Selections from Viri Romae Part 38

[Footnotes: 1: Several forms of expressing purpose have been used in the text.

Express this in as many ways as you can.

2: See p. 7, n. 16.

3: See p. 38, n. 12.

4: Abl. Why?

5: H. 431 (388); M. 544; A. 232; G. 355; B. 189, 1.

6: See p. 39, n. 11.

7: #statim.# 8: See #Afris#, l. 10, and note.

9: Abl. abs.]

XVIII.

#Ablative of time.#

1. Appius Claudius was no[1] better than the preceding generals, who did not boast that they would sink the enemy's fleet (on) the first day[2]

of the war. 2. The chicken-keeper informed him that the chickens would not [to be unwilling to] eat. 3. "Let[3] them drink then," said Appius, and ordered them to be plunged into the sea. 4. That very [self] day he was defeated, and many thousands of the Romans slain. 5. He afterwards committed suicide, for he knew that he would be put to death by the people. 6. Upon his sister, too, a heavy fine had[4] to be imposed.

[Footnotes: 1: See XVII, l. 10, and note.

2: Cf. Ex. XIII, sent. 19.

3: Cf. Ex. XIII, sent. 5.

4: Cf. Ex. XVII, sent. 5.]

XIX.

#Purpose clauses with _quo_; ablative with _potior_; unreal conditions; _quin_ clauses; ablative with _dignus_.#

1. It is said that Hannibal, when a boy of nine years, took an oath of undying hatred toward the Romans. 2. On the death of his father, he stirred up war by capturing Saguntum [Saguntum captured]. 3. Fabius said that he carried peace and war in his toga. 4. "Give which you please,"

replied the Carthaginians. 5. "I give war," said Fabius. ["War," said Fabius, "I give."] 6. After three Roman consuls had been defeated by Hannibal, Fabius was sent against him. 7. Changing[1] the policy[1] of the war, he held his soldiers in camp, and did not come to an engagement with the enemy. 8. When, on account of some trifling successes, his soldiers had begun to have more confidence in their valor and fortune, he blockaded Hannibal in a narrow pa.s.s. 9. Fabius thought that he could not escape. 10. But Hannibal knew how[2] cautious Fabius was,[3] and got out (of the trap) without any loss. 11. Minucius,[4] the master of horse, did not like the policy of Fabius. 12. He made charges against the dictator in order to obtain greater authority[5] himself. 13. When he had joined battle, he had to be rescued from his peril by Fabius. 14.

Minucius now confessed that the policy of Fabius was better than his own. 15. They say that some young men of rank betrayed Tarentum to Hannibal. 16. In the middle of the night the gates were opened and the young men entered, followed by Hannibal [Hannibal following] with his army. 17. Fabius recaptured Tarentum the same[6] year[6] it was lost.

18. If he had not used cunning he would not have recaptured it. 19. When an old man, Fabius, at the command of a lictor, dismounted from a horse which he was riding out of respect for the rank of his son, then consul.

20. "If you were not consul," said he, "I should not dismount." 21. No one doubts that Fabius was worthy of the name _Maximus_. 22. At that time the Romans needed[7] a cautious general.

[Footnotes: 1: Abl. abs.

2: #quam.# 3: See p. 3, n. 2.

4: Cf. l. 43.

5: Cf. #Tarento#, l. 58, and note.

6: See l. 88, and Ex. XVIII, n. 4.

7: See Ex. XV, sent. 11.]

XX.

#Subjunctive of result; dative with special verbs; part.i.tive genitive.#

1. Varro was so rash that,[1] although he was opposed by his colleague, he formed[1] his army in line and gave[1] the signal for battle. 2. In the midst of the carnage a certain military tribune urged[2] Paulus to take[2] his horse and flee.[2] 3. But Paulus said that he preferred to perish with his soldiers. 4. When the Carthaginians heard of Hannibal's victory, they sent messengers to congratulate him.[3] 5. Maharbal[4] did not like[4] the advice of the others. 6. He said that Hannibal knew (how) to conquer, but did not know (how) to make use of a victory. 7.

Hannibal permitted his army to enjoy the luxuries of Campania. 8. The terror at Rome was so great that they did not delay an instant. 9. No one doubted that[5] Hannibal would come[5] with his victorious army. 10.

If he had advanced at once to Rome, the city would have been captured.

11. Though Varro survived the battle,[6] he thought that he was not worthy of office[7] again. 12. As the soldiers did not have enough weapons,[8] they took down from the temples the ancient spoils of the enemy. 13. One of the amba.s.sadors,[9] whom Hannibal had sent to Rome to offer an opportunity of ransoming the captives, did not return. 14. The senate decided that he must be led back to Hannibal in chains [bound].

15. Rome has no need of citizens who can be captured when armed.

[Footnotes: 1: See p. 10, n. 9.

2: Cf. lines 26 and 27.

3: H. 426, 2 (385, II); M. 531; A. 227; G. 346; B. 187, II, _a_.

4: Cf. Ex. XIX, sent. 11.

5: See p. 39, n. 4.

6: See p. 2, n. 7.

7: See Ex. XIX, sent. 21.

8: H. 440, 5 (397); M. 564; A. 216; G. 367; B. 201.

9: Cf. with n. 7 unus ex eius praefectis, l. 27.]

XXI.

#Concessive clauses with _c.u.m_; genitive of characteristic; causal relative clauses; gerundive with _ad_; accusative of extent.#

1. Scipio would have been slain in the battle at the river Ticinus, if his son Publius had not rescued him. 2. When Publius Scipio was not yet twenty years old, he thought that he was old enough [had enough of years] to be a candidate for[1] the aedileship. 3. After the battle of Cannae, some young men of rank began to form plans for abandoning Italy.

4. Scipio hastened to their meeting-place, and, although[2] he was alone, he forced them to give[3] up their conspiracy.[3] 5. After the Romans had suffered two defeats in Spain, Scipio was chosen proconsul and sent thither. 6. Here he prosecuted the war with such wisdom and bravery that he earned the approval of all. 7. Do you not think that he was worthy of the honor? 8. He gained possession of a large amount of money and arms, but let the Spanish captives go without ransom. 9. He did not doubt that in this way he would secure for the Romans the favor of the Spanish [conciliate the Spanish to the Romans]. 10. Among the captive Africans he found a boy of remarkable beauty,[4] who said that his grandfather was the king of Numidia, and that he had crossed over into Spain with his uncle Masinissa to carry on war with the Romans. 11.

Scipio freed the boy, and thus won the favor of the Numidian king. 12.

When the Spaniards wanted to call Scipio king, he asked them to refrain from that t.i.tle. 13. After Hannibal had been driven from Spain, Scipio, who had[5] long been planning to transfer the war to Africa, sent Laelius, whose[6] friendship he did not mistrust, to win over some of the African chiefs. 14. Afterwards he crossed over to Africa himself, and it is said that he met Hannibal [to him a meeting with Hannibal to have been] at the court of Syphax. 15. It happened that many of those chiefs were eager to form an alliance with Scipio. 16. His plan, therefore, was easily carried out. 17. Although the young men of Sicily shrank from so great a war themselves, still they were willing to furnish horses and arms. 18. Although they were wealthy, they were not (men) of great bravery. 19. In Africa the Romans fought with such determination that in a short time the Carthaginians recalled Hannibal from Italy to defend his country. 20. A battle was fought [it was fought] at Zama, a town five days' march from Carthage. 21. The Carthaginians were defeated, and forced to send amba.s.sadors to sue for peace. 22. As peace was now secured, Scipio returned to Italy. 23. On[7]

his arrival in Rome a vast mult.i.tude poured forth to meet him. 24.

Scipio was not only the most ill.u.s.trious general of his age, but he was also a man distinguished for [of distinguished] piety.[8] 25. The old writers say that he used to visit [resort to] the capitol every day, to consult with Jupiter about the public interests. 26. At Ephesus he[9]

afterwards had a conversation with Hannibal. 27. It is reported that Hannibal acknowledged that Scipio was the greatest of all commanders.

28. When the senate seemed on the point[10] of transferring the conduct of the war against Antiochus from Lucius Scipio to Laelius, because (as was thought) the former[11] had too little courage and too little wisdom for such a war, Africa.n.u.s promised to be himself his brother's lieutenant. 29. Scipio could endure no dishonor to his family. 30. After Antiochus had been defeated, when the senate demanded from Lucius Scipio an accounting of the spoils, Africa.n.u.s prevented it. 31. He said that he had been of [for] so great aid to his country that his integrity ought not to be doubted. 32. It happened that Africa.n.u.s himself was afterwards summoned for trial by the tribunes on the very day on which the battle of Zama had been fought.[12] 33. When ordered to plead his cause, he mounted the rostrum and said: "Let us offer thanks to Jupiter, by whose aid we obtained[13] so great a victory." 34. As the whole a.s.sembly followed him he was relieved from the insults of the tribunes. 35. Soon afterward Scipio retired to the country and never returned to Rome.

[Footnotes: 1: Use #ad# with gerundive or gerund.

2: H. 598 (515, III); M. 863; A. 326; G. 587; B. 309, 3.

3: Cf. _incepto desisterent_, l. 14.

4: Cf. lines 51 and 64.

5: See p. 56, n. 6.

6: See p. 55, n. 8.

7: See XIII, l. 59.

8: _religio._ 9: Use dat. of poss. with #esse#.

10: Use future participle.

11: _ille._ 12: See sent. 20, and p. 56, n. 4.

13: See p. 55, n. 8.]

XXII.

#Future conditions.#

1. Cornelia, the mother of the Gracchi, was the daughter of Scipio Africa.n.u.s. 2. She had been educated with such care herself that she was able to train her sons wisely. 3. She told a Campanian woman, who was a guest at her house, that she[1] too had some very beautiful jewels. 4.

Everybody knows that Cornelia's jewels were her sons. 5. She has justly been considered one of the wisest women of that age. 6. Though her sons were most worthy of their excellent mother, yet the n.o.bles thought that they were disturbing the republic. 7. Both of the Gracchi thought more of [preferred] their country's safety than [to] their own lives. 8.

Tiberius tried to protect the common people, but the senate thought that he was preparing for himself a way to regal power. 9. So Nasica urged[2]

all loyal citizens to follow him. 10. When Gracchus saw that the senators were rushing upon him he fled, but was killed by a broken piece of a bench. 11. Caius had the same[3] love for the common people as[3]

his brother. 12. All loyal citizens said that they opposed his plans because they wanted the republic to be safe. 13. "If the law about distributing grain to the common people is[4] pa.s.sed," said Piso, "I shall come with the others to get the grain." 14. Finally this was decreed by the senate: "Let the consul see that the republic receive no harm." 15. Some say that Gracchus armed his household and took possession of the Aventine. 16. When he was put to flight he ordered his slave to kill him that he might not be arrested. 17. Such was the fate of the Gracchi, the jewels of Cornelia, the best sons of the Roman republic.

[Footnotes: 1: Use dat. of poss.