26. spolia: called opīma, were the arms taken from a hostile general by a Roman general commanding under his own auspices. They were hung in the Temple of Jupiter Feretrius on the Capitol. This temple is said to have been built by Romulus, who inaugurated the custom. They were won on only two subsequent occasions, when A. Cornelius Cossus killed Lars Tolumnius, king of the Veii (Bk. I, 19), and the time mentioned in this chapter.
Page 29.
Ch. 7.
4. bellum Pūnicum secundum: immediately after the end of the First Punic War the Carthaginians began to prepare for a renewal of the struggle against Rome. Hamilcar, the father of Hannibal, crossed over into Spain and conquered a large part of it. Probably it was his intention to make this province the basis of operations against Italy. But death prevented the realization of his plans. Hasdrubal, his son-in-law, took command of the empire Hamilcar had founded in Spain, and organized and enlarged it. He founded the city of New Carthage, which from its situation seemed destined to become a second Carthage in commercial importance. In 221 B.C. he was assassinated. At his death the command was turned over to Hannibal, the idol of the army and the sworn enemy of the Romans. Active preparations were made. Forces were assembled, supplies were prepared, and when all was ready Hannibal gave the signal for war by besieging Saguntum.
per Hannibalem: cf. per fīliōs, Bk. I, 6.
5. Saguntum: a town on the southern coast of Spain, said to have been founded by the Greeks as a trading post. It was in alliance with the Romans, although by the terms of the last treaty with the Carthaginians independence was secured to the Saguntines by both parties. The capture of this town was the first hostile act of the war. Rome and Carthage, p. 112; Creighton, p. 40.
7. annum … aetātis: lit. ‘passing the twentieth year of his life’ ＝ ‘being twenty years of age’; cf. decem et octō annōs nātus, Bk. I, 1.
10. mīsērunt: sc. lēgātōs.
ut mandārētur: lit. ‘that it might be commanded’ ＝ ‘that instructions might be given.’
11. dūra respōnsa: the story is told that when Q. Fabius, the chief of the embassy, held up his toga, saying, ‘I carry here peace and war: choose ye which ye will have.’ ‘Give us which ever you please,’ replied the Carthaginians. ‘War, then,’ said Fabius; and the decision was greeted by the short-sighted acclamations of the masses.