r, as war seemed inevitable, and as all stood in
fear of the youth and audacious character of Hannibal, two senators had
embarked some days before at the port of Saguntum, setting sail for the
coasts of Italy to relate what had taken place, soliciting the
protection of the Roman Senate.

This news circulated confusedly through the Forum, and the crowd jested
at Hannibal as an impetuous youth who needed a lesson. He might come
against Saguntum whenever he wished. These Carthaginians were the very
same who had been driven out of Sicily, the same who had been compelled
to abandon the coasts of Magna Grecia, being expelled by the Romans, who
had then raised their own city beside the ruin! If they had achieved
victories afterward in Iberia it was only against barbarian tribes
ignorant of the art of warfare, who fell victims to their cunning! When
they attacked Saguntum they would encounter a worthier enemy, and Rome,
the powerful ally, would fall upon their rear and exterminate them!

These ideas infuriated the city.

News came that Hannibal had set forth upon his campaign and was slowly
approaching, and with such tidings a gust of war seemed to sweep over
Saguntum inflaming the minds of the most prudent. The peace-loving
merchants with the mute choler of pacific-minded men who see their
possessions endangered, stood in the doorways of their shops cleaning
the rust from old arms, or they went down to the river bank to practise
using them, mingling with the young men, who, since sunrise, had been
making their horses caracole, gaining skill in the management of the
lance, or improving themselves in archery under the direction of Mopsus.

Actaeon now began to spend his days away from the villa, deaf to the
prayers of Sonnica, who longed to have him ever near her. The Senate had
given him command of the peltasts, the light infantry, and at the head
of some hundreds of young men, barefooted and with no other defensive
arm than a cuirass of wool and a shield of osiers, he ran along the
river bank, teaching them to hurl darts without stopping in their race,
to wound an enemy as they passed swiftly by his side, without giving
him time to respond with another blow.

This exercise over, the perspiring youths dived into the river to
refresh themselves with a swim, while the Greek slowly returned to the
villa, lingering in the most smiling spots of the domain.

One afternoon the Athenian met Erotion, the potter, at the foot of an