8

U. C. 536. sis essent, in Italiam missas, quinque et triginta alias quinA. C. 218. queremes Siciliam petere ad sollicitandos veteres socios. Lilybæi occupandi præcipuam curam esse: credere eadem tempestate, qua ipsi disjecti forent, eam quoque classem ad gates insulas dejectam. Hæc sicut audita erant, rex M. Æmilio prætori, cujus Sicilia erat provincia, perscribit, monetque, Lilybæum firmo teneret præsidio. Extemplo et circa a prætore ad civitates missi legati tribunique, qui suos ad curam custodiæ intenderent; ante omnia Lilybæum teneri: ad apparatum belli, edicto proposito, ut socii navales decem dierum cocta cibaria ad naves deferrent; ubi signum datum esset, ne quis moram conscendendi faceret perque omnem oram, qui ex speculis prospicerent adventantem hostium classem. Simul itaque, quanquam de industria morati cursum navium erant Carthaginienses, ut ante lucem accederent Lilybæum, præsensum tamen est, quia et luna pernox erat, et sublatis armamentis veniebant; extemplo datum e speculis signum, et in oppido ad arma conclamatum est, et in naves conscensum: pars militum in muris portarumque in stationibus, pars in navibus erant. Et Carthaginienses, quia rem fore haud cum imparatis cernebant, usque ad lucem portu se abstinuerunt, demendis armamentis eo tempore aptandaque ad pugnam classe absumpto. Ubi illuxit, recepere classem in altum, ut spatium pugnæ esset, exitumque liberum e portu naves hostium haberent. Nec Romani detrectavere pugnam, et memoria circa ea ipsa loca gestarum rerum freti, et militum multitudine ac virtute. Ubi in altum evecti sunt, Romanus conserere pugnam', et ex propinquo vires conferre

50.

5 Lilybæi occupandi.] Lilybæum (now Boco) was the capital of the Carthaginian dominions in Sicily; and having resisted Pyrrhus and the Romans in previous wars, was considered impregnable.

6 Circa a prætore &c.] i. e. ad civitates circà. "The lieutenants and tribunes were sent by the Prætor to the surrounding states, to urge their friends to diligence in watching." Other editions read circà prætorem, "in attendance on the Prætor,"

7 Lilybæum teneri, is governed by intenderent, signifying (by a Zeugma) "to command."

8 Simul itaque, quanquam &c.] The nearest English translation of this very idiomatic sentence must be something like the following. "As soon therefore as a view was ob

tained, (for it was obtained, notwithstanding that (quanquam-tamen) the Carthaginians had shortened their speed, in order to reach Lilybæum before day; because the moon shone all night, and they were advancing with sails set,) a signal was immediately" &c.

9 Memorid circa ea ipsa loca gestarum &c.] This must be an allusion to the battle at the gates, which were within view, because in front of Lilybæum itself, the Romans had on a former occasion received so signal and galling a defeat, under P. Claudius, that the Consul was superseded by a Dictator, A. Atilius Calatinus.

1 Romanus conserere pugnam &c.] The difference here specified had always existed between the two fleets. The Carthaginians had been

velle contra eludere Poenus, et arte, non vi, rem gerere, U. C. 536. naviumque, quam virorum aut armorum, malle certamen A. C. 218. facere. Nam ut sociis navalibus affatim instructam classem, ita inopem milite habebant: et, sicubi conserta navis esset, haudquaquam par numerus armatorum ex ea pugnabat. Quod ubi animadversum est, et Romanis multitudo sua auxit animum, et paucitas illis minuit. Extemplo septem naves Punicæ circumventæ; fugam ceteræ ceperunt. Mille et septingenti fuere in navibus capti, milites nautæque; in his tres nobiles Carthaginiensium. Classis Romana incolumis, una tantum perforata navi, sed ea quoque ipsa reduce, in portum rediit.

Secundum hanc pugnam, nondum gnaris ejus, qui Messanæ erant, Ti. Sempronius consul Messanam venit. Ei fretum intranti rex Hiero classem ornatam3 obviam duxit: transgressusque ex regia in prætoriam navem, gratulatus sospitem cum exercitu et navibus advenisse, precatusque prosperum ac felicem in Siciliam transitum; statum deinde insulæ et Carthaginiensium conata exposuit: pollicitusque est, quo animo priore bello populum Romanum juvenis adjuvisset, eo senem adjuturum. Frumentum vestimentaque sese legionibus consulis sociisque navalibus gratis præbiturum. Grande periculum Lilybæo maritimisque civitatibus esse, et quibusdam volentibus novas res fore. Ob hæc consuli nihil cunctandum visum, quin Lilybæum classe peteret: et rex regiaque classis una profecti. Navigantes inde, pugnatum ad Lilybæum fusasque et captas hostium naves, accepere. A Lilybæo consul, Hierone cum classe regia dimisso, relictoque prætore ad tuendam Siciliæ oram, ipse in insulam Melitam, quæ a Carthaginiensibus tenebatur, trajecit. Advenienti Hamilcar Gisgonis filius præfectus præsidii, cum paullo minus duobus millibus militum, oppidumque cum insula traditur: inde post paucos dies reditum Lilybæum, captivique et a consule et a prætore, præter insignes nobilitate viros, sub corona venierunt. Postquam ab ea parte satis tutam Siciliam censebat con

for centuries trained in the naval tactics and evolutions of the Greeks: the Romans, on the contrary, having made their first essay in naval warfare during the first Punic war, were obliged, as under Duilius, to arm their galleys with grapples and falling gang-ways, in order to assimilate the battle to a hand-to-hand encounter on land.

2 Perforatá.] "Staved in."

3 Classem ornatam.] "In line of battle," or, "fully equipped," or

"decorated."

4 Quibusdam volentibus, is a translation of the Greek idiomatic phrase, τίσι βουλόμενοις ἔσεσθαι.

5 Melitam.] Malta (in the middle ages Maltache) was originally a Phoenician settlement, taken by Carthage about 400 B. C. It was given to the Knights of St. John by Charles V., and resisted the Turks in the memorable siege of 1565. It was taken by the French in 1799; and by the English in 1800.

51.

U. C. 536. sul, ad insulas Vulcani, quia fama erat stare ibi Punicam A. C. 218. classem, trajecit: nec quisquam hostium circa eas insulas

52.

inventus. Jam forte transmiserant' ad vastandam Italiæ oram: depopulatoque Vibonensi agro3, urbem etiam terrebant. Repetenti Siciliam consuli exscensio hostium in agrum Vibonensem facta nuntiatur: literæque ab senatu de transitu in Italiam Hannibalis, et, ut primo quoque tempore collegæ ferret auxilium, missæ traduntur. Multis simul anxius curis, exercitum, extemplo in naves impositum, Ariminum supero mari misit: Sex. Pomponio legato cum viginti quinque longis navibus Vibonensem agrum maritimamque oram Italiæ tuendam attribuit: M. Æmilio prætori quinquaginta navium classem explevit: ipse, compositis Siciliæ rebus, decem navibus oram Italiæ legens, Ariminum pervenit: inde cum exercitu suo profectus ad Trebiam flumen, collegæ conjungitur.

Jam ambo consules, et quicquid Romanarum virium erat, Hannibali oppositum1, aut illis copiis defendi posse Romanum imperium, aut spem nullam aliam esse, satis declarabat. Tamen consul alter, equestri prælio uno et vulnere suo minutus, trahi rem malebat: recentis animi alter, eoque ferocior, nullam dilationem patiebatur. Quod inter Trebiam Padumque agri est, Galli tum incolebant; in duorum præpotentium populorum certamine, per ambiguum favorem, haud dubie gratiam victoris spectantes. Id Romani, ne quid modo moverent, æquo satis, Pœnus periniquo

6 Insulas Vulcani.] sc. Lipara,
Strongyle, (Strombolo,) Hiera, Eri-
cusa (Alicudi), Phoenicusa,
"the
Isle of Palms," (Felicudi,) Didyme,
and Euonymos.

7 Jam forte transmiserant.] "They
happened to have by this time gone
across to" &c.

8 Vibonensi agro.] In Lucauia, so called after the chief town Vibona (Monte Leone, or, St. Euphemia).

9 Collega conjungitur.] Middle verb, "effected a junction with his colleague." His route was along the via Emilia, which led directly from Ariminum to Placentia.

1 Ambo consules, et quicquid-oppositum.] This agreement of words in sense, but not in Syntax, very common in Attic Greek, is called by Grammarians, the σxîμа πрòs Tò σημαινόμενον. "The circumstance that both the Consuls, and all the existing strength of Rome, were

opposed to Hannibal, proved clearly," &c.

2 Minutus.] Accordingly as we understood this phrase figuratively or literally, we may translate either by "discouraged," which makes a better antithesis with the following clause; or, by "incapacitated," or, "disabled:" as a legal phrase, it signifies, "disqualified, degraded," &c. Compare Homer, II. o. 492.

3 Ferocior.]" More confident." It is a very general error to understand ferox in the sense of "fierce." It literally signifies "proud," and is accordingly the origin of the French word fier.

66

4 In duorum præpotentium &c.] Confidently anticipating the favour of the conqueror, in a contest between two powerful nations, from a neutral policy. The Romans took this patiently enough, provided they would only refrain from any move

ment."

animo ferebat, ab Gallis accitum se venisse ad liberan- U. C. 536. dos eos, dictitans. Ob eam iram, simul ut præda militem A. C. 218. aleret, duo millia peditum et mille equites, Numidas plerosque, mixtos quosdam et Gallos, populari omnem deinceps agrum usque ad Padi ripas jussit. Egentes ope Galli, quum ad id dubios servassent animos, coacti ab auctoribus injuriæ ad vindices futuros declinant: legatisque ad consulem missis, auxilium Romanorum terræ, ob nimiam cultorum fidem in Romanos laboranti, orant. Cornelio nec causa, nec tempus agendæ rei placebat: suspectaque ei gens erat, quum ob infida multa facinora, tum, ut alia vetustate obsolevissent' ob recentem Boiorum perfidiam. Sempronius contra, continendis in fide sociis maximum vinculum esse primos, qui eguissent ope, defensos, censebat. Tum collega cunctante, equitatum suum, mille peditum jaculatoribus ferme admixtis", ad defendendum Gallicum agrum trans Trebiam mittit. Ii sparsos et incompositos, ad hoc graves præda plerosque, quum inopinatos invasissent, ingentem terrorem cædemque ac fugam usque ad castra stationesque hostium fecere: unde multitudine effusa pulsi, rursus subsidio suorum prælium restituere. Varia inde pugna sequente', quanquam ad extremum æquassent certamen, major tamen hostium Romanis fama victoriæ fuit.

6

Ceterum nemini omnium major justiorque, quam ipsi consuli, videri; gaudio efferri, qua parte copiarum alter 'consul victus foret, ea se vicisse. Restitutos ac refectos 'militibus animos: nec quemquam esse, præter collegam, ' qui dilatam dimicationem vellet: eum, animo magis, quam corpore, ægrum, memoria vulneris aciem ac tela horrere. 'Sed non esse cum ægro senescendum. Quid enim ultra

M

"And though the rest of the action
was doubtful," and they eventually
restored the balance of the contest;
still the reputation of victory was
more with the Romans than the
enemy." (sc. major famâ victoriæ
hostium.) In addition to suggesting
the above reading instead of se-
quentes, Gronovius proposes also to
read justiorque instead of hostium,
as the other adjective is repeated
in the following sentence.

2 Non esse cum ægrosenescendum.]
"They must not sink into (be infected
by) a sick man's apathy.
Why
should there be any further delay or
waste of time? What third Consul;
what second army?" &c.

53.

U. C. 536.differri aut teri tempus? Quem tertium consulem, quem A. C. 218. alium exercitum exspectari? Castra Carthaginiensium 'in Italia, ac prope in conspectu urbis esse. Non Siciliam ac Sardiniam victis ademptas, nec cis Iberum Hispaniam 'peti, sed solo patrio terraque, in qua geniti forent, pelli Romanos. Quantum ingemiscant,' inquit, patres nostri, 'circa moenia Carthaginis bellare soliti, si videant nos, progeniem suam, duos consules consularesque exercitus, ' in media Italia paventes intra castra; Poenum, quod in'ter Alpes Apenninumque agri sit, suæ ditionis fecisse?' Hæc assidens ægro collega, hæc in prætorio prope concionabundus agere. Stimulabat et tempus propinquum comitiorum, ne in novos consules bellum differretur, et occasio in se unum vertendæ gloriæ, dum æger collega erat. Itaque, nequicquam dissentiente Cornelio, parari ad propinquum certamen milites jubet. Hannibal, quum, quid optimum foret hosti, cerneret, vix ullam spem habebat, temere atque improvide quicquam consules acturos. Quum alterius ingenium, fama prius, deinde re cognitum, percitum ac ferox sciret esse, ferociusque factum prospero cum prædatoribus suis certamine crederet; adesse gerendæ rei fortunam haud diffidebat. Cujus ne quod prætermitteret tempus, sollicitus intentusque erat, dum tiro hostium esset miles, dum meliorem ex ducibus inutilem vulnus faceret, dum Gallorum animi vigerent: quorum ingentem multitudinem sciebat segnius secuturam, quanto longius ab domo traherentur. Quum ob hæc taliaque speraret propinquum certamen, et facere, si cessaretur, cuperet; speculatoresque Galli, ad ea exploranda, quæ vellet, tutiores, quia in utrisque castris militabant, paratos pugnæ esse Romanos retulissent; locum insidiis circumspectare Poenus cœpit. Erat in medio1 rivus, præaltis utrimque clausus ripis, et circa obsitus palustribus herbis et, quibus inculta ferme vestiuntur, virgultis vepribusque. Quem ubi equiti quoque tegendo satis latebrosum locum circumvectus ipse oculis perlu

54.

4 Concionabundus.] "In the style of a public address."

5 Parari, (mid. verb,) "to prepare themselves, to make ready.'

6 Hannibal, quum cerneret, &c.] "Hannibal, seeing, as he did, what would be best for the enemy, scarcely entertained any hope, &c. ; but, as he knew, first by report, and then by experience, that the temper of one of them was impetuous and sanguine, and believed that it was rendered