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654. +ductor+ = Hannibal.
654-657. Silius (who closely imitates Vergil) makes Hannibal view the sculptured memorials of the First Punic War, just as Aeneas sees carved the tale of Troy. Verg. _Aen._ i. 445-493.]
+Parallel Pa.s.sage.+ Polybius, i. caps. 59-63.
+Terms of Peace.+ Carthage engaged to evacuate Sicily; not to make war upon Hiero of Syracuse; to give up all Roman prisoners without ransom, and to pay 2200 talents in twenty years.
+Sicily the first Roman Province.+
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SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C.
A. _Great Importance of the Second Punic War._
In parte operis mei licet mihi praefari bellum maxime omnium memorabile, quae unquam gesta sint, me scripturum, quod Hannibale duce Carthaginienses c.u.m populo Romano gessere. Nam neque validiores opibus ullae inter se civitates gentesque contulerunt {5} arma, neque his ipsis tantum unquam virium aut roboris fuit, et haud ignotas belli artes inter sese, sed expertas primo Punico conferebant bello, et adeo varia fortuna belli ancepsque Mars fuit, ut propius periculum fuerint, qui vicerunt.
Odiis etiam prope {10} maioribus certarunt quam viribus, Romanis indignantibus quod victoribus victi ultro inferrent arma, Poenis, quod superbe avareque crederent imperitatum victis esse.
[Linenotes: 3. +Hannibale duce.+ Polybius called the war of which Hannibal was the life and soul the 'Hannibalian War.'
6. +his ipsis+, sc. _Romanis Poenisque_, with _validiores_.
6-7. +virium aut roboris+ = _offensive or defensive strength_. --R.
8. +expertas+ = _tested_, in a pa.s.sive sense.
9. +ut propius ... vicerunt+, e.g. after Cannae, 216 B.C.
12. +ultro inferrent arma+ = _should presume to attack_. --Dimsdale.
13. +Poenis+, sc. _indignantibus_.
+superbe avareque.+ 'When the war of the mercenaries broke out in Africa (241-238 B.C.) Rome availed herself of the distress of Carthage to extort the cession of Sardinia, and raised the war indemnity by 1200 talents.' --Ihne.]
B. _The Oath of the Boy Hannibal._
Fama est etiam, Hannibalem annorum ferme {15} novem, pueriliter blandientem patri Hamilcari, ut duceretur in Hispaniam, c.u.m, perfecto Africo bello, exercitum eo traiecturus sacrificaret, altaribus admotum, tactis sacris, iure iurando adactum, se, c.u.m primum posset, hostem fore populo Romano. {20}
LIVY, xxi. 1.
[Linenotes: 16. +blandientem+ = _coaxingly entreating_. --D.
17. +perfecto Africo bello+, i.e. between Carthage and her mutinous mercenaries, 241-237 B.C.]
+Parallel Pa.s.sage.+ For Hannibal's Oath, Livy x.x.xv. 19.
+Importance of the War.+ 'It was a struggle for existence, for supremacy or destruction. It was to decide whether the Graeco-Roman civilisation of the West or the Semitic (Carthaginian) civilisation of the East was to be established in Europe, and to determine its history for all future time.' --Ihne.
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SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C.
'_The paths of glory lead but to the grave._'
Expende Hannibalem: quot libras in duce summo 147 Invenies? . . . .
Additur imperiis Hispania, Pyrenaeum 151 Transilit. Opposuit natura Alpemque nivemque: Diducit scopulos et montem rumpit aceto.
Iam tenet Italiam, tamen ultra pergere tendit: 'Actum,' inquit, 'nihil est, nisi Poeno milite portas 155 Frangimus et media vexillum pono Subura.'
O qualis facies et quali digna tabella, c.u.m Gaetula ducem portaret belua lusc.u.m!
Exitus ergo quis est? O gloria! vincitur idem Nempe et in exilium praeceps fugit, atque ibi magnus 160 Mirandusque cliens sedet ad praetoria regis, Donec Bithyno libeat vigilare tyranno.
Finem animae, quae res humanas miscuit olim, Non gladii, non saxa dabunt, nec tela, sed ille Cannarum vindex et tanti sanguinis ultor, 165 Anulus. I, demens, et saevas curre per Alpes, Ut pueris placeas et declamatio fias.
JUVENAL, _Sat._ x. 147-167.
[Linenotes: 147-148. +Expende ... invenies+ = _if you lay_ (lit. 'weigh') _Hannibal in the scale, how many pounds will you find in the greatest of commanders?_ --Duff. Cf. Ov. _Met._ xii. 615: Iam cinis est: et de tam magno restat Achille Nescio quid parvam quod non bene compleat urnam.
156. +media Subura+, i.e. in the heart of Rome. The Subura was one of the busiest and most populous quarters of Rome.
157. +O qualis facies ... tabella+ = _what a sight and how fit for caricature!_ lit. 'worthy of what a picture' i.e. how ridiculous a picture it would have made. --Hardy.
158. +lusc.u.m+ = _one-eyed_. Hannibal lost an eye from disease, while marching through the country flooded by the Arno, 217 B.C.
160. +in exilium+, i.e. first to Antiochus of Syria, and then to Prusias of Bithynia.
166. +anulus.+ Hannibal took poison which he carried about in a ring (+anulus+) 183 B.C., aged 76.
167. +ut ... fias+ = _to suit the taste of schoolboys, and become the subject of their speeches_. --Duff.]
+For the thought+, cf. Shak. Ham. V. i. 232:
Imperious Caesar, dead and turned to clay, Might stop a hole to keep the wind away: O, that that earth, which kept the world in awe Should patch a wall to expel the winter's flaw!
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SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C.
_Character of Hannibal._
Nunquam ingenium idem ad res diversissimas, parendum atque imperandum, habilius fuit. Itaque haud facile discerneres, utrum imperatori an exercitui carior esset; neque Hasdrubal alium quemquam praeficere malle, ubi quid fort.i.ter ac strenue agendum {5} esset, neque milites alio duce plus confidere aut audere. Plurimum audaciae ad pericula capessenda, plurimum consilii inter ipsa pericula erat. Nullo labore aut corpus fatigari aut animus vinci poterat. Caloris ac frigoris patientia par; cibi potionisque {10} desiderio naturali, non voluptate modus finitus; vigiliarum somnique nec die nec nocte discriminata tempora: id, quod gerendis rebus superesset, quieti datum; ea neque molli strato neque silentio accersita; multi saepe militari sagulo opertum humi iacentem {15} inter custodias stationesque militum conspexerunt. Vest.i.tus nihil inter aequales excellens; arma atque equi conspiciebantur. Equitum peditumque idem longe primus erat; princeps in proelium ibat, ultimus conserto proelio excedebat. Has tantas viri virtutes {20} ingentia vitia aequabant, inhumana crudelitas, perfidia plus quam Punica, nihil veri, nihil sancti, nullus deum metus, nullum ius iurandum, nulla religio.
LIVY, xxi. 4.
[Linenotes: 2. +habilius+ = _better adapted_, lit. 'more easily handled'; cf.
our _handy_.
7. +ad pericula capessenda+ = _in incurring peril_.
12. +discriminata+ = _regulated_, lit. 'divided off'; cf.
_dis-cerno_, _dis-crimen_.
14. +accersita+ (= _arcessita_) = _wooed_.
15. +sagulo+ = _in his military cloak_: diminutive of _sagum_.
21. +inhumana crudelitas.+ Polybius says that many of his alleged cruelties were to be set down to his namesake H. Monomachus.
21-23. +perfidia plus quam Punica.+ 'This does not seem to have been anything worse than a consummate adroitness in laying traps for his enemies.' --Church and Brodribb. Cf. 'Perfidious Albion.'
23. +nulla religio+ = _no scruples_, i.e. no force binding (_re + ligare_) or restraining from wrong-doing, no conscience.]
+Parallel Pa.s.sages.+ Livy xxvi. 41 of Scipio Africa.n.u.s Minor--Sall.u.s.t _Cat._ 5 of Catiline--Polybius ix. 22-26 (important).
'Bitterly as the Romans hated, reviled, and persecuted Carthage, the most deadly poison of their hatred they poured upon Hannibal; they did not hesitate to blacken his memory by the most revolting accusations.'
--Ihne.
C11
