Helps to Latin Translation at Sight Part 36

[Footnote 31: Var. lect. _terrentium_ = of those causing fear.]

[Linenotes: 4. +ad arma capienda aptandaque+ = _to seize and put on for the battle their arms_. --Dimsdale.

5. +onerati:+ i.e. most were cut down in their full marching equipment.

8-9. +mixtos ... clamores+ = _the mingled shouts of noisy triumph_ (+strepentium+) _or dismay_.

10. +pugnantium ... haerebant+ = _rushed upon a knot_ (+globo+) _of combatants, and became entangled with it_. --Jebb.

14. +a fronte+, i.e. by Hannibal's African and Spanish infantry.

+ab tergo+, i.e. by Hannibal's cavalry and the Gauls.

18-19. +non illa ... triarios+ = _not in that well-known_ (+illa+) _mode of fighting_ (sc. +pugna+) _arranged according to_. . . . Livy refers to the old mode of formation (said to have been introduced by Camillus) of i. +hastati+, _of young men_, ii. +principes+, _of men at their prime_, iii. +triarii+, _of middle-aged men_.]

+References:+ Polybius, iii. 82-84; Ihne, _Hist._ vol, i. pp. 204-10.

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SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C.

_The Battle of Lake Trasimene, 217 B.C._ (3)

_The Death of Flaminius._

Dumque ea commemorat densosque obit obvius hostes, Advolat ora ferus mentemque Ducarius. Acri 645 Nomen erat gentile viro, fusisque catervis Boiorum quondam patriis, antiqua gerebat Vulnera barbaricae mentis, noscensque superbi Victoris vultus, 'Tune, inquit, maximus ille Boiorum terror? libet hoc cognoscere telo, 650 Corporis an tanti manet de vulnere sanguis.

Nec vos poeniteat, populares, fortibus umbris Hoc mactare caput: nostros hic curribus egit Insistens victos alta ad Capitolia patres.

Ultrix hora vocat.' Pariter tunc undique fusis 655 Obruitur telis, nimboque mente per auras Contectus nulli dextra iactare reliquit Flaminium cecidisse sua. Nec pugna perempto Ulterior ductore fuit; namque agmine denso Primores iuvenum, laeva ob discrimina Martis 660 Infensi superis dextrisque, et cernere Poenum Victorem plus morte rati, super ocius omnes Membra ducis stratosque artus certamine magno Telaque corporaque et non fausto Marte cruentas Iniecere ma.n.u.s. Sic densi caedis acervo 665 Ceu tumulo, texere virum.

SILIUS ITALICUS, v. 644-666.

[Linenotes: 644. +Dum ... hostes+, i.e. after Flaminius' vain attempt to rally and form his men, and his consequent resolve to atone for his fault (_inexplorato_[32] _angustiis superatis_) with his life.

646. +Ducarius+--Livy, 'an Insubrian (Lombard) trooper.'

651. +manet+ = _will flow_. Cf. _emanate_.

652. +populares+ = _fellow-countrymen_, but of Romans usu. _civis_.

658-666. Livy says more simply 'He (Ducarius) was trying to despoil the corpse, when some veterans screened it with their shields.'

660. +laeva+ = _unfavourable_, lit. 'on the left side.' Cf.

_sinister_.]

[Footnote 32: See p. 124, l. 2, note.]

[[Selection C17, "inexplorato"]]

+Parallel Pa.s.sages.+--Livy, xxii. 6; Polyb. iii. 84.

+Character of Flaminius.+ 'The party feelings which have so coloured the language of the ancient writers (e.g. Livy, Polybius) respecting him need not be shared by a modern historian. Flaminius was indeed an unequal antagonist to Hannibal; but, in his previous life, as Consul and as Censor, he had served his country well; and if the defile of Trasimene witnessed his rashness, it also contains his honourable grave.' Arnold, _Hist. Rome_, iii. 110.

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SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C.

_Quintus Fabus Maximus Cunctator._

Ego Q. Maximum, eum qui Tarentum recepit, senem adulescens ita dilexi, ut aequalem. Erat enim in illo viro comitate condita gravitas, nec senectus mores mutaverat. . . . Hic et bella gerebat ut adulescens, c.u.m plane grandis esset, et Hannibalem {5} iuveniliter exsultantem patientia sua molliebat; de quo praeclare familiaris noster Ennius:

_Unus h.o.m.o n.o.bis cunctando rest.i.tuit rem; Noenum rumores ponebat ante salutem; Ergo plusque magisque viri nunc gloria claret._ 10

Nec vero in armis praestantior quam in toga; qui consul iterum, Sp.

Carvilio collega quiescente, C. Flaminio tribuno plebis, quoad potuit, rest.i.tit agrum Picentem et Gallic.u.m viritim contra senatus auctoritatem dividenti. . . . Multa in eo viro praeclara {15} cognovi, sed nihil admirabilius quam quo modo ille mortem fili tulit, clari viri et consularis. Est in manibus laudatio, quam eum legimus, quem philosophum non contemnimus? Nec vero ille in luce modo atque in oculis civium magnus, sed intus {20} domique praestantior.

CICERO, _De Senectute_, ---- 10-12.

[Linenotes: 1. +Ego+, i.e. M. Porcius Cato, the famous Censor of 184 B.C.

+eum qui Tarentum recepit.+ Tarentum was betrayed to Hannibal 212 B.C. and _recovered_ by Fabius 209 B.C.

2-3. +Erat ... gravitas+ = _that hero possessed dignity tempered by courtesy_. --J. S. R. +condita+ (_condio_) = lit. _seasoned_.

5. +grandis+, sc. _natu_. He was consul for a first time in 233 B.C.

6. +iuveniliter.+ Hannibal was 29 when he crossed the Alps.

+exsultantem+ = _wildly roaming_, of a horse galloping at will.

7. +noster Ennius+, circ. 239-169 B.C., famous espec. for his Annales in Hexameter verse. He was the first Latin writer to use this metre.

9. +Noenum+ (_ne + oinum_ = _not one thing_) = _non_. Cf. _nihil_ = _ne + hilum_ = not a whit, nothing.

12-14. Flaminius, when tribune 232 B.C., by a vote of the Comitia Tributa (i.e. by a _plebiscitum_) and against the expressed wish of the Senate (_contra senatus auctoritatem_) carried an agrarian law for the division of public land in Picenum amongst Roman citizens.

18. +laudatio+, sc. _funebris_, the funeral speech.

19-20. +in luce ... civium+ = _in public and under the gaze of his fellow-countrymen_. --J. S. R.]

+References.+ Polybius, iii. 89, 90; Livy, xxii. 12; Plutarch, _Fabius_, vi.

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SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C.

_Fabius and his Master of the Horse, 217 B.C._

Ita per variam fortunam diei maiore parte exacta c.u.m in castra reditum esset, Minucius convocatis militibus 'Saepe ego' inquit 'audivi, milites, eum primum esse virum, qui ipse consulat, quid in rem sit, secundum eum, qui bene monenti oboediat; qui {5} nec ipse consulere nec alteri parere sciat, eum extremi ingenii esse. n.o.bis quoniam prima animi ingeniique negata sors est, secundam ac mediam teneamus et, dum imperare discimus, parere prudenti in animum inducamus. Castra c.u.m Fabio iungamus; ad praetorium {10} eius signa c.u.m tulerimus, ubi ego eum parentem appellavero, quod beneficio erga nos ac maiestate eius dignum est, vos, milites, eos, quorum vos modo arma ac dexterae texerunt, patronos salutabitis, et, si nihil aliud, gratorum certe n.o.bis {15} animorum gloriam dies hic dederit.' Signo dato conclamatur inde, ut colligantur vasa. Profecti et agmine incedentes ad dictatoris castra in admirationem et ipsum et omnes, qui circa erant, converterunt. {20}

LIVY, xxii. 29, 30.

+Context.+ Fabius' policy of 'masterly inactivity' had become so unpopular at Rome that the command of the army was divided between Fabius and Minucius, who risked a battle, and was only saved from a destruction as complete as that of the Trebia by the timely aid of Fabius. +Minucius publicly and fully atones for his rashness.+

[Linenotes: 4. +consulat+ = _can give counsel_--so _consulere_ l. 6.

6-7. +extremi ingenii+ = _has the meanest capacity_. gen. of quality.

7-8. +prima ... sors est+ = _the highest rank in the scale of spirit and intellect_. --Dimsdale.

14. +patronos+ = _as the authors of your freedom_. +Patronus+ = legal t.i.tle used by a freed slave (_libertus_) of his former master.

The soldiers of Minucius are to think of themselves as _liberti_, owing their freedom to those of Fabius, who are thus their +patroni+.

17. +ut colligantur vasa+, i.e. _impedimenta_. Cf. _signa movere_.]

+Fabius Cunctator.+ 'Fabius had to create a new army, to accustom it to war, and to inspire it with courage. He did this skilfully and persistently, and thus he rendered the most essential service that any general could at that time render to the State. It was probably at this time that the Senate voted him a crown of gra.s.s (_corona graminea_), the highest distinction which was awarded to a general who had saved a besieged town.' --Ihne.

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SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C. CANNAE, 218 B.C. (1)