Natura locus iam ante praeceps recenti lapsu terrae in pedum mille admodum altitudinem abruptus erat. . . . Tandem nequiquam iumentis atque hominibus fatigatis castra in iugo posita, aegerrime ad id ipsum loco purgato: tantum nivis fodiendum atque {5} egerendum fuit. Inde ad rupem muniendam, per quam unam via esse poterat, milites ducti, cum caedendum esset saxum, arboribus circa immanibus deiectis detruncatisque struem ingentem lignorum faciunt, eamque, cum et vis venti apta faciendo igni {10} coorta esset, succendunt ardentiaque saxa infuso aceto putrefaciunt. Ita torridam incendio rupem ferro pandunt, molliuntque anfractibus modicis clivos, ut non iumenta solum sed elephanti etiam deduci possent. Quadriduum circa rupem consumptum {15} iumentis prope fame absumptis; nuda enim fere cacumina sunt, et, si quid est pabuli, obruunt nives. Inferiora valles apricosque quosdam colles habent rivosque prope silvas et iam humano cultu digniora loca. Ibi iumenta in pabulum missa, et quies {20} muniendo fessis hominibus data. Triduo inde ad planum descensum iam et locis mollioribus et accolarum ingeniis. LIVY, xxi. 36, 37. +Context.+ At a short distance from the summit of the Pass (prob. the Little St. Bernard) Hannibal finds his passage barred by a break in the road, caused by a landslip or avalanche. [Linenotes: 2-3. +in pedum ... abruptus erat.+ Polybius says that the precipice at the side of the road (leaving only a narrow ledge) extended for about 1000 ft. _in length_. Livy in mistake converts this into 1000 ft. _in depth_. 3-4. +Tandem ... fatigatis+, i.e. after H.’s attempt to pass by a side-way over a glacier failed. 4. +in iugo+, i.e. on the higher level where the road was broken away. 6. +ad rupem muniendam+ = _to cut a way through the rock_. _Munire_ (cf. _moenia_) = lit. ‘to wall,’ ‘to build.’ So _munire viam_ = _to make a road_. Hannibal widened the narrow ledge of road by making a sort of terrace. 9. +detruncatis+ = _trimmed_, (lit. ‘lopped off’), i.e. cleared of branches. 11-12. +infuso aceto.+ Limestone rock might be softened by vinegar, which the _posca_, the soldiers’ regular drink of vinegar and water, would supply. Polybius does not mention this. 13-14. +molliuntque ... clivos+ = _relieve the steepness of the descent by gently-sloping zigzag paths_. _Anfractus_, from _ambi + frango_.] +References.+ Polybius, iii. 54-56; Ihne, i. 171-179. C16 SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C. A. _The Battle at the R. Trebia, 218 B.C._