This he did because he foresaw that the Romans would first attack the centre, and as the less resolute soldiers fell back, they would press forward. Then, as they continued to push back the Carthaginian centre, Hannibal meant to bid the men on the right and left wings to close in and envelop the enemy. So when the Romans charged the centre of the Punic army, pushed it well back and were already beginning to think of victory, the wings closed in and charged upon their flanks. Then the centre, seeing how it was supported, took fresh courage, and charged the front of the enemy with sudden determination. Slowly but surely the Roman infantry was pressed closer and closer together, until they were unable to strike a blow, unable even to move. Those on the edge were cut down at once, while thousands in the centre were compelled to stand and look on, awaiting their fate. For a whole day the slaughter never ceased, and when the sun sank there was no longer any Roman army left. Hannibal had cut to pieces wellnigh the whole eight legions, which was the largest army that Rome had ever sent to the field. Æmilius had been wounded at the beginning of the battle. In spite of this he had tried to remount, to rally his men. But he was too severely injured to be able to sit in his saddle, and he fell again, unnoticed, and was slain. Minucius, who was on the field, was also killed, as well as eighty senators who had taken part in the battle. The plebeian Consul, Varro, escaped, with about seventy horsemen, to the town of Venusia, where scattered troops of soldiers gradually rejoined him. Maharbal, the master of Hannibal’s cavalry, begged to be sent at once to Rome. ‘If you will let me lead the horses and follow quickly, you shall dine in the Capitol in five days,’ he said with perfect confidence. But Hannibal refused to march on Rome, and offered her terms of peace instead. Then Maharbal turned sadly away, muttering, it is said, these words: ‘You know how to win a victory, Hannibal, but not how to use it.’ The terms offered by Hannibal, Rome in her pride refused, although the loss of her eight legions had left her wellnigh helpless in the hands of her conqueror. Hannibal seemed indeed not to know how to use his victory. He turned away from Rome, and marched to the wealthy city of Capua, in the south of Italy. The gates were thrown wide to the victorious general, and here he entered and set up his camp. CHAPTER LXIV THE DESPAIR OF ROME After the victory of Cannæ, Hannibal was deemed more than a mere man. Surely he must be endowed with the power of the gods, or he would never be able to sweep eight legions from his path, as he had done on this last dread battlefield. Even a number of young Roman knights, of the best patrician families, were so sure that nothing could now save their country, that they determined to fly to the coast and thus escape to another land, where they might yet win honour by their arms.