then themselves. At the fame time, a Tower long batter'd by the Rams falling with a terrible Noise, the Carthaginians entered the Town by the Breach, foon became Mafters of it, and cut the Throats of the Inhabitants which were of Age to bear Arms. The Fire did not rob them of all the Pillage, which was ftill very great. Hannibal referv'd no part of the Spoils gain'd by his Victories to himself, but apply'd them folely to the Succefs of his Defigns. Wherefore Polybius remarks, that the taking of Saguntum ferv'd to awaken the Ardour of the Soldier by the Sight of the rich Booty which it afforded, and by the Profpect of more to come; and it reconcil'd all the principal Perfons of Carthage to Hannibal, by the large Prefents made to 'em out of its Spoils. n. 16, 17. THE Grief and Confternation with which the Polyb.1.3. News of the taking and melancholy Fate of Sagun-Liv. 1. 21. tum were receiv'd at Rome, are not eafy to exprefs. Compaffion for an unfortunate City, Sham for having fail'd to relieve faithful Allies, a juft Indignation against the Carthaginians the Authors of all these Calamities, the moft fenfible Alarms given by these Succeffes of Hannibal, whom the Romans believ'd already at their Gates; all these Sentiments gave a Trouble fo great, that in the firft Moments of it it was impoffible to come to any Refolution, or do any thing elfe, befides following the Torrent of Paffion and facrificing Floods of Tears to the Memory of a City in Ruins for its inviolable Fidelity a to Rome, and betray'd by the unaccountable Indolence, and the imprudent Delays of thofe, who had fo great an Interest in its Prefervation. When they were a little come to themselves, an Affembly of the People was call'd, and a War against the Carthaginians. unanimoufly refolv'd. a Sanctitate Difciplinæ, qua fidem focialem ufque ad perni ciem fuam coluerunt, Liv, I. 21. The Polyb. ibid. The Declaration of the War. THAT no Ceremony might be wanting, Deputies were fent to Carthage to learn whether Saguntum had Liv. 1.21. been befieg'd by Order of the Senate, and if fo, to n. 18, 19 declare War; or, if this Siege, was undertaken folely by the Authority of Hannibal, to require that he fhould be deliver'd into the Hands of the Romans. As they faw that the Senate gave no precife Answer to their Demands, one of them fhewing the folded Polyb. Lappet of his Robe, I bring here, faid he in a P. 259. raised and angry Tone, Peace or War, the Choice is left to your felves. To the Anfwer given him, that himself should make the Choice. I give you War then, faid he unfolding his Robe. And we, reply'd the Carthaginians with the fame Haughtiness, as heartily accept it, and are refolv'd to profecute it with Liv. l. 21.the fame Chearfulness. Such was the Beginning of the fecond Punick War. n. 18. Polyb. P. 254, Edit. If the Caufe of this War is afcrib'd to the taking of Saguntum, the whole Blame, fays Polybius, be255, 256. long'd to the Carthaginians, who could not with Gronov. any colourable Pretence befiege a City in Alliance with Rome, and as fuch comprehended in the Treaty, which forbad either Party to make War upon the Allies of the other. But if the Origin of this War is traced higher, and carried backward to the Time of the arrefting of Sardinia from the Carthaginians by the Romans, and the unreafonable Impofition of a new Tribute, it must be own'd, remarks the fame Polybius, that here the Conduct of the Romans was intirely unjustifiable, as it was meerly founded in Violence; and that if the Carthaginians had, without Ambiguity and frivolous Pretences, clearly demanded Satisfaction upon these two Grievances, and upon a Refufal declared War against Rome, Reafon and Justice had been entirely on their Side. The Space of Time betwixt the Conclufion of the First, and the Beginning Beginning of the Second Punick War, was twentyfour Years. The Beginning of the Second Punick War. that A.M. 3786. 670.. Liv. 1. 2. WHEN the War was refolv'd and proclaim'd on both Carthage Sides, Hannibal, then twenty-fix or twenty-feven Rome 535. Years of Age, before he difcover'd openly his great before Defign, thought it incumbent upon him to provide Chrift 201. for the Security of Spain and Africk. With this Polyb. View he march'd the Forces of the one into the 3. P.260, other, fo the Africans ferv'd in Spain, and then. 21, 22. Spaniards in Africk. He did this in the Perfuafion, that thefe Soldiers thus at a Distance from their own Country, would be more fit for Service, and moreover more firmly attach'd to him, as they would be a fort of Hoftages for each other's Fidelity. The Forces which he left in Africk amounted to about fifty thousand Men, of which twelve hundred were Horfe: Thofe of Spain to fomething more than fifteen thoufand, amongst which were two thousand five hundred fifty Horfe. He left the Command of the Spanish Forces to his Brother Afdrubal, with a Fleet of near fixty Veffels to guard the Coafts, and wife Counfels for his Conduct, whether with Regard to the Spaniards or the Romans,if they fhould attack him. BEFORE Hannibal fet forward on this Expedi- L. 21. tion, Livy obferves, that he went to Cadiz to dif-n. 21. charge his Vows made to Hercules, and engag'd him by new ones for the obtaining a fuccefsful Iffue to the War he was entering upon. Polybius in few Words L. 3. 267 gives us a very clear Idea of the Distance of the Places through which Hannibal was to march in his Way to Italy. From New Carthage, from whence he fet out, to the Iberus were counted two thousand two hundred Furlongs a *. From the Iberus to Empo-* 275 a rium Miles. Polybius makes the Difiance from New Carthage to be 2600 L. 3. P. 159. * 200 Miles. * rium a Maritime Town which feparates Spain from the Gauls, by Strabo's Account, were counted fixteen hundred Furlongs *. From Emporium to the Paffage of the Rhone, the fame Space of fixteen hundred Furlongs *. 200 From the Paffage of the Rhone to the Alps fourteen hundred Furlongs *. From the Alps into the Plains of Italy twelve hundred Furlongs. Thus from New Garthage to the Plains of Italy were eight thousand Furlongs *. Miles. *175 Miles. *150 Miles. 1000 Miles. Polyb. p. 260, 261. Idem 262. HANNIBAL had long before taken all the proper Measures to know the Nature and Situation of the Places through which he was to pafs; to feel how the Gauls ftood affected to the Romans; to gain their Chiefs, greedy of Gold by his Largeffes to them; and to affure himself of the Affection and Fidelity of one Part of the People which lay in his March. He was not ignorant that the Paffage of the Alps would be attended with great Difficulties; but fuch as were furmountable, and he troubled himfelf no farther on that account. EARLY in the Spring Hannibal begun his March, leaving New Carthage where he had kept his WinLiv. 21. ter Quarters. His Army then confifted of fixfcore n. 22-24. thousand Men, of which twelve thousand were Horfe; near forty Elephants follow'd him. Having pafs'd the Iberus, he fubdued gradually the Nations which oppos'd him in his March, and loft a very great Part of his Army in this Expedition. He left Hanno in Command of all the Country between the Iberus and the Pyrenean Hills, with eleven thousand Men, who were intrusted with all the Baggage of those that were to follow him. He dif Furlongs; fo the whole Number h Audierunt præoccupatos jam ab Annibale Gallorum animos effe: Sed ne illi quidem ipfi fatis mitem gentem fore, ni fubinde auro, cujus avidiffima gens eft, Principum animi concilientur, Liv. 1. 21. n. 20. mifs'd as many, fending them back into their own Countries, thus to affure himself of their Affection when he should want Recruits, and giving others a certain Hope of a Return whenever they defir'd it. He pafs'd the Pyrenean Hills, and reached the Banks of the Rhône, at the Head of fifty thoufand Foot, and nine thousand Horfe: a formidable Army not fo much by the Number, as the Valour of its Troops, who had long ferv'd in Spain, and learn'd War under the ableft Captains that ever Carthage could boaft of. The Paffage of the Rhône. Polyb. l. 3. p. 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, Edit. Gronov. Liv. l. 21. n. 26-28. having HANNIBAL being got within about four Days march from the Mouth of the Rhône *, at-*A little tempted to pass it, because in this Place the River above Ahad no more than the fingle Breadth of its own Chan-vignon. nel. He bought up all the Canos and little Boats, which the Inhabitants had in great plenty by Reafon of their Commerce. He order'd likewife more to be provided with the greatest hafte, together with Floats of Timber. On his Arrival he found the Gauls incamp'd upon the oppofite Bank, prepar'd to dif pute the Paffage. It was impracticable to attack them in Front. He therefore order'd a Detachment in the Night. The Thing fucceeded as he defir'd, the River was pass'd the next Day with-* is out any Oppofition. thought Paffage was be THE reft of the Day was given up to Refresh that this ment, and in the Night they advanc'd filently towards the Enemy. In the Morning, when the com- twixt Romanded Signal was given, Hannibal prepared to at- quemaure tempt the Paffage. One Party of his Horfe ready and Pont St.Efprit. equipp'd, was put into Boats, that their Soldiers might on their Landing immediately fall upon the R Enemy. |
