[37.16] ‘rushing.’ How literally?
[37.17] lībrātam . . . dēiēcit = lībrāvit et dēiēcit.
[Text-only version] [XVI.] Gāius Duīlius
Gāius Duīlius Poenōs nāvālī pūgnā prīmus[1] dēvīcit.
Quī cum vidēret nāvēs Rōmānās ā Pūnicīs
vēlōcitāte superārī, manūs ferreās sīve corvōs,
māchinam ad comprehendendās hostium nāvēs
[5] tenendāsque ūtilem, excōgitāvit. Quae[2] manūs ubi
hostīlem apprehenderant nāvem, superiectō ponte
trānsgrediēbātur Rōmānus[3] et in ipsōrum[4] ratibus
comminus dīmicābant, unde[5] Rōmānīs, quī rōbore
praestābant, facilis victōria fuit. Celeriter sunt
[10] expūgnātae nāvēs Pūnicae trīgintā, in quibus etiam
praetōria[6] septirēmis[7] capta est, mersae[8] tredecim.
Duīlius victor Rōmam reversus prīmus
nāvālem triumphum ēgit. Nūlla victōria
Rōmānīs grātior fuit, quod[9] invictī terrā
[15] iam etiam marī plūrimum[10] possent.[9] Itaque
Duīliō concessum est, ut per omnem vītam
praelūcente fūnāli et praecinente tībīcine ā
cēnā redīret.[11]
Hannibal, dux classis Pūnicae, ē nāvī
[20] quae iam capiēbātur, in scapham saltū sē dēmittēns Rōmānōrum
manūs effūgit. Veritus autem, nē[12] in patriā classis[13] āmissae
poenās daret, cīvium odium āstūtiā āvertit, nam ex illā īnfēlīcī
pūgnā priusquam[1] clādis nūntius domum[2] pervenīret[1] quendam
ex amīcīs Carthāginem[2] mīsit. Quī postquam cūriam intrāvit,
[25] “Cōnsulit” inquit “vōs Hannibal, cum[3] dux Rōmānōrum māgnīs
cōpiīs maritimīs īnstrūctīs advēnerit,[3] num cum eō cōnflīgere
dēbeat?” Acclāmāvit ūniversus senātus nōn esse dubium quīn[4]
cōnflīgī oportēret. Tum ille “Cōnflīxit” inquit “et superātus
est.” Ita nōn potuērunt factum damnāre, quod ipsī fierī dēbuisse
[30] iūdicāverant. Sīc Hannibal victus crucis supplicium effūgit:
nam eō[5] poenae genere dux rē[6] male gestā apud Poenōs
adficiēbātur.
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[38.1] prīmus dēvīcit: ‘was the first (Roman) to conquer.’ Cf. prīmus ēgit, [l. 12]. H 497, and 1 (443 and 1): A 191: G 325, R. 6: B 239. Such a phrase as prīmus fuit dēvincere is never used by good writers.