[Sidenote: U.C. 514.]
5. After these, came tragedy and comedy, which were borrowed from the Greeks: indeed, the first dramatic poet of Rome, whose name was Liv"ius Andronicus, was a native of one of the Greek colonies in southern Italy. 6. The instant these finer kinds of composition appeared, this great people rejected their former impurities with disdain. From thenceforward they laboured upon the Grecian model; and though they were never able to rival their masters in dramatic composition, they soon surpa.s.sed them in many of the more soothing kinds of poetry. Elegiac, pastoral, and didactic compositions began to a.s.sume new beauties in the Roman language; and satire, not that rude kind of dialogue already mentioned, but a n.o.bler sort, was all their own.
7. While they were thus cultivating the arts of peace, they were not unmindful of making fresh preparations for war; intervals of ease seemed to give fresh vigour for new designs, rather than relax their former intrepidity.
[Sidenote: U.C. 527.]
8. The Illyr"ians were the first people upon whom they tried their strength. That nation happened to make depredations upon some of the trading subjects of Rome, which being complained of to Teuta, the queen of the country, she, instead of granting redress, ordered the amba.s.sadors, who were sent to demand rest.i.tution, to be murdered. 9. A war ensued, in which the Romans were victorious; most of the Illy"ric towns were surrendered to the consuls, and a peace at last concluded, by which the greatest part of the country was ceded to Rome; a yearly tribute was exacted for the rest, and a prohibition added, that the Illyr"ians should not sail beyond the river Lissus with more than two barks, and those unarmed.
10. The Gauls were the next people that incurred the displeasure of the Romans. 11. A time of peace, when the armies were disbanded, was the proper season for new irruptions; accordingly, these barbarians invited fresh forces from beyond the Alps, and entering Etru"ria, wasted all with fire and sword, till they came within about three days" journey of Rome. 12. A praetor and a consul were sent to oppose them, who, now instructed in the improved arts of war, were enabled to surround the Gauls. 13. It was in vain that those hardy troops, who had nothing but courage to protect them, formed two fronts to oppose their adversaries; their naked bodies and undisciplined forces were unable to withstand the shock of an enemy completely armed, and skilled in military evolutions. 14. A miserable slaughter ensued, in which forty thousand were killed, and ten thousand taken prisoners. 15. This victory was followed by another, gained by Marcel"lus, in which he killed Viridoma"rus, their king, with his own hand. 16. These conquests forced them to beg for peace, the conditions of which served greatly to enlarge the empire. Thus the Romans went on with success; retrieved their former losses, and only wanted an enemy worthy of their arms to begin a new war.
17. The Carthagin"ians had made peace solely because they were no longer able to continue the war. They, therefore, took the earliest opportunity of breaking the treaty, and besieged Sagun"tum, a city of Spain, which had been in alliance with Rome; and, though desired to desist, prosecuted their operations with vigour. 18. Amba.s.sadors were sent, in consequence, from Rome to Carthage, complaining of the infraction of their articles, and required that Han"nibal, the Carthagin"ian general, who had advised this measure, should be delivered up: which being refused, both sides prepared for a second Punic war.
19. The Carthaginians trusted the management of it to Han"nibal. 20.
This extraordinary man had been made the sworn foe of Rome, almost from his infancy; for, while yet very young, his father brought him before the altar, and obliged him to take an oath, that he would never be in friendship with the Romans, nor desist from opposing their power, until he or they should be no more. 21. On his first appearance in the field, he united in his own person the most masterly method of commanding, with the most perfect obedience to his superiors. Thus he was equally beloved by his generals, and the troops he was appointed to lead. 22. He was possessed of the greatest courage in opposing danger, and the greatest presence of mind in retiring from it. No fatigue was able to subdue his body, nor any misfortune to break his spirit; he was equally patient of heat and cold, and he took sustenance merely to content nature, not to delight his appet.i.te.
He was the best horseman and the swiftest runner, of the time. 23.
This great general, who is considered as the most skilful commander of antiquity, having overrun all Spain, and levied a large army composed of various nations, resolved to carry the war into Italy itself, as the Romans had before carried it into the dominions of Carthage. 24.
For this purpose, leaving Hanno with a sufficient force to guard his conquests in Spain, he crossed the Pyrene"an mountains into Gaul, with an army of fifty thousand foot, and nine thousand horse. He quickly traversed that country, which was then wild and extensive, and filled with nations that were his declared enemies.
25. In vain its forests and rivers appeared to intimidate; in vain the Rhone, with its rapid current, and its banks covered with enemies, or the Dura branched out into numberless channels, opposed his way; he pa.s.sed them all with undaunted spirit, and in ten days arrived at the foot of the Alps, over which he was to explore a new pa.s.sage into Italy. 26. It was in the midst of winter when this astonishing project was undertaken. The season added new horrors to the scene. The prodigious height and tremendous steepness of these mountains, capped with snow; the people barbarous and fierce, dressed in skins, and with long s.h.a.ggy hair, presented a picture that impressed the beholders with astonishment and terror. 27. But nothing was capable of subduing the courage of the Carthaginian general. At the end of fifteen days, spent in crossing the Alps, he found himself in the plains of Italy, with about half his army; the other half having died of cold, or been cut off by the natives.
_Questions for Examination_.
1. What was the consequence of the conclusion of the first Punic war?
2. What advantages did the Romans derive from this interval of peace?
3. What species of entertainment had they hitherto enjoyed?
4. What succeeded these low buffooneries?
5. What was the next species, and from whom was it borrowed?
6. Did their former amus.e.m.e.nts still continue to please?
7. Were the Romans attentive only to the arts of peace?
8. Who first incurred their resentment, and what was their offence?
9. What was the consequence?
10. Who next incurred the displeasure of the Romans? 11. What was their offence, and what favourable opportunity did they choose?
12. What steps were taken to oppose them?
13. Did the Gauls make any effectual resistance?
14. What was the result of the battle?
15. Did this victory decide the contest?
16. What advantages occurred to the Romans from this war?
17. Were the Carthaginians sincere in their overture for peace?
18. What was the consequence of this refusal?
19. To whom was the conduct of the war committed by the Carthaginians?
20. What rendered Hannibal particularly eligible to this post?
21. Was he a favourite with the army?
22. Describe his corporeal and mental qualifications?
23. What resolution did he adopt?
24. What measures did he take for that purpose?
25. Was he not deterred by the dangers of the way?
26. What rendered this pa.s.sage peculiarly difficult?
27. Did these horrors render the attempt unsuccessful?
SECTION II.
With Hannibal I cleft yon Alpine rocks.
With Hannibal choked Thrasymene with slaughter; But, O the night of Cannae"s raging field!
When half the Roman senate lay in blood.--_Young_.
1. As soon as it was known at Rome, that Han"nibal, at the head of an immense army, was crossing the Alps, the senate sent Scip"io to oppose him; the armies met near the little river Tici"nus, and the Roman general was obliged to retreat with considerable loss. 2. In the mean time, Han"nibal, thus victorious, took the most prudent precautions to increase his army; giving orders always to spare the possessions of the Gauls, while depredations were committed upon those of Rome; and this so pleased that simple people, that they declared for him in great numbers, and flocked to his standard with alacrity.
3. The second battle was fought upon the banks of the river Tre"bia.
4. The Carthaginian general, being apprised of the Roman impetuosity, of which he availed himself in almost every engagement, had sent off a thousand horse, each with a foot soldier behind, to cross the river, to ravage the enemy"s country, and provoke them to engage. The Romans quickly routed this force. Seeming to be defeated, they took the river, and were as eagerly pursued by Sempro"nius, the consul. No sooner had his army attained the opposite bank, than he perceived himself half-conquered, his men being fatigued with wading up to their arm-pits, and quite benumbed by the intense coldness of the water 5. A total route ensued; twenty-six thousand of the Romans were either killed by the enemy, or drowned in attempting to repa.s.s the river. A body of ten thousand men were all that survived; who, finding themselves enclosed on every side, broke desperately through the enemy"s ranks, and fought, retreating, till they found shelter in the city of Placentia.
6. The third defeat the Romans sustained was at the lake of Thrasyme"ne, near to which was a chain of mountains, and between these and the lake, a narrow pa.s.sage leading to a valley that was embosomed in hills. It was upon these hills that Han"nibal disposed his best troops and it was into this valley that Flamin"ius, the Roman general, led his men to attack him. 7. A disposition every way so favourable for the Carthaginians, was also a.s.sisted by accident; for a mist rising from the lake, kept the Romans from seeing their enemies; while the army upon the mountains, being above its influence, saw the whole disposition of their opponents. 8. The fortune of the day was such as might be expected from the conduct of the two generals. The Roman army was slaughtered, almost before they could perceive the enemy that destroyed them. About fifteen thousand Romans, with Flamin"ius himself, fell in the valley, and six thousand more were obliged to yield themselves prisoners of war.
9. Upon the news of this defeat, after the general consternation was allayed, the senate resolved to elect a commander with absolute authority, in whom they might repose their last and greatest expectations. 10. The choice fell upon Fa"bius Max"imus, a man of great courage, with a happy mixture of caution. 11. He was apprised that the only way to humble the Carthaginians at such a distance from home, was rather by hara.s.sing than fighting. For this purpose, he always encamped upon the highest grounds, inaccessible to the enemy"s cavalry. Whenever they moved, he watched their motions, straitened their quarters, and cut off their provisions.
12. By these arts, Fa"bius had actually, at one time, enclosed Han"nibal among mountains, where it was impossible to winter, and from which it was almost impracticable to extricate his army without imminent danger. 13. In this exigence, nothing but one of those stratagems of war, which only men of great abilities invent, could save him. 14. He ordered a number of small f.a.ggots and lighted torches to be tied to the horns of two thousand oxen, which should be driven towards the enemy. These, tossing their heads, and funning up the sides of the mountain, seemed to fill the whole neighbouring forest with fire; while the sentinels that were placed to guard the approaches to the mountain, seeing such a number of flames advancing towards their posts, fled in consternation, supposing the whole body of the enemy was in arms to overwhelm them. 15. By this stratagem Han"nibal drew off his army, and escaped through the defiles that led beneath the hills, though with considerable damage to his rear.
16. Fa"bius, still pursuing the same judicious measures, followed Han"nibal in all his movements, but at length received a letter from the senate, recalling him to Rome, on pretence of a solemn sacrifice, requiring his presence. 17. On his departure from the army, he strictly charged Minu"tius, his general of the horse, not to hazard an engagement in his absence. This command he disobeyed, and Fa"bius expressed his determination to punish so flagrant a breach of military discipline. 18. The senate, however, favouring Minu"tius, gave him an equal authority with the dictator. 19. On the arrival of Fa"bius at the camp, he divided the army with Minu"tius, and each pursued his own separate plan. 20. By artful management, Han"nibal soon brought the troops of the latter to an engagement, and they would have been cut off to a man, had not Fa"bius sacrificed his private resentment to the public good, and hastened to the relief of his colleague. 21. By their united forces Han"nibal was repulsed, and Minu"tius, conscious of his rashness, resigned the supreme command into the hands of the dictator.
22. On the expiration of his year of office, Fa"bius resigned, and Taren"tius Varro was chosen to the command. 23. Varro was a man sprung from the dregs of the people, with nothing but confidence and riches to recommend him. 24. With him was joined aemil"ius Paulus, of a disposition entirely opposite; experienced, in the field, cautious in action, and impressed with a thorough contempt for the abilities of his plebeian colleague.
25. The Romans finding themselves enabled to bring a competent force into the field, being almost ninety thousand strong, now again resolved to meet Han"nibal, who was at this time encamped near the village of Cannae, with a wind in his rear, that, for a certain season, blows constantly one way, which, raising great clouds of dust from the parched plains behind, he knew must greatly distress an approaching enemy. In this situation he waited the coming of the Romans with an army of forty thousand foot, and half that number of cavalry. 26. The consuls soon appeared to his wish, dividing their forces into two parts, and agreeing to take the command each day by turns. 27. On the first day of their arrival, aemil"ius was entirely averse to engaging. The next day, however, it being Varro"s turn to command, he, without asking his colleague"s concurrence, gave the signal for battle: and pa.s.sing the river Au"fidus, that lay between both armies, put his forces in array. 28. The battle began with the light-armed infantry; the horse engaged soon after; but the cavalry being unable to stand against those of Numid"ia, the legions came up to reinforce them. It was then that the conflict became general; the Roman soldiers endeavoured, in vain, to penetrate the centre, where the Gauls and Spaniards fought; which Han"nibal observing, he ordered part of those troops to give way, and to permit the Romans to embosom themselves within a chosen body of his Africans, whom he had placed on their wings, so as to surround them; upon that a terrible slaughter of the Romans ensued, fatigued with repeated attacks of the Africans, who were fresh and vigorous. 29. At last the rout became general in every part of the Roman army; the boastings of Varro were now no longer heard: while aemil"ius, who had been wounded by a slinger, feebly led on his body of horse, and did all that could be done to make head against the enemy. 30. Unable to sit on horseback, he was forced to dismount. It was in these deplorable circ.u.mstances, that one Len"tulus, a tribune of the army, flying from the enemy, who at some distance pursued him, met aemil"ius, sitting upon a stone, covered with blood and wounds, and waiting for the coming up of the pursuers. 31.