U. C. 540.

6

orem unquam civitati ulli fuisse. Si enim uno animo A. C. 214. omnes vel ad Romanos, vel ad Carthaginienses inclinent, 'nullius civitatis statum fortunatiorem beatioremve fore. 'Si alii alio trahant res1, non inter Pœnos Romanosque bel'lum atrocius fore, quam inter ipsos Syracusanos: quum 'intra eosdem muros pars utraque suos exercitus, sua arma, suos habitura sit duces. Itaque, ut omnes idem sentiant, summa vi agendum esse: utra societas sit utilior, eam 'longe minorem ac levioris momenti2 consultationem esse. 'Sed tamen3 Hieronis potius, quam Hieronymi, auctoritatem 'sequendam in sociis legendis, vel quinquaginta annis feli'citer expertam amicitiam nunc incognitæ, quondam infideli, præferendam. Esse etiam momenti aliquid ad consilium, quod Carthaginiensibus ita pax negari possit, ut 'non utique in præsentia bellum cum iis geratur: cum Romanis extemplo aut pacem, aut bellum habendum.' Quo minus cupiditatis ac studii visa est oratio habere, eo plus auctoritatis habuit. Adjectum est prætoribus ac delectis senatorum militare etiam consilium: jussi et duces ordinum præfectique auxiliorum simul consulere. Quum sæpe acta res esset magnis certaminibus, postremo, quia belli cum Romanis gerendi ratio nulla apparebat, pacem fieri placuit, mittique cum iis legatos ad rem confirmandam.

29.

Dies haud ita multi intercesserunt, quum ex Leontinis legati, præsidium finibus suis orantes, venerunt; quæ legatio peropportuna visa ad multitudinem inconditam ac tumultuosam exonerandam, ducesque ejus ablegandos. Hippocrates prætor ducere eo tranfugas jussus: secuti multi ex mercenariis auxiliis quattuor millia armatorum effecerunt. Et mittentibus et missis ea læta expeditio

9 Si enim &c.] lf, for in- fifty." Some editors read et for vel. stance," &c.

1 Si alii alio trahant res.] "If the several parties pulled different ways.'

2 Longè minorem ac levioris momenti &c.] "Was a much smaller and less important question.”

3 Sed tamen &c.] Still, the authority of Hiero, rather than of Hieronymus, deserved to be followed in the choice of allies; or, (i, e. to put the case in other words,) an alliance tried with happy results for fifty years ought to be preferred to one now unknown, and once insincere." Vel might be also taken in close connection with quinquaginta, to signify, "even fifty"-"full

4 Non utique in præsentia.] "It was also a consideration of some influence on the decision, that a peace might be refused to the Carthaginians in such a manner that war need not be, actually at present (exactly just then) waged with them; while, with the Romans," &c.

5 Quo minus cupiditatis &c.] "The less of passion and partiality,"

&c.

6 Cum iis.] To be taken after confirmandam.

7 Ad multitudinem inconditam &c.] "To get rid of a disorderly and noisy rabble, and send their leaders out of the way."

fuit. Nam et illis, quod jam diu cupiebant, novandi res U. C. 540. occasio data est; et hi, sentinam quandam urbis rati exhau- A. C. 214. stam, lætabantur. Ceterum levaverunt modo in præsentia velut corpus ægrum, quo mox in graviorem morbum recideret. Hippocrates enim finitima provinciæ Romanæ primo furtivis excursionibus vastare coepit: deinde, quum ad tuendos sociorum agros missum ab Appio præsidium esset, omnibus copiis impetum in oppositam stationem cum cæde multorum fecit. Quæ quum essent nuntiata Marcello, legatos extemplo Syracusas misit, qui pacis fidem ruptam esse dicerent: nec belli defuturam unquam causam, nisi Hippocrates atque Epicydes non ab Syracusis modo, sed tota procul Sicilia, ablegarentur. Epicydes, ne aut reus' criminis absentis fratris præsens esset, aut deesset pro parte sua concitando bello, profectus et ipse in Leontinos, quia satis eos adversus populum Romanum concitatos cernebat, avertere etiam ab Syracusis cœpit. Nam ita eos3 pacem pepigisse cum Romanis, ut, quicunque populi sub regibus fuissent, et suæ ditionis essent; nec jam libertate contentos esse, nisi etiam regnent ac dominentur. Re'nuntiandum igitur iis esse, Leontinos quoque æquum censere liberos esse; vel quod in solo urbis suæ tyrannus ' ceciderit, vel quod ibi primum conclamatum ad libertatem, 'relictisque regiis ducibus Syracusas sit concursum. Itaque

6

8 Ea læta expeditio fuit &c.] "Such an expedition was hailed with joy by the senders and those sent; because to the latter was opened an opportunity for the change which they had been long desiring; while the former rejoiced in the belief that the refuse of the city-so to speak-was drained away."

9 Quo mox in graviorem &c.] "Only that it should soon relapse into a more dangerous distemper.'

1 Ne aut reus &c.] "Lest, by remaining on the spot, he should be held accountable for, &c. or, be wanting, on his own part, to the provocation of a war.'

2 Avertere etiam ab Syracusis.] "To alienate them from Syracuse also."

3 Nam ita eos &c.] "Because they (the Syracusans) had negociated a peace with the Romans on the understanding that all such nations as had been under the monarchy, should continue subject to them (the Syracusans), &c. They

must therefore (i. e. the Syracusans
still) be informed that the Leontini
also considered it but fair that they
should be free, either because &c.
&c. That clause therefore, (i. e. re-
lating to the subjection of the other
cities to Syracuse) must be struck
out of the treaty; or an alliance on
such terms (legem eam fœderis, i. e.
foedus iis legibus) must not be ac-
cepted," (i. e. an alliance on other
terms, or, no alliance at all.)

It would appear that Leontini
was at this time the refuge of the
popular party; as Samos was when
the 400 seized the government of
Athens. Accordingly Hippocrates
and Epicydes now regarded their
followers as the representatives of
the Syracusan people, on the same
principle, though with rather less
justice, as Thrasybulus and Thra-
syllus considered themselves and the
Athenian fleet the people of Athens,
during the usurpation of the oligarchy
at home.

U. C. 540. aut eximendum id de fœdere esse, aut legem eam fœderis A. C. 214. non accipiendam.' Facile multitudini persuasum: legatisque Syracusanorum, et de cæde stationis Romanæ querentibus, et Hippocratem atque Epicydem abire seu Locros, seu quo alio mallent, dummodo Sicilia cederent, jubentibus, ferociter responsum est: Neque mandasse sese Syracu'sanis, ut pacem pro se cum Romanis facerent: neque ' teneri alienis fœderibus.' Hæc ad Romanos Syracusani detulerunt, abnuentes, 'Leontinos in sua potestate esse. 'Itaque integro secum foedere bellum Romanos cum iis 'gesturos. Neque sese defuturos ei bello; ita ut in potes'tatem redacti suæ rursus ditionis essent, sicut pax conve'nisset.'

30.

Marcellus cum omni exercitu profectus in Leontinos, Appio quoque accito, ut altera parte aggrederetur, tanto ardore militum est usus ab ira inter conditiones pacis interfectæ stationis, ut primo impetu urbem expugnarent. Hippocrates atque Epicydes, postquam capi muros refringique portas videre, in arcem sese cum paucis recepere. Inde clam nocte Herbessum perfugiunt. Syracusanis, octo millium armatorum agmine profectis domo, ad Mylam flumen nuntius occurrit, captam urbem esse; cetera falsa mixta veris ferens: cædem promiscuam militum atque oppidanorum factam, nec quemquam puberem arbitrari superesse: direptam urbem: bona locupletium donata. Ad nuntium tam atrocem constitit agmen; concitatisque omnibus, duces, (erant autem Sosis ac Dinomenes) quid agerent, consultabant. Terroris speciem haud vanam mendacio præbuerant verberati ac securi percussi transfugæ ad duo millia hominum. Ceterum Leontinorum militumque aliorum nemo, post captam urbem, violatus fuerat: suaque omnia iis, nisi quæ primus tumultus captæ urbis absumpserat, restituebantur. Nec ut Leontinos irent, proditos ad cædem commilitones querentes, perpelli potuere, nec ut eodem loco certiorem nuntium exspectarent. Quum ad defectionem inclinatos animos cernerent prætores, sed eum motum haud diuturnum fore, si duces amentiæ sublati essent; exercitum ducunt Megaram: ipsi cum paucis

4 Integro secum fædere.] "The Romans might wage war on them (the Leontini) without any infraction of the treaty with themselves (the Syracusans); and that they would not fail to aid in such war, provided that," &c.

5 Tanto ardore militum, &c.] "Found such alacrity among the soldiers."

6 Herbessum.] An inconsiderable

village lying between Leontini and Syracuse.

7 Mylam flumen.] One of the streams running into the bay of Megara.

8 Terroris speciem haud vanam, &c.] "The scourging and beheading of the deserters, to the number of 2000, lent a frightful character of reality to the falsehood."

equitibus Herbessum proficiscuntur, spe, territis omnibus, U. C. 540. per proditionem urbis potiundæ. Quod ubi frustra iis fuit A. C. 214. inceptum, vi agendum rati, postero die Megaris castra movent, ut Herbessum omnibus copiis oppugnarent. Hippocrates et Epicydes, non tam tutum prima specie, quam unum, spe undique abscisa, consilium, esse rati, ut se militibus permitterent, et assuetis magna ex parte sibi, et tum fama cædis commilitonum accensis, obviam agmini procedunt. Prima forte signa' sexcentorum Cretensium erant, qui apud Hieronymum meruerant sub iis, et Hannibalis beneficium habebant, capti ad Trasimenum inter Romanorum auxilia, dimissique. Quos ubi ex signis armorumque habitu cognovere Hippocrates atque Epicydes, ramos oleæ ac velamenta alia supplicum porrigentes, orare, ut recipe' rent sese, receptosque tutarentur, neu proderent Syracusanis, a quibus mox ipsi trucidandi populo Romano dederentur. Enimvero, conclamant, bonum ut animum 'haberent: omnem se cum illis fortunam subituros.' Inter hoc colloquium signa constiterant, tenebaturque agmen : necdum, quæ moræ causa foret, pervenerat ad duces. Postquam Hippocratem atque Epicydem adesse pervasit rumor, fremitusque toto agmine erat haud dubie approbantium adventum eorum; extemplo prætores citatis equis ad prima signa perrexerunt, Qui mos ille, quæ licentia Cretensium esset,' rogitantes, colloquia serendi cum hoste, 'injussuque prætorum miscendi eos agmini suos?' Comprehendi injicique catenas jusserunt Hippocrati. Ad quam vocem tantus extemplo primum a Cretensibus clamor est ortus, deinde exceptus ab aliis, ut facile, si ultra tenderent,

6

6

31.

9 Non tam tutum primá specie, &c.] "Believing that it would be not so much, at first sight, a safe (an apparently safe) expedient, but the only possible one after the removal of all other hope, to give themselves up to the soldiers," &c. 1 Prima-signa, &c.] "The vanguard happened to consist of," &c.

2 Hannibalis beneficium habebant.] "Were enjoying the clemency of Hannibal.""

3 Enimvero, &c.] "Of course, they unanimously exclaimed," &c. This conjunction is not always directly translateable, and must in many instances be represented by a strong emphasis upon the word or phrase connected with it. Here it is to be joined not with conclamant

but with habeant.

4 Hippocratem atque Epicydem adesse.] Some commentators propose to substitute esse (sc. causam esse) for adesse. Observe the emphasis; "that it was H. and E."

5 Miscendi eos agmini suo.] "Admitting them into their ranks." Although the first arrival of these two men in Syracuse may be regarded as the commencement of the series of events that led to the destruction of the city: the occurrences of this day in particular must be recognised as the proximate cause. Had the Syracusan army but obeyed_their leaders, and gone forward to Leontini, it is nearly certain that no subsequent casus belli would have arisen between Rome and Syracuse.

A. C. 214.

U. C. 540. appareret, iis timendum esse. Solliciti incertique rerum suarum Megaram, unde profecti erant, referri signa jubent, nuntiosque de statu præsenti Syracusas mittunt. Fraudem quoque Hippocrates addit, inclinatis ad omnem suspicionem animis: et, Cretensium quibusdam ad itinera insidenda' missis, velut interceptas literas, quas ipse composuerat, recitat: Prætores Syracusani consuli Marcello.' Secundum salutem, ut assolet, scriptum erat: 'Recte eum atque ordine fecisse, quod in Leontinis nulli pepercisset. Sed omnium mercenariorum militum eandem esse causam, nec unquam Syracusas quieturas, donec quicquam externorum auxiliorum, aut in urbe, aut in exercitu suo, esset. Itaque daret operam, ut eos, qui cum suis prætoribus castra ad Mega'ram haberent, in suam potestatem redigeret, ac supplicio eorum liberaret tandem Syracusas.' Hæc quum recitata essent, cum tanto clamore ad arma discursum est, ut prætores inter tumultum pavidi abequitaverint Syracusas. Et ne fuga quidem eorum seditio compressa est, impetusque in Syracusanos milites fiebant: nec ab ullo temperatum foret, ni Epicydes atque Hippocrates iræ multitudinis obviam issent non a misericordia' aut humano consilio, sed ne spem reditus præciderent sibi, et quum ipsos simul milites fidos haberent, simul obsides; tum cognatos quoque eorum atque amicos tanto merito primum, dein pignore sibi conciliarent: expertique, quam vana aut levi aura mobile vulgus esset, militem nacti ex eo numero, qui in Leontinis circumsessi erant, subornant, ut Syracusas perferret nuntium convenientem iis, quæ ad Mylam falso nuntiata erant; auctoremque se exhibendo, ac velut visa, quæ dubia erant, narrando, concitaret iras hominum. Huic non apud vulgum modo fides fuit, sed senatum quoque in curiam introductus movit. Haud vani quidam homines palam ferre, ' perbene ' detectam in Leontinis esse avaritiam et crudelitatem Ro

32.

6 Ut facile-appareret.] "That
it was clearly evident," &c.
"Ad itinera insidenda, &c.] "To
occupy the roads."

8 Rectè atque ordine.] "Regu-
larly and constitutionally." This
was a conventional phrase applied to
all measures attended with proper
and legal formalities. See Sallust,
Catiline, ch. 51.

9 Mercenariorum militum.] This part of the fabrication was of course designed to enlist the sympathies and justify the conduct of the Cre

tans.

1 Non a misericordid, &c.] "Not

through compassion or any feeling of humanity, but in order that they might not intercept their own prospect of returning, and (as they regarded the soldiers as at the same time friends and hostages) that they might also conciliate their (that is, the soldiers')relatives and friends, first by so important a service, and, secondly, by holding a security; and, because they knew also from experience, by how imaginary and slight an impulse a multitude is liable to be influenced." Three motives are here enumerated. 2 Haud vani.] "Not credulously disposed."