SCIPIO AFRICANUS MAJOR

SCIPIO AFRICANUS MAJOR, Publius Cornelius, the son of Publius Cornelius Scipio, who fell in Spain, was probably the greatest man in Rome after Julius Cæsar. He was born B.C. 234, since he was twenty-four years of age when appointed to the command in Spain, B.C. 210. From his early youth he displayed an uncommon reverence for the worship of the gods; and his quiet but deep enthusiasm burned in him like a flame. Before engaging in any business he first went to the Capitol, and there, in the high retirement of his own soul, held converse with the unseen powers, who gave or withheld their approval of the project which he had in view. Those Romans who still held on by any vestige of faith in the old Roman religion, entertained his assertions, and stood in awe of his person. There germinated in this man, despite the scepticism of Polybius, a deep and strong faith in the permanence of religious ideas, and in the constancy of religious impressions, which in other circumstances would have led him into the wilderness as an ascetic, or would have endowed him with the rapt earnestness of a mystic. Scipio was born a hero, and not an impostor. The large enthusiasm of his nature found vent in rude military life, where, if it found much to check the vigour of its growth, met likewise with much which it could assimilate. By presenting to the vulgar minds of the soldiery a picture of rapt devotion and yet of stern command, he gained an influence over them which was quite extraordinary because quite irresistible. In the more immediate relations of generalship, what could resist the energy of that arm which, in its every blow, dealt desolation and death to the enemies of Rome and of the Roman gods? When this religious enthusiasm seized hold not only of the feel-

ings of a single man or his immediate attendants, but which animated an entire army with its assuring influence, where was the Carthaginian who could stand long before its power? where the Hispanic who would not speedily bow before it as before the march of doom?

At the age of seventeen he fought at the Ticinus (in 218 B.C.), and is there reported to have saved his father's life. As a tribune, he fought and survived the fatal battle of Cannae, was made joint commander of the remains of the army with Appius Claudius at the age of nineteen, and by his youthful heroism brought light to his bewildered countrymen, and induced them to forego the silly project of resigning Italy in despair. He was chosen ædile ere he was twenty-four. He displayed his arrogant temper to the hesitating tribunes on that occasion in these words—"If all the Quirites wish to make me ædile, I am old enough." He lost his father and uncle in Spain in 211 B.C., and ere the year was out, when, in default of a more experienced general, he presented himself to the Roman people to command their army in Spain, he was received first of all with silent wonder, and lastly, gaining confidence by the picture of stern resolution presented to them in this young soldier, they chose him with shouts of acclamation. He arrived in Spain in the summer of 210 B.C. The whole country south of the Iberus was in the hands of the enemy. Scipio at once resolved to strike a deadly blow at the head of the Carthaginian power, by attacking New Carthage. His project was crowned with success. In the conquered city he found a great abundance of arms, corn, and other necessities. He retired to Tarraco, where he remained during the winter. Here, so great was the general enthusiasm of the people by the mildness, the courtesy, and the energy of the young Roman, that the Spanish tribes not only came over to his cause, but wished to make him their king. Next year he attacked Hasdrubal, in the valley of the Guadalquivir, and gained an almost incredible victory. It is said by the Roman writers that no less than 22,000 men were taken prisoners, and 8000 slain. In 207 B.C. Scipio gained, by a decisive victory, nearly the whole of Spain. He sheathed his sword, and trusted to the influence of humanity to win the rude inhabitants. They gathered round him, eager to kiss his garment, and all the native chiefs flocked in to offer their allegiance to omnipotent Rome. With the design of securing the co-operation of some of the native princes of Africa, Scipio crossed over into that country, accompanied by two quinqueremes. There he met his old foe, Hasdrubal, the son of Gisco, who had crossed over from Spain upon a similar errand. The Carthaginian, aided by the charms of a fair daughter, seems on this occasion to have outwitted the Roman commander. Seyphax, king of Numidia, received Sophonisba in marriage, and thus cemented the Carthaginian interest to his own. On his return to Spain, Scipio chastised severely the town of Illiturgi for having led on a revolt among his soldiers. He was seized with a severe illness. During the progress of his disease, 8000 of his own men broke out into open revolt. He suddenly rallied, and by his wonted dexterity at once allayed the fury of the soldiery. Scipio, whose presence was now no longer needed, returned to Rome in 206 B.C., leaving the proconsuls masters of the army and of Spain. He had hardly returned to Rome when he became a candidate for the consulship, and had the honour to be chosen, though considerably under the legal age. It now became apparent that if Hannibal was to be removed at all from Italy, it should be performed by a diversion against the Carthaginians on their own soil. No man was capable of effecting this save the youthful hero who had first asserted the prowess of the Roman arms in Spain. This Scipio clearly foresaw; but the older senators, and especially Q. Fabius Maximus, who was prompted by a meagre jealousy,

sought stealthily to thwart. After their various wiles had been burst through, this splendid youth, with his passion for Greek art and Greek literature, showed his suspicious rivals that he knew as well how to train an army as how to conduct it in the field. Commissioners of inquiry had been summoned from Rome to the head-quarters of the army in Sicily, but the enthusiasm of the volunteers and the skill of the commander astounded these officials, and they went back only to tell the senate that they had commanded Scipio to march against Carthage. Sailing from Lilybæum in 204 B.C., he landed near Utica with a force variously estimated at 12,200 and at 35,000 men. Masinissa, whose friendship he had made in Spain, now stood him in good stead. With the assistance of this prince, Scipio almost annihilated the joint forces of Hasdrubal and Seyphax. (See MASINISSA.) These disasters induced the Carthaginians to recall Hannibal and Mago from Italy. An armistice was accordingly struck, and the Roman army lay impatient before the walls of Carthage. The presence of their renowned general gave confidence to the Carthaginians, but Hannibal knew too well the army and the general he had to contend with, to be rash in his projects. Both generals, in truth, were anxious for a solid peace, but a solid peace on advantageous terms was what Scipio was quite unwilling to grant, and short of which the pride of Hannibal would not deign to stoop. The bloody battle of Naraga, near Zama, fought on the 19th of October 202 B.C., settled the contest in favour of the Romans, and Scipio returned to Rome in triumph 201 B.C. The populace manifested extraordinary enthusiasm, and sought to gratify it by quite extraordinary means. They bestowed upon him the surname of Africanus, and wished to make him consul and dictator for life. They wished to erect his statue in the comitia. They would set it up in the rostra and the curia, and even went so far as to wish his enthronement in the Capitol. Scipio prudently declined those invidious honours; and to shun the suspicion of the senate, he withdrew into dignified retirement. Coming once more before the public, he was chosen censor and consul the second time. In 190 B.C. the censors re-elected him princeps senatus, and during the same year he chose to accompany his brother Lucius to Greece, to serve under him as legatus. Returning to Rome in 189 B.C., on the conclusion of the war with Antiochus, the mean jealousy of the senate gave him fresh cause for alarm. The glory of the victory of Zama had now grown dim, the pride of the great general probably did not abate, and the Roman senate, with their paltry suspicions, could not brook the infringement of a jot of their dignity. They opened a prosecution against Scipio's brother, Lucius, but really directed against Africanus himself. This being successful, the enemies of the Scipios were emboldened to charge the great African. At his trial he desecrated much on his signal services to the commonwealth, but did not deign to notice the charges brought against him by his foes. Night came, and the great culprit still continued to speak. The trial was adjourned till next day, and Africanus, on being summoned to appear, proudly reminded his judges and the people of Rome that this day was the anniversary of the battle of Zama. He adjured them in the same haughty terms to follow him to the Capitol, and return thanks to the immortal gods for the safety of Rome, and to pray them to grant in time coming other citizens like Scipio Africanus. The crowded assembly listened with breathless attention: he smote a chord which vibrated through every Roman heart: their veneration for Scipio returned; and he was followed to the Capitol with shouts which shook the stones of Rome. The haughty soldier quitted Rome never to return. He withdrew to Læternum, where he passed the remainder of his days in the peaceful cultivation of his estate. The year of his death is variously given by Polybius and Rutilius as 183 B.C., the same year as his great rival, Hannibal. By Livy and Cicero

Scipio. it is ascribed to 185 B.C., and by Valerius of Antium to 187 B.C. In compliance with his own command, his bones were buried at Liternum, where his tomb was shown in the time of Livy. Thus died one of the greatest men and most distinguished generals which Rome had known; and beside the pedestal occupied by Hannibal in the Temple of Fame stands the statue of his conqueror, Scipio Africanus.