nequissent: nequire,to be unable.
137. viam Latinam: the Via Latina, a major road leading south from Rome, somewhat parallel to the Appian Way, only more inland.
139. ducit: sc. exercitum.
nullo loco…commissurus (140):intending to entrust himself to fortune in no place; i.e., determined not to entrust himself to (mere) luck in any place. This policy of caution and watchful waiting earned Fabius the epithet Cunctator(the Delayer) and has given us the terms “Fabian tactics” and “Fabian socialism” disregard of the policy in 216 B.C. led to the tremendous Roman defeat at Cannae.
nisi…cogeret: the vb. is subjunct. in a SUBORDINATE CL. IN IND. STATE., depending on Fabius’ intention implied in commissurus.
141. nulla mora facta quin: sc. est, no delay was made but that = without delay.
Poenus: i.e., Hannibal.
educeret: sc. milites.
copiam…pugnandi faceret (142): idiomatic, and prepared for battle.
143. increpans: increpare, to make a loud noise, shout angrily.
144. Martios: of Mars, martial, warlike.
Romanis: DAT. OF REF.
145. demum: adv., at length, at last, finally.
146. quaesissent: SUBJUNCT. OF QUOTED REASON, indicating that the reason given for Hannibal’s anxiety was his own, not Livy’s.
147. extemplo: adv., immediately.
constantiam: i.e., Fabius’.
hauddum: = nondum,not yet.
148. crebro: adv., frequently.
populando: populari,to devastate, plunder.
151. omitteret: here, lose contact with.
152. magistrum equitum: Minucius, Fabius’ second in command.
153. ferox: impetuous.
consiliis ac lingua: ABL. OF SPECIFICATION.
154. pro…compellabat (155): sc. as dir. obj. eum (Fabius), with segnem and timidum functioning as OBJ. COMPL., he kept calling him sluggish instead of one who delays…; note the effect of the impf.
adfingens: adfingere,to fashion, invent.
156. aquas Sinuessanas: the waters (= mineral springs) of Sinuessa, a coastal town in Latium, near its border with Campania.
populatio:devastation; Hannibal’s plundering of Rome’s allies continues.
Fabius’ tactics save the day but irritate some of his own people no less than Hannibal.
Dictator, exercitu consulis accepto, in viam Latinam est egressus, unde itineribus summa cum cura exploratis ad hostem ducit, nullo loco, nisi quantum necessitas cogeret, fortunae se 140 commissurus. Quo primum die in conspectu hostium posuit castra, nulla mora facta quin Poenus educeret in aciem copiamque pugnandi faceret. Sed ubi quieta omnia apud hostes nec castra ullo tumultu mota videt, increpans quidem victos tandem Martios animos Romanis, in castra rediit. Ceterum tacita 145 cura animum incessit, quod tum demum, edocti malis, Romani parem Hannibali ducem quaesissent. Et prudentiam quidem novi dictatoris extemplo timuit. Constantiam hauddum expertus, agitare ac temptare animum movendo crebro castra populandoque in oculis eius agros sociorum coepit. Fabius per 150 loca alta agmen ducebat modico ab hoste intervallo, ut neque omitteret eum neque congrederetur. Sed non Hannibalem magis infestum tam sanis consiliis habebat quam magistrum equitum. Ferox rapidusque consiliis ac lingua immodicus—primo inter paucos, dein propalam in vulgus—pro cunctatore segnem, pro 155 cauto timidum, adfingens vicina virtutibus vitia, compellabat.
Usque ad aquas Sinuessanas populatio pervenit. Ingentem cladem, fugam tamen terroremque latius Numidae fecerunt; nec tamen is terror, cum omnia bello flagrarent, fide socios dimovit, videlicet quia iusto et moderato regebantur imperio, nec 160 abnuebant, quod unum vinculum fidei est, melioribus parere. (XXII.12.1–13.11, excerpts)
157. tamen…latius: the actual destruction was enormous, but the area from which people fled was greater. Undoubtedly Hannibal was counting on this sort of thing coupled with spectacular victories to break the loyalty of the members of the Roman federation and cause wholesale desertions, thus bringing Rome to her knees and obviating the need for a siege. In this Hannibal made his greatest miscalculation.
Numidae:the Numidians, i.e., the Carthaginians.
158. flagrarent: flagrare, to blaze, be inflamed.
159. videlicet: adv., clearly, of course, to be sure.
160. abnuebant: abnuere, to deny, refuse.
quod: the antecedent is melioribus parere.
melioribus: i.e., the Romans.
161. Volturnum flumen: the Volturnus river, in Campania.
castra: sc. Hannibalis.
