Nepos, Hannibal 13

Hann. 13.1Sīc vir fortissimus, multīs variīsque perfūnctus labōribus, annō acquiēvit septuāgēsimō.

So this bravest of men, after going through many different labours, came to rest in his seventieth year.

Note. acquiēvit 'came to rest', a gentle word for dying. Nepos' figure of seventy years is probably too high; Hannibal was born in 247 BC and died aged about 64.

Hann. 13.1Quibus cōnsulibus interierit, nōn convenit.

In whose consulship he died is not agreed.

Note. Quibus cōnsulibus interierit is an indirect question (perfect subjunctive): 'in whose consulship he died'.

Hann. 13.1Namque Atticus M. Claudiō Mārcellō Q. Fabiō Labeōne cōnsulibus mortuum in annālī suō scrīptum relīquit, at Polybius L. Aemiliō Paulō Cn. Baebiō Tamphilō, Sulpicius autem Blithō P. Cornēliō Cethēgō M. Baebiō Tamphilō.

For Atticus has left it written in his chronicle that he died in the consulship of Marcus Claudius Marcellus and Quintus Fabius Labeo; but Polybius says in that of Lucius Aemilius Paulus and Gnaeus Baebius Tamphilus, and Sulpicius Blitho in that of Publius Cornelius Cethegus and Marcus Baebius Tamphilus.

Note. Romans dated years by the names of the two consuls, in the ablative absolute: M. Claudiō Mārcellō Q. Fabiō Labeōne cōnsulibus (183 BC). Atticus (Cicero's friend) wrote a short chronicle, the liber annālis; Polybius is the Greek historian.

Hann. 13.2Atque hic tantus vir tantīsque bellīs districtus nōnnihil temporis tribuit litterīs.

And this great man, though taken up with such great wars, gave some of his time to literature.

Note. nōnnihil temporis 'some time': partitive genitive. litterīs (dative) 'to literature, to letters'.

Hann. 13.2Namque aliquot eius librī sunt, Graecō sermōne cōnfectī, in eīs ad Rhodiōs dē Cn. Mānliī Volsōnis in Asiā rēbus gestīs.

For there are several books of his, written in Greek, among them one addressed to the Rhodians about the deeds of Gnaeus Manlius Vulso in Asia.

Hann. 13.3Huius bellī gesta multī memoriae prōdidērunt, sed ex eīs duo, quī cum eō in castrīs fuērunt simulque vīxērunt, quamdiū fortūna passa est, Sīlēnus et Sōsylus Lacedaemonius.

Many have recorded his deeds in this war, but among them two who were with him in camp and lived with him as long as fortune allowed, Silenus and Sosylus of Sparta.

Note. multī memoriae prōdidērunt 'many have handed down to memory', i.e. recorded. Silenus and Sosylus wrote Greek histories of the war from Hannibal's side; neither survives.

Hann. 13.3Atque hōc Sōsylō Hannibal litterārum Graecārum ūsus est doctōre.

And Hannibal used this Sosylus as his teacher of Greek literature.

Hann. 13.4Sed nōs tempus est huius librī facere fīnem et Rōmānōrum explicāre imperātōrēs, quō facilius collātīs utrōrumque factīs, quī virī praeferendī sint, possit iūdicārī.

But it is time for us to end this book and to set out the lives of the Roman generals, so that, when the deeds of both have been compared, it can more easily be judged which men should be ranked higher.

Note. This last sentence shows that the life of Hannibal closed Nepos' book 'On Foreign Generals'; the next book dealt with Roman generals. nōs … facere fīnem: tempus est with the accusative and infinitive.