principumque animos sollicitari ad defectionem. Ponte U. C. 536. perfecto, traductus Romanus exercitus in agrum Insubrium, A. C. 218. quinque millia passuum a Victumulis consedit. Ibi Hannibal castra habebat: revocatoque propere Maharbale atque equitibus, quum instare certamen cerneret, nihil unquam satis dictum præmonitumque ad cohortandos milites ratus, vocatis ad concionem certa præmia pronuntiat, in quorum spem pugnarent. Agrum sese daturum esse in Italia, Africa, Hispania, ubi quisque velit, immunem ipsi, qui accepisset, liberisque; qui pecuniam, quam agrum, maluisset, ei se argento satisfacturum: qui so'ciorum cives Carthaginienses fieri vellent, potestatem 'facturum: qui domos redire mallent, daturum se operam, 'ne cujus suorum popularium mutatam secum fortunam 'esse vellent.' Servis quoque dominos prosecutis libertatem proponit, binaque pro his mancipia dominis se redditurum. Eaque ut rata scirent fore, agnum læva manu, dextra silicem retinens, si falleret, Jovem ceterosque precatus deos, ita se mactarent, quemadmodum ipse agnum mactasset, secundum precationem caput pecudis saxo elisit. Tum vero omnes, velut diis auctoribus in spem suam quisque acceptis, id moræ, quod nondum pugnarent, ad potienda sperata rati, proelium uno animo et voce una poscunt. Apud Romanos haudquaquam tanta alacritas erat, super cetera recentibus etiam territos prodigiis. Nam et lupus intraverat castra, laniatisque obviis ipse intactus evaserat; et examen apum in arbore prætorio imminente consederat. Quibus procuratis, Scipio, cum equitatu jaculatoribusque expeditis profectus ad castra hostium, exque propinquo copias, quantæ, et cujus generis essent, speculandas, obvius. fit Hannibali, et ipsi cum equitibus ad exploranda circa loca progresso. Neutri alteros primo cernebant: densior deinde incessu tot hominum equorumque oriens pulvis signum propinquantium hostium fuit. Constitit utrumque agmen, et prælio sese expediebant. Scipio jaculatores et 2 Victumulis.] Nothing memorable is recorded of this town, which stood near Placentia. 3 Nihil unquam satis, &c.] "Considering no addresses or warnings superfluous." 4 Velut diis auctoribus, &c.] "As though they had severally obtained the sanction of Heaven for their hopes." 5 Examen apum.] The appearance of a swarm of bees in an unusual place was believed to presage L an invasion of foreigners. (Virgil, 6 Et ipsi-progresso.] "Who had 7 Densior deinde.] "Afterwards, the increasing thickness of the dust, raised by the motion of so many men and horses, indicated the approach of enemies." Ob 8 Constitit-expediebant.] 46. U. C. 536. Gallos equites in fronte locat; Romanos, sociorumque quod A. C. 218. roboris fuit, in subsidiis. Hannibal frenatos equites in medium accipit, cornua Numidis firmat. Vixdum clamore sublato, jaculatores fugerunt inter subsidia. Ad secundam aciem inde equitum certamen erat aliquamdiu anceps: dein, quia turbabant equos pedites intermixti, multis labentibus ex equis, aut desilientibus, ubi suos premi circumventos vidissent, jam magna ex parte ad pedes pugna venerat: donec Numidæ, qui in cornibus erant, circumvecti paullulum, ab tergo se ostenderunt. Is pavor perculit Romanos, auxitque pavorem consulis vulnus, periculumque intercursu tum primum pubescentis' filii propulsatum. Hic erit juvenis, penes quem perfecti hujusce belli laus est, Africanus ob egregiam victoriam de Hannibale Pœnisque appellatus. Fuga tamen effusa3 jaculatorum maxime fuit, 9 Numida-circumvecti paullulum.] This manoeuvre of "turning the flanks" is one by which more battles have been won than any other recorded in the history of war; except perhaps the opposite movement of breaking the centre of an enemy's line, when it has been weakened too much for the purpose of outflanking. The victories of the French at Austerlitz, and the English at Salamanca, were won by breaking through divisions weakened by extension. In almost every battle lost by the Romans, it may be observed, that it was by being outflanked that they were defeated; especially in those of the second Punic war. Sempronius was defeated at the Trebia, and Varro at Cannæ, with armies more numerous than the enemy; because they refused to change their form of battlearray, and were inferior in cavalry to the Carthaginians. The Roman armies, whose evil genius in this war was routine, always formed their camps and their line of battle in the same order. In camp, they always fortified themselves in a square area, irrespectively of the features of the locality; and in battle they always formed three lines, with cavalry on the wings Hannibal's chief superiority consisted in his faculty of adapting his tactics to circumstances; and thus evincing more of the military genius of modern times. The duty of a military commander is more difficult, and requires a higher order of talent, in the present age than among the ancients, and his influence is more decisive on the result of a battle. In ancient warfare, a general, stationed at a distance of 500 feet from the enemy, was out of danger, and could more conveniently see and direct movements. In modern times, a general five times farther off may be exposed to the fire of batteries, and still be so distant, that many of the enemy's movements may escape his notice. Modern fields of battle are also much more extended; the choice of ground more important; and operations require to be studied on a larger scale. } Tum primum pubescentis. "Then just approaching manhood." The student will of course remember a similar incident in the history of Alexander the Great. 2 Africanus.] This was the first instance in Roman history, if we except that of Manlius Torquatus, of a title acquired by military service. It may be observed, that the title of Maximus, added to the name of Fabius, was not acquired in war; (see note, lib. xxii. ch. 8.) 3 Fuga tamen effusa, &c.] "The flight, however, was disorderly, especially that of the light infantry, who were the first upon whom the Numidians charged." In the regular armies of antiquity, there were two species of infantry, light and heavy. quos primos Numidæ invaserunt. Alius confertus equita- U. C. 536. tus consulem in medium acceptum, non armis modo, sed A. C. 218. etiam corporibus suis, protegens, in castra, nusquam trepide neque effuse cedendo, reduxit. Servati consulis decus Coelius ad servum natione Ligurem delegat. Malim* equidem de filio verum esse, quod et plures tradidere auctores, et fama obtinuit. Hoc primum cum Hannibale proelium fuit; quo facile apparuit, et equitatu meliorem Poenum esse, et ob id campos patentes, quales sunt inter Padum Alpesque, bello gerendo Romanis aptos non esse. Itaque proxima nocte, jussis militibus vasa silentio colligere, castra ab Ticino mota, festinatumque ad Padum est; ut ratibus, quibus junxerat flumen, nondum resolutis, sine tumultu atque insectatione hostis, copias trajiceret. Prius Placentiam pervenere, quam satis sciret Hannibal ab Ticino profectos: tamen ad sexcentos moratorum in citeriore ripa, segniter ratem solventes, cepit. Transire non potuit pontem, ut extrema resoluta erant, tota rate in secundam aquam labente. Colius auctor est, Magonem cum equitatu et Hispanis peditibus flumen extemplo transnasse; ipsum Hannibalem per superiora Padi vada exercitum traduxisse, elephantis in ordinem ad sustinendum impetum fluminis oppositis. peritis amnis ejus vix fidem fecerint. Nam neque equites, armis equisque salvis', tantam vim fluminis superasse verisimile est, ut jam Hispanos omnes inflati transvexerint The invention of gunpowder gradually abolished this distinction: although for some time after that innovation, the arquebuseers represented the ancient velites, and the pikemen the gravis armaturæ. Since the celebrated engineer Vauban abolished the use of pikes and lances among foot-soldiers, and substituted the fire-lock and bayonet, all infantry has been light; grenadiers being the only remaining vestige of the heavy. In 4 Malim.] "I should prefer," (i. e. I am more inclined to believe -take more pleasure in believing) "that it were true of the son." addition to the other authorities, young Scipio's claim to the honour is confirmed by Polybius, who says, that he, himself, heard the fact stated by Lælius. Ea the southern bank of the river, was 6 Ea peritis amnis ejus.] "This 5 Festinatumque est.] hasty movement was made," &c. The Consul's object in crossing to 47. 8 U. C. 536. utres: ut multorum dierum circuitu Padi vada petenda A. C. 218. fuerant, qua exercitus gravis impedimentis traduci posset. Potiores apud me auctores sunt, quia biduo vix locum rate jungendo flumini inventum tradunt; ea cum Magone equites Hispanorum expeditos præmissos. Dum Hannibal, circa flumen legationibus Gallorum audiendis moratus, trajicit gravius peditum agmen, interim Mago equitesque ab transitu fluminis diei unius itinere Placentiam ad hostes contendunt. Hannibal paucis post diebus sex millia a Placentia castra communivit, et postero die, in conspectu hostium acie directa, potestatem pugnæ fecit. 48. Ad Insequenti nocte cædes in castris Romanis, tumultu tamen quam re major", ab auxiliaribus Gallis facta est. duo millia peditum et ducenti equites, vigilibus ad portas trucidatis, ad Hannibalem transfugiunt: quos Poenus benigne allocutus, et spe ingentium donorum accensos, in civitates quemque suas, ad sollicitandos popularium animos dimisit. Scipio, cædem eam signum defectionis omnium Gallorum esse ratus, contactosque eo scelere1, velut injecta rabie, ad arma ituros: quanquam gravis adhuc vulnere erat, tamen quarta vigilia noctis insequentis tacito agmine profectus ad Trebiam fluvium2, in loca altiora collesque impeditiores equiti castra movet. Minus, quam ad Ticinum, fefellit: missisque Hannibal primum Numidis, deinde omni equitatu, turbasset utique novissimum agmen, ni aviditate prædæ in vacua Romana castra Numidæ devertissent. Ibi dum, perscrutantes loca omnia castrorum, nullo satis digno moræ pretio tempus terunt, emissus hostis de 8 Padi vada petenda &c.] low, are yet sufficiently elevated, in find these, it was necessary to proa military sense. Not actually at Iceed to the north, and of course the confluence of the two rivers, but further from the Roman station near a little higher up the Po, where the Placentia. Ut would appear to battle took place, the stream is wide introduce an additional reason for enough to form a line of defence, doubting the statement in question; and yet shallow enough to be fordable but, any sense in which that conat many points. Its sides, on the junction can be used with the in- right as you ascend the stream, dicative, is so unsuitable to a logical where Mago lay in ambush, are sequence, as to suggest some con- still covered with reeds and brushception of the text. wood." A memorable modern battle was fought on the same spot between the Russians under Marshal Suwarrow and the army of the French Republic, in which, after a struggle of two days, the former were successful. To 9 Tumultu quam re major.] "More alarming than important." 1 Contactosque eo scelere, &c.] "Contaminated by that crime, as by some infectious madness." 2 Trebiam fluvium.] This river passes within about three miles of Piacenza; and may be regarded as one of the branches of the Po, into which it falls at the point where the battle took place. "The banks," says Mr. Eustace (Class. Tour), "though 3 Minus, quam ad Ticinum, fefellit】 "He was less successful in escaping detection than at the Ticinus." 4 Nullo satis digno moræ &c.] "Wasted time, without any adequate compensation for the delay.” 6 manibus est: et quum jam transgressos Trebiam Romanos, U.C. 536. metantesque castra conspexissent, paucos moratorum occi- A. C. 218. derunt, citra flumen interceptos. Scipio, nec vexationem vulneris in via jactati ultra patiens, et collegam (jam enim et revocatum ex Sicilia audierat) ratus exspectandum, locum, qui prope flumen tutissimus stativis est visus, delectum communiit. Nec procul inde Hannibal quum consedisset, quantum victoria equestri elatus, tantum anxius inopia, quæ per hostium agros euntem, nusquam præparatis commeatibus, major in dies excipiebat, ad Clastidium' vicum, quo magnum frumenti numerum congesserant Romani, mittit. Ibi quum vim pararent, spes facta proditionis: nec sane magno pretio, nummis aureis quadringentis, Dasio Brundisino præfecto præsidii corrupto, traditur Hannibali Clastidium. Id horreum fuit Pœnis sedentibus ad Trebiam. In captivos ex tradito præsidio, ut fama. clementiæ in principio rerum colligeretur, nihil sævitum est. 9 Quum ad Trebiam terrestre constitisset' bellum, interim circa Siciliam insulasque Italiæ imminentes, et a Sempronio consule, et ante adventum ejus, terra marique res gestæ. Viginti quinqueremes cum mille armatis ad depopulandam oram Italiæ a Carthaginiensibus missæ, novem Liparas, octo insulam Vulcani tenuerunt, tres in fretum avertit æstus. Ad eas conspectas a Messana duodecim naves ab Hierone rege Syracusanorum missæ, qui tum forte Messanæ erat, consulem Romanum opperiens, nullo repugnante captas naves Messanam in portum deduxerunt. Cognitum ex captivis, præter viginti naves, cujus ipsi clas 5 Vexationem vulneris in vid &c.] "The irritation of his wound inflamed by the rough motion of the journey." 6 Quantum victoriá―elatus, tantum &c.] The difficulty of arranging a relative clause in the beginning of an English sentence, imparts an inevitable awkwardness to any literal translation of a period of this form. We must adopt some such paraphrase as, "elevated as he was by the success of his cavalry; equally distressed by," &c. 7 Clastidium.] In Liguria, on the via Posthumia, now Schiatezzo. 8 Nec sane magno &c.] The compound negative must be resolved in translation: sc. "And having bribed the commander of the garrison by a not very large present," &c. The nummus aureus of the Romans was equal to about sixteen shillings and four-pence (100 H-S.), "In 9 Ut fama clementiæ &c.] Ad Trebiam-constitisset.] "Be- 3 Viginti quinqueremes &c.] The 4 Hierone.] For particulars respecting Hiero, see lib. xxxiv. chap. 4. 49. |
