eous circumstances, far from his home, far from
his country; he has peace neither by land nor sea: no cities, no walls
receive him: he sees nothing any where which he can call his own: he
daily lives by plunder. He has now scarcely a third part of that army
which he conveyed across the Iberus. Famine has destroyed more than
the sword; nor have the few remaining a sufficient supply of
provisions. Do you doubt, therefore, whether by remaining quiet we
shall not conquer him who is daily sinking into decrepitude? who has
neither provisions nor money? How long before the walls of Geronium, a
miserable fortress of Apulia, as if before the walls of Carthage--?
But not even in your presence will I boast. See how Cneius Servilius
and Atilius, the last consuls, fooled him. This is the only path of
safety, Lucius Paulus, which your countrymen will render more
difficult and dangerous to you than their enemies will. For your own
soldiers will desire the same thing as those of the enemy: Varro, a
Roman consul, and Hannibal, a Carthaginian general, will wish the same
thing. You alone must resist two generals: and you will resist them
sufficiently if you stand firm against the report and the rumours of
men; if neither the empty glory of your colleague, and the unfounded
calumnies against yourself, shall move you. They say that truth too
often suffers, but is never destroyed. He who despises fame will have
it genuine. Let them call you coward instead of cautious, dilatory
instead of considerate, unwarlike instead of an expert general. I
would rather that a sagacious enemy should fear you, than that foolish
countrymen should commend you. A man who hazards all things Hannibal
will despise, him who does nothing rashly he will fear. And neither do
I advise that nothing should be done; but that in what you do, reason
should guide you, and not fortune. All things will be within your own
power, and your own. Be always ready armed and on the watch, and
neither be wanting when a favourable opportunity presents itself, nor
give any favourable opportunity to the enemy. All things are clear and
sure to the deliberate man. Precipitation is improvident and blind."

40. The address of the consul in reply was by no means cheerful,
admitting that what he said was true, rather than easy to put in
practice. He said, "That to him, as dictator, his master of the horse
was unbearable: what power or influence could a consul have against a
factious and intempe