A. C. 216.

6

6

U. C. 538. lucem pervenire in tuta loca, in sociorum urbes posse. Sicut avorum memoria P. Decius tribunus militum in Samnio9; 'sicut, nobis adolescentibus, priore Punico bello Calpurnius 'Flamma' trecentis voluntariis, quum ad tumulum eos capiendum, situm inter medios hostes, duceret, dixit:' Moriamur, milites, et morte nostra eripiamus ex obsidione circumventas legiones: si hoc P. Sempronius diceret; nec 'viros quidem, nec Romanos vos duceret, si nemo tantæ 'virtutis exstitisset comes. Viam non ad gloriam magis, quam ad salutem, ferentem demonstrat; reduces in patriam 'ad parentes, ad conjuges ac liberos facit. Ut servemini, 'deest vobis animus? quid, si moriendum pro patria esset, 'faceretis? Quinquaginta millia civium sociorumque circa vos eo ipso die cæsa jacent. Si tot exempla virtutis non 'movent, nihil unquam movebit: si tanta clades vilem vitam non fecit, nulla faciet. Liberi atque incolumes2 desiderate 'patriam imo desiderate, dum patria est, dum cives ejus estis. Sero nunc desideratis, deminuti capite, abalienati 'jure civium, servi Carthaginiensium facti. Pretio redituri 'estis3 eo, unde ignavia ac nequitia abistis? P. Sempronium, 'civem vestrum, non audistis, arma capere ac sequi se 'jubentem: Hannibalem post paullo audistis, castra prodi et arma tradi jubentem. Quam ego ignaviam istorum accuso, quum scelus possim accusare? Non enim modo sequi recusarunt bene monentem, sed obsistere ac retinere 'conati sunt, ni strictis gladiis viri fortissimi inertes sum'movissent. Prius, inquam, P. Sempronio per civium agmen, quam per hostium, fuit erumpendum. Hos cives

In

9 P. Decius-in Samnio.]
the first campaign of the first Sam-
nite war, one of the two consular
armies led by Corn. Cossus, while
proceeding to invade Samnium,
became entangled in a defile, (be
lieved to be the pass of Mad-
daloni, among the mountains over
the plain of Capua,) from which
they were extricated by the courage
and prudence of P. Decius; the
same who, in the third Samnite war,
devoted himself at the battle of
Sentinum.

1 Calpurnius Flamma.] On this
occasion, a tribune in the army, in
a similar way, saved the troops when
brought into a disadvantageous posi-
tion by the consul At. Calatinus.

2 Liberi atque incolumes &c.] "Long for your country, when you are free and respectable!

Yes,

long for it when you have a country,
when you can call yourselves its
citizens. It is now too late; de-
graded as you are," &c.
3 Pretio redituri estis, &c.]
"Is
it by ransom that you would return
to that position which you forfeited
by," &c.

Post paullo.]
"A short while
since." The transposition is not
unusual in the best Latin style; for
instance, post aliquanto; ante amnis
octo, &c.

5 Quam ego ignaviam &c.] "Why am I accusing them of cowardice, when I have it in my power to charge them with a crime (treason)?"

6 P. Sempronio-fuit erumpendum.] "P. S. had to force his way," &c.

'patria desideret? quorum si ceteri similes fuissent, U. C. 538. neminem hodie ex iis, qui ad Cannas pugnaverunt, civem A. C. 216. ' haberet. Ex millibus septem armatorum sexcenti exstite'runt, qui erumpere auderent, qui in patriam liberi atque 'armati redirent: neque iis quadraginta millia hostium 'obstitere. Quam tutum iter duarum prope legionum agmini 'futurum censetis fuisse? Haberetis hodie viginti millia 'armatorum Canusii, fortia, fidelia, Patres conscripti. Nunc autem quemadmodum hi boni fidelesque (nam fortes 'ne ipsi quidem dixerint) cives esse possunt? nisi quis cre'dere potest' fuisse, ut erumpentibus, quin erumperent, obsistere conati sunt: aut non invidere eos, quum incolumi'tati, tum gloriæ illorum per virtutem partæ, quum sibi 'timorem ignaviamque servitutis ignominiosæ causam esse 'sciant. Maluerunt in tentoriis latentes simul lucem atque 'hostem exspectare, quum silentio noctis erumpendi occasio

' esset.

At enim ad erumpendum e castris defuit animus; ad tutanda fortiter castra animum habuerunt. Dies noctesque aliquot obsessi, vallum armis, se ipsi tutati vallo 'sunt: tandem ultima ausi passique, quum omnia subsidia 'vitæ abessent, affectisque fame viribus, arma jam sustinere nequirent, necessitatibus magis humanis, quam armis, victi " sunt. Orto sole hostis ad vallum accessit: ante secundam 'horam, nullam fortunam certaminis experti, tradiderunt arma ac se ipsos. Hæc vobis ipsorum per biduum militia " fuit'. Quum in acie stare ac pugnare decuerat, tum in castra refugerunt: quum pro vallo pugnandum erat, castra tradiderunt, neque in acie neque in castris utiles. Vos 'redimam? quum erumpere castris oportet, cunctamini ac

66

7 Nisi quis credere potest &c.] "Unless one can believe (equivalent to saying, “ for nobody can believe") that they were so, when they attempted to prevent those who were forcing their way out from doing so; or, (can believe) that they feel no jealousy toward the bravely won safety and glory of the others, when they know that their own cowardice and apathy are the cause of their own degradation." The emendation suggested by Lipsius is, nisi quis credere potest fuisse, ut erumpentibus, quin erumperent, obsistere conati sint, at non invidere &c. i. e. ' it cannot be supposed possible that they tried to prevent their attempt to escape; and will not, at the same time, feel envious of the position of those who succeeded in doing so.' In either case, however, Manlius means

to

Ꮓ

insinuate that they could not have
acted bravely in the first instance;
and that the others who did so,
must ever be regarded by them with
the jealousy naturally provoked by
the contrast.

8 At enim ad erumpendum &c.]
"But (it may be said in their de
fence) that, although they wanted
the resolution to &c.; they still had
courage to defend the camp."

9 Orto sole &c.] Here Manlius begins to reply to the objection started by himself. He suppresses, however, the obvious objection, that these prisoners were the innocent victims of the criminal errors of the man whom the Senate had complimented.

1 Hæc vobis-fuit.] This, you observe, was," &c. As we would say, "Here you have."

U. C. 538.
A. C. 216.

61.

manetis: quum manere, castra tutari armis necesse est, et castra et arma et vos ipsos traditis hosti. Ego non magis 'istos redimendos, Patres conscripti, censeo, quam illos de'dendos Hannibali, qui per medios hostes e castris erupe'runt, ac per summam virtutem se patriæ restituerunt.'

6

Postquam Manlius dixit, quanquam Patrum quoque2 plerosque captivi cognatione attingebant, præter exemplum civitatis minime in captivos jam inde antiquitus indulgentis, pecuniæ quoque summa homines movit: quia nec ærarium exhaurire, magna jam summa erogata in servos ad militiam emendos armandosque, nec Hannibalem maxime hujusce rei, ut fama erat, egentem locupletari volebant. Quum triste responsum, non redimi captivos3, redditum esset, novusque super veterem luctus tot jactura civium adjectus esset, cum magnis fletibus questibusque legatos ad portam prosecuti sunt. Unus ex iis domum abiit, quod fallaci reditu in castra jurejurando se exsolvisset. Quod ubi innotuit, relatumque ad senatum est, omnes censuerunt, comprehendendum et custodibus publice datis deducendum ad Hannibalem esse.

Est et alia de captivis fama decem primos venisse: de iis quum dubitatum in senatu esset, admitterentur in urbem, nec ne; ita admissos esse, ne tamen iis senatus daretur. Morantibus deinde longius omnium spe, alios tres insuper legatos venisse, L. Scribonium, et C. Calpurnium, et L. Manlium. Tum demum ab cognato Scribonii tribuno plebis de redimendis captivis relatum esse, nec censuisse redimendos senatum : et novos legatos tres ad Hannibalem re

2 Quanquam Patrum quoque.] "Though most of the fathers had relatives among the prisoners, still, in addition to the traditionary policy of a state never indulgent to prisoners of war, the amount of the ransom formed a further consideration."

3 Non redimi captivos.] This decision may be regarded rather as a stroke of policy than as a mere obstinate adherence to a national prejudice. In the first place, it was a denunciation to Hannibal, that the only terms on which the senate would deal with him were those of war to the death, wounded as their pride was by his presuming to invade Italy. They were also unwilling, as Livy observes, to place so large a sum of money at his command; and this refusal and disappointment,

coupled with the contemptuous dismissal of his envoy, and with the insecurity of his present position, (notwithstanding the result of the late battle,) so exasperated him, that he is said to have vented his vexation in acts of the most savage and malicious cruelty to the prisoners. He compelled them to fight in pairs, and put the survivors to death; and in one instance took the life of a Roman who had killed an elephant in single combat, lest his enemies might lose their dread of those animals. (Val. Maximus, ix. 2. and Pliny, viii. 7.)

4 Est et alia de captivis fama.] See Cicero, de Off. iii. 32.

5 Ita admissos esse &c.] "They were admitted, but only in such a manner that no audience was granted."

vertisse, decem veteres remansisse; quod, per causam re- U. C. 538. cognoscendi nomina captivorum ad Hannibalem ex itinere A. C. 216. regressi, religione sese exsolvissent: de iis dedendis magna contentione actum in senatu esse; victosque paucis sententiis, qui dedendos censuerint. Ceterum proximis censoribus adeo omnibus notis ignominiisque confectos esse, ut quidam eorum mortem sibi ipsi extemplo consciverint: ceteri non foro solum omni deinde vita, sed prope luce ac publico, caruerint'. Mirari magis, adeo discrepare inter auctores, quam quid veri sit, discernere queas.

Quanto autem major ea clades superioribus cladibus fuerit, vel ea res indicio est, quod, qui sociorum ad eam diem firmi steterant, tum labare coeperunt, nulla profecto alia de re, quam quod desperaverant de imperio. Defecere autem ad Pœnos hi populis: Atellani, Calatini, Hirpini, Apulorum pars, Samnites præter Pentros, Bruttii omnes, Lucani: præter hos Surrentini, et Græcorum omnis ferme ora, Tarentini, Metapontini, Crotonienses, Locrique, et Cisalpini omnes Galli. Nec tamen hæ clades defectionesque sociorum moverunt, ut pacis unquam mentio apud Romanos fieret: neque ante consulis Romam adventum, nec postquam is rediit, renovavitque memoriam acceptæ cladis. Quo in tempore ipso adeo magno animo civitas fuit, ut consuli, ex tanta clade, cujus ipse causa maxima fuisset, redeunti, et obviam itum frequenter ab omnibus ordinibus sit, et gratiæ actæ, quod de republica non desperasset: cui, si Carthaginiensium ductor fuisset, nihil recusandum supplicii foret.

6 Victosque paucis sententiis.] "Beaten by a small majority."

7 Caruerint.] "Absented themselves."

8 Hi populi.] Not all at once, but at intervals during four years.

9 Cui, si Carthaginiensium ductor fuisset.] The Carthaginians, like the Athenians on some occasions, resented the failures of their generals with such severity, as to render it surprising that any man was found to take the command of their armies. Some were crucified on

their return, and others put to death
on the spot by their own soldiers.
The indulgence extended to Varro
stands out in strong contrast to the
decision respecting the prisoners.
It is said that he was even offered
the dictatorship, which he refused.
All this may probably be accounted
for on the supposition, that his con-
demnation (if brought to trial like
Appius Pulcher in the first Punic
war) would have alienated the ple-
beian party.

LIBER XXIII.

A. C. 216.

EPITOME.

Campani ad Hannibalem defecerunt. Nuntius Cannensis victoriæ Mago Carthaginem missus, annulos aureos, a digitis occisorum Romanorum detractos, in vestibulo curiæ effudit: quos excessisse modii mensuram traditur. Post quem nuntium Hanno, vir ex Panis nobilissimus, suadebat senatui Carthaginiensium, ut pacem a populo Romano peterent: nec tenuit, obstrepente Barcina factione. Claudius Marcellus prætor ad Nolam, eruptione adversus Hannibalem ex oppido facta, prospere pugnavit. Exercitus Hannibalis per hiberna Capuæ ita luxuriatus est, ut corporum viribus atque animorum enervaretur. Casilinum, a Panis obsessum, ita fame vexatum est, ut lora et pelles scutis detractas, item mures, essent; et nucibus, per Vulturnum amnem a Romanis missis, vixerint. Senatus ex equestri ordine hominibus centum nonaginta septem suppletus est. L. Postumius prætor a Gallis cum exercitu casus est. Cn. et P. Scipiones in Hispania Hasdrubalem vicerunt, et Hispaniam suam fecerunt. Reliquiæ Cannensis exercitus in Siciliam relegatæ sunt; ne recederent inde, nisi finito bello. Inter Philippum Macedonum regem et Hannibalem societas juncta est. Sempronius Gracchus consul Campanos cecidit. Præterea in Sardinia feliciter a T. Manlio prætore adversus Pœnos Sardosque res gestas continet : a quo Hasdrubal dux, et Mago, et Hanno capti. Claudius Marcellus prætor Hannibalis exercitum ad Nolam prælio fudit et vicit : primusque tot cladibus fessis Romanis meliorem spem belli dedit.

U.C. 538. CIS Hannibal post Cannensem pugnam captis ac direptis, confestim ex Apulia in Samnium moverat: accitus in Hirpinos a Statio, pollicente se Compsam traditurum. Compsanus erat Trebius nobilis inter suos: sed premebat eum Mopsiorum factio, familiæ per gratiam Romanorum potentis. Post famam Cannensis pugnæ, vulgatumque Trebii sermonibus adventum Hannibalis, quum Mopsiani urbem excessissent; sine certamine tradita urbs Pono, præsidiumque acceptum est. Ibi præda omni atque impedimentis relictis, exercitu partito, Magonem regionis

1 Captis ac direptis.] This is the text substituted by Gronovius for Hannibal post Cannensem p. castra capta ac direpta. Ece was a town in Apulia near Cannæ, mentioned

afterwards, (1. xxiv. 20.) as having been retaken by Fabius.

2 Compsanus erat Trebius.] sc. Statius.