Dum statuit fata Omnipotens urbique ducique ---- 385
invadunt acies pugnam et
clamore lacessunt
sidera. non alio
graviores tempore vidit
aut populos tellus, aut,
qui patria arma moverent,
maiores certare duces,
discriminis alta
in medio merces,
quicquid tegit undique caelum. 390
ibat Agenoreus
praefulgens ductor in ostro,
excelsumque caput penna
nutante levabat
Suffer the noble leader to pass safe through danger, and spare his life.
Let him not be taken captive, to carry Roman fetters.
Also, let the walls of
my city, though sorely battered, remain standing when the
Carthaginian name has perished, and be
preserved to honour me."
"I grant to the walls of lofty Cartagine the reprieve you seek."
"Let them stand, in answer to your tears and entreaties."
"But hear how far your husband is able to grant your requests."
"The days of Cartagine are numbered, and another Scipione shall come, to raze to the ground the towers which for the present are safe."
"Further, let your prayer for Annibale be granted."
"Let him be rescued from the fray and continue to breathe the air of heaven."
"He will seek to throw the world into confusion and to fill the earth with renewed warfare."
"I know Annibale's heart, which can bring forth nothing but war."
"But I grant Annibale life on one condition."
"Annibale must never hereafter see the land of Saturn b and never again return to Italy."
"Snatch Annibale away at once from imminent death."
"Or else, if he joins in fierce battle on the broad plains, you may be unable to rescue him from the right hand of the Roman general. "
While the Almighty
Father thus fixed the doom of Cartagine and of
Annibal,e the armies began the
battle, and their
shouting challenged the stars.
********************************************
Never did the earth behold mightier nations in conflict or greater generals in command of their country's armies.
High was the prize of victory set before them— even all that the wide canopy of heaven covers.
Annibale, the Punic leader came forth, glittering in purple.
And the head he bore so high was made higher
crista rubens. saevus
magno de nomine terror
praecedit, Latioque
micat bene cognitus ensis.
at contra ardenti
radiabat Scipio cocco, 395
terribilem ostentans
clipeum, quo patris et una
caelarat patrui
spirantes proelia dira
effigies ; flammam
ingentem frons alta vomebat.
sub tanta cunctis vi
telorumque virumque
in ducibus stabat spes
et victoria solis. 400
quin etiam, favor ut
subigit plerosque metusve,
Scipio si Libycis esset
generatus in oris,
sceptra ad Agenoreos
credunt ventura nepotes :
Hannibal Ausonia genitus
si sede fuisset,
haud dubitant terras
Itala in dicione futuras. 405
Contremuere aurae,
rapido vibrantibus hastis
turbine, et horrificam
traxere per aethera nubem.
inde ensis propiorque
acies et comminus ora
admota ac dira flagrantia
lumina flamma.
sternitur, in medium
contemptrix turba pericli 410
quae primis se
praecipitem tulit obvia telis,
gentilemque bibit tellus
invita cruorem.
fervidus ingenii
Masinissa et fervidus aevi
in primas Macetum turmas
immania membra
infert et iaculo
circumvolat alite campum. 415
caerulus haud aliter,
cum dimicat, incola Thyles
agmina falcigero
circumvenit arta covinno.
Graia phalanx patrio
densarat more catervas
iunctisque adstabat
nulli penetrabilis hastis.
immemor has pacti post
foedus in arma Philippus
[For the colour see iv.
518.] [From the metal of his
helmet] [Philip V., king of
Macedonia, had sent 4000 men and a sum of money to the
aid of Carthage : he soon found out that he was "
backing the wrong horse, 1
by his ruddy crest of
nodding plumes. Dread and terror
of his mighty name went
before him ; and his sword
that Rome knew so well
shone bright. Over against
him was Scipio, arrayed
in glowing scarlet, and
displaying his dreadful
shield, on which were en-
graved the figures of
his father and his uncle, breath-
ing fierce battle ; and
his lofty front sent forth a
mighty flame. 6 Though
there was present so great a
force of combatants and
weapons, yet, for all, the
hope of victory depended
upon the leaders alone.
Nay — so strongly were
men moved by confidence
in their leader or fear
of his adversary — most believed
that, if Scipio had been
a son of Africa, universal
empire would have fallen
to the sons of Agenor ;
but, had Hannibal been
born in Italy, they doubted
not that Rome would have
ruled the world.
When the spears were
hurled with speed and force,
the air was shaken and a
fearsome cloud spread over the
sky. Next came the sword
at close quarters, and face
pressed close to face,
and eyes blazed with baleful flame.
Those who despised the
danger and rushed forward
to meet the first shower
of missiles were all laid low,
and the earth grieved as
she drank the blood of her
sons. Masinissa, hot by
nature and hot with youth,
hurled his huge frame
against the front rank of
Macedonian c horsemen,
and dashed round the field
with flying javelineers.
Even so the woad-stained
native of Thule d drives
his chariot armed with scythes
round the close-packed
ranks in battle. The phalanx
of Greeks was drawn up
in close order after the fashion
of their country, and no
foeman could force a way
through the thick hedge
of their pikes. For Philip,
forgetting his pledges
and faithless to his treaty, had
4 See note to iii. 597.
469
SILIUS ITALICUS
miserat et quassam
refovebat Agenoris urbem. 421
rarescit multo lassatus
vulnere miles
atque aperit patulas
prostrato corpore late
inter tela vias.
irrumpit mole ruinae
Ausonius globus et
periuria Graia resignat. 425
Archemorum Rutilus,
Teucrum Norbanus (et ambo
Mantua pubenti genetrix
dimiserat aevo),
obtruncat Samium
bellacis dextra Caleni,
at Clytium Selius,
Pellaeum et vana tumentem
ad nomen patriae Clytium
; sed gloria Pellae 430
haud valuit misero
defendere Daunia tela.
Saevior his Latius
vastabat Bruttia signa
Laelius increpitans :
" adeone Oenotria tellus
detestanda fuit, quam
per maria aspera perque
insanos Tyrio fugeretis
remige fluctus ? 435
sed fugisse satis
fuerit. Latione cruore
insuper externas petitis
perfundere terras ? "
haec dicens Silarum,
meditantem in proelia, telo
praevenit. hasta volans
imo sub gutture sedit
et vitae vocisque vias
simul incita clausit. 440
Vergilio Caudinus,
acerbo Laiis Amano
sternitur. accendunt
iras vultusque virorum
armorumque habitus noti
et vox consona linguae,
quos ubi nudantes
conspexit Hamilcare cretus
terga fuga : "
state ac nostram ne prodite gentem,"
vociferans subit et
convertit proelia dextra : 446
qualis in aestiferis
Garamantum feta veneno
attollit campis ferventi
pastus harena
colla Paraetonius
serpens lateque per auras
a The capital of
Macedonia and birth-place of Alexander.
Presumably Archemorus
andTeucer were Macedonians also.
b Hannibal had forced
many of these to accompany him
when he left Italy.
c See note to iii. 225,
470
PUNICA, XVII. 421-449
sent them to the war, to
prop up the falling city
of Agenor. Worn out by
many a wound, their
ranks grew thin and,
when corpses fell fast, wide
passages opened up
between the spears. In rushed
a body of Romans
carrying vast destruction with
them, and broke the
formation of the perjured Greeks.
Archemorus was slain by
Rutilus and Teucer by
Norbanus — Mantua was
the mother of both these
youthful conquerors —
the hand of warlike Calenus
slew Samius, and Selius
slew Clytius ; Clytius, a
native of Pella, a was
filled with empty pride by
the name of his native
town, but the fame of Pella
could not defend the
hapless wretch from the Roman
sword.
Fiercer even than these,
Laelius for Rome made
havoc of the Bruttian b
ranks, taunting them thus :
" Was the land of
Italy so hateful to you, that you
must needs flee from it
over rough seas and furious
waves on ships of
Carthage ? To have fled was
surely guilt enough. Do
you seek also to drench a
foreign soil with Roman
blood ? " As he spoke thus
he hurled his weapon,
too quick for Silarus who was
about to strike. The
flying spear lodged in his throat,
and the stroke robbed
him of speech and life together.
Caudinus was slain by
Vergilius, and Laiis by fierce
Amanus. The fury of the
Romans was heightened
by the faces of their
antagonists, the familiar fashion
of their weapons, and
their kindred speech. When
the son of Hamilcar saw
the Bruttians exposing their
rear in flight, he came
up shouting, " Stand firm and
prove no traitors to our
nation ! " — and his valour
rallied the fugitives.
Even so, on the parching
plains of the
Garamantes, an Egyptian c snake that
has fed on the burning
sands lifts its venomous neck on
471
SILIUS ITALICUS
undantem torquet
perfundens nubila tabem. 450
continuo infesta
portantem cuspide vulnus
impedit antevolans Herium,
cui nobile nomen
Marrucina domus
clarumque Teate ferebat.
atque illi, magnum
nitenti et laudibus hostis
arrecto, capuli ad finem
manus incita sedit ; 455
quaerebatque miser
morienti lumine fratrem,
cum iuvenis subit et,
leto stimulatus acerbo,
Pleminius saevum
mucronem ante ora coruscat
ac fratrem magno
minitans clamore reposcit.
huic proles Barcae :
" germanum reddere vero 460
si placet, haud renuo.
maneant modo foedera nostra,
Hasdrubalem revocate
umbris. egone aspera ponam
umquam in Romanos odia ?
aut mansuescere corda
nostra sinam ? parcamque
viro, quern terra crearit
Itala ? turn manes
inimicos sede repellat 465
aeterna socioque abigat
me frater Averno."
sic ait et clipei
propulsum pondere toto,
lubrica qua tellus lapsantes
sanguine fratris
fallebat nisus,
prosternit et occupat ense.
extendit labens palmas,
Heriumque iacentem 470
amplexus, iuncta lenivit
morte dolores.
turn Libys invadit
mixtae certamina turbae
convertitque ruens per
longum hostilia terga :
ut cum fulminibus
permixta tonitrua mundum
terrificant, summique
labat domus alta parentis, 475
omne hominum terris
trepidat genus, ipsaque ob ora *
472
PUNICA, XVII. 450-476
high and hurls liquid
poison far through the sky and
drenches the clouds.
Herius, who bore a noble name
from the famous town of
Teate ° where he dwelt
among the Marrucinians,
was aiming a thrust with
his spear, when Hannibal
at once rushed before him
and prevented him.
Herius, eager to meet a foe so
famous, made a mighty
effort ; but Hannibal drove
his sword up to the hilt
in the Roman's body. The
dying mans eyes sought
his brother, Pleminius ; and
up Pleminius came.
Maddened by his brother's fate,
he brandished his sword
in Hannibal's face, and with
loud threats demanded
the life of the dead man.
Hannibal replied thus :
" Agreed, if you indeed are
prepared to restore my
brother to me ! Only out-
bargain must be kept ,
and y o u must call back Hasdrubal
from the shades. — Shall
I ever forget the fierce hatred
that I bear to Rome ? Or
shall I suffer my heart to
be softened ? Shall I
spare a single son of Italy ?
Then may my brother keep
my unloved spirit far
from his eternal abode
and drive me away from
communion with him in
Avernus ! " Speaking thus
he brought down the full
weight of his shield upon
Pleminius and felled
him, where the earth, slippery
with his brother's
blood, made his footing insecure ;
then he attacked him
with the sword. As Pleminius
fell, he stretched out
his hands to embrace the body
of Herius ; and the
pangs of death were lightened
because they died
together. Then Hannibal plunged
into the thickest of the
fray ; far and fast he rushed
on, forcing the foe to
turn their backs. So, when
thunder and lightning
together affright the heavens,
and the high dwelling of
the Mighty Father is
shaken, every race of
man on earth is terrified ; the
• See note to viii. 520.
vol. ii q 473
SILIUS ITALICUS
lux atrox micat, et
praesens adstare viritim
creditur intento
perculsis Iupiter igne.
Parte alia, ceu sola
forent discrirnina campo,
qua misceret agens
truculentum Scipio Martem,
aspera pugna novas varia
sub imagine leti 481
dat formas. hie ense
iacet prostratus adacto ;
hie saxo perfracta gemit
lacrimabilis ossa ;
ast hos, turpe, pavor
fusos proiecit in ora ;
horum adversa dedit
Gradivo pectora virtus. 485
ipse super strages
ductor Rhoeteius instat,
qualis apud gelidum
currus quatit altior Hebrum
et Geticas solvit ferventi
sanguine Mavors
laetus caede nives,
glaciemque Aquilonibus actam
perrumpit stridens sub
pondere belliger axis. 490
iamque ardore truci
lustrans fortissima quaeque
nomina obit ferro.
claris spectata per orbem
stragibus occumbit late
inter tela iuventus.
qui muros rapuere tuos
miserasque nefandi
principium belli fecere,
Sagunte, ruinas ; 495
qui sacros, Thrasymenne,
lacus, Phaethontia quique
polluerant tabo stagna ;
ac fiducia tanta
quos tulit, ut superum
regi soliumque domosque
irent direptum :
mactantur comminus uno
exitio ; redduntque
animas, temerata ferebant 500
qui secreta deum et
primos reserasse negatas
gressibus humanis Alpes.
formidinis huius
plena acies propere
retro exanimata ruebat.
a See note to ix. 367.
b The Hebrus is a
Thracian river, and the Getae a Thracian
people : Mars was
supposed to live in Thrace.
Weight is a common
attribute of divinity in ancient
mythology.
d The river Po. « The
Capitol.
474
PUNICA, XVIL 477-503
fierce light flashes
full in their faces, and each man in
his panic believes that
Jupiter stands in visible form
before him and aims the
fire at him.
Elsewhere, as if there
were no fighting on the field
except where Scipio
drove the rout before him in
furious warfare, the
fierce battle displayed strange
and diverse forms of
death. One man lies prostrate,
pierced by the sword ;
another, whose bones have
been shattered by a
stone, groans pitifully ; some
whom fear laid low lie
prone in dishonour ; others
are brave men who
offered their front to the slayer. a
The Roman general
presses on over the heaps of
dead. Even so, by the
cold Hebrus, 6 Mars, rejoicing
in slaughter, stands
erect in his chariot and drives it
forward, melting the
Getic snows with hot streams
of blood ; and the car,
groaning beneath the god's
weight, breaks the ice
that the North-winds have
piled up. And now Scipio
in his burning rage sought
out and slew with the
sword all the bravest and
most famous. The
soldiers renowned over the world
for feats of slaughter
were slain over all the field in
this battle. The men who
ravished Saguntum and
began the abominable war
by destroying the walls
of that ill-fated city ;
those who polluted with gore
the sacred lake of
Trasimene and the pools of
Phaethon's river d ;
those who were bold enough to
march against the throne
and dwelling e of the King
of Heaven, to sack it —
all these were slain in hand-
to-hand battle and
shared the same doom. Slain
also were those who
boasted that they had desecrated
the secret places of the
gods and opened up the Alps
where no foot of man had
trodden till then. The
Carthaginians, filled
with fear for such guilt, turned
in haste and fled,
robbed of their senses. Thus, when
vol. ii q 2 475
SILIUS ITALICUS
haud secus ac tectis
urbis Vulcania pestis
cum sese infudit,
rapidusque incendia flatus 505
ventilat et volucres
spargit per culmina flammas :
attonitum erumpit subita
formidine vulgus,
lateque ut capta passim
trepidatur in urbe.
Verum ubi cunctari
taedet dispersa virorum
proelia sectantem et
leviori Marte teneri, 510
omnes in causam belli
auctoremque malorum
vertere iam vires tandem
placet. Hannibal unus
dum restet, non, si
muris Carthaginis ignis
subdatur, caesique
cadant exercitus omnis,
profectum Latio ;
contra, si concidat unus, 515
nequiquam fore Agenoreis
cuncta arma virosque.
ilium igitur lustrans
circumfert lumina campo
rimaturque ducem. iuvat
in certamina summa
ferre gradum ;
cuperetque viro concurrere, tota
spectante Ausonia ;
celsus clamore feroci 520
provocat increpitans
hostem et nova proelia poscit.
Quas postquam audivit
voces conterrita Iuno,
ne Libyci ducis
impavidas ferrentur ad aures,
effigiem informat Latiam
propereque coruscis
attollit cristis ; addit
clipeumque iubasque 525
Romulei ducis atque
umeris imponit honorem
fulgentis saguli ; dat
gressum habitusque cientis
proelia et audaces
adicit sine corpore motus.
turn par effigies
fallacis imagine vana
cornipedis moderanda
cito per devia passu 530
belligerae datur ad
speciem certaminis umbrae,
sic Poeni ducis ante
oculos exultat et ultro
Scipio Iunoni simulatus
tela coruscat.
at, viso laetus rectore
ante ora Latino
476
a Cp. iv. 517.
PUNICA, XVII. 504-534
the scourge of fire has
spread over the buildings of
a city, and a gale fans
the flying flame and scatters
it over the house-tops,
the people rush out into the
streets, appalled with
sudden fear ; and there is wide-
spread consternation, as
if enemies had taken the city.
But Scipio was impatient
of delay and weary of
pursuing lesser
adversaries in different parts of the
field. He resolved to
turn all his might at last against
the cause of war and the
originator of all Rome's
calamities. While
Hannibal alone survived, Rome
had gained nothing, even
if the walls of Carthage
were set on fire and all
her soldiers slain ; on the
other hand, if Hannibal
alone fell, all her weapons
and all her men would
profit the people of Carthage
not at all. Therefore he
turned his gaze all over the
field, seeking and
searching for Hannibal ; he longed
to begin the crowning
conflict, and would welcome
all Italy to watch the
contest. Rising to his full
height, he challenged
his foe with taunts and a shout
of defiance, and
demanded a fresh antagonist.
Juno heard his speech
and feared it might reach
the ears of the
dauntless African general. Therefore
she made haste to
fashion a shape in the likeness of
Scipio, and adorned its
high head with a glittering
plume ; she gave it also
Scipio 's shield and helmet,
and placed on its
shoulders the general's scarlet
mantle ; a she gave it
Scipio 's gait and his attitude in
battle, and made the bodiless
phantom step out boldly.
Next she made a phantom
steed, as unsubstantial as
his rider, for the
phantom warrior to ride at speed
over the rough ground to
a mock combat. Thus
the Scipio whom Juno had
fashioned sprang forth
before the face of
Hannibal and boldly brandished
his weapons. The
Carthaginian rejoiced to see the
477
SILIUS ITALICUS
et tandem propius
sperans ingentia, Poenus 535
quadrupedi citus imponit
velocia membra
et iacit adversam
properati turbinis hastam.
dat terga et campo
fugiens volat ales imago
tramittitque acies. turn
vero, ut victor et alti
iam compos voti, ferrata
calce cruentat 540
cornipedem et largas
Poenus quatit asper habenas :
" quo fugis,
oblitus nostris te cedere regnis ?
nulla tibi Libyca
latebra est, o Scipio, terra."
haec ait et stricto
sequitur mucrone volantem,
donee longinquo
frustratum duxit in arva 545
diversa spatio procul a
certamine pugnae.
turn fallax subito
simulacrum in nubila cessit.
fulmineus ductor :
" quisnam se numine caeco
composuit nobis,"
inquit, " deus ? aut latet idem
cur monstro ? tantumne
obstat mea gloria divis ? 550
sed non avelles umquam,
quicumque secundus
caelicolum stas
Ausoniae, non artibus hostem
eripies verum nobis.' '
frena inde citati
convertit furibundus
equi campumque petebat,
cum subito occultae
pestis collapsa tremore 555
cornipedis moles ruit
atque efflavit anhelo
pectore Iunonis curis in
nubila vitam.
turn vero impatiens
" vestra est haec altera, vestra
fraus," inquit,
" superi ; non fallitis. aequore mersum
texissent scopuli,
pelagusque hausisset et undae !
anne huic servabar leto
? mea signa secuti, 561
quis pugnae auspicium
dedimus, caeduntur ; et absens
478
PUNICA, XVII. 535-562
Roman general facing him
; hoping soon to win a
mighty prize, he threw
his nimble limbs across his
horse's back and quickly
hurled his furious spear at
the adversary. The
phantom turned round and fled
fast along the plain and
past the fighters. Then
indeed Hannibal, sure of
victory and of attaining his
high ambition, spurred
his horse till the blood came,
and roughly shook the
reins that lay loose on its neck.
" Whither do you
flee, Scipio ? You forget that you
are retreating from our
realm. For you there is no
hiding-place on the soil
of Libya." Speaking thus
he pursued the flying
phantom with drawn sword,
until it led him astray
to a spot far removed from
the strife of battle.
Then the delusive phantom
vanished suddenly into
the clouds. Fire flashed from
Hannibal's eyes : "
What god," he cried, " has
masked his divinity and
matched himself against me ?
or why does he hide
beneath this phantom ? Are the
gods so jealous of my
fame ? But, whichever of the
gods it is that favours
Rome, he shall never snatch
my victim from me nor
rob me by craft of the real
foe." Then in fury
he turned his fleet horse's head
and was riding back to
the field, when suddenly,
by the contrivance of
Juno, the stalwart steed,
smitten by a mysterious
fever-fit, fell down and
soon breathed forth its
life into the air from pant-
ing lungs. Hannibal
could endure no more : " From
you, ye gods," he
cried, " from you comes this
second deception ; but I
see through your devices.
Oh that I had been
drowned at sea, that the rocks
had been my tomb, and
that the waves of ocean had
swallowed me down ! Was
I saved for a death like
this ? The men who
followed my standard and
whom I led on to war are
being slaughtered, and I am
479
SILIUS ITALICUS
accipio gemitus vocesque
ac verba vocantum
Hannibalem. quis nostra
satis delicta piabit
Tartareus torrens ?
" simul haec fundebat et una
spectabat dextram ac
leti fervebat amore. 566
Tunc Iuno, miserata
virum, pastoris in ora
vertitur ac silvis
subito procedit opacis
atque his alloquitur
versantem ingloria fata :
" quaenam te silvis
accedere causa subegit 670
armatum nostris ? num
dura ad proelia tendis,
magnus ubi Ausoniae
reliquos domat Hannibal armis ?
si velox gaudes ire, et
compendia grata
sunt tibi, vicino in
medios te tramite ducam."
annuit atque onerat
promissis pectora largis 575
pastoris patresque docet
Carthaginis altae
magna repensuros, nec se
leviora daturum.
praecipitem et vasto
superantem proxima saltu
circumagit Iuno ac,
fallens regione viarum,
non gratam invito servat
celata salutem. 580
Interea Cadmea manus,
deserta pavensque,
non ullum Hannibalem,
nusquam certamina cernit
saevi nota ducis. pars
ferro occumbere credunt,
pars damnasse aciem et
divis cessisse sinistris.
ingruit Ausonius
versosque agit aequore toto 585
rector, iamque ipsae
trepidant Carthaginis arces :
impletur terrore vago
cuncta Africa pulsis
agminibus, volucrique
fuga sine Marte ruentes
tendunt attonitos extrema
ad litora cursus
° Like Turnus in the
Aeneid (x. 681), he was contemplat-
ing suicide.
480
PUNICA, XVII. 563-589
not with them ; I hear
their groans and their cries to
Hannibal to help them.
What river of Tartarus will
ever purge away my guilt
? " Even as he poured forth
this complaint, he
looked to the sword in his right
hand a in his passionate
desire for death.
Then Juno took pity upon
him. Putting on the
likeness of a shepherd,
she suddenly emerged from a
shady grove, and
addressed him thus while he had in
mind a dishonourable
death : " For what purpose
came you here, a man in
arms, to our peaceful wood-
lands ? Seek you the
stern battle, in which great
Hannibal is defeating
the remnant of the Romans ?
If speed is your desire
and you seek to get there
quickly, I will guide
you by a neighbouring path to
the midst of the
combat." He assented, and loaded
the shepherd with
promises of rich reward, saying that
the rulers of mighty
Carthage would give a great
recompense and that he
himself would be no less
generous. Starting
forward, he moved with great
bounds over the
surrounding plain ; but Juno in
disguise led him by a
circuitous way, and, mis-
directing him, earned no
gratitude by saving his life
against his will.
Meanwhile the
Carthaginian army, deserted and
affrighted, could see no
sign of Hannibal nor of his
famous achievements in
the field. Some thought he
had been slain by the
sword ; others, that he had
abandoned the battle in
despair, unable to cope with
the ill-will of the
gods. On came Seipio and drove
them in flight all over
the plain ; and now even the
towers of Carthage
trembled. When her armies
were routed, all Africa
was rilled with terror and
confusion : flying, not
righting, panic-stricken men
rushed with utmost speed
to the most distant shores.
481
SILIUS ITALICUS
ac Tartessiacas profugi
sparguntur in oras ; 590
pars Batti petiere
domos, pars flumina Lagi.
sic ubi, vi caeca tandem
devictus, ad astra
evomuit pastos per
saecula Vesvius ignes,
et pelago et terris fusa
est Vulcania pestis,
videre Eoi, monstrum
admirabile, Seres 595
lanigeros cinere Ausonio
canescere lucos.
At fessum tumulo tandem
regina propinquo
sistit Iuno ducem,
facies unde omnis et atrae.
apparent admota oculis
vestigia pugnae.
qualem Gargani carapura
Trebiaeque paludem 600
et Tyrrhena vada et
Phaethontis viderat amnem
strage virum undantem,
talis, miserabile visu,
prostratis facies
aperitur dira maniplis.
tunc superas Iuno sedes
turbata revisit,
iamque propinquabant
hostes tumuloque subibant,
cum secum Poenus :
" caelum licet omne soluta 606
in caput hoc compage
ruat, terraeque dehiscant,
non ullo Cannas
abolebis, Iupiter, aevo,
decedesque prius regnis
quam nomina gentes
aut facta Hannibalis
sileant. nec deinde relinquo
securam te, Roma, mei ;
patriaeque superstes 611
ad spes armorum vivam
tibi. nam modo pugna
praecellis, resident
hostes : mihi satque superque,
ut me Dardaniae matres
atque Itala tellus,
dum vivam, expectent nec
pacem pectore norint."
sic rapitur, paucis
fugientum mixtus, et altos 616
inde petit retro montes
tutasque latebras.
a Spain. 6 Cyrene.
c The Nile, standing for
Egypt. d See note to vi. 4.
e This observation
received some confirmation recently
when eruptions in Japan
and Sumatra produced remarkable
phenomena in Europe.
' The field of Cannae.
The " river of Phaethon " is the Po.
Some were scattered in
flight as far as the land of Tartessus a ; some
sought the city of Battus, & and
others the river of
Lagus. c So, when Vesuvius, at
length mastered by some
hidden force, vomits forth
to heaven the fires it
has fed for centuries, and the
visitation of the
fire-god spreads over sea and land,
the Seres in the east —
a marvel beyond belief — see
their wool-bearing trees
d grow white with the ash
from Italy/
But at last Hannibal was
weary.
And Juno, the
And Juno, the
queen of heaven, made
him sit down on a hillock hard
by, whence he had a
clear view of all that awful
battle and could trace
every detail.
As he had once
As he had once
seen the field f by
Mount Garganus,the marshes of the
Trebia, the Etruscan
lake, and the river of Phaethon,
all covered with
corpses, so now — unhappy man — he
witnessed the dreadful
sight of his army overthrown.
Then Juno returned
ill-pleased to her home in heaven.
And now the enemy came
up close to the hill where
he sat, and ANNIBALE said in
his heart.
"Though the earth
"Though the earth
yawn asunder, though all
the framework of heaven
break up and fall upon
my head, never shalt thou,
Jupiter, wipe out the
memory of Cannae, but thou
shalt step down from thy
throne ere the world forgets
the name or achievements
of Hannibal.
Nor do I
Nor do I
leave Home without dread
of me.
I shall survive my
I shall survive my
country and live on in
the hope of warring against
Home.
She wins this battle, but that is all ; her foes
She wins this battle, but that is all ; her foes
are lying low.
Enough, and more than enough for
Enough, and more than enough for
me, if Roman mothers and
the people of Italy dread
my coming while I live,
and never know peace of
mind."
Then he joined a band of fugitives and
Then he joined a band of fugitives and
hurried away, seeking a
sure hiding-place among the
high mountains in his
rear.
Hie finis bello.
reserantur protinus arces
Ausonio iam sponte duci.
iura improba adempta
armaque, et incisae
leges, opibusque superbis 620
vis fracta, et posuit
gestatas belua turres.
excelsae turn saeva
rates spectacula Poenis
flammiferam accepere facem,
subitaque procella
arserunt maria, atque
expavit lumina Nereus.
Mansuri compos decoris
per saecula rector, 625
devictae referens primus
cognomina terrae,
securus sceptri, repetit
per caerula Romam
et patria invehitur
sublimi tecta triumpho.
ante Syphax, feretro
residens, captiva premebat
lumina, et auratae
servabant colla catenae. 630
hie Hannon clarique
genus Phoenissa iuventa
et Macetum primi atque
incocti corpora Mauri,
turn Nomades notusque
sacro, cum lustrat harenas,
Hammoni Garamas et
semper naufraga Syrtis.
mox victas tendens
Carthago ad sidera palmas 635
ibat et effigies orae
iam lenis Hiberae,
terrarum finis Gades ac
laudibus olim
terminus Herculeis Calpe
Baetisque lavare
solis equos dulci
consuetus fluminis unda,
frondosumque apicem
subigens ad sidera mater 640
bellorum fera Pyrene nec
mitis Hiberus,
cum simul illidit ponto,
quos attulit, amnes.
[Carthage was required to
surrender all her elephants she had also to pay
10,000 talents by instalments.]
[Scipio was by
popular consent styled "Africano". Henceforth every land
where troubles arose was viewed by Roman nobles as the
potential source of a nickname of honour " (Heitland,
Roman Republic, i. p. 340)]
Thus the war ended.
At once and willingly the citizens opened their gates to Scipione.
At once and willingly the citizens opened their gates to Scipione.
He took from
them their excessive
power and their weapons, and
engraved conditions of
peace upon tablets.
He broke
He broke
down the power of their
overweening wealth, and
the huge beasts a laid
down the towers they carried.
And then the citizens saw a cruel sight, when their
tall ships were set on
fire.
The seas blazed up with a
The seas blazed up with a
sudden conflagration,
and Ocean was terrified by the
glare.
Scipione had gained glory
to last for ages.
He is the first general to bear the name of the country he had
He is the first general to bear the name of the country he had
conquered -- .
He had no fear for the empire of Rome.
He had no fear for the empire of Rome.
And now Scipione sails back
to Rome and entered his
native city in a
splendid triumphal procession.
Before
Before
him went Syphax, borne
on a litter, with the downcast eyes of a captive,
and wearing chains of gold about his neck.
Hanno d walked there, with the nobles of Carthage ; also the chief men of the Macedonians,
Hanno d walked there, with the nobles of Carthage ; also the chief men of the Macedonians,
with black-skinned Moors
and Numidians, and the Garamantes whom the god
Ammon sees as they scour the desert, and people
of the Syrtis that wrecks so many
ships.
Then Carthage was seen in the procession,
Then Carthage was seen in the procession,
stretching out her
conquered hands to heaven ; and
other figures also —
Spain now pacified, Gades at the
Worlds End, Calpe the
limit of the achievements of
Hercules in ancient
times, and the Baetis that is wont to
bathe the sun's coursers
in its sweet waters.
There
There
too was Pyrene, the
fierce mother of wars, thrusting
her forest-clad height
to heaven, and the Ebro, no
gentle stream when it
pours with violence into the
sea all the streams it
has brought down with it. But
[Images of conquered
cities, mountains, and rivers were regularly carried in
triumphal processions]
sed non ulla magis
mentesque oculosque tenebat,
quam visa Hannibalis
campis fugientis imago,
ipse, adstans curru
atque auro decoratus et ostro, 645
Martia praebebat
spectanda Quiritibus ora :
qualis odoratis
descendens Liber ab Indis
egit pampineos frenata
tigride currus ;
aut cum Phlegraeis,
confecta mole Gigantum,
incessit campis tangens
Tirynthius astra. 650
salve, invicte parens,
non concessure Quirino
laudibus ac meritis non
concessure Camillo !
nec vero, cum te memorat
de stirpe deorum,
prolem Tarpei mentitur
Roma Tonantis.
a For Phlegra see note
to iv. 275.
6 " Father of his
country " was a Roman title of honour
which very few Romans
gained.
[For the divine
paternity of Scipio see note to xiii. 637 foll.]
no sight attracted the
eyes and minds of the people more than the picture of
Hannibal in retreat over
the plains.
Scipione himself, erect in his chariot and splendid in purple and gold, gave to the citizens the
Scipione himself, erect in his chariot and splendid in purple and gold, gave to the citizens the
spectacle of his martial
countenance.
So looked Bacco, when he drove his car, wreathed with vine-leaves and drawn by tigers, down from the incense-breathing land of the Indians.
And so looked ERCOLE, when he had slain the huge Giants and marched along the plains of Phlegra, with his head reaching the stars.
So looked Bacco, when he drove his car, wreathed with vine-leaves and drawn by tigers, down from the incense-breathing land of the Indians.
And so looked ERCOLE, when he had slain the huge Giants and marched along the plains of Phlegra, with his head reaching the stars.
Hail to thee, father and undefeated general, not inferior in glory to Quirino, and not inferior to Camillo in thy services.
Rome tells no lie, when she gives thee a divine origin and calls thee the son of the Thunder-god who dwells on the Capitol.
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