(1) M. Aemiliō Paulō Ser. Fulviō Nōbiliōre cōnsulibus ambō Rōmānī cōnsulēs ad Āfricam profectī sunt cum trecentārum nāvium classe. Prīmum Āfrōs nāvālī certāmine superant.
(2) Aemilius cōnsul centum et quattuor nāvēs hostium dēmersit, trīgintā cum pūgnātoribus cēpit, quindecim mīlia hostium aut occīdit aut cēpit, mīlitem suum ingentī praedā dītāvit. Et subācta Āfrica tunc fuisset, nisi quod tanta famēs erat, ut diūtius exercitus expectāre nōn posset.
(3) Cōnsulēs cum victrīcī classe redeuntēs circā Siciliam naufragium passī sunt et tanta tempestās fuit, ut ex quadringentīs sexāgintā quattuor nāvibus octōgintā servārī potuerint; neque ūllō tempore tanta maritima tempestās audīta est. Rōmānī tamen statim ducentās nāvēs reparāvērunt, neque in alīquō animus hīs īnfrāctus fuit.
notes
Romans Shipwrecked Near Sicily, 255 BCE
(1) M. Aemiliō Paulō Ser. Fulviō Nōbiliōre cōnsulibus: ablative absolute with form of esse assumed (AG 419.a). Ser. Fulvius Paetinus Nobilior and M. Aemilius Paullus were consuls in 255 BCE.
profectī sunt: deponent verb (AG 190; LS proficīscor)
nāvālī certāmine: In the summer of that year a Roman fleet of 350 ships met a smaller Carthaginian fleet off Cape Hermaeum and captured 114 ships and their crews, according to Polybius (History 1.37–39). The Romans then rescued the 2,000 Roman survivors of the Bagradas defeat [see Brev. 2.21] who had retreated to Clipea, and sailed for home (Bird).
(2) subācta Āfrica tunc fuisset: subācta esset, past contrary to fact conditional signaled by nisi (AG 514.C.2). Eutropius generally uses fuissem, etc. in the pluperfect Passive Subjunctive (Hazzard).
ut diūtius exercitus exspectāre nōn posset: result clause signaled by tanta (AG 537)
(3) passī sunt: deponent verb (AG 190; LS patior)
tanta tempestās fuit: Tanta signals the following result clause (AG 537).
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Between Camarina and Cape Pachynus a terrific storm sank all but 80 of the 364 Roman and captured Carthaginian ships. Eutropius' figure of 464 actually tallies with the earlier figures given by Polybius of an initial fleet of 350 augmented by the 114 captured [ships]. Both Eutropius (or his source) and Polybius are guilty of transmission errors (Bird).
hīs: supply cāsibus, "losses" (Hazzard)
vocabulary
Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates
| M. |
M., abbreviation of the praenomen Marcus; M'., abbreviation of the praenomen Manius |
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| Aemilius, ī, m. |
the name of a Roman gens; Lūcius Aemilius, consul 224 B.C.; Mārcus Aemilius (Mamercus), dictator |
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| Paulus, ī, m. |
the name of a Roman family; (1) L. Aemilius Paulus, consul 216 B.C.; (2) L. Aemilius Paulus, surnamed Macedonicus, consul 168 B.C.; (3) M. Aemilius Paulus, consul 255 B.C. |
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| Ser. |
abbreviation of the praenomen Servius |
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| Fulvius, ī, m. |
the name of a Roman gens |
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| Nōbiliōr, ōris, m. |
(1) M. Fulvius (Nōbiliōr), consul 189 B.C.; (2) Ser. Fulvius Nōbiliōr, consul 255 B.C. |
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| ambō, ae, ō, adj. | both | ||
| Āfrica, ae, f. |
Africa; often the northern part of the continent, especially the part near Carthage |
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| Āfer, Āfrī, m. |
an African, especially an inhabitant of Carthage |
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| nāvālis, e [nāvis], adj. | naval | ||
| certāmen, inis [certō, to fight], n. |
a struggle, battle, engagement |
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| dēmergō, ere, mersī, mersus | to sink | ||
| pūgnātor, ōris, m. | a fighter, combatant | ||
| dītō, āre, āvī, ātus [dīs] | to make rich, enrich | ||
| victrīx, icis [vincō], f. |
a victress, a female conqueror; as adj., victorious |
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| naufragium, ī [nāvis + frangō], n. | shipwreck, ruin | ||
| maritimus, a, um [mare], adj. |
marine, maritime, on the seashore |
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| īnfringō, ere, frēgi, frāctus |
to break off; subdue, overcome |