1
Hannibal,Hamilcarisfilius,Carthaginiensis.
3
GrammarHannibal, Hamilcaris Carthaginian names like this usually go third declension in Latin, same pattern as a normal Latin noun.
ContextHannibal's name meant 'the favour of Baal' Baal was the chief Carthaginian god.
ContextHamilcar (Hannibal's dad) was a big deal in the First Punic War — he held out for five years defending Mount Herete in Sicily, then went on to become commander-in-chief in Spain.
1–4
siverumest,quodnemodubitat,utpopulusRomanusomnesgentesvirtutesuperarit,nonestinfitiandumHannibalemtantopraestitisseceterosimperatoresprudentia,quantopopulusRomanusantecedatfortitudinecunctasnationes.
7
Grammarsi verum est you'd expect a subjunctive after 'if', but it's indicative here, because Nepos is saying this is a plain fact, not a hypothetical.
Grammarut populus ... superarit normally you'd expect accusative + infinitive for 'that the Roman people surpassed', so this ut clause is a slightly unusual way of doing it.
Grammarsuperarit a shortened (syncopated) form of superaverit; it's perfect subjunctive because it's inside that ut clause.
Grammarinfitiandum this is a gerund of obligation, so literally 'it-must-not-be-denied-ing' — translate as 'it must not be denied'.
Grammarpraestitisse a perfect infinitive ('to have surpassed'), with Hannibalem as the person doing the surpassing, after the verb infitiandum.
Grammartanto ... quanto a 'by as much ... as' construction, both in the ablative.
BalanceThe sentence is carefully weighed 'Hannibal beat every other general by skill' on one side, 'Rome beats every nation by bravery' on the other. Nepos is being clever — he flatters Rome first, then uses that exact same yardstick to praise Hannibal, so a Roman reader can't really object.
5
namquotienscumquecumeocongressusestinItalia,semperdiscessitsuperior.
2
Grammarcongressus est from congredior ('I meet'), used impersonally here, so it really means 'whenever anyone came up against him'.
Alliterationnam quotienscumque cum eo congressus the repeated c-sounds are bunched closely together here. This isn't only a poetic technique: Nepos was trained as a public speaker, so he still reaches for a striking sound even in prose.
quodnisidomiciviumsuoruminvidiadebilitatusesset,Romanosvidetursuperarepotuisse.
4
Vocabularydomi locative, meaning 'at home', i.e. at Carthage.
Vocabularyvidetur the passive of video ('I see') is regularly translated 'seems' rather than literally 'is seen'.
ContextHamilcar and Hannibal both wanted Carthage to keep expanding, especially into Spain. Back home, a politician called Hanno disagreed and wanted to stay friendly with Rome instead.
Contextinvidia this argument at home got personal, not just political, which is why Nepos picks this strong word for 'spite'/'envy' rather than something more neutral.
7
sedmultorumobtrectatiodevicituniusvirtutem.
2
Vocabularymultorum 'of the many', meaning the Carthaginians back home.
Antithesismultorum ... unius 'the many' versus 'the one' — this small contrast effectively sums up the whole chapter: Hannibal isn't beaten by Rome, he's let down by his own side.
8–9
hicautemveluthereditaterelictumodiumpaternumergaRomanossicconservavit,utpriusanimamquamiddeposuerit,
5
Vocabularyhic 'this man', meaning Hannibal.
Vocabularyerga takes the accusative, means 'towards', and is often used (like here) when the feeling towards someone is hostile.
Vocabularyodium paternum note the trap here: this is not 'hatred of his father', but 'his father's hatred [of the Romans]', which Hannibal inherited like a piece of family property (hereditate).
Grammarsic conservavit ... ut ... deposuerit a result clause: 'so much X that Y'.
Grammarid deposuerit 'id' points back to the hatred just mentioned.
9–10
quiquidem,cumpatriapulsusessetetalienarumopumindigeret,numquamdestiteritanimobellarecumRomanis.
5
Vocabularyopum genitive plural of opes, opum, meaning 'resources' or 'help'.
Grammaranimo ablative of respect, 'in his mind/heart' — the war was still going on inside him, even without an army.
Contextcum patria pulsus esset this refers to Hannibal being driven out of Carthage in 195 BC.
Contextalienarum opum indigeret after that, he went to help King Antiochus III of Syria fight Rome, and later King Prusias of Bithynia (northern Turkey) — both stories come up later in the text.
Stylenumquam destiterit animo bellare cum Romanis a strong note to end the chapter on: even homeless and relying on other people's kindness, Hannibal never actually gives up his hatred of Rome. It sets the tone for the rest of the story.
1
Hannibal the Carthaginian, son of Hamilcar.
1–4
If it is true, a thing which no one doubts, that the Roman people have surpassed all nations in valour, it must not be denied that Hannibal surpassed all other commanders in skill by as much as the Roman people are superior to all nations in bravery.
5
For as many times as people met with him in Italy, he always came out as the winner;
and if he had not been weakened by the envy of his fellow citizens at home, it seems that he could have conquered the Romans.
7
But the spite of many overcame the courage of one man.
8–9
Yet, he so maintained his father's hatred towards the Romans, which had, as it were, been left him as an inheritance, that he would have given up his life rather than set the hatred aside.
9–10
Indeed, even after he had been driven from his homeland and was dependent on the aid of foreigners, he never stopped waging war with the Romans in spirit.