In medio secunda legio immissa dissipavit phalangem; neque ulla evidentior causa victoriae fuit, quam quod multa passim proelia erant, quae fluctuantem turbarunt primo, deinde disiecerunt phalangem, cuius confertae et intentis horrentes {5} hastis intolerabiles vires sunt; si carptim aggrediendo circumagere immobilem longitudine et gravitate hastam cogas, confusa strue implicantur: si vero aut ab latere aut ab tergo aliquid tumultus increpuit, ruinae modo turbantur. Sicut tum adversus catervatim {10} incurrentes Romanos et interrupta multifariam acie obviam ire cogebantur, et Romani, quacumque data intervalla essent, insinuabant ordines suos. . . . Diu phalanx a fronte, a lateribus, ab tergo caesa est; postremo, qui ex hostium manibus elapsi erant, {15} inermes ad mare fugientes, quidam aquam etiam ingressi, manus ad eos, qui in classe erant tendentes, suppliciter vitam orabant; et cum scaphas concurrere undique ab navibus cernerent, ad excipiendos sese venire rati, ut caperent potius quam occiderent, {20} longius in aquam, quidam etiam natantes, progressi sunt. Sed cum hostiliter e scaphis caederentur, retro, qui poterant, nando repetentes terram, in aliam foediorem pestem incidebant. Elephanti enim, ab rectoribus ad litus acti, exeuntes obterebant {25} elidebantque. LIVY, xliv. 41, 42. [Linenotes: 1. +In medio ... immissa+ = _On the centre the second legion charged_ (+immissa+), i.e. into the interstices of the phalanx, which was not preserving its usual close order. --Rawlins. 4-6. +fluctuantem ... vires sunt+ = _first demoralised the phalanx so as to make it waver_, (+fluctuantem+), _and then shattered it. Its (aggressive) force, so long as it keeps close order and bristles with couched_ (+intentis+) _spears, is irresistible_ (+intolerabiles+). 6. +carptim aggrediendo+ = _by repeated harassing attacks_. 10. +ruinae modo+ = _in hopeless confusion_. --R. 17. +classe.+ The Roman fleet under Octavius was co-operating with the army.] +Results of the Battle+. Perseus was captured, and his kingdom was divided into four independent parts. The Macedonian phalanx had fought its last great battle. +Character of Paulus+. ‘He was a model of the Roman of the best time. He was not, like his contemporary Cato, a onesided worshipper of everything old; but he was a Conservative in the best sense of the word, anxious to preserve old institutions, but at the same time to improve them.’ --Ihne. C48 THIRD PUNIC WAR, 149-146 B.C. _Destruction of Carthage, 146 B.C._