3.9

Battle of Trebia, 218 BCE. Battle of Lake Trasimenus, 217 BCE

(1) P. Cornēlius Scīpiō: Publius Cornelius Scipio. At the beginning of the war he set out for Spain (Brev. 3.3), but finding that Hannibal had already left and was on his way to Italy, he went to Gaul to encounter the Carthaginians before he should cross the Alps. Hannibal was too quick for him. Scipio returned to Italy and awaited the arrival of the Carthaginians in Cisalpine Gaul. Near the river Ticinus, one of the northern tributaries of the Po, the first engagement of the war took place. The Romans were defeated; Scipio received a severe wound, and was only saved from death by the courage of his son Publius, the future conqueror of Hannibal. P. Scipio and his brother Gnaeus were killed in Spain (Brev. 3.13, Hazzard). Florus recounts the rising fame of the young Scipio:

Hannibalī: dative object of occurrit (AG 370)

Commissō proeliō: ablative absolute with a perfect passive participle (AG 419)

Semprōnius Gracchus: A mistake of Eutropius. It was Tiberius Sempronius Longinus (Hazzard).

ipse: P. Cornēlius Scīpiō

apud Trebiam amnem: The battle of the Trebia (a tributary of the Po) occurred in 218 BCE. See Polybius 3.64–66, Livy 21.49 ff..

is: Semprōnius Longinus

multī sē in Ītaliā dēdidērunt: It was Hannibal’s policy to encourage the communities subject to Rome to revolt and to attach themselves to his standard. Everywhere he proclaimed himself to be the "Liberator of Italy" (Hazzard).

(2) ad Tusciam: "to Tuscany"

Flāminiō cōnsulī occurrit:  This battle took place in the following year, 217 BCE. Hannibal wintered in the plains of Lombardy, and at the approach of spring attempted to cross the Apennines. He was driven back by a violent storm, and was forced to return to his winter quarters. Later in the year he passed the mountains and marched into Etruria, where he was met by the Romans under Flaminius, who had been elected consul for that year, in the battle of Lake Trasimenus, in which the Romans were utterly defeated, and almost the whole force was annihilated (Hazzard). Florus recounts:

mīlia: supply hominum

Q. Fabius Māximus:  [Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Cunctator] was the great grandson of the Q. Fabius Maximus mentioned in Brev. 2.8, and grandson of the Q. Fabius mentioned in Brev. 2.9. He was one of the greatest generals of Rome. He was chosen dictator in 217 BCE, after the battle of Lake Trasimenus. The policy he adopted is well known. By following Hannibal from place to place, by watching for any error or neglect on his part and immediately taking advantage of it, and by avoiding a general engagement, he earned for himself the name Cunctator, 'delayer,' but he saved the state. In 215 BCE he was elected consul again, and again employed the same tactics. In 210 BCE, when he was consul for the fifth time, he recaptured Tarentum by stratagem (Brev. 3.16). He opposed the sending of Scipio to Africa, saying that Italy ought to be rid of Hannibal first (Hazzard).

Is: Fabius

eum differendō: "by postponing battle," i.e., by avoiding a decisive engagement (Hazzard). differendō is a gerund in the ablative case (AG 504).

pugnam ab impetū frēgit: = ab impetū eum prohibuit; "prevented him from attacking in force" (Hazzard).

inventā occāsiōne: ablative absolute using a perfect passive participle (AG 419).