Chapter 7.1–4
The Romans agree terms of peace and Hannibal holds office · Life of Hannibal · A-level Latin · OCR H443/03
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SubjectObjectVerbGenitiveDativeAblativeConjunctionAdverb
Latin
English
cum in apparando acerrime esset occupatus, Carthaginienses bellum cum Romanis
While he was throwing himself into these preparations, the Carthaginians made peace with Rome.
composuerunt. ille nihilo setius exercitui postea praefuit resque in Africa gessit itemque
He nonetheless remained in command of the army afterwards and carried on operations in Africa, as did
Mago frater eius usque ad P. Sulpicium C. Aurelium consules.
his brother Mago, right up until the consulship of Publius Sulpicius and Gaius Aurelius.
his enim magistratibus legati Carthaginienses Romam venerunt, qui senatui populoque
For in their term of office, Carthaginian envoys came to Rome to thank the senate and people
Romano gratias agerent, quod cum iis pacem fecissent, ob eamque rem corona aurea eos
of Rome for making peace with them, and to present them with a golden crown for it,
donarent simulque peterent, ut obsides eorum Fregellis essent captivique redderentur.
while also asking that their hostages might live at Fregellae, and that their prisoners be returned.
his ex senatus consulto responsum est: munus eorum gratum acceptumque esse; obsides,
The senate's reply was this: their gift was welcome and accepted; the hostages
quo loco rogarent, futuros; captivos non remissuros, quod Hannibalem, cuius opera
could stay wherever they had requested; but the prisoners would not be returned, because the Carthaginians still kept Hannibal — the man responsible
susceptum bellum foret, inimicissimum nomini Romano, etiamnum cum imperio apud
for starting the war, and Rome's bitterest enemy — in command of
exercitum haberent itemque fratrem eius Magonem.
an army, along with his brother Mago.
hoc responso Carthaginienses cognito Hannibalem domum et Magonem revocarunt. huc ut
Once the Carthaginians learned of this reply, they recalled Hannibal and Mago home. As soon as he
rediit, rex factus est, postquam praetor fuerat, anno secundo et vicesimo. ut enim Romae
returned, Hannibal was made “king” (that is, suffete), in the twenty-second year after he had first become general. For just as Rome
consules, sic Carthagine quotannis annui bini reges creabantur.
elected consuls, so Carthage elected a pair of kings every year.
Style notes this section · 17Word order · 2Repetition and structure · 6Word choice · 7Grammar · 2
cum in apparando acerrime esset occupatus, Carthaginienses bellum cum Romanis composueruntContrast
while he was busy preparing, the Carthaginians made peace with the Romans
Hannibal's preparations for war are set against his city making peace. This is the first sign of the split between Hannibal and his own people that leads to his exile.
acerrimeSuperlative
most energetically
The superlative adverb shows Hannibal throwing all his energy into preparing for more war, which makes the peace made behind his back all the more of a blow.
nihilo setiusEmphasis
none the less
The phrase shows Hannibal carrying on regardless, as if the peace did not apply to him.
itemque Mago frater eiusPairing
and likewise his brother Mago
Mago is linked to Hannibal, so the Barca brothers act as one. This prepares for the senate naming them both in its reply.
P. Sulpicium C. Aurelium consulesRoman point of view
the consuls Publius Sulpicius and Gaius Aurelius
Nepos dates events in Carthage by the Roman consuls, so the story is told from Rome's side even when the scene is Africa.
qui … gratias agerent … donarent … peterentTricolon
to thank … to present … to ask
The envoys come to thank, to give and only then to ask. Putting the thanks and the gift first shows Carthage humbly trying to win Rome's goodwill.
corona aureaVivid detail
with a golden crown
A gift of gold shows how eager the Carthaginians are to please Rome, which makes their general's continued command look like an embarrassment.
responsum est: munus eorum gratum acceptumque esseIndirect speech
the reply was that their gift was welcome and accepted
The senate's answer is reported in indirect statement, which gives it the cool, formal tone of an official decree.
gratum acceptumquePairing
welcome and accepted
Two near-synonyms make the reply sound gracious, which makes the refusal that follows all the sharper.
obsides … captivos non remissurosContrast
the hostages … they would not return the prisoners
The senate grants the first request and refuses the second. The balanced reply makes the "no" stand out.
Hannibalem, cuius opera susceptum bellum foretEmphatic position
Hannibal, through whose efforts the war had been begun
Hannibal is named and blamed for starting the war in the same breath. Rome holds him personally responsible.
inimicissimum nomini RomanoSuperlative
the bitterest enemy of the Roman name
The superlative and the phrase "the Roman name" make Hannibal the enemy of everything Rome stands for. This is the Roman view of him, put in the senate's own words.
etiamnumEmphasis
even now
Rome's complaint is that Hannibal is still in command. The word shows Roman suspicion that the war is not really over while he holds an army.
hoc responso Carthaginienses cognitoEnclosing word order
when the Carthaginians had learnt this reply
The Carthaginians are placed inside the ablative absolute, wrapped up in Rome's reply, which suits a city now ruled by Rome's wishes.
Hannibalem domum et Magonem revocaruntCharacterisation
they recalled Hannibal and Mago home
Carthage obeys at once and recalls its greatest general to please Rome, which foreshadows how readily it will abandon him later.
rexWord choice
king
Rex was a hated word at Rome, so calling Hannibal a "king" might startle Roman readers. Nepos explains at once that the office lasted only a year, like a consulship.
ut enim Romae consules, sic Carthagine … regesComparison
for as at Rome consuls, so at Carthage kings
Nepos explains a foreign office by comparing it with a Roman one. The balanced ut … sic helps his Roman readers and makes Carthage look like a mirror of Rome.
Notes on the text 5
Carthaginienses bellum cum Romanis composueruntThe peace of 201 BC
the Carthaginians made peace with Rome
After Zama (202 BC) Carthage gave up Spain and almost all its fleet, agreed to pay 10,000 talents over fifty years, and could not make war without Rome's permission.
MagoMago
Mago
Hannibal's younger brother, who fought with him in Italy and later commanded in Spain and northern Italy. Nepos's account of Mago here and in chapter 8 does not match Livy, who says Mago died in 203 BC of a wound on the voyage home from Italy.
FregellisFregellae
at Fregellae
A Latin colony on the river Liris, south-east of Rome. Carthaginian hostages could be kept there in some comfort, away from the city.
rex factus estSuffetes
he was made king
Carthage's two chief magistrates, elected every year, were called suffetes. Hannibal held the office in 196 BC. Nepos uses the Roman word rex for it.
praetorPraetor
general
Nepos uses a Roman title for Hannibal's command of the army in Spain, which he took over in 221 BC. Counted from then, Nepos's "twenty-second year" does not quite fit the date of his suffeteship, 196 BC.
Questions to think about · 3
- How does Nepos show the gap between Hannibal and the Carthaginian government in this chapter?
- What does the senate's reply reveal about how Rome saw Hannibal after the war was over?
- Why do you think Nepos stops to compare the Carthaginian "kings" with Roman consuls?
Carthage after Zama background
After Scipio defeated Hannibal at Zama in 202 BC, Carthage accepted peace in 201 on hard terms. It gave up Spain and its other overseas possessions, surrendered all but ten of its warships and its war elephants, paid an indemnity of 10,000 talents spread over fifty years, and promised not to make war without Rome's permission.
Hannibal stayed in public life. In 196 BC he was elected one of the two suffetes, the annual chief magistrates of Carthage, and used the office to attack the corruption of the ruling families and to put the city's finances in order. His success made him powerful enemies at home, and they were quick to tell Rome that he was plotting a new war.
Vocabulary in this section · 99 wordsVocabulary tester
cum (conj.) when, while (+ subjunctive)
in (prep. + abl.) in
apparo, apparare, apparavi, apparatum prepare, get ready
acriter (adv.) keenly, fiercely; superlative acerrime
sum, esse, fui be
occupo, occupare, occupavi, occupatum occupy, keep busy
Carthaginiensis, -is (m.) a Carthaginian
bellum, -i (n.) war
cum (prep. + abl.) with
Romanus, -i (m.) a Roman
compono, componere, composui, compositum settle, arrange; put together
ille, illa, illud that; he, she, it
nihil (indecl., n.) nothing; nihilo setius none the less
setius (adv.) less, otherwise; nihilo setius none the less
exercitus, -us (m.) army
postea (adv.) afterwards, later
praesum, praeesse, praefui be in command of (+ dat.)
res, rei (f.) thing, matter; (pl.) affairs, operations + -que (conj.) and
Africa, -ae (f.) Africa (the region around Carthage)
gero, gerere, gessi, gestum carry on, conduct; wage (war)
item (adv.) likewise, also + -que (conj.) and
Mago, -onis (m.) Mago, Hannibal's younger brother
frater, fratris (m.) brother
is, ea, id he, she, it; that
usque (adv.) all the way, right up
ad (prep. + acc.) to, until
P. = Publius, -i (m.) Publius (Roman first name)
Sulpicius, -i (m.) Sulpicius (P. Sulpicius Galba, consul 200 BC)
C. = Gaius, -i (m.) Gaius (Roman first name)
Aurelius, -i (m.) Aurelius (C. Aurelius Cotta, consul 200 BC)
consul, -is (m.) consul
hic, haec, hoc this; he, she, it
enim (conj.) for, indeed
magistratus, -us (m.) magistrate; magistracy, office
legatus, -i (m.) envoy, ambassador
Carthaginiensis, -e Carthaginian
Roma, -ae (f.) Rome
venio, venire, veni, ventum come
qui, quae, quod who, which
senatus, -us (m.) senate
populus, -i (m.) people + -que (conj.) and
Romanus, -a, -um Roman
gratia, -ae (f.) thanks; favour; gratias agere to thank
ago, agere, egi, actum do, drive; gratias agere give thanks
quod (conj.) because
pax, pacis (f.) peace
facio, facere, feci, factum make, do
ob (prep. + acc.) because of, on account of
is, ea, id + -que (conj.) he, she, it; that; and
corona, -ae (f.) crown, wreath
aureus, -a, -um golden, made of gold
dono, donare, donavi, donatum present (someone, acc.) with (something, abl.)
simul (adv.) at the same time + -que (conj.) and
peto, petere, petivi, petitum ask, request; seek
ut (conj.) that (+ subjunctive)
obses, obsidis (m.) hostage
Fregellae, -arum (f. pl.) Fregellae, a town in Latium
captivus, -i (m.) prisoner, captive + -que (conj.) and
reddo, reddere, reddidi, redditum give back, return
ex (prep. + abl.) from; in accordance with
consultum, -i (n.) decree; senatus consultum decree of the senate
respondeo, respondere, respondi, responsum reply, answer
munus, muneris (n.) gift; duty
gratus, -a, -um welcome, pleasing; grateful
accipio, accipere, accepi, acceptum + -que (conj.) receive, accept; and
qui, quae, quod (adj.) which, what; quo loco in whatever place
locus, -i (m.) place
rogo, rogare, rogavi, rogatum ask, request
non (adv.) not
remitto, remittere, remisi, remissum send back, return
Hannibal, -alis (m.) Hannibal
opera, -ae (f.) work, effort, agency
suscipio, suscipere, suscepi, susceptum undertake, take up, begin
inimicus, -a, -um hostile; (as noun) enemy
nomen, nominis (n.) name; race, nation
etiamnum (adv.) still, even now
imperium, -i (n.) command, power
apud (prep. + acc.) with, among
habeo, habere, habui, habitum have, keep, hold
responsum, -i (n.) reply, answer
cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitum learn, find out
domus, -us (f.) home, house; domum (to) home
et (conj.) and
revoco, revocare, revocavi, revocatum call back, recall
huc (adv.) here, to this place
redeo, redire, redii, reditum return, go back
rex, regis (m.) king (here one of the two annual chief magistrates of Carthage)
fio, fieri, factus sum become, be made
postquam (conj.) after
praetor, -oris (m.) praetor; commander, general
annus, -i (m.) year
secundus, -a, -um second
vicesimus, -a, -um twentieth
sic (adv.) so, thus, in the same way
Carthago, -inis (f.) Carthage
quotannis (adv.) every year
annuus, -a, -um annual, lasting a year
bini, -ae, -a two each, a pair
creo, creare, creavi, creatum create, elect, appoint