<w lemma="%2Aoi%28">Οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w>, <w lemma="prospeptwkui%2Fas">προσπεπτωκυίας</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Azakanqai%2Fwn">Ζακανθαίων</w> <w lemma="a%28lw%2Fsews">ἁλώσεως</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="ma%5C">μὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Adi%2Fa">Δία</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmou">πολέμου</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="diabou%2Flion">διαβούλιον</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dgon">ἦγον</w>, <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fnioi">ἔνιοι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="suggrafe%2Fwn">συγγραφέων</w> <w lemma="fasi%2F">φασί</w>, <w lemma="proskatata%2Fttontes">προσκατατάττοντες</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Ftera">ἑκάτερα</w> <w lemma="r%28hqe%2Fntas">ῥηθέντας</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgous">λόγους</w>, <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="a%29topw%2Ftaton">ἀτοπώτατον</w> <w lemma="pra%3Dgma">πρᾶγμα</w> <w lemma="poiou%3Dntes">ποιοῦντες</w>.
<w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Do%2Fn">οἷόν</w> <w lemma="t%27">τ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29niautw%3D%7C">ἐνιαυτῷ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="e%29phggelko%2Ftas">ἐπηγγελκότας</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fois">Καρχηδονίοις</w>, <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="e%29pibai%2Fnwsi">ἐπιβαίνωσι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Azakanqai%2Fwn">Ζακανθαίων</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fras">χώρας</w>, <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="kra%2Ftos">κράτος</w> <w lemma="e%28alwkui%2Fas">ἑαλωκυίας</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="bouleu%2Fesqai">βουλεύεσθαι</w> <w lemma="sunelqo%2Fntas">συνελθόντας</w> <w lemma="po%2Ftera">πότερα</w> <w lemma="polemhte%2Fon">πολεμητέον</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="tou%29nanti%2Fon">τοὐναντίον</w>;
<w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fna">τίνα</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="stugno%2Fthta">στυγνότητα</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="sunedri%2Fou">συνεδρίου</w> <w lemma="pareisa%2Fgousi">παρεισάγουσι</w> <w lemma="qauma%2Fsion">θαυμάσιον</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="ui%28ou%5Cs">υἱοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="dw%2Fdek%27">δώδεκ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29tw%3Dn">ἐτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgein">ἄγειν</w> <w lemma="fasi%5C">φασὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="pate%2Fras">πατέρας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fdrion">συνέδριον</w>, <w lemma="ou%28%5Cs">οὓς</w> <w lemma="mete%2Fxontas">μετέχοντας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="diabouli%2Fwn">διαβουλίων</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nagkai%2Fwn">ἀναγκαίων</w> <w lemma="ou%29deni%5C">οὐδενὶ</w> <w lemma="proi+%2Fesqai">προΐεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29porrh%2Ftwn">ἀπορρήτων</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fn">οὐδέν</w>;
<w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Ft%27">οὔτ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%5Cs">εἰκὸς</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Ft%27">οὔτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29lhqe%2Fs">ἀληθές</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="para%2Fpan">παράπαν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fn">οὐδέν</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="nh%5C">νὴ</w> <w lemma="%2Adi%2Fa">Δία</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllois">ἄλλοις</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxh">τύχη</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="prose%2Fneime">προσένειμε</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fois">Ῥωμαίοις</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="fronei%3Dn">φρονεῖν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="eu%29qe%2Fws">εὐθέως</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="geneth%3Ds">γενετῆς</w>.
<w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="toiau%3Dta">τοιαῦτα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="suggramma%2Ftwn">συγγραμμάτων</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Da">οἷα</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffei">γράφει</w> <w lemma="%2Axaire%2Fas">Χαιρέας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Aswsu%2Flos">Σωσύλος</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="de%2Foi">δέοι</w> <w lemma="ple%2Fon">πλέον</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgein:">λέγειν·</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="koureakh%3Ds">κουρεακῆς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pandh%2Fmou">πανδήμου</w> <w lemma="lalia%3Ds">λαλιᾶς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmoige">ἔμοιγε</w> <w lemma="dokou%3Dsi">δοκοῦσι</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fcin">τάξιν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxein">ἔχειν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w>.
<w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w>, <w lemma="prospeso%2Fntos">προσπεσόντος</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsi">σφίσι</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Ftos">γεγονότος</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Azakanqai%2Fous">Ζακανθαίους</w> <w lemma="a%29tuxh%2Fmatos">ἀτυχήματος</w>, <w lemma="paraxrh%3Dma">παραχρῆμα</w> <w lemma="presbeuta%5Cs">πρεσβευτὰς</w> <w lemma="e%28lo%2Fmenoi">ἑλόμενοι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="spoudh%5Cn">σπουδὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29cape%2Fsteilan">ἐξαπέστειλαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fna">Καρχηδόνα</w>,
<w lemma="du%2Fo">δύο</w> <w lemma="protei%2Fnontes">προτείνοντες</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w>, <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ai%29sxu%2Fnhn">αἰσχύνην</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="bla%2Fbhn">βλάβην</w> <w lemma="e%29do%2Fkei">ἐδόκει</w> <w lemma="fe%2Frein">φέρειν</w> <w lemma="decame%2Fnois">δεξαμένοις</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fois">Καρχηδονίοις</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteron">ἕτερον</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kindu%2Fnwn">κινδύνων</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flwn">μεγάλων</w>.
<w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cn">στρατηγὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fban">Ἀννίβαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="met%27">μετ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fdrous">συνέδρους</w> <w lemma="e%29kdo%2Ftous">ἐκδότους</w> <w lemma="dido%2Fnai">διδόναι</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fois">Ῥωμαίοις</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Ftatton">ἐπέταττον</w>, <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="proh%2Fggellon">προήγγελλον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>.
<w lemma="paragenome%2Fnwn">παραγενομένων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parelqo%2Fntwn">παρελθόντων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fdrion">συνέδριον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diasafou%2Fntwn">διασαφούντων</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w>, <w lemma="dusxerw%3Ds">δυσχερῶς</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fkouon">ἤκουον</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fnioi">Καρχηδόνιοι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ai%28%2Fresin">αἵρεσιν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proteinome%2Fnwn">προτεινομένων</w>.
<w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="prosthsa%2Fmenoi">προστησάμενοι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pithdeio%2Ftaton">ἐπιτηδειότατον</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Frcanto">ἤρξαντο</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="sfw%3Dn">σφῶν</w>
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The Romans, when the news of the fall of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Saguntum&groupId=938&placeId=1673">Saguntum</a> reached them, did not assuredly hold a debate on the question of the war, as some authors allege, even setting down the speeches made on both sides — a most absurd proceeding. For how could the Romans, who a year ago had announced to the Carthaginians that their entering the territory of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Saguntum&groupId=938&placeId=1673">Saguntum</a> would be regarded as a casus belli, now when the city itself had been taken by assault, assemble to debate whether to go to war or not? How is it that on the one hand these authors draw a wonderful picture of the gloomy aspect of the Senate and on the other tell us that fathers brought their sons from the age of twelve upwards to the Senate House, and that these boys attended the debate but divulged not a syllable even to any of their near relatives? Nothing in this is the least true or even probable, unless, indeed, Fortune has bestowed on the Romans among other gifts that of being wise from their cradles. No further criticism, indeed, of such works as those of Chaereas and Sosylus<note place="end" resp="tr" id="note2"><emph rend="bold">Chaereas and Sosylus:</emph>Of Chaereas nothing is known. Sosylus was Hannibal\'s Greek teacher and accompanied him on his campaign.</note>is necessary; they rank in authority, it seems to me, not with history, but with the common gossip of a barber\'s shop. Romans, on hearing of the calamity that had befallen <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Saguntum&groupId=938&placeId=1673">Saguntum</a>, at once appointed ambassadors and sent them post-haste to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a>, giving the Carthaginians the option of two alternatives, the one of which, if they accepted it, entailed disgrace and damage, while the other would give rise to extreme trouble and peril. Either they must give up Hannibal and the members of his Council or war would be declared. On the Roman envoys arriving and appearing before the Senate and delivering their message the Carthaginians listened with indignation to this choice of alternatives, but putting up their most able member to speak, they entered upon their justification.
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Walbank Commentary