按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
they lived a hundred miles away and had never seen the walls
of the sacred Hills。
No defeat and no disaster could change this sentiment。 In
the beginning of the fourth century B。C。 the wild Gauls forced
their way into Italy。 They had defeated the Roman army near
the River Allia and had marched upon the city。 They had
taken Rome and then they expected that the people would
come and sue for peace。 They waited； but nothing happened。
After a short time the Gauls found themselves surrounded by
a hostile population which made it impossible for them to obtain
supplies。 After seven months； hunger forced them to withdraw。
The policy of Rome to treat the ‘‘foreigner'' on equal
terms had proved a great success and Rome stood stronger than
ever before。
This short account of the early history of Rome shows you
the enormous difference between the Roman ideal of a healthy
state； and that of the ancient world which was embodied in the
town of Carthage。 The Romans counted upon the cheerful
and hearty co…operation between a number of ‘‘equal citizens。''
The Carthaginians； following the example of Egypt
and western Asia； insisted upon the unreasoning （and therefore
unwilling） obedience of ‘‘Subjects'' and when these failed
they hired professional soldiers to do their fighting for them。
You will now understand why Carthage was bound to fear
such a clever and powerful enemy and why the plutocracy of
Carthage was only too willing to pick a quarrel that they might
destroy the dangerous rival before it was too late。
But the Carthaginians； being good business men； knew that
it never pays to rush matters。 They proposed to the Romans
that their respective cities draw two circles on the map and
that each town claim one of these circles as her own ‘‘sphere
of influence'' and promise to keep out of the other fellow's
circle。 The agreement was promptly made and was broken just
as promptly when both sides thought it wise to send their
armies to Sicily where a rich soil and a bad government invited
foreign interference。
The war which followed （the so…called first Punic War）
lasted twenty…four years。 It was fought out on the high seas
and in the beginning it seemed that the experienced Car…
thaginian navy would defeat the newly created Roman fleet。
Following their ancient tactics； the Carthaginian ships would
either ram the enemy vessels or by a bold attack from the side
they would break their oars and would then kill the sailors of
the helpless vessel with their arrows and with fire balls。 But
Roman engineers invented a new craft which carried a boarding
bridge across which the Roman infantrymen stormed the
hostile ship。 Then there was a sudden end to Carthaginian
victories。 At the battle of Mylae their fleet was badly defeated。
Carthage was obliged to sue for peace； and Sicily became part
of the Roman domains。
Twenty…three years later new trouble arose。 Rome （in
quest of copper） had taken the island of Sardinia。 Carthage
（in quest of silver） thereupon occupied all of southern Spain。
This made Carthage a direct neighbour of the Romans。 The
latter did not like this at all and they ordered their troops to
cross the Pyrenees and watch the Carthaginian army of occupation。
The stage was set for the second outbreak between the two
rivals。 Once more a Greek colony was the pretext for a war。
The Carthaginians were besieging Saguntum on the east coast
of Spain。 The Saguntians appealed to Rome and Rome； as
usual； was willing to help。 The Senate promised the help of
the Latin armies； but the preparation for this expedition took
some time； and meanwhile Saguntum had been taken and had
been destroyed。 This had been done in direct opposition to
the will of Rome。 The Senate decided upon war。 One Roman
army was to cross the African sea and make a landing on Carthaginian
soil。 A second division was to keep the Carthaginian
armies occupied in Spain to prevent them from rushing to the
aid of the home town。 It was an excellent plan and everybody
expected a great victory。 But the Gods had decided
otherwise。
It was the fall of the year 218 before the birth of Christ
and the Roman army which was to attack the Carthaginians in
Spain had left Italy。 People were eagerly waiting for news of
an easy and complete victory when a terrible rumour began to
spread through the plain of the Po。 Wild mountaineers； their
lips trembling with fear； told of hundreds of thousands of
brown men accompanied by strange beasts ‘‘each one as big as
a house；'' who had suddenly emerged from the clouds of snow
which surrounded the old Graian pass through which Hercules；
thousands of years before； had driven the oxen of Geryon on
his way from Spain to Greece。 Soon an endless stream of
bedraggled refugees appeared before the gates of Rome； with
more complete details。 Hannibal； the son of Hamilcar； with
fifty thousand soldiers； nine thousand horsemen and thirty…
seven fighting elephants； had crossed the Pyrenees。 He had
defeated the Roman army of Scipio on the banks of the Rhone
and he had guided his army safely across the mountain passes
of the Alps although it was October and the roads were thickly
covered with snow and ice。 Then he had joined forces with
the Gauls and together they had defeated a second Roman
army just before they crossed the Trebia and laid siege to
Placentia； the northern terminus of the road which connected
Rome with the province of the Alpine districts。
The Senate； surprised but calm and energetic as usual；
hushed up the news of these many defeats and sent two fresh
armies to stop the invader。 Hannibal managed to surprise
these troops on a narrow road along the shores of the Trasimene
Lake and there he killed all the Roman officers and most
of their men。 This time there was a panic among the people
of Rome； but the Senate kept its nerve。 A third army was
organised and the command was given to Quintus Fabius Maximus
with full power to act ‘‘as was necessary to save the state。''
Fabius knew that he must be very careful lest all be lost。
His raw and untrained men； the last available soldiers； were
no match for Hannibal's veterans。 He refused to accept battle
but forever he followed Hannibal； destroyed everything eatable；
destroyed the roads； attacked small detachments and generally
weakened the morale of the Carthaginian troops by a
most distressing and annoying form of guerilla warfare。
Such methods however did not satisfy the fearsome crowds
who had found safety behind the walls of Rome。 They wanted
‘‘action。'' Something must be done and must be done quickly。
A popular hero by the name of Varro； the sort of man who
went about the city telling everybody how much better he could
do things than slow old Fabius； the ‘‘Delayer；'' was made
commander…in…chief by popular acclamation。 At the battle of
Cannae （216） he suffered the most terrible defeat of Roman
history。 More than seventy thousand men were killed