SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C.
_The Siege of Saguntum, 219 B.C._
Angulus muri erat in planiorem patentioremque quam cetera circa vallem vergens; adversus eum vineas agere inst.i.tuit, per quas aries moenibus admoveri posset. Sed ut locus procul muro satis aequus agendis vineis fuit, ita haudquaquam prospere, {5} postquam ad effectum operis ventum est, coeptis succedebat. Et turris ingens imminebat, et murus, ut in suspecto loco, supra ceterae modum alt.i.tudinis emunitus erat, et iuventus delecta, ubi plurimum periculi ac timoris ostendebatur, ibi vi maiore obsistebant. {10} Ac primo missilibus summovere hostem nec quicquam satis tutum munientibus pati; deinde iam non pro moenibus modo atque turri tela micare, sed ad erumpendum etiam in stationes operaque hostium animus erat; quibus tumultuariis certaminibus {15} haud ferme plures Saguntini cadebant quam Poeni. Ut vero Hannibal ipse, dum murum incautius subit, adversum femur tragula graviter ictus cecidit, tanta circa fuga ac trepidatio fuit, ut non multum abesset, quin opera ac vineae desererentur. {20}
LIVY, xxi. 7.
[Linenotes: 2. +quam cetera+ (sc. _loca_) +circa+ = _than the neighbouring country_.
4-5. +ut ... ita+ = lit. _as ... so_, i.e. _although ... yet ..._ 6. +postquam ... ventum est+ = _when they came to attack the wall in earnest_. +Effectum+ (verbal noun in _us_) = _the completion of the work_, i.e. the bringing up of the ram. --Dimsdale.
8. +ut in suspecto loco+ = _as (was natural) in a suspected_ (i.e.
weak) _spot_. --Capes.
11-12. +nec quicquam ... pati+ = _they allowed those engaged on the works no sort of safety_, lit. not (even) moderate safety. --D.
18. +adversum femur+ = _in the front of the thigh_.]
+SAGUNTUM+ (Murviedro = muri veteres) in Hispania Tarraconensis (about 20 miles S. of Valencia) was supposed to have been founded by Greek colonists from Zacynthos (Zante). In 226 B.C. Rome made an alliance with Saguntum and Hasdrubal was informed of the fact. Hannibal attacked the city ostensibly on the ground of its having molested subject-allies of Carthage, but really because he was unwilling to leave a strong city in his rear, and wished to obtain funds. After an eight months" siege and a heroic defence, characteristic of Spanish towns, it was taken by storm 219 B.C.
_Nec pavet hic populus (Ma.s.silia) pro libertate subire Obsessum Poeno gessit quod Marte Saguntum._
LUCAN, _Phars._ iii. 349-50.
Cf. also Juv. _Sat._ xv. 113-14, and the siege of Saragossa, 1808 A.D.
C12
SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C.
A. _The Dream of Hannibal._
Hannibalem Coelius scribit, c.u.m cep.i.s.set Saguntum, visum esse in somnis a Iove in deorum concilium vocari; quo c.u.m venisset, Iovem impera.s.se ut Italiae bellum inferret, ducemque ei unum e concilio datum: quo illum utentem c.u.m exercitu progredi {5} coep.i.s.se; tum ei ducem illum praecep.i.s.se ne respiceret; illum autem id diutius facere non potuisse elatumque cupiditate respexisse: tum visam belluam vastam et immanem, circ.u.mplicatam serpentibus, quacunque incederet, omnia arbusta, virgulta, tecta {10} pervertere.
CICERO, _De Divinatione_, i. 24, 49.
[Linenotes: 1. +Coelius+, i.e. L. Coelius Antipater (a contemporary of C.
Gracchus 123 B.C.), wrote Annales, which contained a valuable account of the Second Punic War. Livy borrows largely from his narrative.
7. +id ... non potuisse.+ Cf. Livy "temperare oculis nequivisse = he could not restrain his eyes."
8. +cupiditate+ = _from curiosity_. Cf. Livy "cura ingeni humani = with the natural curiosity of the human mind."
8-11. +visam belluam ... pervertere+ = _he thought he saw a monster overthrowing_.]
B. _The Interpretation--Vast.i.tatem esse Italiae._
Hoc trepidus monstro ... ardua quae sit, 198...200 Scitatur, pestis, terrasque urgentia membra Quo ferat et quosnam populos deposcat hiatu.
Cui gelidis almae Cyllenes editus antris: "Bella vides optata tibi: te maxima bella, Te strages nemorum, te moto turbida caelo 205 Tempestas, caedesque virum, magnaeque ruinae Idaei generis, lacrimosaque fata sequuntur.
Quantus per campos populatis montibus actus Contorquet silvas squalenti tergore serpens, Et late umectat terras spumante veneno: 210 Tantus, perdomitis decurrens Alpibus atro Involves bello Italiam, tantoque fragore Eruta convulsis prosternes oppida muris."
SILIUS ITALICUS, iii. 198-213.
[Linenotes: 202. +hiatu+ = _with its wide-open mouth_.
203. +Cyllenes+, i.e. Mt. Cyllene (Zyria), the highest point in the Peloponnesus, on the borders of Arcadia and Achaia, where Hermes is said to have been born: hence styled _Cyllenius_.
209. +tergore = tergo+. poet. and post-Augustian.]
+Parallel Pa.s.sage.+ Livy xxi. 22, and cf. Polybius iii. 47.
C13
SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C.
_From the Pyrenees to the Rhone. Pa.s.sage of the Elephants._
Elephantorum traiciendorum varia consilia fuisse credo, certe variat memoria actae rei. . . . Ceterum magis constat ratibus traiectos esse elephantos. Ratem unam ducentos longam pedes quinquaginta latam a terra in amnem porrexerunt, quam, ne {5} secunda aqua deferretur, pluribus validis retinaculis parte superiore ripae religatam pontis in modum humo iniecta constraverunt, ut beluae audacter velut per solum ingrederentur.
Altera ratis aeque lata, longa pedes centum, ad traiciendum flumen apta, {10} huic copulata est; tum elephanti per stabilem ratem tamquam viam praegredientibus feminis acti ubi in minorem applicatam transgressi sunt, extemplo resolutis, quibus leviter annexa erat, vinculis ab actuariis aliquot navibus ad alteram ripam pertrahitur. Ita {15} primis expositis alii deinde repet.i.ti ac traiecti sunt. Nihil sane trepidabant, donec continenti velut ponte agerentur; primus erat pavor, c.u.m soluta ab ceteris rate in altum raperentur. Ibi urgentes inter se cedentibus extremis ab aqua trepidationis aliquantum {20} edebant, donec quietem ipse timor circ.u.mspectantibus aquam fecisset. Excidere etiam saevientes quidam in flumen; sed pondere ipso stabilis deiectis rectoribus quaerendis pedetemptim vadis in terram evasere. {25}
LIVY, xxi. 28.
[Linenotes: 2. +variat ... rei+ = _the accounts of what was done differ_.
--Dimsdale.
7. +parte superiore ... pontis+ = _fastened to the upper part of the bank_, i.e. to the bank at a point higher up stream. --D.
9. +per solum+ = _on firm ground_.
14. +ab actuariis+ = _by some light craft_, lit. "Easily moved"
(_ago_).
17-18. +donec ... agerentur+ = _So long as they were being driven on what seemed a bridge connected with the land._ --C. and B.
_Agebantur_ would be more usual, but _agerentur_ may give the reason of _nihil trepidabant_. Cf. _donec--fecisset_ ll. 21-22.
19. +in altum+ = _into mid stream_, usu. of the Sea. --D.
+inter se+ = _one on another_, _alii alios_.
24. +quaerendis pedetemptim vadis+ = _feeling their way into shallow water_. +pedetemptim+ = _step by step_, lit. "stretching out the feet" (_pes + tendo_). Cf. _paulatim_, _sensim_.]
+Reference.+ Polybius, iii. 46. Both Polybius and Livy thought that elephants could not swim.
C14
SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C.
_From the Rhone to Italy. Hannibal encourages his Soldiers._
Itaque Hannibal, postquam ipsi sententia stet.i.t pergere ire atque Italiam petere, advocata contione varie militum versat animos castigando adhortandoque: mirari se, quinam pectora semper impavida repens terror invaserit. . . . Alpes quidem habitari, coli, {5} gignere atque alere animantes; pervias fauces esse exercitibus. Eos ipsos, quos cernant, legatos non pinnis sublime elatos Alpes transgressos. Ne maiores quidem eorum indigenas, sed advenas Italiae cultores has ipsas Alpes ingentibus saepe agminibus c.u.m {10} liberis ac coniugibus migrantium modo tuto transmisisse. Militi quidem armato nihil sec.u.m praeter instrumenta belli portanti quid invium aut inexsuperabile esse? Saguntum ut caperetur, quid per octo menses periculi, quid laboris exhaustum esse! {15} Romam, caput orbis terrarum, petentibus quicquam adeo asperum atque arduum videri, quod inceptum moretur? Cep.i.s.se quondam Gallos ea, quae adiri posse Poenus desperet. Proinde aut cederent animo atque virtute genti per eos dies totiens ab se victae, {20} aut itineris finem sperent campum interiacentem Tiberi ac moenibus Romanis.
LIVY, xxi. 30.
[Linenotes: 2-3. +varie ... versat+ = _works on their minds by different methods_, i.e. +castigando adhortandoque+.--Dimsdale.
4-5. +repens terror.+ Livy says that H."s soldiers dreaded the Romans (victorious in the 1st Punic War), but still more the exaggerated and unknown terrors of the Alps.
7. +Eos ipsos legatos+, i.e. of the Boii (Insubrian Gauls), long settled in Gallia Cisalpina (round Mediolanum = Milan).
9. +advenas Italiae cultores+ = _foreign settlers in Italy_.
_advenas_ = adj. here. --D.
11. +migrantium modo+ = _as immigrants_.
16. +Romam caput orbis.+ A rhetorical exaggeration, for Rome was not yet mistress even of all Italy (e.g. the Boii not subdued until 191 B.C.).
18. +Cep.i.s.se Gallos.+ The Gauls sacked Rome 390 B.C.