Origin of the second Punic war. Hannibal's character.
In violation of a treaty, he passes the Iberus. Besieges Saguntum, and at length
takes it. The Romans send ambassadors to Carthage; declare war. Hannibal crosses
the Pyrenees: makes his way through Gaul; then crosses the Alps; defeats the
Romans at the Ticinus. The Romans again defeated at the Trebia. Cneius Cornelius
Scipio defeats the Carthaginians in Spain, and takes Hanno, their general, prisoner.
1
I may be permitted to premise at this division of my work, what most historians
have professed at the beginning of their whole undertaking;
that I am about to relate the most memorable of all wars that were ever waged:
the war which the Carthaginians, under the conduct of Hannibal, maintained with
the Roman people. For never did any states and nations more efficient in their
resources engage in contest; nor had they themselves at any other period so
great a degree of power and energy. They brought into action too no arts of
war unknown to each other, but those which had been tried in the first Punic
war; and so various was the fortune of the conflict, and so doubtful the victory,
that they who conquered were more exposed to danger. The hatred with which they
fought also was almost greater than their resources; the Romans being indignant
that the conquered aggressively took up arms against their victors; the Carthaginians,
because they considered that in their subjection it had been lorded over them
with haughtiness and avarice. There is besides a story, that Hannibal, when
about nine years old, while he boyishly coaxed his father Hamilcar that he might
be taken to Spain, (at the time when the African war was completed, and he was
employed in sacrificing previously to transporting his army thither,) was conducted
to the altar; and, having laid his hand on the offerings, was bound by an oath
to prove himself, as soon as he could, an enemy to the Roman people. The loss
of Sicily and Sardinia grieved the high spirit of Hamilcar: for he deemed that
Sicily had been given up through a premature despair of their affairs; and that
Sardinia, during the disturbances in Africa, had been treacherously taken by
the Romans, while, in addition, the payment of a tribute had been imposed.
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