Act 5 Scene 6

Battlefield of Cannae, corpses strewn across it.

Enter Hannibal, collecting rings from the fingers of slain Roman nobles. 

Hannibal: One, two, and three...then another and another, and another, the count of rings seem endless as does the count of corpses strewn across the battlefield, which now is very gloomy. Wailing cries, ghastly groans, mysterious moans fill the air and make it highly noxious. Yet, here I stand  amidst this great carnage and gaze, in sheer awe and utter stupefaction upon these thousands of fallen troops, who did, to protect the Republic, fall to valiant and glorious slaughter. This is bloodbath and devastation, like never in recorded times. In nations unborn, whither culture or language is yet to find its birth; shallst someday find this massacre; if thou mayst call it so; worth noting, and shallst with great pains study the art of battles from me, the orchestrator. Again and again, as the rings that I do collect, they shallst look back to this day, ay, but only if Rome were to fall. Ere that none, not even beloved Carthage wouldst budge to give me its beloved sons; but now, seeing what I hath wrought-a comprehensive and decisive victory, secured through guile, I wish those implacable fools will see the time fit to press for an attack. When they see scores of such precious ornaments at their feet, reinforcements they must send to me through my brother, Mago after seeing the proof of my military prowess. Besieging Rome is not advisable, for the want of siege weapons and manpower, which I must gather from the whimsical oligarchs in Carthage and alas, the worst may still chance. Hence, my dependence on my allies should be minimal and if Rome stubbornly rejects our peace proposal and support abdicate us, our best hope would be another Cannae, only if the Romans could be lured. Hush, silly mind for it doth brood over things which have not yet come to pass. The sack must be filled to make them fat and belief in the rule of Carthage to deliver must not waver, not yet, not till they have us dismissed.

Enter Mago 

Mago: Brother I didst hear of thy wish to send me as envoy to Carthage and seek reinforcements by proving Roman weakness in battle and our superiority in it; highlighted by those rings thou hast in thy sack. I shallst see to it that it gets done, and by the will of the gods, they shallst grant us men.

Hannibal: I hope it too; (giving the sack) now it gets late, hither take thou this sack and on the first light on the morrow may thou fly to Carthage whilst I deliver the summons of truce to Rome.

Mago: (taking it) I shall do as thou doth wish.

[Exeunt in opposite directions

Act 5 Scene 5

Cannae, the Battlefield. Enter soldiers from both sides; Romans from left and Carthaginians from the right. (Romans number more). 

Enter Hannibal & a Captain and then Roman generals Lucius Aemilius Paullus, Gaius Terentius Varro and Scipio the Younger (from opposite ends). 

Hannibal: Have the cavalry and African infantry taken up position?

Captain: They have.

Hannibal: Captain, art thou ready to lay our plan to its fullest effect.

Captain: I’m and will send thy orders as swiftly as my messengers can run, to convey the right moment of attack. With thy noble brother holding firm, our men are prepared to die for Carthage.

Hannibal: Good, now stand we must our sure and firmset ground; signal the attack bells, and make them sound like the knells of death, deep and profound, for the bloodiest day hath come forth, for yonder lies the might of Rome. With their forces they us on this place do surround, whither we shallst pile dead bodies into a loathsome mound! Come let us into jaws of death proudly charge, for fate doth with the lure of victory do us urge!

Soldiers: All hail! Hannibal, till death!!

On the Roman side... 

Scipio the Younger: Time has come that we as Romans must redeem our lost pride and displace this vagrant locust from our bounteous lands once and for all! For Rome!!!

Roman Troops: Charge!!

The battle begins and fiercely rages on, Romans fend back Hannibal’s troops 

Lucius Aemilius Paullus: It doth seem our enemy has all its troops on the front line and they are failing miserably at their task.

Scipio the Younger: Mefeels a lot amiss hither, to think Hannibal as simple a foe as a mad and rutting elephant, blinded by rage, is sacrilege! A venomous adder to come forth on the brightest day some had said; let’s pray that day is not come!

Gaius Terentius Varro: For once Youngman thou seemeth wrong, for they are fighting bitterly to maintain position. Methinks they are at their wits end.

Scipio the Younger: Pray, that thou art correct.

Hustle and Bustle in the legions and the movement stops

Lucius Aemilius Paullus: Why didst our frontal assault stop? Hath thou any news on this regard?

Scipio the Younger: I have not, but, why indeed? Hither comes a distraught and haggard messenger.

Enter a messenger, looking exasperated.

Gaius Terentius Varro: Hark, good messenger, what news hast thou brought us?

Messenger: To the door hell hath broke ope’ to strike the very heart of our legions dearly, as cannot be fathomed by common men like me.

Lucius Aemilius Paullus: Prithee, good messenger, tallest us the exact cause, and do not dwell in absurd reveries of philosophy.

Messenger: To say sooth my lord, ah, it shallst pain thee even more, but here it is- No sooner had we compelled our enemy to retreat back, in our haste and futile happiness, we didst leave our flanks unguarded and exposed to a foe we didst greatly underestimate. Thus therein he did Hannibal strike, bringing down on us his feared African mercenaries.

Scipio the Younger: I had feared this would chance, but, this tactic is completely new. The times had been, when, he would wear us down and finish us off; but today lulled us he has into a false sense of victory only to deal decisive defeat to us at the very end.

Lucius Aemilius Paullus: Fear not yet son of Scipio, for regroup we must by retreating through our rear. How does our cavalry?

Messenger: Alas my lord, our rear is exposed to attack as our cavalry has been routed by the ferocious Numidian hordes. The enemy horses swarm our rear as we speak! O, what a fiend of a general this Hannibal is, for outfoxed us in every turn he has!

Gaius Terentius Varro: Then we must fight; we have numbers to break through.

Scipio the Younger: But not training I fear, nay we must each separate from the centre and reach the flanks and the rear, to inspire and lead our troops to fight through.

Lucius Aemilius Paullus: Well said, hie we must and away, ere to Hannibal belongs this day!

[Exeunt 

Battle of Cannae, another side of the battlefield. The rampaging onslaught of the cavalry continues.The sounds of war, horses neighing, men shouting and falling dead... 

Enter Maharbal and Hano, whilst killing Romans at will.

Maharbal: Slaughter these Roman fools countrymen, slaughter them by the thousands!

Hano: Proclaim ultimate victory for Carthage; fight country fight!

[Exeunt fighting and slaying Romans

Battle of Cannae, at centre of the battlefield. The clinking and clanking of swords, the whoosh of arrows, the grunts of men and animals and absolute carnage continues...

Enter Hannibal and Mago and the rest of their troops fighting and killing of the remaining Romans. 

Hannibal: Countrymen, fight for all that you believe in; for victory is almost near at hand.

Mago: Finish them off in swift and decisive strokes.

Hannibal: Comrades victory is achieved!

Maharbal: Ay, the day of great turmoil and torment is finally at an end, for we have converted this day of our tactical triumph.

Mago: Comrades gather round hither to rejoice in and celebrate this great victory; for later shall we do away with the multitude of corpses.

Soldiers: Hurrah!! All hail Hannibal!!!

 

[Exeunt

 

Act 5 Scene 4

Roman Camp, Day of Battle.

Enter Lucius Aemilius Paullus, Gaius Terentius Varro, Scipio the Younger and other consuls, two high ranking commanders and other officers in the tent of Scipio the Younger.

Lucius Aemilius Paullus: Gentlemen, our countrymen and citizens have bled profusely, and ay, no amount of surprise moves, tricky manoeuvres have outwitted or tripped our fiercely formidable foe. Hark, for time beckons us hither, to lay on our enemy like avenging angels; we must be the hammer, whilst this battle ground the anvil, where we shallst pulverize them. Troops aplenty we doth possess, to give due cognizance of our quest.

Gaius Terentius Varro: And they are all upbeat, prepared to mow down Hannibal’s troops before any surprise can be by him surmounted.

Scipio the Younger: Aye, and with these numbers he can never find the opportune moment to use his nefarious moves. [Aside] Hannibal, thou canst not run nor hide; for hither we shallst end thy joyous ride.

Lucius Aemilius Paullus: Now commanders to the task at hand, thou knowest fullwell that we shallst go forth in the normal course, for I find their demeanour slackened by the dark hand of fatigue, and a blow at the heart shallst tear them apart. See that ‘tis done.

1^st Commander: I shallst my lord!

Gaius Terentius Varro: Our war machine shallst mow down their weakened troops like broken toys.

2^nd commander: We are ready to do the bidding of Rome my lord!

Scipio the Younger: All hail Rome, most indomitable, indestructible and eternal Rome!

Others: Rome! Rome! The ultimate victor!

[Exeunt

On the Carthaginian Camp, Hannibal’s tent.

Enter Hannibal, in full battle armour.

Hannibal: On this day hither the largest army ensemble in recorded time shallst descend, and we shallst meet and greet to decisively beat our chief antagonist, Rome. The plan is maid and the decisions laid. Judgements and tactics have been done, and battle preparations duly begun, come ho and witness this battle scene wither the Roman moths shallst in my fire burn and scream. I shallst be the lure to lull these unsuspecting fools into the trap, and start the process of wiping Rome from the map!

Enter Mago, Maharbal, Hano and others officers.

Are the men prepared gentlemen?

Maharbal: The cavalry are eager to commence battle.

Hano: The equestrians can smell victory!

Mago: The men are ready as thou didst ask. Thy allies feel that thy presence in the rank and file shallst inspire confidence to carry out this most audacious plan.

Hannibal: Very well, we have no more time at hand, march we  must to the battle field and face our foe. Away at once.

Others: So, march we all!

[Exeunt