(1) Interim Hannibale veniente ad Āfricam pāx turbāta est, multa hostīlia ab Āfrīs facta sunt.
(2) Lēgātī tamen eōrum ex urbe venientēs ā Rōmānīs captī sunt, sed iubente Scīpiōne dīmissī. Hannibal quoque frequentibus proeliīs victus ā Scīpiōne petit etiam ipse pācem. Cum ventum esset ad colloquium, īsdem condiciōnibus data est, quibus prius, additīs quīngentīs mīlibus pondō argentī centum mīlibus lībrārum propter novam perfidiam. Karthāginiēnsibus condiciōnēs displicuērunt iussēruntque Hannibalem pūgnāre. Īnfertur ā Scīpiōne et Masinissā aliō rēge Numidārum, quī amīcitiam cum Scīpiōne fēcerat, Carthāginī bellum.
(3) Hannibal trēs explōrātōrēs ad Scīpiōnis castra mīsit, quōs captōs Scīpiō circumdūcī per castra iussit ostendīque hīs tōtum exercitum, mox etiam prandium darī dīmittīque, ut renūntiārent Hannibalī quae apud Rōmānōs vīdissent.
notes
The Renewal of War between Rome and Carthage
For details, see Polybius 15.1 ff.; Livy 30.24–31
(1) Hannibale veniente: ablative absolute using a present active participle (AG 419). For information on Hannibal’s recall to Africa from his campaign in Italy, see Brev. 3.20.
(2) eōrum: Carthaginians
iubente Scīpiōne: ablative absolute using a present active participle (AG 419)
dīmissī: supply sunt
ipse: Hannibal
Cum ventum esset ad colloquium: "When they came together for parley." cum here is circumstantial (AG 546), and ventum esset is used impersonally (AG 207.d).
data est: refers to pāx
quibus prius: "as before," supply data esset (Hazzard)
additīs quīngentīs mīlibus pondō argentī centum mīlibus lībrārum: quīngentīs mīlibus is the dative object of additīs (Hazzard); additīs centum mīlibus lībrārum is an ablative absolute using a perfect passive participle (AG 419).
Īnfertur: subject is bellum
Masinissā: Masinissa, king of Numidia, will become a valuable ally to the Romans (Brev. 4.6, 4.10-11).
(3) ostendīque: along with darī and dīmittīque, present passive infinitives complementing the main verb iussit
ut renūntiārent Hannibalī quae apud Rōmānōs vīdissent: vīdissent is pluperfect subjunctive as a relative clause (AG 591) within a purpose clause (AG 531). For a similar anecdote about the treatment of spies, see Brev. 2.11.
vocabulary
Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates
| Āfrica, ae, f. |
Africa; often the northern part of the continent, especially the part near Carthage |
| perfuga, ae [perfugiō, to flee for refuge], m. |
a fugitive, deserter, refuge |
| Carthāginiēnsis, e, adj. |
Carthaginian; as subst., Carthāginiēnsēs, ium, pl. m., the Carthaginians |
| turbō, āre, āvī, ātus [turba, a crowd] | to disturb, confuse |
| Hannibal, alis, m. |
the son of Hamilcar Barca, the great general of the Carthaginians in the second Punic war |
| Scīpiō, ōnis, m. |
the name of one of the most illustrious families of Rome, Cornēlius Scīpiō, consul 83 B.C., Cn. Cornēlius Scīpiō, consul 222 B.C., L. (Cornēlius) Scīpiō, consul 259 B.C., P. Cornēlius Scīpiō, consul 218 B.C., P. Cornēlius Scīpiō, consul 191 B.C., P. Cornēlius Scīpiō, praetor 94 B.C., P. Cornēlius Scīpiō Āfricānus, consul 205 BC the conqueror of Hannibal in the First Punic War., P. Cornēlius Scīpiō Āfricānus (Minor), consul 147 B.C. He brought the Third Punic War to a close by capturing and destroying Carthage., L. Cornēlius Scīpiō Asiāgenēs, consul 83 B.C., P. (Cornēlius) Scīpiō Nāsīca, consul 91 B.C. |
| colloquium -i n. | conversation, discussion |
| pondō [pondus], adv. | by weight |
| lībra, ae, f. | a pair of scales; a pound |
| perfidia, ae [perfidus, faithless], f. | treachery |
| displiceō, ēre, uī, —— | to displease |
| Masinissa, ae, m. |
a king of Numidia and an ally of the Romans |
| Numidae, ārum, pl. m. | the Numidians |
| Carthāgō, inis, f. |
(1) Carthage, a city founded by the Phoenicians on the northern coast of Africa; destroyed by the Romans 146 BC; (2) Carthāgō Nova, a city founded by the Carthaginians on the eastern coast of Spain |
| explōrātor, ōris [explōrō, to search out], m. | a scout |
| prandium, ī, n. | lunch |
| renūntiō, āre, āvī, ātus | to announce, to report |