4.9-10

Ch. 9: War in Lusitania (153 BCE)

For details, see Polybius 36.1–6; Appian, Wars in Spain 44–55; Livy, Epitome 48.

(1) Īnsequentī annō: 153 BCE

in Lūsitāniā: In 154 BCE the two Roman praetors in western Spain were beaten by the Lusitanians, probably on the upper Tagus. The following year L. Mummius, after an initial defeat, won several victories both in Spain against the Aravaci and in North Africa against a group of Lusitanians. Eutropius (or his source) carefully omits Roman defeats (Bird).

Mārcellus posteā cōnsul: In 153–152 BCE the consul Fulvius Nobilior was defeated at Numantia but his successor, the consul M. Claudius Marcellus, captured Ocilio and through conciliation (despite the senate's opposition) gave Hispania Citerior eight years of peace (Bird).

Ch. 10 The Third Punic War Begins (149 BCE)

For details, see Polybius, Books 36–39; Appian Punic Wars 74–135; Livy, Epitome 49.

(1) Tertium deinde bellum: The Romans encouraged their ally Masinissa to encroach on the territories of Carthage and to harass her in every way. They were seeking a pretext for war, having fully decided to utterly destroy their hated rival. The story is told that every speech that Cato the Censor made was concluded with the words, "Dēlenda est Carthāgō," "Carthage must be destroyed" (Hazzard).

sexcentēsimō et alterō ab urbe conditā annō: The Third Punic War began in 149 BCE.

L. Mānliō Cēnsōrīnō et M. Mānīliō cōnsulibus: L. Marcius Censorinus and M. Manilius were utterly incompetent. On several occasions they were saved from destruction only by the skill of Scipio (Hazzard).

(2) Carthāginem oppūgnāvērunt: The Carthaginians tried in every way to avert the war. Embassy after embassy was sent to Rome, offering everything that could be asked. When the Romans demanded the surrender of the arms of the city, they were given. But when it was demanded that they should leave their city and should settle somewhere else at a distance of ten miles from the sea, they refused and prepared for the struggle that was inevitable (Hazzard). Florus explained that

Hasdrubal: see Hasdrubal the Boetharch

Famea: Himlico Phameas

equitātuī Carthāginiēnsum praeerat: praesum takes a dative object.

(3) Scīpio tunc, Scīpiōnis Āfricānī nepōs: Publius Cornelius Scipio was the youngest son of Aemilius Paullus, the conqueror of Macedonia. When quite a youth he had fought at his father's side at Pydna, and he was afterwards adopted into a still more illustrious family, that of the Scipios. Like his grandfather, the great Africanus, he had early shown a taste for other arts than that of war; and his fondness for literature was cemented by the friendship which he formed, while still a youth, with the historian Polybius. He was inferior in all respects to his grandfather by adoption, the elder Africanus. He is chosen by Cicero in the De Amicitia as one whose friendship was worthy of immorality (Hazzard).

apud omnēs: hyperbole

ad dīmicandum: "for battling," gerundive denoting purpose (AG 500.4)

cōnsultissimus: "wisest in council" (Hazzard)

habēbātur: "he was considered" (LS habeō II.D)

per eum: Scipiōnem

vītābant quam contrā eum Rōmānōrum partem committere ubi Scīpiō dīmicāret: order: vītābant committere [proelium] contra illam partem Rōmānōrum ubi Scīpiō dīmicāret.