1–2
Antiochofugatoverensnedederetur,quodsinedubioaccidisset,sisuifecissetpotestatem,CretamadGortyniosvenit,utibi,quoseconferret,consideraret.
4
Grammarverens ne dederetur a verb of fearing (verens) followed by ne means you're afraid something will happen ('in case'); dederetur is imperfect subjunctive.
Grammaraccidisset pluperfect subjunctive, part of an 'unfulfilled' past condition: it didn't actually happen, but would have.
GrammarCretam ad Gortynios the Latin word order (Crete, then 'to the Gortynians') mirrors the fact that Hannibal reached Crete first, then made his way to the town of Gortyn on the south of the island.
ContextAntiochus had been defeated by the Romans at Magnesia in 190 BC, commanded by Lucius Scipio, brother of the famous Scipio Africanus (Lucius earned the nickname Scipio Asiaticus for it). The defeat cost Antiochus his kingdom, his army and his money — and part of the peace deal was exactly what Hannibal feared: handing Hannibal over.
3–4
viditautemviromniumcallidissimusinmagnoseforepericulo,nisiquidprovidisset,propteravaritiamCretensium.
3
Grammarfore an alternative form of futurum esse, an infinitive here because it's part of indirect speech after vidit.
Stylein magno se fore periculo Nepos splits magno away from periculo (the noun it agrees with), putting extra emphasis on just how great the danger was; he does the same trick again in the next sentence with magnam ... pecuniam.
ContextThe historian Polybius also comments at length on the reputation the ancient Cretans had for greed, so this isn't simply Nepos being unfair to them.
4–5
magnamenimsecumpecuniamportabat,dequasciebatexissefamam.
1
Grammarexisse famam indirect statement after sciebat.
6
itaquecapittaleconsilium.
1
Grammarcapit historic present, used to make the narrative feel more immediate.
6–7
amphorascomplurescompletplumbo,summasoperitauroetargento.
1
Vocabularyamphoras the ancient equivalent of packing crates. A standard amphora had two handles (amph- means 'both' in Greek) and held around 17 litres of liquid, like olive oil, or dry goods; many had pointed bottoms so they could be stacked in a ship's hold.
7–8
haspraesentibusprincipibusdeponitintemploDianae,simulanssesuasfortunasillorumfideicredere.
3
Grammarsimulans a word that specifically means 'pretending something is true when it isn't'.
Alliterationpraesentibus principibus the repeated p-sound draws attention to the presence of the local dignitaries, exactly the audience Hannibal wants watching this staged act of trust.
ContextThe temple was actually sacred to Diktynna, a local Cretan hunting goddess — Nepos quietly swaps her out for her Roman equivalent, Diana, exactly as he did with Baal and Jupiter back in Chapter 2. He's translating religion as much as language for his Roman readers.
8–9
hisinerroreminductisstatuasaeneas,quassecumportabat,omnisuapecuniacompleteasqueinpropatulodomiabicit.
2
Vocabularyin propatulo domi literally 'in the open part of the house', meaning the courtyard.
Asyndetonamphoras complures complet plumbo, summas operit auro et argento; has praesentibus principibus deponit ... statuas aeneas ... omni sua pecunia complet easque ... abicit — verb after verb, with barely any connecting words, keeps the whole deception moving at speed, while also drawing out the contrast between the jars (which look valuable but aren't) and the plain-looking statues (which actually are).
10–11
GortyniitemplummagnacuracustodiuntnontamaceterisquamabHannibale,neilleinscientibusiistolleretsuasecumqueduceret.
2
Grammarinscientibus iis refers to the Gortynians; tolleret refers to Hannibal taking the jars; ne ... tolleret ... duceret is a negative purpose clause ('so that ... not').
StyleThis last line delivers the punchline of the whole story: the greedy Gortynians end up guarding empty lead jars as though they were treasure, while the real fortune sits out in the open, disguised as ordinary statues. It's one of the clearest examples in the whole Life of Nepos showing off Hannibal's cleverness rather than his generalship.
1–2
After Antiochus had been put to flight, Hannibal, fearing in case he would be handed over — which without doubt would have happened if he had let himself be caught — came to the Gortynians in Crete, to work out there where he should go.
3–4
But the shrewdest of all men saw that he would be in great danger, unless he made some plan in advance, on account of the greed of the Cretans.
4–5
For he was carrying a large sum of money with him, and he knew that news of this had got out.
6
And so he came up with the following plan.
6–7
He filled several jars with lead, and covered the tops with gold and silver.
7–8
These, with the leading citizens present, he deposited in the temple of Diana, pretending that he was entrusting his fortunes to their care.
8–9
After he had led them into this misbelief, he filled some bronze statues which he was carrying with him with all his money, and left them lying around in the courtyard of his house.
10–11
The Gortynians guarded the temple with great care, not so much against others as against Hannibal, so that he would not take the jars without their knowledge and carry them off with him.