Oliver Goldsmith - Pinnock\'s Improved Edition of Dr. Goldsmith\'s History of Rome

O >> Oliver Goldsmith >> Pinnock\'s Improved Edition of Dr. Goldsmith\'s History of Rome

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11. Nothing could equal the fury and the disappointment of the
Carthagin'ians, when they, were informed by their ambassadors that
Regulus, instead of hastening a peace, had given his opinion for
continuing the war. 12. They accordingly prepared to punish his
conduct with the most studied tortures. His eye-lids were cut off, and
he was remanded to prison. After some days, he was again brought out
from his dark and dismal dungeon, and exposed with, his face opposite
the burning sun. At last, when malice was fatigued studying all the
arts of torture, he was put into a sort of barrel, stuck full of
spikes, and in this painful position he continued till he died.

13. Both sides now took up arms with more than former animosity. At
length, Roman perseverance was crowned with success; and one victory
followed on the back of another. Fa'bius Bu'teo, the consul, once more
showed them the way to naval victory, by defeating a large squadron of
the enemy's ships; but Luta'tius Cat'ulus gained a victory still more
complete, in which the power of Carthage seemed totally destroyed at
sea, by the loss of a hundred and twenty ships. 14. This loss
compelled the Carthagin'ians again to sue for peace, which Rome
thought proper to grant; but still inflexible in its demands, exacted
the same conditions which Reg'ulus had formerly offered at the gates
of Carthage. 15. These were, that they should lay down a thousand
talents of silver, to defray the charge of the war, and should pay two
thousand two hundred more within ten years; that they should quit
Sicily, with all such islands as they possessed near it; that they
should never make war against the allies of Rome, nor come with any
vessels of war within the Roman dominions; and lastly, that all their
prisoners and deserters should be delivered up without ransom.

[Sidenote: U.C. 513.]

16. To these hard conditions, the Carthagin'ians, now exhausted,
readily subscribed; and thus ended the first Punic war, which had
lasted twenty-four years; and, in some measure, had drained both
nations of their resources.

_Questions for Examination_.

1. What were the Carthaginians now desirous of obtaining?

2. Was Regulus employed for this purpose?

3. How was Regulus received by the Romans?

4. What was the conduct of Regulus on this occasion?

5. How did the negociation commence?

6. Were the Romans inclined for peace?

7. What was the opinion of Regulus?

8. What was the effect of this advice?

9. How did Regulus put an end to their embarrassment?

10. Could he not be prevailed on to remain at Rome?

11. How did the Carthaginians receive an account of his conduct?

12. In what way did they punish him?

13. With what success was the war continued?

14. What was the consequence of this loss?

15. What were these terms?

16. Were they agreed to? What was the duration of the first Punic war?

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The vessels in which they had hitherto transported their troops,
were principally hired from their neighbours the Locrians, Tarentines,
&c. It is certain that the Romans had ships of war before this period;
but from the little attention they had hitherto paid to naval affairs,
they were, probably, badly constructed and ill managed.

[2] The Romans considering these two disasters as indications of the
will of the gods that they should not contend by sea, made a decree
that no more than fifty galleys should, for the future, be equipped.
This decree, however, did not continue long in force.

* * * * *

CHAPTER XV.

SECTION I.

FROM THE END OF THE FIRST PUNIC WAR TO THE END OF THE SECOND.

Spain first he won, the Pyrenieans pass'd,
And sleepy Alps, the mounds that nature cast;
And with corroding juices, as he went,
A passage through the living rocks he rent,
Then, like a torrent rolling from on high,
He pours his headlong rage on Italy.--_Juvenal_.

1. The war being ended between the Carthagin'ians and Romans, a
profound peace ensued, and in about six years after, the temple of
Ja'nus was shut for the second time since the foundation of the
city.[1] 2. The Romans being thus in friendship with all nations, had
an opportunity of turning to the arts of peace; they now began to have
a relish for poetry, the first liberal art which rises in every
civilized nation, and the first also that decays. 3. Hitherto they had
been entertained only with the rude drolleries of their lowest
buffoons, who entertained them with sports called Fescen'nine, in
which a few debauched actors invented their own parts, while raillery
and indecency supplied the place of humour. 4. To these a composition
of a higher kind succeeded, called satire; a sort of dramatic poem, in
which the characters of the great were particularly, pointed out, and
made an object of derision to the vulgar.

[Sidenote: U.C. 514.]

5. After these, came tragedy and comedy, which were borrowed from the
Greeks: indeed, the first dramatic poet of Rome, whose name was
Liv'ius Andronicus, was a native of one of the Greek colonies in
southern Italy. 6. The instant these finer kinds of composition
appeared, this great people rejected their former impurities with
disdain. From thenceforward they laboured upon the Grecian model; and
though they were never able to rival their masters in dramatic
composition, they soon surpassed them in many of the more soothing
kinds of poetry. Elegiac, pastoral, and didactic compositions began to
assume new beauties in the Roman language; and satire, not that rude
kind of dialogue already mentioned, but a nobler sort, was all their
own.

7. While they were thus cultivating the arts of peace, they were not
unmindful of making fresh preparations for war; intervals of ease
seemed to give fresh vigour for new designs, rather than relax their
former intrepidity.

[Sidenote: U.C. 527.]

8. The Illyr'ians were the first people upon whom they tried their
strength. That nation happened to make depredations upon some of the
trading subjects of Rome, which being complained of to Teuta, the
queen of the country, she, instead of granting redress, ordered the
ambassadors, who were sent to demand restitution, to be murdered. 9. A
war ensued, in which the Romans were victorious; most of the Illy'ric
towns were surrendered to the consuls, and a peace at last concluded,
by which the greatest part of the country was ceded to Rome; a yearly
tribute was exacted for the rest, and a prohibition added, that the
Illyr'ians should not sail beyond the river Lissus with more than two
barks, and those unarmed.

10. The Gauls were the next people that incurred the displeasure of
the Romans. 11. A time of peace, when the armies were disbanded, was
the proper season for new irruptions; accordingly, these barbarians
invited fresh forces from beyond the Alps, and entering Etru'ria,
wasted all with fire and sword, till they came within about three
days' journey of Rome. 12. A praetor and a consul were sent to
oppose them, who, now instructed in the improved arts of war, were
enabled to surround the Gauls. 13. It was in vain that those hardy
troops, who had nothing but courage to protect them, formed two fronts
to oppose their adversaries; their naked bodies and undisciplined
forces were unable to withstand the shock of an enemy completely
armed, and skilled in military evolutions. 14. A miserable slaughter
ensued, in which forty thousand were killed, and ten thousand taken
prisoners. 15. This victory was followed by another, gained by
Marcel'lus, in which he killed Viridoma'rus, their king, with his own
hand. 16. These conquests forced them to beg for peace, the conditions
of which served greatly to enlarge the empire. Thus the Romans went on
with success; retrieved their former losses, and only wanted an enemy
worthy of their arms to begin a new war.

17. The Carthagin'ians had made peace solely because they were no
longer able to continue the war. They, therefore, took the earliest
opportunity of breaking the treaty, and besieged Sagun'tum, a city of
Spain, which had been in alliance with Rome; and, though desired to
desist, prosecuted their operations with vigour. 18. Ambassadors were
sent, in consequence, from Rome to Carthage, complaining of the
infraction of their articles, and required that Han'nibal, the
Carthagin'ian general, who had advised this measure, should be
delivered up: which being refused, both sides prepared for a second
Punic war.

19. The Carthaginians trusted the management of it to Han'nibal. 20.
This extraordinary man had been made the sworn foe of Rome, almost
from his infancy; for, while yet very young, his father brought him
before the altar, and obliged him to take an oath, that he would never
be in friendship with the Romans, nor desist from opposing their
power, until he or they should be no more. 21. On his first appearance
in the field, he united in his own person the most masterly method of
commanding, with the most perfect obedience to his superiors. Thus he
was equally beloved by his generals, and the troops he was appointed
to lead. 22. He was possessed of the greatest courage in opposing
danger, and the greatest presence of mind in retiring from it. No
fatigue was able to subdue his body, nor any misfortune to break his
spirit; he was equally patient of heat and cold, and he took
sustenance merely to content nature, not to delight his appetite.
He was the best horseman and the swiftest runner, of the time. 23.
This great general, who is considered as the most skilful commander of
antiquity, having overrun all Spain, and levied a large army composed
of various nations, resolved to carry the war into Italy itself, as
the Romans had before carried it into the dominions of Carthage. 24.
For this purpose, leaving Hanno with a sufficient force to guard his
conquests in Spain, he crossed the Pyrene'an mountains into Gaul, with
an army of fifty thousand foot, and nine thousand horse. He quickly
traversed that country, which was then wild and extensive, and filled
with nations that were his declared enemies.

25. In vain its forests and rivers appeared to intimidate; in vain the
Rhone, with its rapid current, and its banks covered with enemies, or
the Dura branched out into numberless channels, opposed his way; he
passed them all with undaunted spirit, and in ten days arrived at the
foot of the Alps, over which he was to explore a new passage into
Italy. 26. It was in the midst of winter when this astonishing project
was undertaken. The season added new horrors to the scene. The
prodigious height and tremendous steepness of these mountains, capped
with snow; the people barbarous and fierce, dressed in skins, and with
long shaggy hair, presented a picture that impressed the beholders
with astonishment and terror. 27. But nothing was capable of subduing
the courage of the Carthaginian general. At the end of fifteen days,
spent in crossing the Alps, he found himself in the plains of Italy,
with about half his army; the other half having died of cold, or been
cut off by the natives.

_Questions for Examination_.

1. What was the consequence of the conclusion of the first Punic war?

2. What advantages did the Romans derive from this interval of peace?

3. What species of entertainment had they hitherto enjoyed?

4. What succeeded these low buffooneries?

5. What was the next species, and from whom was it borrowed?

6. Did their former amusements still continue to please?

7. Were the Romans attentive only to the arts of peace?

8. Who first incurred their resentment, and what was their offence?

9. What was the consequence?

10. Who next incurred the displeasure of the Romans? 11. What was
their offence, and what favourable opportunity did they choose?

12. What steps were taken to oppose them?

13. Did the Gauls make any effectual resistance?

14. What was the result of the battle?

15. Did this victory decide the contest?

16. What advantages occurred to the Romans from this war?

17. Were the Carthaginians sincere in their overture for peace?

18. What was the consequence of this refusal?

19. To whom was the conduct of the war committed by the Carthaginians?

20. What rendered Hannibal particularly eligible to this post?

21. Was he a favourite with the army?

22. Describe his corporeal and mental qualifications?

23. What resolution did he adopt?

24. What measures did he take for that purpose?

25. Was he not deterred by the dangers of the way?

26. What rendered this passage peculiarly difficult?

27. Did these horrors render the attempt unsuccessful?

SECTION II.

With Hannibal I cleft yon Alpine rocks.
With Hannibal choked Thrasymene with slaughter;
But, O the night of Cannae's raging field!
When half the Roman senate lay in blood.--_Young_.

1. As soon as it was known at Rome, that Han'nibal, at the head of an
immense army, was crossing the Alps, the senate sent Scip'io to oppose
him; the armies met near the little river Tici'nus, and the Roman
general was obliged to retreat with considerable loss. 2. In the mean
time, Han'nibal, thus victorious, took the most prudent precautions to
increase his army; giving orders always to spare the possessions of
the Gauls, while depredations were committed upon those of Rome; and
this so pleased that simple people, that they declared for him in
great numbers, and flocked to his standard with alacrity.

3. The second battle was fought upon the banks of the river Tre'bia.
4. The Carthaginian general, being apprised of the Roman impetuosity,
of which he availed himself in almost every engagement, had sent off a
thousand horse, each with a foot soldier behind, to cross the river,
to ravage the enemy's country, and provoke them to engage. The Romans
quickly routed this force. Seeming to be defeated, they took the
river, and were as eagerly pursued by Sempro'nius, the consul. No
sooner had his army attained the opposite bank, than he perceived
himself half-conquered, his men being fatigued with wading up to their
arm-pits, and quite benumbed by the intense coldness of the water
5. A total route ensued; twenty-six thousand of the Romans were either
killed by the enemy, or drowned in attempting to repass the river. A
body of ten thousand men were all that survived; who, finding
themselves enclosed on every side, broke desperately through the
enemy's ranks, and fought, retreating, till they found shelter in the
city of Placentia.

6. The third defeat the Romans sustained was at the lake of
Thrasyme'ne, near to which was a chain of mountains, and between these
and the lake, a narrow passage leading to a valley that was embosomed
in hills. It was upon these hills that Han'nibal disposed his best
troops and it was into this valley that Flamin'ius, the Roman general,
led his men to attack him. 7. A disposition every way so favourable
for the Carthaginians, was also assisted by accident; for a mist
rising from the lake, kept the Romans from seeing their enemies; while
the army upon the mountains, being above its influence, saw the whole
disposition of their opponents. 8. The fortune of the day was such as
might be expected from the conduct of the two generals. The Roman army
was slaughtered, almost before they could perceive the enemy that
destroyed them. About fifteen thousand Romans, with Flamin'ius
himself, fell in the valley, and six thousand more were obliged to
yield themselves prisoners of war.

9. Upon the news of this defeat, after the general consternation was
allayed, the senate resolved to elect a commander with absolute
authority, in whom they might repose their last and greatest
expectations. 10. The choice fell upon Fa'bius Max'imus, a man of
great courage, with a happy mixture of caution. 11. He was apprised
that the only way to humble the Carthaginians at such a distance from
home, was rather by harassing than fighting. For this purpose, he
always encamped upon the highest grounds, inaccessible to the enemy's
cavalry. Whenever they moved, he watched their motions, straitened
their quarters, and cut off their provisions.

12. By these arts, Fa'bius had actually, at one time, enclosed
Han'nibal among mountains, where it was impossible to winter, and from
which it was almost impracticable to extricate his army without
imminent danger. 13. In this exigence, nothing but one of those
stratagems of war, which only men of great abilities invent, could
save him. 14. He ordered a number of small faggots and lighted torches
to be tied to the horns of two thousand oxen, which should be
driven towards the enemy. These, tossing their heads, and funning up
the sides of the mountain, seemed to fill the whole neighbouring
forest with fire; while the sentinels that were placed to guard the
approaches to the mountain, seeing such a number of flames advancing
towards their posts, fled in consternation, supposing the whole body
of the enemy was in arms to overwhelm them. 15. By this stratagem
Han'nibal drew off his army, and escaped through the defiles that led
beneath the hills, though with considerable damage to his rear.

16. Fa'bius, still pursuing the same judicious measures, followed
Han'nibal in all his movements, but at length received a letter from
the senate, recalling him to Rome, on pretence of a solemn sacrifice,
requiring his presence. 17. On his departure from the army, he
strictly charged Minu'tius, his general of the horse, not to hazard an
engagement in his absence. This command he disobeyed, and Fa'bius
expressed his determination to punish so flagrant a breach of military
discipline. 18. The senate, however, favouring Minu'tius, gave him an
equal authority with the dictator. 19. On the arrival of Fa'bius at
the camp, he divided the army with Minu'tius, and each pursued his own
separate plan. 20. By artful management, Han'nibal soon brought the
troops of the latter to an engagement, and they would have been cut
off to a man, had not Fa'bius sacrificed his private resentment to the
public good, and hastened to the relief of his colleague. 21. By their
united forces Han'nibal was repulsed, and Minu'tius, conscious of his
rashness, resigned the supreme command into the hands of the dictator.

22. On the expiration of his year of office, Fa'bius resigned, and
Taren'tius Varro was chosen to the command. 23. Varro was a man sprung
from the dregs of the people, with nothing but confidence and riches
to recommend him. 24. With him was joined AEmil'ius Paulus, of a
disposition entirely opposite; experienced, in the field, cautious in
action, and impressed with a thorough contempt for the abilities of
his plebeian colleague.

25. The Romans finding themselves enabled to bring a competent force
into the field, being almost ninety thousand strong, now again
resolved to meet Han'nibal, who was at this time encamped near the
village of Cannae, with a wind in his rear, that, for a certain season,
blows constantly one way, which, raising great clouds of dust
from the parched plains behind, he knew must greatly distress an
approaching enemy. In this situation he waited the coming of the
Romans with an army of forty thousand foot, and half that number of
cavalry. 26. The consuls soon appeared to his wish, dividing their
forces into two parts, and agreeing to take the command each day by
turns. 27. On the first day of their arrival, AEmil'ius was entirely
averse to engaging. The next day, however, it being Varro's turn to
command, he, without asking his colleague's concurrence, gave the
signal for battle: and passing the river Au'fidus, that lay between
both armies, put his forces in array. 28. The battle began with the
light-armed infantry; the horse engaged soon after; but the cavalry
being unable to stand against those of Numid'ia, the legions came up
to reinforce them. It was then that the conflict became general; the
Roman soldiers endeavoured, in vain, to penetrate the centre, where
the Gauls and Spaniards fought; which Han'nibal observing, he ordered
part of those troops to give way, and to permit the Romans to embosom
themselves within a chosen body of his Africans, whom he had placed on
their wings, so as to surround them; upon that a terrible slaughter of
the Romans ensued, fatigued with repeated attacks of the Africans, who
were fresh and vigorous. 29. At last the rout became general in every
part of the Roman army; the boastings of Varro were now no longer
heard: while AEmil'ius, who had been wounded by a slinger, feebly led
on his body of horse, and did all that could be done to make head
against the enemy. 30. Unable to sit on horseback, he was forced to
dismount. It was in these deplorable circumstances, that one
Len'tulus, a tribune of the army, flying from the enemy, who at some
distance pursued him, met AEmil'ius, sitting upon a stone, covered with
blood and wounds, and waiting for the coming up of the pursuers. 31.
"AEmil'ius," cried the generous tribune, "you, at least, are guiltless
of this day's slaughter; take my horse and fly." "I thank thee,
Len'tulus," cried the dying consul, "all is over, my part is chosen.
Go, and tell the senate to fortify Rome against the approach of the
conqueror. Tell Fa'bius, that AEmil'ius, while living, ever remembered
his advice; and now, dying, approves it." 32. While he was yet
speaking, the enemy approached; and Len'tulus at some distance saw the
consul expire, feebly fighting in the midst of hundreds. 33. In this
battle the Romans lost fifty thousand men, and so many knights,
that it is said that Han'nibal sent three bushels of gold rings to
Carthage, which those of this order wore on their fingers.[2]

_Questions for Examination._

1. What measures were adopted by the Romans when they heard of
Hannibal's approach?

2. What precautions did Hannibal take?

3. Where was the next battle fought?

4. What was the stratagem employed by Hannibal?

5. What followed?

6. Where was the next engagement?

7. Was this a judicious disposition of the Roman general?

8. What was the result?

9. What expedient did the senate adopt on this occasion?

10. Who was chosen to this office?

11. What method of fighting did he adopt?

12. What was the success of this plan?

13. Was his situation hopeless?

14. Describe his stratagem and its consequences?

15. Did it answer his purpose?

16. Was Fabius continued in office?

17, 18. Of what disobedience was Minutius guilty? Was he punished?

19. How was the army divided?

20, 21. What plan did Fabius pursue? How was its superiority proved?

22, 23, 24. Who succeeded Fabius? What was his character, and that of
his colleague?

25. How were the Carthaginians posted at Cannae?

26, 27. How did the consuls behave? How did Varro act?

28. What were the circumstances of the engagement?

29. How did the battle terminate?

30. What was the fate of AEmilius?

31. What generous offer was made by Lentulus?

32. Did the consul accept the tribune's offer?

33. Was the loss of the Romans severe?

SECTION III.

The storming Hannibal
In vain the thunder of the battle rolled.
The thunder of the battle they returned
Back on his Punic shores.--_Dyer_.

1. When the first consternation was abated after this dreadful blow,
the senate came to a resolution to create a dictator, in order to give
strength to their government. 2. A short time after Varro arrived,
having left behind him the wretched remains of his army. As he had
been the principal cause of the late calamity, it was natural to
suppose, that the senate would severely reprimand the rashness of his
conduct. But far otherwise! The Romans went out in multitudes to meet
him; and the senate returned him thanks that he had not despaired of
the safety of Rome. 3. Fa'bius, who was considered as the shield, and
Marcellus, as the sword of Rome, were appointed to lead the armies:
and though Hannibal once more offered them peace, they refused it, but
upon condition that he should quit Italy--a measure similar to that
they had formerly insisted upon from Pyrrhus.

4. Han'nibal finding the impossibility of marching directly to Rome,
or willing to give his forces rest after so mighty a victory, led them
to Cap'ua, where he resolved to winter. 5. This city had long been
considered as the nurse of luxury, and the corrupter of all military
virtue. 6. Here a new scene of pleasure opened to his barbarian
troops: they at once gave themselves up to intoxication; and from
being hardy veterans, became infirm rioters.

7. Hitherto we have found this great man successful; but now we are to
reverse the picture, and survey him struggling with accumulated
misfortunes, and, at last, sinking beneath them.

8. His first loss was at the siege of Nola, where Marcel'lus, the
praetor, made a successful sally. He some time after attempted to raise
the siege of Cap'ua, attacked the Romans in their trenches, and was
repulsed with considerable loss. He then made a feint to besiege Rome,
but finding a superior army ready to receive him, was obliged to
retire. 9. For many years he fought with varied success; Marcel'lus,
his opponent, sometimes gaining, and sometimes losing the advantage,
without coming to any decisive engagement.

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