Quae quia supra usitatam rationem excedentia attigimus, serpentis quoque a T. Livio curiose pariter ac facunde relatae fiat mentio: is enim ait in Africa apud Bagradam flumen tantae magnitudinis <anguem> fuisse ut Atilii Reguli exercitum usu amnis prohiberet, multisque militibus ingenti ore correptis, compluribus caudae voluminibus elisis, cum telorum iactu perforari nequiret, ad ultimum ballistarum tormentis undique petitam silicum crebris et ponderosis verberibus procubuisse, omnibusque et cohortibus et legionibus ipsa Carthagine visam terribiliorem, atque etiam cruore suo gurgitibus imbutis corporisque iacentis pestifero adflatu vicina regione polluta Romana inde summovisse castra.
Since we have touched upon these items transcending normal reason, let mention be made of a snake recorded with no less particularity than eloquence by T. Livius. He says that in Africa at the river Bagrada there was a snake of such great size that it forbade the use of the river to the army of Atilius Regulus. Many a soldier was seized by its vast mouth, a number were crushed by the coils of its tail. When it could not be pierced by the casting of spears, it was finally attacked from all sides with catapult machines and fell forward from the frequent weighty blows of stones. All the cohorts and legions feared the sight of it more than Carthage itself and moved the Roman camp away, because the neighbouring district was polluted by the waters infected with the creatures blood and the pestilential vapour from its prostrate body.
final_alignments\Valerius_Memorable_Book1.json