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U. C. 539. Arpos consedit. Q. Fabius, ut profectum in Apuliam HanA. C. 215. nibalem audivit, frumento ab Nola Neapolique in ea castra

convecto, quæ super Suessulam erant, munimentisque firmatis, et præsidio, quod per hiberna ad tutandum locum satis esset, relicto, ipse Capuam propius movit castra, agrumque Campanum ferro ignique est depopulatus: donec coacti sunt Campani, nihil admodum viribus suis fidentes, egredi portis, et castra ante urbem in aperto communire. Sex millia armatorum habebant, peditem imbellem: equitatu plus poterant: itaque equestribus proeliis lacessebant hostem. Inter multos nobiles equites Campanos Cerrinus Jubellius erat, cognomine Taurea. Civis indidem erat, longe omnium Campanorum fortissimus eques: adeo ut, quum apud Romanos militaret, unus eum Romanus Claudius Asellus gloria equestri æquaret. Hic Taurea, quum diu perlustrans oculis obequitasset hostium turmis, tandem facto silentio, ubi esset Claudius Asellus?' quæsivit: 'et, 'quoniam verbis secum de virtute ambigere solitus esset, 'cur non ferro decerneret; daretque opima spolia victus, 47. aut victor caperet?' Hæc ubi Asello nuntiata sunt in castra, id modo moratus, ut consulem percunctaretur, liceretne extra ordinem' in provocantem hostem pugnare? permissu ejus arma extemplo cepit: provectusque ante stationes equo, Tauream nomine compellavit, congredique, ubi vellet, jussit. Jam Romani ad spectaculum pugnæ ejus frequentes exierant: et Campani, non vallum modo castrorum, sed moenia etiam urbis prospectantes repleverant. Quum jam ante ferocibus dictis rem nobilitassent, infestis hastis concitarunt equos. Dein libero spatio inter se ludificantes, sine vulnere pugnam extrahebant. Campanus Romano, Equorum,' inquit, hoc, non equitum, erit certamen, nisi e campo in cavam hanc viam de'mittimus equos: ibi, nullo ad evagandum spatio cominus

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the winter, and encamped at Sues-
sula; and Marcellus retiring to Nola
sent home all who could be spared
from the garrison.

5 Civis indidem erat.] "A (Ro-
man) citizen from the same place;"
i. e. a Campanian citizen of Rome.

6 Opima spolia.] The question, whether this name can be properly applied to any trophy not won by and taken from a supreme commander, is discussed by Livy, (1. iv. c. 20.) From the use of the term here, it would appear that any superior officer might win spolia opima in single combat with an antagonist

Tum

of equal rank. It may not be generally remembered, that in addition to the three instances generally recorded, spolia opima were won, on a fourth occasion in Roman history, by the Emperor Heraclius from the Persian commander Rhazates; but the victor in this combat, being a Christian, could not perform the ceremony of dedication.

7 Extra ordinem.] lit. "out of due course-irregularly;" i. e. “in single combat."

8 Infestis hastis concitárunt equos.] "With lances in rest they put their horses to their speed."

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conserentur manus.' Dicto prope citius equum in viam U. C. 539. Claudius dejecit. Taurea, verbis ferocior, quam re, ' Minime A. C. 215. 'sis,' inquit,' cantherium in fossam'.' Quæ vox in rusticum inde proverbium prodita. Claudius, quum ea via longe perequitasset', nullo obvio hoste in campum rursum evectus, increpans ignaviam hostis, cum magno gaudio et gratulatione victor in castra redit. Huic pugnæ equestri rem (quam vera sit, communis existimatio est) mirabilem certe, adjiciunt quidam annales: quum refugientem ad urbem Tauream Claudius sequeretur, patenti hostium portæ invectum, per alteram, stupentibus miraculo hostibus, intactum evasisse3.

Quieta inde stativa fuere, ac retro etiam consul movit castra, ut sementem Campani facerent: nec ante violavit agrum Campanum, quam jam altæ in segetibus herbæ pabulum præbere poterant. Id convexit in Claudiana castra super Suessulam; ibique hiberna ædificavit. M. Claudio proconsuli imperavit, ut, retento Nolæ necessario ad tuendam urbem præsidio, ceteros milites dimitteret Romam, ne oneri sociis, et sumptui reipublicæ essent. Et Ti. Gracchus a Cumis Luceriam in Apuliam legiones quum duxisset, M. Valerium inde prætorem Brundisium cum eo, quem Luceriæ habuerat, exercitu misit, tuerique oram agri Sallentini, et providere, quod ad Philippum bellumque Macedonicum attineret, jussit.

Exitu æstatis ejus, qua hæc gesta perscripsimus1, literæ a P. et Cn. Scipionibus venerunt, quantas, quamque prosperas in Hispania res gessissent: sed pecuniam in stipen

9 Minime sís,- Cantherium in fossam.] The first of these phrases, in which sis must be understood as si vis, signifies literally" by no means, if you please;" i. e. "you must excuse me.' The other signifies " a stake in a trench," an obvious allusion to the position of Claudius just then. Taurea, then, means either to apply this name to his antagonist; or, if we take minime in connection with the latter phrase, and sis parenthetically, to decline making himself a cantherium in fossá.

1 Quum ea viá longè perequitasset.] "When he got clear of that road after riding a long distance."

2 Quam vera sit, communis &c.] "To this equestrian combat some chronicles append an incident, of the

truth of which (lit. how true) there
is a general (popular) belief; but,
at least remarkable; that when,"
&c.

3 Per alteram intactum eva-
sisse.] This recalls a similar in-
cident, though less accidental, in
the history of Aristomenes the Mes-
seniau, who rode on one occasion
into the town of Sparta, and after
making an offering in the temple of
Neptune, rode out again unmolested.
Aristomenes, however, like Fabius
Dorso, (see 1. v. c. 46.) may have
been protected by the jus gentium,
according to which it was unlawful
to interrupt an enemy in any re-
ligious ceremony.

4 Quá hæc gesta perscripsimus.] i. e. Quâ hæc gesta sunt, quæ perscripsimus.

48.

U. C. 539. dium, vestimentaque, et frumentum exercitui, et sociis naA. C. 215. valibus omnia deesse. Quod ad stipendium attineat, si

49.

ærarium inops esset, se aliquam rationem inituros, quo modo ab Hispanis sumant: cetera utique ab Roma mittenda esse: nec aliter aut exercitum aut provinciam retineri posse. Literis recitatis, nemo omnium erat, quin, et vera scribi, et postulari æqua", fateretur: sed occurrebat animis, quantos exercitus terrestres navalesque tuerentur, quantaque nova classis mox paranda esset, si bellum Macedonicum moveretur. Siciliam ac Sardiniam, quæ ante bellum vectigales fuissent, vix præsides provinciarum' exercitus alere: tributo sumptus suppeditari: quum ipsum tributum conferentium numerum tantis exercituum stragibus, et ad Trasimenum lacum, et ad Cannas, imminutum; tum, qui superessent pauci, si multiplici gravarentur stipendio, alia perituros peste. Itaque, nisi fide staret respublica, opibus non staturam. Prodeundum in concionem Fulvio prætori esse, indicandas populo publicas necessitates, cohortandosque, qui redempturis auxissent9 patrimonia, ut reipublicæ, ex qua crevissent, ad tempus commodarent'; conducerentque ea lege præbenda, quæ ad exercitum Hispaniensem opus essent, ut, quum pecunia in ærario esset, iis primis solveretur. Hæc prætor in concione edixit, et qua die vestimenta, frumentum Hispaniensi exercitui præbenda, quæque alia opus essent navalibus sociis, esset locaturus. Ubi ea dies venit, ad conducendum tres societates aderant hominum undeviginti,

5 Cetera utique.] "The other supplies especially (in any case) must be sent from Rome.

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Vera scribi et æqua &c.] "That the statement was true and the demand reasonable."

7 Præsides provinciarum.] i. e. Qui præsidio essent provinciis "The armies of occupation in those provinces."

8 Tributo sumptus suppeditari.] "It was by taxation (of the citizens at home) that the expenses were met." This tax had been doubled during the past year, and found in sufficient. The only expedient then was, that the government should appeal to the public creditors; and this appeal was made by the Prætor (urbanus) who personated the home government.

9 Qui redempturis auxissent &c.] "Who had improved their fortunes

by tax-farming."

1 Ad tempus commodarent.] "Become creditors (or, lenders) for a time.

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2 Ed lege-ut-iis primis solveretur.] These loans were to bear no interest; but to be entitled to precedence of payment. It must be observed, however, that as many of the ordinary opportunities of investment had been precluded by the consequences of the war; and as the contractors would be, of course, entitled to a fair mercantile profit on the several transactions; the sacrifice was less real and, therefore, less disinterested, than it may, at first sight, appear. See 1. xxiv. 18.

3 Tres societates.] "Three companies, or, firms," each consisting of nineteen individuals; i. e. eighteen members and a chairman or president.

quorum duo postulata fuere: : unum, ut militia vacarent, U. C. 539. dum in eo publico essent: alterum, ut, quæ in naves im- A. C. 215. posuissent, ab hostium tempestatisque vi publico periculo essent. Utroque impetrato, conduxerunt, privataque pecunia respublica administrata est. Hi mores", eaque caritas patriæ per omnes ordines velut tenore uno pertinebat. Quemadmodum conducta omnia magno animo sunt, sic summa fide præbita, nec secus quam si ex opulento ærario, ut quondam, alerentur.

Quum hi commeatus venerunt, Illiturgi oppidum' ab Hasdrubale, ac Magone, et Hamilcare Bomilcaris filio, ob defectionem ad Romanos oppugnabatur. Inter hæc trina castra hostium Scipiones, quum in urbem sociorum magno certamine ac strage obsistentium pervenissent, frumentum, cujus inopia erat, advexerunt: cohortatique oppidanos, ut eodem animo moenia tutarentur, quo pro se pugnantem Romanum exercitum vidissent, ad castra maxima oppugnanda, quibus Hasdrubal præerat, ducunt. Eodem et duo duces, et duo exercitus Carthaginiensium, ibi rem summam agi cernentes, convenerunt. Itaque eruptione e castris pugnatum est. Sexaginta hostium millia eo die in pugna fuerunt, sexdecim circiter Romanis. Tamen adeo haud dubia' victoria fuit, ut plures numero, quam ipsi erant, Romani hostium occiderint: ceperint amplius tria millia hominum, paullo minus mille equorum, undesexaginta militaria signa, septem elephantos, quinque in prælio occisis: trinisque castris eo die potiti sunt. Illiturgi obsidione liberato, ad Intibili oppugnandum Punici exercitus traducti, suppletis copiis ex provincia, ut quæ maxime omnium belli avida, modo præda aut merces esset, et tum juventute abundante. Iterum signis collatis, eadem for

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was situated on the northern bank
of the Boetis, very nearly on the site
of Andujar, and not far from Baylen,
which has become memorable in our
time as the scene of the exceptional
success of the Spaniards against
Napoleon I.

8 lbi rem summam agi cernentes.]
"Perceiving that decisive operations
were in progress there."
"So un-

9 Adeo haud dubia.]
questionable."

Ut quæ maxime omnium &c.] "As it was, of all others, the most anxious for war, if only pay or plunder formed an inducement, and, as young men were plenty."

232

TITI LIVII LIB. XXIII. CAP. 49.

U. C. 539. tuna utriusque partis pugnatum. Supra tredecim millia A. C. 215. hostium cæsa, supra duo capta, cum signis duobus et quadraginta, et novem elephantis. Tum vero omnes prope Hispaniæ populi ad Romanos defecerunt: multoque majores ea æstate in Hispania, quam in Italia, res gestæ.

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