Nepos, Hannibal 8

Hann. 8.1At Hannibal annō quārtō, postquam domō profūgerat, L. Cornēliō Q. Minuciō cōnsulibus, cum quīnque nāvibus Āfricam accessit in fīnibus Cȳrēnaeōrum, sī forte Karthāginiēnsēs ad bellum indūcere posset Antiochī spē fīdūciāque, cui iam persuāserat ut cum exercitibus in Ītaliam proficīscerētur.

But Hannibal, in the fourth year after he had fled from home, in the consulship of Lucius Cornelius and Quintus Minucius, landed in Africa with five ships in the territory of Cyrene, in case he could perhaps draw the Carthaginians into war through hope in Antiochus and confidence in him; for he had already persuaded Antiochus to set out for Italy with his armies.

Note. sī forte … posset 'in case he might be able': sī introduces a hope or attempt. Antiochī spē fīdūciāque 'by hope in and reliance on Antiochus' (objective genitive).

Hann. 8.1Hūc Magōnem frātrem excīvit.

He summoned his brother Mago there.

Hann. 8.2Id ubi Poenī rescīvērunt, Magōnem eādem, quā frātrem, absentem affēcērunt poenā.

When the Carthaginians found this out, they inflicted the same penalty on Mago in his absence as on his brother.

Note. eādem, quā frātrem, … poenā: the antecedent is drawn into the relative clause; the penalty was exile and confiscation.

Hann. 8.2Illī dēspērātīs rēbus cum solvissent nāvēs ac vēla ventīs dedissent, Hannibal ad Antiochum pervēnit.

These two, giving up hope, cast off their ships and set sail, and Hannibal reached Antiochus.

Hann. 8.2Dē Magōnis interitū duplex memoria prōdita est: namque aliī naufragiō, aliī ā servulīs ipsīus interfectum eum scrīptum relīquērunt.

About Mago's death two accounts have come down: some have left it in writing that he was killed in a shipwreck, others by his own slaves.

Note. duplex memoria prōdita est 'a twofold tradition has been handed down'. scrīptum relīquērunt 'have left it written', with the accusative and infinitive interfectum [esse] eum.

Hann. 8.3Antiochus autem sī tam in gerendō bellō cōnsiliīs eius pārēre voluisset, quam in suscipiendō īnstituerat, propius Tiberī quam in Thermopylīs dē summā imperiī dīmicāsset.

As for Antiochus, if he had been willing to follow Hannibal's advice in waging the war as he had begun to in undertaking it, he would have fought for the empire of the world nearer the Tiber than at Thermopylae.

Note. A past contrary-to-fact condition: sī … voluisset, … dīmicāsset (= dīmicāvisset). in gerendō bellō and in suscipiendō [bellō] are gerundive phrases. Antiochus was beaten by the Romans at Thermopylae in 191 BC, far from the Tiber.

Hann. 8.3Quem etsī multa stultē cōnārī vidēbat, tamen nūllā dēseruit in rē.

Although Hannibal saw him attempting many foolish things, still he did not desert him in anything.

Hann. 8.4Praefuit paucīs nāvibus, quās ex Syriā iussus erat in Asiam dūcere, iīsque adversus Rhodiōrum classem in Pamphyliō marī cōnflīxit.

He commanded a few ships, which he had been ordered to bring from Syria to Asia, and with them he fought against the fleet of the Rhodians in the Pamphylian Sea.

Note. Hannibal lost a sea battle to the Rhodians off Side in Pamphylia (190 BC), though, Nepos says, his own wing won.

Hann. 8.4In quō cum multitūdine adversāriōrum suī superārentur, ipse quō cornū rem gessit fuit superior.

In this battle, though his side was being overwhelmed by the numbers of the enemy, he himself came out on top on the wing where he fought.