During the winter, Scipio’s soldiers were stationed far from any towns. They began complaining and making threats. To keep them active, the commanders kept vigorous training programs and in the spring, their strength and preparedness were high. Himilco’s army spent the winter lodged in Etera, where the town was repopulated with the return of the African contingent. Strictness of the camp discipline was replaced with effeminate conveniences and tempting accessibility of vices. Without any resistance, Carthaginian soldiers became worn of every possible excess and now were lacking fighting spirit and strength. In the spring, Himilco led the army on a five-day march from Etera to occupy a position in close proximity to Scipio’s forces and to prepare for the resumption of hostilities. Sensing an opportunity, Scipio decided to meet the advancing army head-on. Reports coming in placed the enemy units in the direct line of his advance. On the fourth day of Himilco’s march, Romans still didn’t meet any enemy reconnaissance parties and Scipio made the decision to raid the Carthaginian camp. He moved out his forces unnoticed and virtually surrounded the Hanno camp. He placed concealed units in the hills above and actually penned the camp in by the deep ravine, the hills, and the strategically placed units. Just before the uncertain light of the dawn, men in the Carthaginian camp had gone off to collect wood and fodder. The approaching Romans, with amazement, saw piled weapons at neglected outposts and no sentries on the rampart, but a multitude of unarmed men sitting about, lying on the ground, or strolling in front of the rampart and gates. When the trumpets blared and the battle cry rang out, they aroused shock and confusion on Carthaginian side. Fighting began in the front and on the flanks before Scipio’s column had time to form into a line of battle. Some Roman soldiers made a dash for the gates or leapt over the rampart. When the struggle began, Marcus was with Ana. He stayed motionless. He heard how Himilco encouraged his men and urged them to stay firm, crying out that no prayers would save them now, but only their own strength and their own valor. He was paralyzed with indecision, thoughts alternating: Ana is in danger, but I won’t fight against my people. Ana remained silent as if reading his thoughts. The din of battle was so great that not a word of command or exhortation could be heard now. On both sides, not a soldier could recognize his own standard or knew his place in the ranks, though officers were trying to reduce chaos in the ranks to some sort of order. Each man swung this way or that to face the shouts of triumph or calls for help, but gradually the neighing of horses, clash of arms, clattering of shields, and cries of men became more remote as Hanno and Himilco rallied their forces and began steadily pushing the Romans back. Marcus realized that the greater courage he demonstrated, the less danger there would be and that any suspicion of treachery would be perilous for him and Ana. He jumped to his feet and ran outside, not yet knowing what he would do. He mounted his horse and directed it into the thick of melee outside the camp gates where chaos still reigned. He rode over a dead elephant in the trench whose body had formed a sort of bridge. He had to move slowly, trampling on bodies and equipment, perceiving that the tide had turned and the Romans attempts to break into the camp had been thwarted. Unseen, Marcus approached a group of fighting men from behind thick trees bordering the ravine. There, he stood looking at them from the distance, surprised at seeing the fight in its insignificance. The heaving mass of men was moving as waves in the sea. Men were occupied with mutual slaughter and were oblivious to anything else. Marcus heard groans of wounded men, the thud or ring of blows on a body or a shield, cries of fear, shouts of onslaught, sounds which he never noticed in such clarity before. It looked like a vivid dream. He stood there for some time. Scipio sounded retreat. Marcus waited for that moment, a sign, a direction, a message. All days of indecision were gone at once. He rushed his horse, galloping headlong in the direction of the retreating Roman columns. Concentrated on the tumult and uproar around him, Marcus didn’t see Himilco’s soldier riding behind with a spear, taking aim. Marcus’ horse suddenly stumbled over a body on the ground and fell, sending Marcus flying off the saddle. That incident saved him from the death that was behind him. Marcus hit the ground and lost conscience, darkness enveloped him. The soldier didn’t have the time or the inclination to finish Marcus off. The Roman cavalry was close and he retreated in the haste. Later that day, Scipio ordered that his men should be picked out from the heaps of enemy dead and given an appropriate burial.