Complete Works of Eutropius

by Eutropius

  VI

  A few years after, a battle was fought with the Gauls within the borders of Italy, and an end put to the war, in the consulship of Marcus Claudius Marcellus and Cnaeus Cornelius Scipio. Marcellus took the field with a small body of horse, and slew the king of the Gauls, Viridomarus, with his own hand. Afterwards, in conjunction with his colleague, he cut to pieces a numerous army of the Gauls, stormed Milan, and carried off a vast booty to Rome. Marcellus, at his triumph, bore the spoils of the Gaul, fixed upon a pole on his shoulders.

  7

  M. Minucio Rufo P. Cornelio consulibus Histris bellum inlatum est, quia latrocinati navibus Romanorum fuerant, quae frumenta exhibebant, perdomitique sunt omnes. Eodem anno bellum Punicum secundum Romanis inlatum est per Hannibalem, Carthaginiensium ducem, qui Saguntum, Hispaniae civitatem Romanis amicam, obpugnare adgressus est, annum agens vicesimum aetatis, copiis congregatis CL milium. Huic Romani per legatos denuntiaverunt, ut bello abstineret. Is legatos admittere noluit. Romani etiam Carthaginem miserunt, ut mandaretur Hannibali, ne bellum contra socios populi Romani gereret. Dura responsa a Carthaginiensibus data sunt. Saguntini interea fame victi sunt, captique ab Hannibale ultimis poenis adficiuntur.

  VII

  In the consulate of Marcus Minucius Rufus and Publius Cornelius, war was made upon the Istrians, because they had plundered some ships of the Romans, which were bringing a supply of corn, and they were entirely subdued.

  In the same year the second Punic war was commenced against the Romans by Hannibal, general of the Carthaginians, who, in the twentieth year of his age, proceeded to besiege Saguntum, a city of Spain, in alliance with the Romans, having assembled for that purpose an army of fifty thousand foot and twenty thousand horse. The Romans warned him, by deputies sent for the purpose, to desist from hostilities, but he refused them audience. The Romans sent also to Carthage, requiring that orders should be sent to Hannibal, not to make war on the allies of the Roman people; but the reply made by the Carthaginians promised no compliance. The Saguntines in the meantime, worn out with famine, were taken by Hannibal, and put to death with the utmost cruelty.

  8

  Tum P. Cornelius Scipio cum exercitu in Hispaniam profectus est, Ti. Sempronius in Siciliam, bellum Carthaginiensibus indictum est. Hannibal relicto in Hispania fratre Hasdrubale Pyrenaeum transiit. Alpes, adhuc ea parte invias, sibi patefecit. Traditur ad Italiam LXXX milia peditum, X milia equitum, septem et XXX elephantos adduxisse. Interea multi Ligures et Galli Hannibali se coniunxerunt. Sempronius Gracchus cognito ad Italiam Hannibalis adventu ex Sicilia exercitum Ariminum traiecit.

  VIII

  Publius Cornelius Scipio then went with an army into Spain, and Tiberius Sempronius into Sicily. War was declared against the Carthaginians. Hannibal, leaving his brother Hasdrubal in Spain, passed the Pyrenees, and made a way over the Alps, which, in that part, were previously impassable. He is said to have brought into Italy eighty thousand foot, twenty thousand horse, and thirty-seven elephants. Numbers of the Ligurians and Gauls joined him on his march. Sempronius Gracchus, hearing of Hannibal’s arrival in Italy, conveyed over his army from Sicily to Ariminum.

  9

  P. Cornelius Scipio Hannibali primus occurrit. Commisso proelio, fugatis suis ipse vulneratus in castra rediit. Sempronius Gracchus et ipse confligit apud Trebiam amnem. Is quoque vincitur. Hannibali multi se in Italia dediderunt. Inde ad Tusciam veniens Hannibal Flaminio consuli occurrit. Ipsum Flaminium interemit; Romanorum XXV milia caesa sunt, ceteri diffugerunt. Missus adversus Hannibalem postea a Romanis Q. Fabius Maximus. Is eum differendo pugnam ab impetu fregit, mox inventa occasione vicit.

  IX

  The first to meet Hannibal was Publius Cornelius Scipio; a battle being commenced, and his troops put to flight, he retired wounded into his camp. Sempronius Gracchus also came to an engagement with him near the river Trebia, and he too was defeated. Numbers in Italy submitted to Hannibal; who, marching from thence into Tuscany, encountered the consul Flaminius. Flaminius himself he cut off; and twenty-five thousand of the Romans were slain; the rest saved themselves by flight. Quintus Fabius Maximus was afterwards sent by the Romans to oppose Hannibal. This general, by avoiding an engagement, checked his impetuosity; and soon after, finding a favourable opportunity, defeated him.

  10

  Quingentesimo et quadragesimo anno a condita urbe L. Aemilius Paulus P. Terentius Varro contra Hannibalem mittuntur Fabioque succedunt, qui abiens ambo consules monuit, ut Hannibalem, callidum et inpatientem ducem, non aliter vincerent, quam proelium differendo. Verum cum inpatientia Varronis consulis contradicente altero consule === id est Aemilio Paulo ===apud vicum, qui Cannae appellatur in Apulia, pugnatum esset, ambo consules ab Hannibale vincuntur. In ea pugna tria milia Afrorum pereunt; magna pars de exercitu Hannibalis sauciatur. Nullo tamen proelio Punico bello Romani gravius accepti sunt. Periit enim in eo consul Aemilius Paulus, consulares aut praetorii XX, senatores capti aut occisi XXX, nobiles viri CCC, militum XL milia, equitum III milia et quingenti. In quibus malis nemo tamen Romanorum pacis mentionem habere dignatus est. Servi, quod numquam ante, manumissi et milites facti sunt.

  X

  In the five hundred and fortieth year from the foundation of the city, Lucius Aemilius and Publius Terentius Varro were sent against Hannibal, and took the place of Fabius, who forewarned both the consuls, that they could conquer Hannibal, who was a bold and energetic leader, only by declining a pitched battle with him. But an engagement being brought on, through the impetuosity of the consul Varro, in opposition to his colleague, near a village called Cannae, in Apulia, both the consuls were defeated by Hannibal. In this battle three thousand of the Africans fell, and a great part of Hannibal’s army were wounded. The Romans, however, never received so severe a blow at any period of the Punic wars; for the consul Aemilius Paulus was killed; twenty officers of consular and praetorian rank, thirty senators, and three hundred others of noble descent, were taken or slain, as well as forty thousand foot-soldiers, and three thousand five hundred horse. During all these calamities, however, not one of the Romans deigned to speak of peace. A number of slaves were set free and made soldiers, a measure never before adopted.

  11

  Post eam pugnam multae Italiae civitates, quae Romanis paruerant, se ad Hannibalem transtulerunt. Hannibal Romanis obtulit, ut captivos redimerent, responsumque est a senatu eos cives non esse necessarios, qui cum armati essent, capi potuissent. Ille omnes postea variis suppliciis interfecit et tres modios anulorum aureorum Carthaginem misit, quos ex manibus equitum Romanorum, senatorum et militum detraxerat. Interea in Hispania, ubi frater Hannibalis Hasdrubal remanserat cum magno exercitu, ut eam totam Afris subigeret, a duobus Scipionibus, Romanis ducibus, vincitur. Perdit in pugna XXXV milia hominum; ex his capiuntur X milia, occiduntur XXV milia. Mittuntur ei a Carthaginiensibus ad reparandas vires XII milia peditum, IV milia equitum, XX elephanti.

  XI

  After this battle, several cities of Italy, which had been subject to the Romans, went over to Hannibal. Hannibal made proposals to the Romans concerning the redemption of the prisoners, but the senate replied, that “such citizens as would suffer themselves to be taken with arms in their hands were of no value to them.” Hannibal then put them all to death with various tortures, and sent three modii of gold rings to Carthage, which he had taken from the fingers of Roman knights, senators, and soldiers. In the meantime, Hasdrubal, the brother of Hannibal, who had remained in Spain with a numerous army, in order to reduce all that country under the dominion of the Africans, was defeated there by the two Scipios, the Roman generals, and lost thirty-five thousand men in the battle; of these ten thousand were made prisoners, and twenty-five thousand slain. Upon this, twelve thousand foot, four thousand horse, and twenty elephants were sent to him by the Carthaginians to reinforce his army.

  12

  Anno quarto postquam ad Italiam Hannibal venit, M. Claudius Marcellus consul apud Nolam, civitatem Campaniae, contra Hannibalem bene pugnavit. Hannibal multas civitates Romanorum
per Apuliam, Calabriam, Brittios occupavit. Quo tempore etiam rex Macedoniae Philippus ad eum legatos misit, promittens auxilia contra Romanos sub hac condicione, ut deletis Romanis ipse quoque contra Graecos ab Hannibale auxilia acciperet. Captis igitur legatis Philippi et re cognita Romani in Macedoniam M. Valerium Laevinum ire iusserunt, in Sardiniam T. Manlium Torquatum proconsulem. Nam etiam ea sollicitata ab Hannibale, Romanos deseruerat.

  XII

  In the fourth year after Hannibal’s arrival in Italy, Marcus Claudius Marcellus, one of the consuls, engaged him with success at Nola, a city of Campania. But Hannibal possessed himself of several of the Roman cities in Apulia, Calabria, and the country of the Bruttii. About this time also Philip, king of Macedonia, sent ambassadors to him, offering him assistance against the Romans, on condition that, when he had subdued them, he, in turn, should receive assistance from Hannibal against the Greeks. But Philip’s ambassadors being taken, and the affair thus discovered, the Romans ordered Marcus Valerius Laevinus to proceed to Macedonia, and Titus Manlius, as proconsul, into Sardinia; for that island also, at the solicitation of Hannibal, had revolted from the Romans.

  13

  Ita uno tempore quattuor locis pugnabatur: in Italia contra Hannibalem, in Hispaniis contra fratrem eius Hasdrubalem, in Macedonia contra Philippum, in Sardinia contra Sardos et alterum Hasdrubalem Carthaginiensem. Is a T. Manlio proconsule, qui ad Sardiniam missus fuerat, vivus est captus, occisa cum eo duodecim milia, capti mille quingenti, et a Romanis Sardinia subacta. Manlius victor captivos et Hasdrubalem Romam reportavit. Interea etiam Philippus a Laevino in Macedonia vincitur et in Hispania ab Scipionibus Hasdrubal et Mago, tertius frater Hannibalis.

  XIII

  Thus war was carried on at the same time in four different places; in Italy, against Hannibal; in Spain, against Hasdrubal his brother; in Macedonia, against Philip; in Sardinia, against the Sardinians and another Hasdrubal, also a Carthaginian. Hasdrubal was taken alive by Titus Manlius the proconsul, who had been sent into Sardinia; twelve thousand of his men were slain, fifteen hundred made prisoners, and Sardinia brought under subjection to the Romans. Manlius, being thus successful, brought Hasdrubal and his other prisoners to Rome. In the meantime, Philip also was defeated by Laevinus in Macedonia, and Hasdrubal and Mago, a third brother of Hannibal, by the Scipios in Spain.

  14

  Decimo anno postquam Hannibal in Italiam venerat, P. Sulpicio Cn. Fulvio consulibus, Hannibal usque ad quartum miliarium urbis accessit, equites eius usque ad portam. Mox consulum cum exercitu venientium metu Hannibal ad Campaniam se recepit. In Hispania a fratre eius Hasdrubale ambo Scipiones, qui per multos annos victores fuerant, interficiuntur, exercitus tamen integer mansit; casu enim magis erant quam virtute decepti. Quo tempore etiam a consule Marcello Siciliae magna pars capta est, quam tenere Afri coeperant, et nobilissima urbs Syracusana; praeda ingens Romam perlata est. Laevinus in Macedonia cum Philippo et multis Graeciae populis et rege Asiae Attalo amicitiam fecit, et ad Siciliam profectus Hannonem quendam, Afrorum ducem, apud Agrigentum civitatem cum ipso oppido cepit eumque Romam cum captivis nobilibus misit. XL civitates in deditionem accepit, XXVI expugnavit. Ita omnis Sicilia recepta et Macedonia fracta; ingenti gloria Romam regressus est. Hannibal in Italia Cn. Fulvium consulem subito adgressus cum octo milibushominum interfecit.

  XIV

  In the tenth year after Hannibal’s arrival in Italy, in the consulship of Publius Sulpicius and Cnaeus Fulvius, Hannibal advanced within four miles of Rome, and his cavalry rode up to the very gates; but soon after, through fear of the consuls, who were coming upon him with an army, he withdrew into Campania. In Spain, the two Scipios, who had been victorious for many years, were killed by his brother Hasdrubal; the army however remained in full strength, for the generals had been ensnared rather by accident than the valour of the enemy. About this time, also, a great part of Sicily, which the Africans had begun to appropriate, was recovered by the consul Marcellus, and vast spoil brought to Rome from the celebrated city of Syracuse. In Macedonia, Laevinus made an alliance with Philip, and several of the Grecian states, as well as with Attalus, king of Asia; and. proceeding afterwards to Sicily, took Hanno, a general of the Carthaginians, at the city of Agrigentum, together with the town itself, and sent him with other noble prisoners to Rome. Forty cities he obliged to surrender; twenty-six he carried by storm. Thus all Sicily being recovered, and Macedonia humbled, he returned with great glory to Rome. In Italy, Hannibal, attacking Cnaeus Fulvius, one of the consuls, by surprise, cut him off, together with eight thousand of his men.

  15

  Interea ad Hispanias, ubi occisis duobus Scipionibus nullus Romanus dux erat, P. Cornelius Scipio mittitur, filius P. Scipionis, qui ibidem bellum gesserat, annos natus quattuor et viginti, vir Romanorum omnium et sua aetate et posteriore tempore fere primus. Is Carthaginem Hispaniae capit, in qua omne aurum, argentum et belli apparatum Afri habebant, nobilissimos quoque obsides, quos ab Hispanis acceperant. Magonem etiam, fratrem Hannibalis, ibidem capit, quem Romam cum aliis mittit. Romae ingens laetitia post hunc nuntium fuit. Scipio Hispanorumn obsides parentibus reddidit; quare omnes fere Hispaniae uno animo ad eum transierunt. Post quae Hasdrubalem, Hannibalis fratrem, victum fugat et praedam maximam capit.

  XV

  In the meantime, Publius Cornelius Scipio, a man almost the very first of all the Romans, both in his own and succeeding ages, son of that Publius Scipio who had carried on the war there before, was despatched, at the age of twenty-four, into Spain, where, after the death of the two Scipios, no Roman general was now left. He took Carthage, in Spain, in which the Africans kept all their gold, and silver, and warlike stores; he took also a number of hostages, whom the Carthaginians had received from the Spaniards, as well as Mago, the brother of Hannibal, whom he sent with others to Rome. The rejoicing at Rome on this intelligence was very great. Scipio restored the Spanish hostages to their parents; and in consequence almost all the Spaniards unanimously joined him. Soon after, he put to flight Hasdrubal, the brother of Hannibal, and took a great quantity of spoil.

  16

  Interea in Italia consul Q. Fabius Maximus Tarentum recepit, in qua ingentes copiae Hannibalis erant. Ibi etiam ducem Hannibalis Carthalonem occidit, XXV milia hominum captivorum vendidit, praedam militibus dispertivit, pecuniam hominum venditorum ad fiscum retulit. Tum multae civitates Romanorum, quae ad Hannibalem transierant prius, rursus se Fabio Maximo dediderunt. Insequenti anno Scipio in Hispania egregias res egit et per se et per fratrem suum L. Scipionem; LXX civitates receperunt. In Italia tamen male pugnatum est. Nam Claudius Marcellus consul ab Hannibale occisus est.

  XVI

  In Italy, meanwhile, Quintus Fabius Maximus, one of the consuls, recovered Tarentum, where a great body of Hannibal’s troops were quartered, and cut off there also Carthalo, one of Hannibal’s generals; twenty-five thousand of the prisoners he sold for slaves; the spoil he divided among the soldiers; and the money arising from the sale of the prisoners, he paid into the public treasury. At this time, several of the Roman cities, which had gone over to Hannibal, submitted themselves again to Fabius Maximus.

  In the following year Scipio performed extraordinary exploits in Spain, and, by his own exertions and those of his brother Lucius Scipio, recovered seventy cities. In Italy, however, the war went on unsuccessfully, for Claudius Marcellus the consul was cut off by Hannibal.

  17

  Tertio anno postquam Scipio ad Hispanias profectus fuerat, rursus res inclitas gerit. Regem Hispaniarum magno proelio victum in amicitiam accepit et primus omnium a victo obsides non poposcit.

  XVII

  In the third year after Scipio’s departure for Spain, he again greatly distinguished himself. A king of Spain, whom he had conquered in a great battle, he received into alliance; and was the first that refrained from demanding hostages of a vanquished enemy.

  18

  Desperans Hannibal Hispanias contra Scipionem diutius posse retinere, fratrem suum Hasdrubalem ad Italiam cum omnibus copiis evocavit. Is veni
ens eodem itinere, quo etiam Hannibal venerat, a consulibus Ap. Claudio Nerone et M. Livio Salinatore apud Senam, Piceni civitatem, in insidias conpositas incidit. Strenue tamen pugnans occisus est; ingentes eius copiae captae aut interfectae sunt, magnum pondus auri atque argenti Romam relatum est. Post haec Hannibal diffidere iam de belli coepit eventu. Romanis ingens animus accessit; itaque et ipsi evocaverunt ex Hispania P. Cornelium Scipionem. Is Romam cum ingenti gloria venit.

  XVIII

  Hannibal, having no hope that Spain could be held longer against Scipio, summoned from it Hasdrubal his brother, with all his troops, to join him in Italy. Hasdrubal, pursuing the same route by which Hannibal had gone, fell into an ambush laid for him by the consuls Appius Claudius Nero and Marcus Livius Salinator, near Sena, a city of Picenum, but fell fighting valiantly; his numerous forces were either taken or put to the sword; and a great quantity of gold and silver carried off to Rome. Hannibal now began to despair of the issue of the war, and an accession of courage was felt by the Romans. They, therefore, also recalled Publius Cornelius Scipio out of Spain; who arrived at Rome with great glory.