Allegory of Africa, Mosaic from Roman villa Piazza Armerina, Sicily, Italy, 4th century A.D.
Scala/Art Resource, NY.
Haec est nobilis ad Trasumennum pugna atque inter paucas memorata populi Romani clades. Quindecim milia Romanorum 110 in acie caesa; decem milia, sparsa fuga per omnem Etruriam, diversis itineribus urbem petiere; duo milia quingenti hostium in acie, multa postea ex vulneribus periere. Romae ad primum nuntium cladis eius cum ingenti terrore ac tumultu concursus in forum populi est factus. Et cum, frequentis contionis modo, turba in comitium et curiam versa magistratus vocaret, tandem haud multo ante solis occasum M. Pomponius praetor “Pugna,” 115 inquit, “magna victi sumus” et quamquam nihil certius ex eo auditum est, tamen alius ab alio impleti rumoribus domos referunt consulem cum magna parte copiarum caesum, superesse paucos aut fuga passim per Etruriam sparsos aut captos ab hoste. Quot casus exercitus victi fuerant, tot in curas distracti 120 animi eorum erant, quorum propinqui sub C. Flaminio consule meruerant, ignorantium quae cuiusque suorum fortuna esset; nec quisquam satis certum habet quid aut speret aut timeat. Senatum praetores per dies aliquot ab orto usque ad occidentem solem in curia retinent, consultantes quonam duce aut 125 quibus copiis resisti victoribus Poenis posset. (XXII.7.1–14, excerpts)
117. caesum: sc. esse; inf. in IND. STATE. after referunt, they carry back to their homes the report that….
superesse: from supersum, to be left over, survive.
119. quot casus…fuerant: however many had been the misfortunes, i.e., loss of life, flight, or capture.
120. propinqui: relatives.
C. Flaminio:Gaius Flaminius, consul for the second time in 217, was a major political figure and reformer; his defeat at Trasimene was blamed by some on his failure to take the auspices and observe other religious practices.
121. ignorantium: modifies eorum.
122. satis certum habet: know with any degree of certainty.
123. praetores: the praetors had judicial functions and presided over the senate in the absence of the consuls.
aliquot: indecl. adj., several, some.
ab orto: sc. sole, from the risen sun = from sunrise.
124. quonam duce: by what leader, pray; the intensive suffix -nam adds a sense of urgency and desperation to the question.
125. resisti…Poenis: the impers. pass. inf. takes the same dat. noun it would have in the act. voice; idiomatic Eng., of course, would use an act. construction, they might be able to resist the victorious Carthaginians.
126. adhibitum: adhibere, to hold to, apply, employ.
127. dictatorem dicendum: in appos. with remedium, a dictator to be appointed = the appointment of a dictator. A sole dictator could be appointed to meet a specific emergency; his term was six months unless he completed his mission in less time, and his power was absolute.
128. uno: = solo.
videbatur: sc. dictator.
130. quod: the (id) quod cl. looks forward to and is in appos. with the cl. populus creavit.
eam diem (131): dies, usually m., was f. when referring to a specific day.
131. Q. Fabium Maximum: Quintus Fabius Maximus was a former consul and censor; his campaigns against Hannibal, including his famous delaying tactics, contributed much to the Romans’ ultimate victory.
132. magistrum equitum: the master of the horse, usually appointed by the dictator himself, was his second in command.
M. Minucium Rufum:Marcus Minucius Rufus, also a former consul, was subsequently elevated to the extraordinary position of joint dictator with Fabius; he died fighting in the battle of Cannae.
133. muros: murus, wall.
turres: turris,tower.
134. locis: locus is often used without a prep. of place.
videretur:it seemed best; SUBJUNCT. BY ATTRACTION.
rescinderent: rescindere,to tear away, tear down.
Quintus Fabius Maximus appointed dictator.
Battle scene, base of the column of Antoninus Pius 2nd century A.D. Vatican Palace, Vatican State
Scala/Art Resource, NY.
Itaque ad remedium iam diu neque desideratum nec adhibitum, dictatorem dicendum, civitas confugit. Et quia et consul aberat, a quo uno dici posse videbatur, nec per occupatam armis Punicis Italiam facile erat aut nuntium aut litteras mitti, nec 130 dictatorem praetor creare poterat, quod numquam ante eam diem factum erat, dictatorem populus creavit Q. Fabium Maximum et magistrum equitum M. Minucium Rufum; hisque negotium ab senatu datum ut muros turresque urbis firmarent et praesidia disponerent quibus locis videretur, pontesque rescinderent 135 fluminum: pro urbe ac penatibus dimicandum esse, quando Italiam tueri nequissent. (XXII.8.5–7)
135. fluminum: the Tiber and the Anio.
penatibus: penates,penates, the household gods; the people’s efforts now were to be devoted to the defense of the city and their homes rather than to the rest of Italy.
dimicandum esse: dimicare,to fight, struggle; impers. pass. of the PASS. PERIPHRASTIC in an IND. STATE. governed by an understood speech vb.
136. tueri: to protect, defend.
