when he had spoken a loyal shout arose. It was plain that his soldiers would follow him to death.
Hannibal thanked his troops for their devotion, told them the day on which they were to march, and then dismissed them.
He himself went to the temple to pray to the gods for the success of his invasion of Italy.
Day and night he brooded over his plans, so that even when he slept his mind was possessed by them.
One night he dreamed that he was in the presence of the gods of Carthage. The deities bade him invade Italy, and one of them, they promised, would be with him as his guide.
In his dream he and his divine leader then set out. 'See that thou look not behind thee,' said the god. But in spite of this command Hannibal looked back and a terrible dragon, covered with innumerable scales, met his gaze. As the monster moved, it dragged in its path, woods, orchards, houses.
'What is this that I see?' asked Hannibal.
'Thou seest the desolation of Italy,' answered his guide. 'Go thy way straight forward and cast no look behind.'
Thus encouraged by his dream, Hannibal went back to his army more confident than before, and marched into Italy to perform his boyhood's vow.
