out of Africa into
Italy, or order Mago, who, it is certain, having passed over from the
Baleares, is now sailing along the coast of Liguria and the Alps, to
form a junction with Hannibal. Without doubt, we should be thrown into
the same state of alarm as we were lately, when Hasdrubal passed over
into Italy; that Hasdrubal, whom you, who are about to blockade, not
Carthage only, but all Africa with your army, allowed to slip out of
your hands into Italy. You will say that he was conquered by you.
For that very reason I should be less willing, not on account of the
commonwealth only, but of yourself, that, after having been defeated,
he should be allowed to march into Italy. Suffer us to ascribe to your
prudence all the successful events which have happened to you and
the empire of the Roman people, and to impute all those of an adverse
nature to the uncertain chances of war and to fortune. The more
meritorious and brave you are, so much the more do your country and
all Italy desire to retain you as their protector. You cannot even
yourself pretend to deny, that where Hannibal is, there is the head
and principal stress of the war, for you profess, that your motive
in crossing over into Africa is to draw Hannibal thither. Whether,
therefore, here or there, it is with Hannibal that you will have to
contend. Will you then, I pray, have more power in Africa and alone,
or here, with your own and your colleague's army united? Is not the
great difference which this makes proved to you even by the recent
precedent of Claudius and Livius, the consuls? What! will Hannibal,
who has now for a long time been unavailingly soliciting succours from
home, be rendered more powerful in men and arms when occupying the
remotest corner of the Bruttian territory, or when near to Carthage
and supported by all Africa? What sort of policy is that of yours, to
prefer fighting where your own forces will be diminished by one half,
and the enemy's greatly augmented, to encountering the enemy when
you will have two armies against one, and that wearied with so many
battles, and so protracted and laborious a service? Consider how far
this policy of yours corresponds with that of your parent. He, setting
out in his consulship for Spain, returned from his province into
Italy, that he might meet Hannibal on his descent from the Alps; while
you are going to leave Italy when Hannibal is there, not because you
consider such a course beneficial to the state,