_The Destruction of the Roman Infantry._
Sub equestris finem certaminis coorta est peditum pugna, primo et viribus et animis par, dum constabant ordines Gallis Hispanisque; tandem Romani, diu ac saepe conisi, obliqua fronte acieque densa impulere hostium cuneum nimis tenuem eoque parum {5} validum a cetera prominentem acie. Impulsis deinde ac trepide referentibus pedem institere ac tenore uno per praeceps pavore fugientium agmen in mediam primum aciem illati, postremo nullo resistente ad subsidia Afrorum pervenerunt, qui utrimque reductis {10} alis constiterant media, qua Galli Hispanique steterant, aliquantum prominente acie. Qui cuneus ut pulsus aequavit frontem primum, dein cedendo etiam sinum in medio dedit, Afri circa iam cornua fecerant irruentibusque incaute in medium Romanis circumdedere {15} alas; mox cornua extendendo clausere et ab tergo hostis. Hinc Romani, defuncti nequiquam proelio uno, omissis Gallis Hispanisque, quorum terga ceciderant, adversus Afros integram pugnam ineunt non tantum eo iniquam, quod inclusi adversus {20} circumfusos, sed etiam quod fessi cum recentibus ac vegetis pugnabant.
LIVY, xxii. 47.
[Linenotes: 1. +Sub ... certaminis+, i.e. _at the close of_ (+sub+) the first stage in the battle, in which the Roman cavalry were defeated.
2-3. +constabant ... Hispanisque.+ These formed Hannibal's centre, the _convex_ of his semicircular formation of his infantry, with the African troops on the horns of the semicircle to the right and left, but at some distance behind.
4. +obliqua fronte+, perh. = _concave_, so as to surround _the projecting part of the enemy's line_ (+a cetera prominentem acie+).
5. +cuneum:+ here = the _convex_ formation of the Gauls and Spaniards.
8-9. +in mediam aciem+ = _the centre of the line_, i.e. of the Gauls and Spaniards, who were intended to engage with the Romans first.
10. +subsidia+ = _reserves_, i.e. the Africans, on the right and left.
14-16. +Afri circa ... alas.+ Hannibal's formation is now reversed.[33] The horns (+cornua+) of the semicircle (the Africans) are now advanced, and _outflanked_ (+circumdedere alas+) the Romans, who rushed heedlessly _into the intervening space_ (+in medium+, i.e. the _concave_ part of H.'s line formed by the retirement of the Gauls and Spaniards).
21-22. +recentibus ac vegetis+ = _fresh in body and mind_.]
[Footnote 33: i.e. the Africans now formed the horns of a _crescent_ in relation to their centre, while it formed the _concave_ part of the crescent. --D.]
+Results of the Battle.+ Hannibal becomes master of Magna Graecia, and the Romans lose (including 23,000 taken prisoners) about 70,000 men.
C23
SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C. CANNAE, 216 B.C. (2)
'_Paulus animae magnae prodigus._'
Cn. Lentulus tribunus militum cum praetervehens equo sedentem in saxo cruore oppletum consulem vidisset, 'L. Aemili' inquit, 'quem unum insontem culpae cladis hodiernae dei respicere debent, cape hunc equum, dum et tibi virium aliquid superest, {5} et comes ego te tollere possum ac protegere. Ne funestam hanc pugnam morte consulis feceris; etiam sine hoc lacrimarum satis luctusque est.' Ad ea consul: 'Tu quidem, Cn.
Corneli, macte virtute esto; sed cave frustra miserando exiguum tempus e {10} manibus hostium evadendi absumas. Abi, nuntia publice patribus, urbem Romanam muniant ac, priusquam victor hostis advenit, praesidiis firment; privatim Q. Fabio L. Aemilium praeceptorum eius memorem et vixisse adhuc et mori. Memet in hac {15} strage militum meorum patere exspirare, ne aut reus iterum e consulatu sim aut accusator oollegae existam, ut alieno crimine innocentiam meam protegam.' Haec eos agentes prius turba fugientium civium, deinde hostes oppressere; consulem ignorantes, {20} quis esset, obruere telis, Lentulum inter tumultum arripuit equus. Tum undique effuse fugiunt.
LIVY, xxii. 49.
[Linenotes: 1. +praetervehens equo+ = _riding by_. +praetervehor+ used here as a deponent. --Dimsdale.
2. +oppletum+ (= _perfusum_) = _covered_ (lit. _filled up_), or _drenched_.
4. +respicere+ = _to look on with favour_. --D.
9. +macte virtute esto+ = lit. _go on and prosper in your courage_.
+mactus+ = i. _magis + auctus_ = _increased_, _glorified_, or more prob. ii. = old partic. of obsolete _mago_ (= _augeo_), from va? e.g. in ??-a?. Vocative used as nominative.
14. +praeceptorum.+ His self-sacrifice was not in vain. The tactics of Fabius were again adopted after his death.
15. +et vixisse adhuc et mori+ = _died as he had ever lived_. --D.
17. +reus iterum e consulatu+ = _a second time to stand on my defence in consequence of my consulship_, i.e. on a charge that grew out of his acts as Consul (219 B.C.) with M. Livius Salinator of misappropriation of the spoils at the close of the Illyrian War.
18-19. +ut ... protegam.+ The two Consuls had the chief command of the army on alternate days. Varro was in command at Cannae.]
'The overthrow of Cannae was so complete that every other nation but the Romans would have given up the idea of further resistance.' --Ihne.
C24
SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C. CANNAE, 216 B.C. (3)
A. _Maharbal urges Hannibal to march on Rome._
Hannibali victori cum ceteri circumfusi gratularentur suaderentque, ut tanto perfunctus bello diei quod reliquum esset noctisque insequentis quietem et ipse sibi sumeret et fessis daret militibus, Maharbal praefectus equitum, minime cessandum ratus, 'Immo {5} ut, quid hac pugna sit actum, scias, die quinto' inquit 'victor in Capitolio epulaberis.
Sequere: cum equite, ut prius venisse quam venturum sciant, praecedam.'
Hannibali nimis laeta res est visa maiorque, quam ut eam statim capere animo posset. Itaque voluntatem {10} se laudare Maharbalis ait; ad consilium pensandum temporis opus esse. Tum Maharbal: 'Non omnia nimirum eidem di dedere; vincere scis, Hannibal, victoria uti nescis.' Mora eius diei satis creditur saluti fuisse urbi atque imperio. {15}
LIVY, xxii. 51.
[Linenotes: 2-4. +diei ... sumeret+ = _he should take what remained of that day and the following night for rest_. --Church and Brodribb.
8. +venisse+, sc. +te+, suggested by +sequere+. --Dimsdale.
9. +res+ = _the idea_, i.e. of such a rapid termination to the war.
--D.
Hannibal was too far off (11 days' march) to take Rome by storm. Its population contained as many soldiers as his army, and the city was strongly fortified by its situation and by art.]
B. _Scipio forbids the Nobles to abandon Italy._
Post Cannensem cladem perculsis ita Romanorum animis, ut pars magna reliquiarum nobilissimis auctoribus deserendae Italiae iniret consilium, P. Scipio adulescens admodum impetu facto, in eo ipso in quo talia agitabantur coetu pronuntiavit manu se {20} sua interfecturum, nisi qui iurasset non esse sibi mentem destituendae rei publicae: cumque ipse se primus religione tali obligasset, stricto gladio mortem uni ex proximis minatus, nisi acciperet sacramentum, illum metu, ceteros etiam exemplo coegit ad iurandum. {25}
FRONTINUS, _Strat._ iv. 7. 39.
[Linenote: 18. +P. Scipio adulescens+, i.e. P. Corn. Scipio Africanns Maior, _fatalis dux huiusce belli_, the predestined champion in this war.]
+Parallel Passage.+ Livy, xxii. 53, and cf. Livy, v. 50-55, where Camillus dissuades the commons from migrating to Veii.
C25
SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C.
A. _Rome's Heroes._
Regulum et Scauros animaeque magnae Prodigum Paulum superante Poeno Gratus insigni referam Camena Fabriciumque. 40 Hunc et incomptis Curium capillis Utilem bello tulit et Camillum Saeva paupertas et avitus apto Cum lare fundus. 44 Crescit occulto velut arbor aevo Fama Marcelli; micat inter omnes Iulium sidus velut inter ignes Luna minores. 48
HORACE, _Odes_, I. xii. 37-48.
[Linenotes: 37. +Scauros+[34] (= +Scaurum+) = _such men as Scaurus_. Censor, 100 B.C.
40. +Fabricium+, who despised the bribes of Pyrrhus. Censor 275 B.C.
See p. 101, Fabricius the Just. [[Selection D42]]
43-44. +apto cum lare+ = _with homestead to match_. --Gow.]
[Footnote 34: Cf. in French, _Les Vergiles_.]
B. _The Dream of Propertius._
Visus eram molli recubans Heliconis in umbra, Bellerophontei qua fluit umor equi, Reges, Alba, tuos et regum facta tuorum, Tantum operis, nervis hiscere posse meis; 4 Parvaque tam magnis admoram fontibus ora, Unde pater sitiens Ennius ante bibit, Et cecini Curios fratres et Horatia pila, Regiaque Aemilia vecta tropaea rate, 8 Victricesque moras Fabii pugnamque sinistram Cannensem et versos ad pia vota deos, Hannibalemque Lares Romana sede fugantes, Anseris et tutum voce fuisse Iovem. 12
PROPERTIUS, III. (IV.) iii. (ii.) 1-12.
+Subject:+--Propertius had tremblingly touched the mighty fount with his lips (l. 5): he dreamed that he essayed, in consequence, to follow the example of Ennius.