Index

People

[32] In castra ut est uentum, 
pronuntiant ambo 
arma expedirent milites 
animosque 
ad supremum certamen, 
non in unum diem 
sed in perpetuum, 
si felicitas adesset, 
uictores. 
Roma an Carthago 
iura gentibus daret 
ante crastinam noctem scituros; 
neque enim Africam aut Italiam 
sed orbem terrarum 
uictoriae praemium fore; 
par periculum praemio 
quibus aduersa pugnae fortuna fuisset. 
nam neque Romanis 
effugium ullum patebat 
in aliena ignotaque terra, 
et Carthagini, 
supremo auxilio effuso, 
adesse uidebatur praesens excidium. 
ad hoc discrimen 
procedunt postero die 
duorum opulentissimorum populorum 
duo longe clarissimi duces, 
duo fortissimi exercitus, 
multa ante parta decora 
aut cumulaturi eo die 
aut euersuri. 
anceps igitur spes et metus 
miscebant animos; 
contemplantibusque 
modo suam, 
modo hostium aciem, 
cum oculis magis quam ratione 
pensarent uires, 
simul laeta, 
simul tristia obuersabantur: 
quae ipsis sua sponte 
non succurrebant, 
ea duces 
admonendo atque hortando 
subiciebant. 
Poenus 
sedecim annorum 
in terra Italia res gestas, 
tot duces Romanos, 
tot exercitus occidione occisos 
et sua cuique decora 
ubi ad insignem alicuius 
pugnae memoria militem uenerat 
referebat: 
Scipio 
Hispanias 
et recentia in Africa proelia 
et confessionem hostium 
quod neque 
non petere pacem 
propter metum 
neque manere in ea 
prae insita animis perfidia 
potuissent. 
ad hoc conloquium Hannibalis 
in secreto habitum 
ac liberum fingenti 
qua uolt flectit. 
ominatur, 
quibus quondam auspiciis 
patres eorum 
ad Aegates pugnauerint insulas, 
ea illis 
exeuntibus in aciem 
portendisse deos. 
adesse finem belli ac laboris; 
in manibus esse 
praedam Carthaginis, 
reditum domum 
in patriam 
ad parentes 
liberos 
coniuges 
penatesque deos. 
celsus haec corpore 
uoltuque ita laeto 
ut uicisse   )
iam crederes )
dicebat.
Instruit deinde 
primos hastatos, 
post eos principes; 
triariis 
postremam aciem clausit. 

[30.32]On their return to their camps, 
the commanders each issued orders: 
The troops were to prepare arms  
and brace up their courage 
for a final and decisive struggle; 
they would be, not for a day only 
but for all time
if success attended them,
victors; 
whether Rome or Carthage
was to give laws to the nations
they would know before the next night. 
For not Africa and Italy only - 
the whole world 
would be the prize of victory. 
Great as is the prize, the peril 
in case of defeat would be as great.
For no escape lay open )
to the Romans          ) 
in a strange and unknown land; 
and for Carthage, 
if her last effort failed, 
immediate destruction seemed imminent. 
To this battle
they went out on the next day - 
the two most powerful nations'
two most brilliant generals 
and their two strongest armies 
- either to crown on that day  )
the many honours they had won, )
or for ever lose them. 
So alternate hopes and fears
filled the soldiers' hearts  
as they gazed at 
their own 
and then at the opposing lines 
and with the eye rather than the mind 
measured their comparative strength, 
cheerful 
and despondent in turn. 
The encouragement which they )
could not give to themselves )
their generals  
in their exhortations
gave them. 
The Carthaginian [reminded his men] 
of their sixteen years' 
successes on Italian soil, 
of all the Roman generals who had fallen 
and all the armies that had been destroyed, 
and [he recounted[ the gallant deeds
as he came to each soldier who had  )
distinguished himself in any battle.)
 
Scipio recalled 
the conquest of Spain 
and the recent battles in Africa 
and the enemies' confession of weakness, 
since 
they were compelled to sue for peace
through their fears,  
and were prevented from abiding by it
by their innate faithlessness.

As for the conference with Hannibal, 
which being private 
allowed free scope for invention,
He turned it to his own purpose. 
He drew an omen and declared that
the same auspices under which once
their fathers 
fought at the Aegates islands,
[were the auspices] that to them,
as they went out to battle,
the gods had portended.
The end of war and labours was near; 
in their hands were
the spoils of Carthage, 
and the return home 
to their fatherland,
to their parents,
their children,
their wives 
and household gods. 
[He said] these things with uplifted head 
and a face so radiant 
that you might suppose he   )
had already won the victory.)

Then he drew up
the first rank of spearmen,
behind them the heavy-armed soldiers,
and with the third rank troops
he closed the rear of the battle-line.