Battlefield, near river Trebia.
Alarum. Enter Hannibal, Maharbal and Hano.
Hannibal: Trebia is near, wherein, we have to fight the combined forces of Sempronius Longus and Publius Scipio. Ay, we were watchful, and yet ‘tis true that he did slip our ranks when we were pilling our stocks with plentiful and much needed supplies. So we must face a larger foe but hold, ague not thy hearts gentlemen for strategy alone shallst triumph over sheer numerical advantage.
Maharbal: ‘Tis well said that strategy makes an army win more often, yet I see not how with these few troops thou shallst defeat Roman infantry? Shouldn’t thou take thy brother’s help? Whither is he gone? I see not his flag fluttering anywhere hither!
Hannibal: Peace, get thou not so agitated. ‘Tis all a part of my plan. First, vouch thou to me; and thee to Hano, that our cavalry shallst not face defeat.
Maharbal: I give thee my solemn word, that my cavalry are hell bent on pouncing upon their Roman counterparts to hack them to pieces.
Hano: Thou canst trust us home to trample over the Roman equestrians as angry elephants would the fallen branches. But sayst thou that how shallst thee beat the strong Roman front lines that appear in the distance.
Hannibal: Brother Mago made conspicuous by his absence has surprised thee; this shallst work for Rome too! I shallst lure their infantry in to my vantage point to cut them to pieces later by an ambush. Mago stays with his men, ready to launch at my verbal command. To the naïve Roman infantry, this would be too much and all shallst fall like broken toys. So hence men we must take on our respected posts and prepare to dance to tune and rhythm of war.
[Exeunt
Battlefield, another part, The Roman Camp.
Enter Sempronius Longus, Publius Scipio, and Scipio the younger along with troops.
Sempronius Longus: Time has come to end this Carthaginian upstart once and for all; Noble Scipio lead thou the charge.
Publius Scipio: Ay, for with my valiant son and thy unfailing assistance, Rome shallst prevail; the drummers now shallst play a different tune; which shallst make our armies immune; to all the tricks he has to play, and thus our troops will carry the day! Hence ho to the fields.
Scipio the younger: Hence, countrymen hence! For I see a shaken demeanour amongst their weakened ranks which must be exploited. Soon, victory we shall achieve.
Sempronius Longus: So, Forward!
[Exeunt
The Battle begins, with troops of both sides fighting tooth and nail to maintain position.
Sounds of men falling in bitter agony, swords string against sword, horses neighing from within.
Another part of the battlefield, Enter Hannibal and an officer.
Hannibal: Officer I now sense the moment to summon Mago; tell him to get ready for the impending attack that he shallst unleash, for Publius Scipio’s troops lay near him, as vulnerable as a deer is to the tiger.
Officer: Ay, I shallst deliver him this order.
[Exeunt
Another part of the battlefield. Enter Publius Scipio and his troops chasing a group of fleeing Carthaginians.
Publius Scipio: Look how these mercenaries run; Ha! Ay, for these fight only for money and not for a cause as we proud Romans do!
Officer: Sir, thy noble son has made his way too; yet I hear he is wounded but that ain’t much as he still intends to fight..
Publius Scipio: He has done his duty rather well; gods ye look after him; for he is as valiant as the Argus; even so, the day is won for Sempronius too has made considerable inroads, as I hear.
Officer: Ay, he has so we must now look to a time of peace and rejoice at our triumph.
Alarum. Enter Mago
Mago: Surrender or fall to my blade!
Publius Scipio: What? We shallst see which warrior bites the dust!
Enter Mago’s contingent of Carthaginian troops.
Whoa? We art surrounded!.
Officer: ’Tis an ambush! We are doomed.
Publius Scipio: Brave Romans fight! Fight ‘gainst this villainy that hides itself like cowardice!
The Romans fight valiantly till every man falls reeling under the pressure of ambush, including Publius Scipio, to the blade of Mago and his men.
Mago: This done, towards Hannibal and the rest we now make our march! Hence Ho!
[Exeunt
Another part of the battlefield where Sempronius Longus is still holding sway but at a huge cost. Enter Sempronius Longus fighting along with his troops
Sempronius Longus: These nimble footed Carthaginians catch us off guard at every turn we make, and slaughter us. I hear that the senior Scipio fell to an ambush whilst the junior didst only escape with his life. We have been worn down by an adversary so unpredictable that victory over him shallst be a matter of honour and glory!
Alarum Enter Hannibal, Mago and their troops.
Hannibal: Surrounded thou art, so yield or fall.
Sempronius Longus: I choose to fall but never to yield.
They fight and Sempronius Longus falls to the blade of Hannibal, whilst Romans flee from the relentless onslaught of the Carthaginians.
Hannibal: Victory is ours; so on to our camps to make merry and celebrate this first major triumph!
Mago: Ay, so do us all! Hurrah!
