SILIANA -- LIBRO XVII -- vv. 385ff -- ZAMA

Speranza

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

 

[In 146 a.C. Cartagine was destroyed by P. Cornelio Scipione Emiliano, the younger Africano, a grandson, by adoption, of the elder "africano"] [Italy]

 

The twofold tie between us.

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."

 

Thus GIUNONE spoke, and Jupiter answered her briefly thus.

"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

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

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

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

leave Home without dread of me.

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

are lying low.

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

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)]

 

[He was a sick man, or he must have walked.][Taken prisoner in Spain : see xvi. 72 foil].

 

Thus the war ended.

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

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

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

conquered -- .

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

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,

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,

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

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

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.

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.