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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