text:  After so great a victory within a few days' march of the Tiber and no considerable army intervening to arrest the advance of the conqueror it may seem extraordinary that Hannibal did not advance straight to the capital and terminate the war by its destruction: still more inexplicable does it at first sight appear that instead of doing so he should have turned to the left and passing Rome moved into the south of Italy; thus losing in a great measure his communication with Lombardy which had hitherto proved so invaluable a nursery for his army