f the gloomy city, warlike and severe, spoke through the
mouth of the aged man, who extended his rigid arm above his companions'
heads, threatening the invisible enemy. The soldierly vigor of the
veteran of ancient wars against the Samnites and against Pyrrhus, was
aroused for a moment in the weak old man, and thrilled his muscles and
caused his eyes to flash.

Actaeon's two companions, who did not understand the Latin tongue,
nevertheless divined Lentulus' words, and they were filled with emotion
by the eulogy of the self-abnegation of their city. Tears streamed from
their eyes, they rent the dark mantles in which they were clad as solemn
messengers, and throwing themselves to the floor to express the
vehemence of their grief after the custom of the ancients, they shouted,
sobbing:

"Save us! Save us!"

The desperation of the two old men, and the dignified attitude of the
Greek, who, frowning and silent, seemed the personification of Saguntum
awaiting the fulfillment of pledges, moved the Senate and the multitude
that surged outside the balustrade of the she-wolf. All were agitated
and were exchanging words of indignation. Beneath the cupola of the
Senaculum resounded a disorderly buzzing, the echo of a thousand mingled
voices. They clamored for the Senate to declare instant war against
Carthage, to call out the legions, to make ready the ships, to embark an
expedition in the port of Ostia, and to hurl Rome against the camp of
Hannibal.

A senator called for silence that he might speak. It was Fabius, one of
the most famous patricians of Rome, the descendent of those three
hundred heroes of that famous gens destroyed in a single day fighting
for Rome on the banks of the Cremera. Prudence spoke through his mouth;
his counsels were ever followed as being wisest; on this account the
Senate recovered its calmness as soon as it saw that he had arisen to
his feet.

With reposeful language, after lamenting the situation of the allied
city, he said that it was not known whether it were Carthage that had
broken into hostilities against Saguntum, or whether Hannibal had done
so on his own account. A war in Iberia would be a grave matter for Rome,
now that she was going to begin a nearer struggle with the rebel
Demetrius of Pharos. It would be advisable to send an embassy to
Hannibal in his camp, and if the African refused to raise the siege, let
it go to Carthage to ask if its rulers approved the chieftain's conduct,
and