1. THE next day, Hannibal, crossing the Anio, drew out all his forces in order of battle.dd Nor did Flaccus and his consuls decline, the contest. The troops on both sides having been drawn up to try" the chances of a1 battle, in which the city of Rome was to be the conqueror's prize, a violent shower mingled with hail so disordered both the lines, that the troops, scarcely able to hold their arms, retired into their camps, with less apprehension of the enemy than of any thing else. On the following day, also, a similar storm separated the armies marshalled on the same ground. After they had retired to their camps, an extraordinary calm and tranquillity arose. This circumstance was held providential2 among the Carthaginians; and an expression of Hannibal's is said to have been heard, "That at one moment' the inclination, at another the opportunity, of becoming master of Rome, was not allowed him."

2. Other contingencies also, the one important,' the other insignificant,' diminished his hopes. The important one was, that, while he was encamped under arms near the walls of the city, he heard that troops had marched out with colors flying," as a reinforcement for Spain; while the less significant circumstance" was that it was discovered, from one of his prisoners, that at this very time the very ground on which he was encamped had been sold, with no diminution of price on that account.) Indeed, it appeared so great an insult and indignity that a purchaser should have been discovered at Rome for 2 With religio (dd). 3 fortuna. 5 sedere (i).

I See Lesson 7, 1. Note. 4 dare (i).

the very soil which he possessed and held as the prize of war, that, calling instantly for a crier, he ordered that the silversmiths' shops, which then were ranged around the Roman Forum, should be put up for sale.dd

XI. YOUNG SCIPIO.

1. AT Rome, after the recovery" of Capua, the attention1 of the Senate and people was fixed' upon Spain as much as1 upon Italy; and it was resolved da that the army there should be recruited,1 and a general despatched.' It was not, however, so clear whom they should send, as that, since two great generals had fallen within thirty days, he who was to supplydd their place should be chosen with extraordinary care. As some named one man, others another, it was at last determined that the people should hold an assembly to electda a pro-consul for Spain; and the consuls proclaimed a day for the assembly. At first they had expected that those who believed themselves worthy of so important a command would give indd their names. As this expectation was defeated, their sorrow for the disaster sustained was renewed, and also their regret for the generals lost.

2. Accordingly, the people sorrowfully, and almost at a loss what to decide upon,3 descended into the Campus Martius" on the day of the election; and, turning towards the magistrates, looked round upon the countenances of their leading men, who were anxiously gazing at each other, and murmured that their fortunes were so fallen, and such despair" was felt for the state, that no one ventured to accept the Lesson 15, a. 3 consilium (dd). 4 Lesson 22, 3. a.

1 cura.

command in Spain; when suddenly Publius Cornelius, son of that Publius who had fallen in Spain, then" about twenty-four years of age, declaringda himself a candidate,dd took his station on an eminence1 whence he could be seen. The eyes of the whole assembly were directed towards him, and by acclamations and tokens of favora they augured a happy and prosperous

command.

p

XII. HANNIBAL'S EXILE.

1. HANNIBAL was the only man who perceived1 that he was aimed at by the Romans; and that peace was only allowed the Carthaginians on the understanding that a remorseless war should be maintained2 against himself alone. He therefore resolved to submit to the crisis and to his fate; and, having prepared every thing for flight, he first publicly appeared3 in the forum on that day in order to avert suspicion, but, as soon as darkness fell,' departed in his out-ofdoorsda dress, with two attendants ignorant of his design. Horses being in readiness" at the spot where they had been ordered," he passed through Byzacium by night, and arrived on the following day on the seacoast, between Adolla and Thapsus, at a castle of his own. There a vessel prepared and manned with rowers received him. Thus did Hannibal leave Africa, pitying the fate of his country oftener than his own.

2. The same day he crossed into the isle of Cercina. Finding there several5 Phoenician merchantshipsda in harbor, with their freights, and a concourse of people having flocked together to welcome him as 2 manere (i). 3 obversari (s). 5 Lesson 9, 2. a.

1 fallo, with negative.
4 Lesson 22, 2.

6 merx (i).

he disembarked from the vessel, he ordered that all who inquired should be informed that he had been sent as ambassador to Tyre. Apprehensive, however, that one of their ships, sailing by night for Thapsus or Adrumetum, might announce that he had been seen at Cercina, he commanded a sacrifice to be prepared, and the captains of the vessels and the merchants to be invited; also giving orders' that the sails, together with the yard-arms, should be brought together from the ships, that they might enjoy the shade - for it happened to be midsummer - while supping on the shore.

3. So far as circumstances' and time permitted, the banquet was duly prepared1o and celebrated on that day," and the feast was protracted with a profusion of wine to a late hour of night. Hannibal, as soon as he found an opportunity of escaping the notice of those who were in the harbor, unmoored his vessel. The rest, having at length arisen from their deep slumber, on the following day, full of the fumes" of wine, spent several hours in carrying back and setting in order the tackle of their ships.

4. At Carthage, too, there was a concourse of the people, accustomed to frequent the house of Hannibal, at the vestibule of his mansion. As soon as it was generally known12 that he was not to be found,13 a crowd of citizens," in quest of the chief man in the state, flocked' to the forum. Some spread a report that he had taken to flight, as14 was really" the case; others that he had been assassinated by the treachery of the Romans; and you might observe 9 forte.

Lesson 22, 3. a.

X

8 With fio (cc).

10 With noun in adverbial phrase (compare p). 13 comparere (cc).

12 vulgari.

11 Lesson 15, a. 14 id quod.

various countenances, as is natural" in a state agitated 15 by the intrigues of partisans supporting different factions.

15 discors, making it more personal: lit. "of men supporting (favere) different (alius alius) parties and agitated," &c. (compare i).

XIII. THE TALE OF ATALANTA. - Bacon.

X

ATALANTA, who was exceeding fleet,' contended* with Hippomenes in the course, on condition that, if Hippomenes won, he should espouseda her, or forfeit his life if he lost. The match was very unequal, for" Atalanta had conquered numbers' to their destruction. Hippomenes therefore had recourse to stratagem. He procured three golden apples, and purposely carried them with him. They started. Atalanta outstripped him soon; then Hippomenes bowled one of his" apples before her,' across the course, in order1 not only to make" her stoop, but to draw her out of the path. She, prompted by female curiosity,2 and the beauty of the golden fruit," starts from the course to take up the apple. Hippomenes, in the mean time, holds on his way, and steps before her; but she, by her natural" swiftness, soon fetches up her lost ground, and leaves him again behind. Hippomenes, however, by rightly timings his second and third throws," at length won the race, not by his swiftness, but by his cunning.

X

1

eo consilio ut.

2 studium (i).

3 jactare ad tempus.

XIV.

ASSASSINATION OF CESAR.- Plutarch.

1. WHEN1 Cæsar entered, the Senate rose to do him honor,dd and some of the party2 of Brutus stood