SILIANA -- Silio Italico, "Le guerre puniche"

Speranza

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SILIANA.

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SILIO ITALICO,

"Le guerre puniche"

SILIANA

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LIBRO I.

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Lines 1-20:

The subject of Silio Italico's poem is the SECOND Punic War.

The cause of the war was GIUNONE's hatred of Rome.

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Lines 21-55.

GIUNONE chooses ANNIBALE as her instrument.

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Lines 56-139.

ANNIBALE's character, and the oath he swore in boyhood is described, lines.

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Lines 140-181:

ASDRUBAL succeeds AMILCARE as commander in SPAGNA.


ASDRUBAL's character, conquests, and death are described, 140-181.

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Lines 182-238:

ANNIBALE is chosen to succeed HASDRUBAL by all the army in SPAGNA, both Carthaginians and Spaniards.

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Lines 239-267:

Character of ANNIBALE described.

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Lines 268-295.

ANNIBALE resolves to attack SAGUNTUM: position and history of the city of SAGUNTUM.

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Lines 296-695.

THE SIEGE OF SAGENTUM.

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Lines 564-671:

The Saguntines send an embassy to ROMA: the speech of SICORIS.

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Lines 672-694:

In the Roman Senate, Cn. CORNELIO LENTULO and Q. FABIO MASSIMO express different views. Envoys are sent to ANNIBALE.

End of LIBRO I

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LIBRO II

Lines 1-24:

The Roman envoys, dismissed by ANNIBALE, proceed to CARTAGINE.

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Lines 25-269:

ANNIBALE addresses his men and goes on with the siege.

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Lines 270-390:


The ROMAN envoys are recived in the Carthaginian senate.

Speeches of HANNO and GESTAR.

FABIO MASSIMO DECLARES WAR.

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Lines 391-456:

ANNIBALE deals with some rebellious tribes and returns to the siege.

ANNIBALE recieives a gift of armour from the Spanish peoples.

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Lines 457-474:

THE SUFFERINGS OF SAGUNTUM.

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Lines 475-525:

The goddess LOYALTY is sent to the SAGUNTUM by ERCOLE, its founder, and encourages them to resist.

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Lines 526-649.

BUT GIUNONE sends a FURIA from HELL who drives the people of SAGUNTUM mad.

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Lines 650=695.

The people of SAGUNTUM build a great pyre and light it. ANNIBALE takes SAGUNTUM.

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Lines 696-707.

EPILOGO to LIBRO II by SILIO ITALICO.

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LIBRO III

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Lines 1-3:

After the taking of SAGUNTUM, BOSTAR is sent to Africa to consult GIOVE AMMON.

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Lines 14-60:

ANNIBALE goes to GADES, where he is shown the famous temple of ERCOLE and marvels at the tides of the ATLANTIC OCEAN.

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Lines 61-157:

ANNIBALE sends his wife, IMILCE, and his infant son to CARTAGINE.

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Lines 158-213:

ANNIBALE dreams of the coming campaign.

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Lines 214-405:

ANNIBALE sets off: a catalogue of his forces.

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Lines 406-441.

ANNIBALE crosses the Pyrenees.

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Lines 442-476:

ANNIBALE crosses the RHONE and the DURANCE.

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Lines 477-499:

THE ALPS are described.

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Lines 500-556:

After frightful hardships, ANNIBALE pitches a camp on the summit of the ALPS.

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Lines 557-629:

VENERE and GIOVE converse concerning the DESTINY of ROMA.

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Lines 630-646:

ANNIBALE encamps in the country of the TAURINI.

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Lines 647-714:

BOSTAR brings back from AFRICA the response of GIOVE AMMON.

*************** END OF LIBRO III

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LIBRO IV

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Lines 1-38:

ROMA is greatly alarmed by the news that ANNIBALE has reached ITALIA.

But the Roman senate does not lose heart.

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Lines 39-55:

ANNIBALE courts the GAULS OF N. ITALIA.

SCIPIONE hurries back from MARSEILLES.

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Lines 56-100:

BOTH GENERALS, SCIPIONE and ANNIBALE, address their soldiers and prepare for battle.

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Lines 101-134:

An omen precedes the battle.

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Lines 135-479:

THE BATTLE OF THE TICINO

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Lines 480-497.

SCIPIONE withdraws to the TREBIA, and is joined by an army under TITUS SEMPRONIO LONGO.

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Lines 498-524:

ANNIBALE forces the Romans to fight.

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Lines 525-704:

THE BATTLE OF THE TREBIA.

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Lines 705-721:

THE CONSUL C. FLAMINIO leads a fresh army into ETRURIA.

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Lines 722-762:

Instigated by GIUNONE, ANNIBALE crosses the APPENINES and encamps by LAKE TRASIMENE.

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Lines 763-829:

Envoys from CARTAGINE inquire whether ANNIBALE consents to the immolation of his infant son.

ANNIBALE rightly refuses.

************************ END OF LIBRO IV.

LIBRO V

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Lines 1-23:

ANNIBALE lays a trap for the enemy. The name of LAKE TRASIMENE.

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Lines 24-185:

FLAMINIO makes light of evil omens and the warnings of CORVINO, the soothsayer, and encourages his men to fight.

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Lines 186-687:

THE BATTLE OF LAKE TRASIMENE.

********************* END OF LIBRO V

LIBRO VI

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Lines 1-61:

Scenes on the field of the lost battle on LAKE TRASIMENE.

Flight of the Romans.

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Lines 62-100:

SERRANO, a son of the famous REGOLO, is one of the fugitives.

SERRANO reaches the dwellings of MARO, who had been his father's squire in AFRICA.

MARO dresses his wounds.

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Lines 101-551:

MARO tells the story of REGOLO as conqueror and as captive.

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Lines 552-589:

Mourning and consternation at ROMA after the deafeat in LAKE TRASIMENE.

SERRANO returns to his mother, MARCIA.

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Lines 590-618:

The ROMAN SENATE discuss plans of campaign.

GIOVE prevents ANNIBALE from marching on ROMA.

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Q. FABIO is chosen DICTATOR.

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Lines 619-640.

The wisdom of the dictator Q. FABIO.

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Lines 641-716.

ANNIBALE marches through UMBRIA and PICENUM to CAMPANIA.

At LITERNUM Annibale sees on the temple-walls pictures of scenes in the FIRST PUNIC WAR, and orders them to be burnt.

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END OF LIBRO VI

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LIBRO VII

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Lines 1-19:

The dictator FABIO determines to take no risks in the field.

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Lines 20-73:

CILNIO, one of FABIO's prisoners, informs ANNIBALE concerning the family history and character of FABIO.

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Lines 74-89:

RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES IN ROMA.

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Lines 90-122:

The dictator FABIO restores discipline in the Roman army.

ANNIBALE cannot tempt him to fight.

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Lines 123-161:

ANNIBALE moves to APULIA and tries to provoke FABIO by various devices.

ANNIBALE returns to CAMPANIA and ravages the FALERNIAN country.

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Lines 162-211:

THE VISIT OF BACCO to the peasant FALERNO.

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Lines 212-259:

The Roman dictator FABIO explains his policy of inaction to his discontented soldiers.

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Lines 260-267:

A trick of ANNIBALE's, to make the dictator FABIO more unpopular.

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Lines 268-376:

ANNIBALE, having got into a dangerous situation, breaks out by means of a stratagem and encamps on open ground.

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Lines 377-408:

The Roman dictator, FABIO, obliged to visit ROMA, warns MINUCIO against fighting.

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Lines 409-493:

A Carthaginian fleet lands in CAIETA.

The nymphs are terrified.

But the prophecy of PROTEO comforts them.

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Lines 494-522:

MINUCIO is given equal powers with the Roman dictator FABIO.

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Lines 523-579:

The Roman dictator FABIO returns and gives up half the army to MINUCIO.

MINUCIO rushly engages the enemy but is rescued by the dictator.

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Lines 730-750:

The Roman dictator FABIO is hailed as "father" by MINUCIO and the soldiers.

******************* END OF LIBRO VII.

LIBRO VIII

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Lines 1-24:

Annibale's anxiety is described.

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Lines 25-241:

GIUNONE sends ANNA to comfort ANNIBALE.

Anna, the sister of DIDONE, is now a nymph of the river NUMICIO.

ANNA tells her own history, and encourages ANNIBALE by foretelling the battle of CANNAE.

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Lines 242-277:

C. TERENZIO VARRONE is elected consule at ROMA.

His boastful speeches.

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Lines 278-297:

His colleague, L. EMILIO PAOLO is afraid to thwart VARRONE.

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Lines 298-348:

EMILIO PAOLO is advised by dictator FABIO to oppose VARRONE.

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Lines 349-621:

The Roman consuls start for APULIA. A catalogue of their troops.

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Lines 622-676:

Evil omens before the battle alarm the soldiers.

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LIBRO IX

Lines 1-65:

Varrone is eager to fight, and his boldness is increased by a successful skirmish.

 

Paolo tries in vain to restrain his colleague.

 

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LINES 66-177:

 

A horrible crime committed in ignorance during the night portends disaster to the Romans.

 

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LINES 178-243:

 

Annibale encourages his men and then draws them up in line of battle.

 

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LINES 244-277:

 

Varrone encourages his men and then draws them up in line of battle.

 

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LINES 278-x.325:

The Battle of CANNAE.

************************* END OF LIBRO IX.

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LIBRO X


Lines 1-325:

Description of the battle of Cannae continued.

Valour and death of

Paolo.

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Lines 326-370:


Flushed with victory, Annibale intends to

march on Rome next day.

But GIUNONE sends the god of Sleep

to stop him.

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Lines 371-386:

Annibale yields, in spite of the strong

protests of Mago.

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Lines 387-414:

The remnant of the Roman

army rally at Canusium : their miserable plight.

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Lines 415-448:

Metello proposes that the Romans should leave Italy.

But

Scipione threatens death to him and his sympathizers

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Lines 449-577:

Hannibal surveys the battle-field.

The faithful horse of Clelio: the story of his ancestress Clelia.

The body of

Paolo is found and buried.

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Lines 578-591:

Distress at Rome

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Lines 592-604:

The Roman dictator Fabio encourages his countrymen.

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Lines 605-622:

The Roman dictator FABIO also calms the fury of the populace against Varrone

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Lines 623-639:

Varrone returns to Rome.


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Lines 640-658:

The Roman Senate adopts

measures to enlist soldiers and continue the war.

****************END OF LIBRO X

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LIBRO XI
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Lines 1-27:

Many peoples of Italy revolt from Rome and join Hannibal.

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Lines 28-54:

Capua too is inclined to go over to the Carthaginians :

the wealth and luxurious habits of the citizens.

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Lines 55-129:

On the motion of Pacuvio, they send Virrio and other envoys

to Roma, asking that one of the two consuls should be a Campanian.

This demand is indignantly refused by Torquato, Fabio, and Marcello.

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Lines 130-189:

Capua goes over to

Hannibal :

Decius alone protests but in vain.

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Lines 190-258:

Hannibal starts for Capua.

ANNIBALE orders Decius to be arrested :

Decius defies his threats.

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Lines 259-368:

Hannibal visits the

city and is entertained at a great banquet.
 

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Lines 288-302:

Teuthras of Cumae, a musician, plays and sings.

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Lines 303-368:
 

The son of Pacuvio intends to stab Annibale while feasting 

but is induced by his father to give up his plan.

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Lines 369-376:

Mago is sent to Carthage to announce the victory.
 

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Lines 377-482:

Annibale winters at Capua.

Venus enfeebles the spirit of

his army.

ANNIBALE himself takes pleasure in the music of Teuthras

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Lines 483-553:

Meanwhile Mago reports at Carthage the successes of Hannibal and makes a fierce attack upon Hanno

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Lines 556-600:

Hanno replies, urging that peace should be made

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Lines 600-611:

But reinforcements are sent both to Spain and Italy.

******************** END OF LIBRO XI.

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LIBRO XII


Lines 1-103:

Hannibal leaves Capua. His troops have lost their vigour

and fail in attacks upon NAPOLI Cumae, and Puteoli

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Lines 103-157:


ANNIBALE visits Baiae and other famous places.

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Lines 168-294:
 

ANNIBALE marches against Nola but is beaten off by Marcello.


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Lines 295-341:

The Romans become more hopeful and are further

encouraged by an oracle from Delphi.


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Lines 342-419:


The war in

Sardinia : Torquatus defeats Hampsagoras : a tribute to

the poet Ennio.

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Lines 420-448:

Hannibal burns several cities

and takes the city of Tarentum but not the citadel.

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Lines 449-478:

ANNIBALE returns to defend Capua against a Roman blockade,

beating two Roman armies on the way.

He buries the body

of Tito Sempronio Gracco.

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Lines 479-540:


Unable to force his

way into Capua, he marches against Rome.

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Lines 541-557:

Consternation at Rome.



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Lines 558-573:

ANNIBALE examines the walls and

surroundings of the city of ROMA, but is driven back to his camp by

Fulvio Flacco who had hastened back from Campania

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Lines 574-667:

Two attempts to fight a battle are frustrated by

a terrible storm sent by Jupiter.

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Lines 668-730:

Making a third

attempt, he is stopped by GIUNONE, acting by Jupiter's command

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Lines 731-752:

Rejoicing of the Romans.

********************** END OF LIBRO XII.

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LIBRO XIII

Lines 1-93:

Hannibal withdraws to the river Tutia, and is prevented

from attacking Roma again by Dasio, a deserter, who explains that the city is impregnable so long as it contains the Palladium.

ANNIBALE returns to the land of the Bruttii.

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Lines 94-380.

The Romans take Capua.

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Lines 381-384:

Scipione's father and uncle

are defeated and killed in Spain.

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Lines 385-396:

This news of the death of his father and uncle induces Scipione to descend to Hades, to see the spirits of his kinsmen.

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Lines 397-893:

SCIPIONE sees many ghosts of famous men

and women in Hades.

Finally, the Sibyl predicts the death

of Hannibal.

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Lines 894-895:

Scipione then returns to the upper world.

***************** END OF LIBRO XIII

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LIBRO XIV


Lines 1-78:

The campaign of Marcellus in Sicily : a description of

the island.

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Lines 79-95:

Causes of the war. Death of Hiero, king

of Syracuse : succession of Hieronymus.

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Lines 96-109:

Hieronymus is murdered, and general confusion follows.

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Lines 110-124:

Marcellus prepares for action.

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Lines 125-177:

MARCELLO takes Leontini

by storm.

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Lines 178-191:

MARCELLO blockades Syracuse by land and sea

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Lines 192-247:

The Allies of Syracuse.

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Lines 248-257:

Allies of Rome

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Lines 258-276:

Sicilian allies of Cartagine.

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Lines 277-291:

Confidence of the Syracusans.

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Lines 292-352:

The genius of Archimedes foils all the attempts of the Romans.

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Lines 353-579:

A

sea-fight.

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Lines 580-617:

An outbreak of plague delays operations.

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Lines 618-684:

At last the city is taken.

*********** END OF LIBRO XIV.

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LIBRO XV

Lines 1-17:

The Roman Senate cannot decide what general to send to SPAGNA,  P. Cornelio Scipione is eager to go, but his kinsmen dissuade him.

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Lines 18-128: IL SOGNO DI SCIPIONE. Opera by Mozart.

SCIPIONE is visited by Virtue and Pleasure who

contend for his allegiance.

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Lines 129-151:

Encouraged by Virtue's arguments, SCIPIONE asks for the command and receives it : an

omen of success.

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Lines 152-179:

Scipione's fleet lands at Tarraco.

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Lines 180-250:

The ghost of his father exhorts SCIPIONE in a dream to take New

Carthage : he does so.

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Lines 251-285:

SCIPIONE sacrifices to the gods,

rewards his soldiers, and distributes the spoil.

He restores

a Spanish maiden to her lover and is praised by Lelio for

this action.

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Lines 286-319:

War against Philip, king of Macedon.

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Lines 320-333:

Fabio takes Tarentum by a trick.

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Lines 334-398:

The consuls, Marcello and Crispino, are beaten by Hannibal

and Marcello is killed.

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Lines 399-494:

In Spain Hasdrubal is put to flight by Scipione: praise of Laelius.

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Lines 493-514:

Hasdrubal crosses the Alps, to join his brother in Italy.

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Lines 515-559:
 

Great alarm at Rome.

The consul, C. Claudio Nerone, is warned in a dream by a personification of Italy to march

northwards against Hasdrubal.

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Lines 560-600.

The consul C. CLAUDIO Nerone joins the

other consul, M. Livio.

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Lines 601-807:

The battle of the

Metaurus.

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Lines 807-823:

The consule C. CLAUDIO Nerone returns to Lucania and displays

to Annibal ehis brother's head fixed on a pike.

 

************** END OF LIBRO XV.

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LIBRO XVI

Lines 1-22:

Hannibal moves about in the Bruttian country.

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Lines 25-26:
 

The Carthaginians are driven out of Spain : Mago is defeated

and fees to Carthage.

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Lines 28-77:


Hanno is taken prisoner by Scipione.

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Lines 78-114:

The army of Hasdrubal, son of Gisgo, is

destroyed.

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Lines 115-167:


Masinissa, a Numidian prince, joins

Scipione.

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Lines 68-74:

Scipione and Hasdrubal at the court of

Syphax, a Numidian king.

Syphax makes a treaty with the

Romans ; but evil omens follow.

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Lines 415-591:

Scipione returns to Spain and holds games in honour of his father and uncle

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Lines 592-700:

Scipione returns to Rome and is elected consul.

In spite of the opposition of Fabio, SCIPIONE gets permission to cross over to Africa.

************ END OF LIBRO XVI.

 

*****

LAST BOOK:

LIBRO XVII

 

Lines 1-5: The image of Cybele is brought from Phrygia to Rome

and received at Ostia by P. Scipio Nasica : the chastity of

Claudia is vindicated.

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Lines 40-58:

Scipione crosses to Africa.

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Lines 59-145:

SCIPIONE warns Syphax not to break faith with Rome.

The camp of Syphax is burnt, and SYPHAX is taken prisoner.

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Lines 146-157

Hasdrubal retreats to Carthage.

Annibale is recalled from Italy.

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Lines 158-169:

Annibale's dream before the arrival of the summons.

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Lines 170-217:

ANNIBALE leaves Italy in obedience to the summons.

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Lines 218-291:

ANNIBALE decides to go back to Italy but is prevented by a fearful storm.

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Lines 292-337:

After landing in Africa, ANNIBALE encourages his soldiers.

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Lines 338-384:

Jupiter and Juno converse about the fate of Annibale.

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Lines 385-617:

The battle of Zama.

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Lines 618-654:

Scipione returns in triumph to Rome.

*************************** END OF LIBRO XVII