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