t since Hannibal is our antagonist, who is
besieging Italy for now the fourteenth year, with an army unimpaired,
will you have reason to be dissatisfied, Publius Cornelius, with the
glory you will acquire, if you in your consulate shall drive out of
Italy an enemy who has been the cause of so many deaths and so many
disasters to us, and if you should enjoy the distinction of having
terminated this, as Caius Lutatius did the former Punic war? Unless
either Hamilcar is a general more worthy of consideration than
Hannibal, or a war in Africa of more importance, or a victory there
greater and more glorious, (should it be our lot to be victorious
while you are consul,) than one here. Would you rather have drawn away
Hamilcar from Drepanum and Eryx than have expelled the Carthaginians
and Hannibal from Italy? Although you naturally prize more highly
the renown which you have acquired than that which you hope for, yet
surely you would not boast more of having freed Spain from war than of
having freed Italy. Hannibal is not as yet in such a state as that
the man who prefers another war would not appear to have feared rather
than to have despised him. Why then do you not apply yourself to
this, and carry the war in a straightforward manner to the place where
Hannibal is, rather than pursue that circuitous course, according to
which you expect that when you shall have crossed over into
Africa Hannibal will follow you thither? Do you seek to obtain the
distinguished honour of having finished the Punic war? After you have
defended your own possessions, for this is naturally the first object,
then proceed to attack those of others. Let there be peace in Italy
before war in Africa; and let us be free from fear ourselves before
we bring it upon others. If it is possible that both objects may be
accomplished under your conduct and auspices, having first conquered
Hannibal here, then go and lay siege to Carthage; but if one or other
of these conquests must be left for the succeeding consuls, the former
is both the greater and more glorious, and also the cause of the
second. For now indeed, besides that the treasury is not able to
maintain two different armies, one in Italy and one in Africa; besides
that we nave nothing left from which we may equip fleets or be able to
furnish provisions, who knows not how great danger would be incurred?
Publius Licinius will wage war in Italy, Publius Scipio in Africa.
What if, (an omen which may all th