rest, amounting to 120,
having come up, endeavoured to avoid the fate of their companions by rowing
as quickly as possible round the Roman ships, so as not to allow them to
make use of the corvi. But the Romans proved themselves to be even more
expert seamen than their enemies; for, though their vessels were much
heavier, they worked them with so much ease, celerity, and skill, that they
presented the machines to the enemy on whatever side they approached them.
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