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against him; carrying on against a lawful magistrate and excellent
citizens; for the sake of one who was indeed his relation; but was
unworthy to be so; and had but gotten his deserts; a course of
bitter and violent attacks; which it would be hard to say were
either right or patriotic。 Afterwards; however; at a public
spectacle in the theatre; at which the senators appeared as usual;
sitting; as became their rank; in the first seats; when Lucius was
spied at the lower end; seated in a mean; dishonourable place; it made
a great impression upon the people; nor could they endure the sight;
but kept calling out to him to move; until he did move; and went in
among those of consular dignity; who received him into their seats。
  This natural ambition of Titus was well enough looked upon by the
world whilst the wars we have given a relation of afforded competent
fuel to feed it; as; for instance; when after the expiration of his
consulship; he had a command as military tribune; which nobody pressed
upon him。 But being now out of all employ in the government; and
advanced in years; he showed his defects more plainly; allowing
himself; in this inactive remainder of life; to be carried away with
the passion for reputation; as uncontrollably as any youth。 Some
such transport; it is thought; betrayed him into a proceeding
against Hannibal; which lost him the regard of many。 For Hannibal;
having fled his country; first took sanctuary with Antiochus; but
he; having been glad to obtain a peace; after the battle in Phrygia;
Hannibal was put to shift for himself; by a second flight; and;
after wandering through many countries; fixed at length in Bithynia;
proffering his service to King Prusias。 Every one at Rome knew where
he was; but looked upon him; now in his weakness and old age; with
no sort of apprehension; as one whom fortune had quite cast off。
Titus; however; coming thither as ambassador; though he was sent
from the senate to Prusias upon another errand; yet seeing Hannibal
resident there; it stirred up resentment in him to find that he was
yet alive。 And though Prusias used much intercession and entreaties in
favour of him; as his suppliant and familiar friend; Titus was not
to be entreated。 There was an ancient oracle; it seems; which
prophesied thus of Hannibal's end:…

        〃Libyssan earth shall Hannibal inclose。〃

He interpreted this to be meant of the African Libya; and that he
should be buried in Carthage; as if he might yet expect to return
and end his life there。 But there is a sandy place in Bithynia;
bordering on the sea; and near it a little village called Libyssa。
It was Hannibal's chance to be staying here; and; having ever from the
beginning had a distrust of the easiness and cowardice of Prusias; and
a fear of the Romans; he had; long before; ordered seven underground
passages to be dug from his house; leading from his lodging and
running a considerable distance in various opposite directions; all
undiscernible from without。 As soon; therefore; as he heard what Titus
had ordered; he attempted to make his escape through these mines;
but finding them beset with the king's guards; he resolved upon making
away with himself。 Some say that; wrapping his upper garment about his
neck; he commanded his servant to set his knee against his back; and
not to cease twisting and pulling it till he had completely
strangled him。 Others say he drank bull's blood; after the example
of Themistocles and Midas。 Livy writes that he had poison in
readiness; which he mixed for the purpose; and that; taking the cup in
his hand; 〃Let us ease;〃 said he; 〃the Romans of their continual dread
and care; who think it long and tedious to await the death of a
hated old man。 Yet Titus will not bear away a glorious victory; nor
one worthy of those ancestors who sent to caution Pyrrhus; an enemy;
and a conqueror too; against the poison prepared for him by traitors。〃
  Thus various are the reports of Hannibal's death; but when the
news of it came to the senator's ears; some felt indignation against
Titus for it; blaming as well his officiousness as his cruelty; who
when there was nothing to urge it; out of mere appetite for
distinction to have it said that he had caused Hannibal's death;
sent him to his grave when he was now like a bird that in its old
age has lost its feathers; and incapable of flying; is let alone to
live tamely without molestation。
  They began also now to regard with increased admiration the clemency
and magnanimity of Scipio Africanus; and called to mind how he; when
he had vanquished in Africa the still then invincible and terrible
Hannibal; neither banished him his country; nor exacted of his
countrymen that they should give him up。 At a parley just before
they joined battle; Scipio gave him his hand; and in the peace made
after it; he put no hard article upon him; nor insulted over his
fallen fortune。 It is told; too; that they had another meeting
afterwards; at Ephesus; and that when Hannibal; as they were walking
together; took the upper hand; Africanus let it pass; and walked on
without the least notice of it; and that then they began to talk of
generals; and Hannibal affirmed that Alexander was the greatest
commander the world had seen; next to him Pyrrhus; and the third was
himself; Africanus; with a smile; asked; 〃What would you have said; if
I had not defeated you?〃 〃I would not then; Scipio;〃 he replied; 〃have
made myself the third; but the first commander。〃 Such conduct was much
admired in Scipio; and that of Titus; who had as it were insulted
the dead whom another had slain; was no less generally found fault
with。 Not but that there were some who applauded the action; looking
upon a living Hannibal as a fire; which only wanted blowing to
become a flame。 For when he was in the prime and flower of his age; it
was not his body nor his hand that had been so formidable; but his
consummate skill and experience; together with his innate malice and
rancour against the Roman name; things which do not impair with age。
For the temper and bent of the soul remains constant; while fortune
continually varies; and some new hope might easily rouse to a fresh
attempt those whose hatred made them enemies to the last。 And what
really happened afterwards does to a certain extent tend yet further
to the exculpation of Titus。 Aristonicus; of the family of a common
musician; upon the reputation of being the son of Eumenes; filled
all Asia with tumults and rebellion。 Then again; Mithridates; after
his defeats by Sylla and Fimbria; and vast slaughter as well among his
prime officers as common soldiers; made head again; and proved a
most dangerous enemy; against Lucullus; both by sea and land。 Hannibal
was never reduced to so contemptible a state as Caius Marius; he had
the friendship of a king; and the free exercise of his faculties;
employment and charge in the navy; and over the horse and foot; of
Prusias; whereas those who but now were laughing to hear of Marius
wandering about Africa; destitute and begging; in no long time after
were seen entreating his mercy in Rome; with his rods at their
backs; and his axes at their necks。 So true it is; that looking to the
possible future; we can call nothing that we see either great or
small; as nothing puts an end to the mutability and vicissitude of
things but what puts an end to their very being。 Some authors
accordingly tell us that Titus did not do this of his own head; but
that he was joined in commission with Lucius Scipio; and that the
whole object of the embassy was to effect Hannibal's death。 And now;
as we find no further mention in history of anything done by Titus;
either in war or in the administration of the government; but simply
that he died in peace; it is time to look upon him as he stands in
comparison with Philopoemen。




                              THE END

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