Nepos, Hannibal 1

Hann. 1.1Hannibal, Hamilcaris fīlius, Karthāginiēnsis.

Hannibal, son of Hamilcar, a Carthaginian.

Note. Nepos opens like a heading: name, father's name (Hamilcaris, genitive) and nationality. Karthaginiensis is Nepos' spelling of Carthaginiensis; Romans wrote the name of the city both ways.

Hann. 1.1Sī vērum est, quod nēmō dubitat, ut populus Rōmānus omnēs gentēs virtūte superārit, nōn est īnfitiandum Hannibalem tantō praestitisse cēterōs imperātōrēs prūdentiā, quantō populus Rōmānus antecēdat fortitūdine cūnctās nātiōnēs.

If it is true, as no one doubts, that the Roman people surpassed all nations in courage, it must not be denied that Hannibal excelled the other generals in skill as much as the Roman people outdoes all nations in bravery.

Note. Two comparisons are balanced against each other: tantō … quantō 'by as much … as' (ablatives of the degree of difference). nōn est īnfitiandum is an impersonal gerundive, 'it must not be denied'. superārit is a shortened form of superāverit.

Hann. 1.2Nam quotiēnscumque cum eō congressus est in Ītaliā, semper discessit superior.

For as often as he met them in battle in Italy, he always came away the winner.

Hann. 1.2Quod nisi domī cīvium suōrum invidiā dēbilitātus esset, Rōmānōs vidētur superāre potuisse.

And if he had not been weakened at home by the jealousy of his fellow citizens, he seems likely to have been able to defeat the Romans.

Note. Quod nisi … esset, … vidētur … potuisse: a past contrary-to-fact condition put into indirect form. Quod at the start just links the sentence to the last one ('and if…'). domī is locative: 'at home'.

Hann. 1.2Sed multōrum obtrectātiō dēvīcit ūnīus virtūtem.

But the disparagement of many overcame the ability of one man.

Note. A neat antithesis: multōrum 'of the many' against ūnīus 'of one man'. ūnīus is the genitive of ūnus.

Hann. 1.3Hic autem velut hērēditāte relictum odium paternum ergā Rōmānōs sīc cōnservāvit, ut prius animam quam id dēposuerit, quī quidem, cum patriā pulsus esset et aliēnārum opum indigēret, numquam dēstiterit animō bellāre cum Rōmānīs.

He, however, kept his father's hatred of the Romans, left to him like an inheritance, so faithfully that he gave up his life before he gave it up; indeed, even when he had been driven from his country and needed the resources of others, he never stopped making war on the Romans in spirit.

Note. velut hērēditāte relictum 'left to him as if by inheritance'. prius … quam is split ('before'), and the pun is that he gave up his life (animam) before he gave up his hatred (id). dēposuerit and dēstiterit are perfect subjunctives in a result clause after ut.