flamininus-第7章

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had　ordered；　he　attempted　to　make　his　escape　through　these　mines；
but　finding　them　beset　with　the　king's　guards；　he　resolved　upon　making
away　with　himself。　Some　say　that；　wrapping　his　upper　garment　about　his
neck；　he　commanded　his　servant　to　set　his　knee　against　his　back；　and
not　to　cease　twisting　and　pulling　it　till　he　had　completely
strangled　him。　Others　say　he　drank　bull's　blood；　after　the　example
of　Themistocles　and　Midas。　Livy　writes　that　he　had　poison　in
readiness；　which　he　mixed　for　the　purpose；　and　that；　taking　the　cup　in
his　hand；　〃Let　us　ease；〃　said　he；　〃the　Romans　of　their　continual　dread
and　care；　who　think　it　long　and　tedious　to　await　the　death　of　a
hated　old　man。　Yet　Titus　will　not　bear　away　a　glorious　victory；　nor
one　worthy　of　those　ancestors　who　sent　to　caution　Pyrrhus；　an　enemy；
and　a　conqueror　too；　against　the　poison　prepared　for　him　by　traitors。〃
　　Thus　various　are　the　reports　of　Hannibal's　death；　but　when　the
news　of　it　came　to　the　senator's　ears；　some　felt　indignation　against
Titus　for　it；　blaming　as　well　his　officiousness　as　his　cruelty；　who
when　there　was　nothing　to　urge　it；　out　of　mere　appetite　for
distinction　to　have　it　said　that　he　had　caused　Hannibal's　death；
sent　him　to　his　grave　when　he　was　now　like　a　bird　that　in　its　old
age　has　lost　its　feathers；　and　incapable　of　flying；　is　let　alone　to
live　tamely　without　molestation。
　　They　began　also　now　to　regard　with　increased　admiration　the　clemency
and　magnanimity　of　Scipio　Africanus；　and　called　to　mind　how　he；　when
he　had　vanquished　in　Africa　the　still　then　invincible　and　terrible
Hannibal；　neither　banished　him　his　country；　nor　exacted　of　his
countrymen　that　they　should　give　him　up。　At　a　parley　just　before
they　joined　battle；　Scipio　gave　him　his　hand；　and　in　the　peace　made
after　it；　he　put　no　hard　article　upon　him；　nor　insulted　over　his
fallen　fortune。　It　is　told；　too；　that　they　had　another　meeting
afterwards；　at　Ephesus；　and　that　when　Hannibal；　as　they　were　walking
together；　took　the　upper　hand；　Africanus　let　it　pass；　and　walked　on
without　the　least　notice　of　it；　and　that　then　they　began　to　talk　of
generals；　and　Hannibal　affirmed　that　Alexander　was　the　greatest
commander　the　world　had　seen；　next　to　him　Pyrrhus；　and　the　third　was
himself；　Africanus；　with　a　smile；　asked；　〃What　would　you　have　said；　if
I　had　not　defeated　you？〃　〃I　would　not　then；　Scipio；〃　he　replied；　〃have
made　myself　the　third；　but　the　first　commander。〃　Such　conduct　was　much
admired　in　Scipio；　and　that　of　Titus；　who　had　as　it　were　insulted
the　dead　whom　another　had　slain；　was　no　less　generally　found　fault
with。　Not　but　that　there　were　some　who　applauded　the　action；　looking
upon　a　living　Hannibal　as　a　fire；　which　only　wanted　blowing　to
become　a　flame。　For　when　he　was　in　the　prime　and　flower　of　his　age；　it
was　not　his　body　nor　his　hand　that　had　been　so　formidable；　but　his
consummate　skill　and　experience；　together　with　his　innate　malice　and
rancour　against　the　Roman　name；　things　which　do　not　impair　with　age。
For　the　temper　and　bent　of　the　soul　remains　constant；　while　fortune
continually　varies；　and　some　new　hope　might　easily　rouse　to　a　fresh
attempt　those　whose　hatred　made　them　enemies　to　the　last。　And　what
really　happened　afterwards　does　to　a　certain　extent　tend　yet　further
to　the　exculpation　of　Titus。　Aristonicus；　of　the　family　of　a　common
musician；　upon　the　reputation　of　being　the　son　of　Eumenes；　filled
all　Asia　with　tumults　and　rebellion。　Then　again；　Mithridates；　after
his　defeats　by　Sylla　and　Fimbria；　and　vast　slaughter　as　well　among　his
prime　officers　as　common　soldiers；　made　head　again；　and　proved　a
most　dangerous　enemy；　against　Lucullus；　both　by　sea　and　land。　Hannibal
was　never　reduced　to　so　contemptible　a　state　as　Caius　Marius；　he　had
the　friendship　of　a　king；　and　the　free　exercise　of　his　faculties；
employment　and　charge　in　the　navy；　and　over　the　horse　and　foot；　of
Prusias；　whereas　those　who　but　now　were　laughing　to　hear　of　Marius
wandering　about　Africa；　destitute　and　begging；　in　no　long　time　after
were　seen　entreating　his　mercy　in　Rome；　with　his　rods　at　their
backs；　and　his　axes　at　their　necks。　So　true　it　is；　that　looking　to　the
possible　future；　we　can　call　nothing　that　we　see　either　great　or
small；　as　nothing　puts　an　end　to　the　mutability　and　vicissitude　of
things　but　what　puts　an　end　to　their　very　being。　Some　authors
accordingly　tell　us　that　Titus　did　not　do　this　of　his　own　head；　but
that　he　was　joined　in　commission　with　Lucius　Scipio；　and　that　the
whole　object　of　the　embassy　was　to　effect　Hannibal's　death。　And　now；
as　we　find　no　further　mention　in　history　of　anything　done　by　Titus；
either　in　war　or　in　the　administration　of　the　government；　but　simply
that　he　died　in　peace；　it　is　time　to　look　upon　him　as　he　stands　in
comparison　with　Philopoemen。




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