seeing them make an astonishing progress every day, they began to be afraid, and to take such measures as might, if possible, render the attempt unsuccessful. Every one, even to the women and children, fell to work, but so secretly, that al! Scipio could learn from the prisoners was, that they had heard a great noise in the harbour, but did not know the cause or occasion of it. At last, all things being ready, the Carthaginians opened, on a sudden, a new outlet on the other side of the haven, and appeared at sea with a numerous fleet, which they had then built with the old materials found in their magazines. It is generally allowed, that had they attacked the Roman fleet directly, they must in evitably have taken it; because, as no such attempt was expected, and every man was otherwise employed, the Carthaginians would have found it without rowers, soldiers, or officers. But the ruin of Carthage, says the historian, was decreed. Having therefore only offered a kind of insult or bravado to the Romans, they returned into the harbour. Two days after, they brought forward their ships, with a resolution to fight in good earnest, and found the enemy ready for them.* This battle was to determine the fate of both parties. It lasted a long time, each exerting them. selves to the utmost; the one to save their country, reduced to the last extremity, and the other to complete their victory. During the fight, the Carthaginian brigantines, running along under the large Roman ships, broke to pieces sometimes their sterns, and at other times their rudders and oars; and when briskly attacked, retreated with surprising swiftness, and returned imme diately to the charge. At last, after the two armies had fought with equal success till sunset, the Carthaginians thought proper to retire; not that they believed themselves overcome, but in order to recoininence the fight on the morrow. Part of their ships not being able to run swiftly enough into the harbour, because the mouth of it was too narrow, took shelter under a very spacious terrace, which had been thrown up against the wall to unload goods, on the side of which a small rampart had been raised during this war, to prevent the enemy from possessing themselves of it. Here the fight was again renewed with more vigour than ever, and lasted till late at night. The Carthaginians suffered greatly, and the few ships of theirs which got off sailed for refuge to the city. When the morning arrived, Scipio attacked the terrace, and carried it, though with great difficulty; after which he posted and fortified himself on it, and built a brick wall close to those of the city, and of the same height. When it was finished, he commanded four thousand men to get on the top of it, and to discharge from it a constant shower of darts and arrows upon the enemy, which did great execution; because, as the two walls were of equal height, there was scarce one dart without effect. Thus ended this campaign. During the winter-quarters, Scipio endeavoured to overpower the enemy's troops without the city, who very much harassed the troops that brought his provisions, and protected such as were sent to the besieged. For this pur pose he attacked a neighbouring fort, called Nepheris, where they used to shelter themselves. In the last action, about seventy thousand of the enemy, as well soldiers as peasants who had been enlisted, were cut to pieces, and the fort was carried with great difficulty, after sustaining a siege of two and twenty days. The seizure of this fort was followed by the surrender of almost all the strong-holds in Africa; and contributed very much to the taking of Carthage itself, into which, from that time, it was almost impossible to bring any provisions. Early in the spring, Scipio attacked, at one and the same time, the harbour called Cothon and the citadel. Having possessed himself of the wall which surrounded this port, he threw himself into the great square of the city that was near it, from whence was an ascent to the citadel, up three streets, with houses on both sides, from the tops of which a shower of darts was discharged upon the Romans, who were obliged, before they could advance farther, to force the houses they first reached, and post themselves in them, in order to dislodge the enemy who fought from the neighbouring houses. The combat which was carried on from the tops, and in every part of the houses, continued six days, during which a dreadful slaughter was made. To clear the streets, and make way for the troops, the Romans dragged aside, with hooks, the bodies of such of the inhabitants as had been slain, or precipitated headlong from the houses, and threw them into pits, the greatest part of them being still alive and panting. In this labour, which lasted six days and nights, the soldiers were relieved from time to time by others, without which they would have been quite spent. Scipio slept none during this time, but was occupied in giving orders in all places, and scarcely allowed himself leisure to take the least refreshment.* There was still reason to believe, that the siege would last much longer, and occasion a great effusion of blood. But on the seventh day, there appeared a company of men in a suppliant posture and habit, who desired no other conditions, than that the Romans would please to spare the lives of all those who should be willing to leave the citadel; which request was granted them, excepting only the deserters. Accordingly, there came out fifty thousand men and women, who were sent into the fields under a strong guard. The deserters, who were about nine hundred, finding they would not be allowed quarter, fortified themselves in the temple of Esculapius, with Asdrubal, his wife, and two children; where, though their number was but small, they might have held out a long time, because the temple stood on a very high hill, upon rocks, to which the ascent was by sixty steps. But at last, exhausted by hunger and watchings, oppressed with fear, and seeing their destruction at hand, they lost all patience; when, abandoning the lower part of the temple, they retired to the uppermost story, and resolved not to quit it but with their lives.† In the mean time Asdrubal, being desirous of saving his own life, came down privately to Scipio, carrying an olive branch in his hand, and threw himself at his feet. Scipio showed him immediately to the deserters, who, transported with rage and fury at the sight, vented millions of imprecations against him, and set fire to the temple. While it was kindling, we are told, that Asdrubal's wife, dressing herself as splendidly as possible, and placing herself with her two children in sight of Scipio, addressed him with a loud voice: "I call not down," said she, curses upon thy head, O Roman, for thou only takest the privilege allowed by the laws of war: but may the gods of Carthage, and thou in concert with them, punish, according to his deserts, the false wretch who has betrayed his country, his gods, his wife, his children!" Then directing herself to Asdrubal, "Perfidious wretch," says she," thou basest of creatures! this fire will presently consume both me and my children; but as to thee, too shameful general of Carthage, go, adorn the gay triumph of thy conqueror; suffer, in the sight of all Rome, the tortures thou so justly deservest!" She had no sooner pronounced these words, than seizing her children, she cut their throats, threw them into the flames, and afterwards rushed into them herself; in which she was imitated by all the deserters. With regard to Scipio, when he saw the entire ruin of this famous city, which had flourished seven hundred years, and might have been compared to the greatest empires, on account of the extent of its dominions, both by sea and land; its mighty armies; its fleets, elephants, and riches; and that the Carthaginians were even superior to other nations, by their courage and magnanimity, as, notwithstanding their being deprived of arms and ships, they had sustained, for three whole years, all the hardships and calamities of a long siege; historians relate, that he could not refuse his tears to the unhappy fate of Carthage. He reflected, that cities, nations, and empires, are liable to revolutions, no less than individual men; that the like sad fate had befallen Troy, anciently so powerful; and, in later times, the Assyrians, Medes, and * A. M. 3859. A. Rome, 603. Appian p. 79. VOL. I. 17 † Appian, p. 81. † Appian, p.82. Persians, whose dominions were once of so great an extent; and lastly, the Macedonians, whose empire had been so glorious throughout the world. Full of these mournful ideas, he repeated the following verses of Homer: Thereby denouncing the future destiny of Rome, as he himself confessed to Polybius, who desired Scipio to explain himself on that occasion. Had the truth enlightened his soul, he would have discovered what we are taught in the Scriptures, that because of unrighteous dealings, injuries, and riches got by deceit, a kingdom is translated from one people to another.* Carthage is destroyed, because its avarice, perfidiousness, and cruelty, have attained their utmost height. The like fate will attend Rome, when its luxury, ambition, pride, and unjust usurpations, concealed beneath a specious and delusive show of justice and virtue, shall have compelled the sovereign Lord, the disposer of empires, to give the universe an important lesson m its fall. Carthage being taken in this manner, Scipio gave it up to plunder (the gold, silver, statues, and other offerings which should be found in the temples, excepted) to his soldiers for some days. He afterwards bestowed several military rewards on them, as well as on the officers, two of whom had particularly distinguished themselves, viz. Tib. Gracchus, and Caius Fannius, who first scaled the walls. After this, adorning a very small ship (an excellent sailer) with the enemy's spoils, he sent it to Rome with the news of the victory.† At the same time, he ordered the inhabitants of Sicily to come and take possession of the pictures and statues which the Carthaginians had plundered them of in the former wars. When he restored to the citizens of Agrigentum Phalaris' famous bull, he said that this bull, which was at one and the same time, a monument of the cruelty of their ancient kings, and of the lenity of their present sovereigns, ought to make them sensible which would be most advantageous for them, to live under the yoke of Sicilians, or the government of the Romans.§ Having exposed to sale part of the spoils of Carthage, he commanded his family, under the most severe penalties, not to take, or even buy any of them; so careful was he to remove from himself, and all belonging to him, the least suspicion of avarice. When the news of the taking of Carthage was brought to Rome, the people abandoned themselves to the most immoderate transports of joy, as if the public tranquillity had not been secured till that instant. They revolved in their minds all the calamities which the Carthaginians had brought upon them, in Sicily, in Spain, and even in Italy, for sixteen years together; during which Hannibal had plundered four hundred towns, destroyed three hundred thousand men, and reduced Rome itself to the utmost extremity. Amidst the remembrance of these past evils, the people in Rome would ask one another, whether it were really true that Carthage was in ashes. All ranks and degrees of men eminently strove who should show the greatest gratitude towards the gods, and the citizens were, for many days, employed wholly in solemn sacrifices, in public prayers, games, and spectacles. After these religious duties were ended, the senate sent ten commissioners into Africa, to regulate, in conjunction with Scipio, the fate and condition of that country for the future. Their first care was to demolish whatever was Eccles. x. 8. †A. M. 3859. A. Carth. 701. A. Rome, 693. Ant. J. C. 145. Appian. p. 89. Quem taurum Scipio cum redderet Agrigentinis, dixisse dicitur, æquum esse illos cogitare utrum esset Siculis utilius, suisne servire, an populo R. obtemperare, cum idem monumentum et domestica crudelitatis, et nostræ mansuetudinis haberent.Cicer. Verr. vi. n. 73 ¡ Appian, p. 33 Il Ibid. still remaining of Carthage.* Rome,† though mistress of almost the whole world, could not believe herself safe as long as even the name of Carthage was in being so true it is, that inveterate hatred, fomented by long and bloody wars, lasts even beyond the time when all cause of fear is removed; and does not cease, till the object that occasions it is no more. Orders were given, in the name of the Romans, that it should never be inhabited again; and dreadful imprecations were denounced against those who, contrary to this prohibition, should attempt to rebuild any parts of it, especially those called Byrsa and Megara. In the mean time, every one who desired it, was permitted to see Carthage; Scipio being well pleased to have people view the sad ruins of a city which had dared to contend with Rome for empire. The commissioners decreed further, that those cities, which, during this war, had joined with the enemy, should all be razed, and their territories be given to the Roman allies; they particularly made a grant to the citizens of Utica, of the whole country lying between Carthage and Hippo. All the rest they made tributary, and reduced it into a Roman province, to which a prætor was sent annually.§ All matters being thus settled, Scipio returned to Rome, where he made his entry in triumph. So magnificent a one had never been seen before; the whole exhibiting nothing but statues, rare invaluable pictures, and other curiosities, which the Carthaginians had for many years been collecting in other countries; not to mention the money carried into the public treasury, that amounted to immense sums.|| Notwithstanding the great precautions which were taken to hinder Carthage from being ever rebuilt, in less than thirty years after, and even in Scipio's lifetime, one of the Gracchi, to ingratiate himself with the people, undertook to found it anew, and conducted thither a colony, consisting of six thousand citizens, for that purpose. The senate, hearing that the workmen had been terrified by many unlucky omens, at the time they were tracing the limits, and laying the foundations of the new city, would have suspended the attempt; but the tribune, not being over scrupulous in religious matters, carried on the work, notwithstanding all these bad presages, and finished it in a few days. This was the first Roman colony that was ever sent out of Italy.T It is probable, that only huts were built there, since we are told, that when Marius** retired hither, in his flight to Africa, he lived in a mean and poor condition amid the ruins of Carthage, consoling himself by the sight of so astonishing a spectacle; himself serving, in some measure, as a consolation to that ill-fated city. Appian relates, that Julius Cæsar, after the death of Pompey, having crossed into Africa, saw, in a dream, an army composed of a prodigious number of soldiers, who, with tears in their eyes, called him; and that, struck_with_the vision, he wrote down, in his pocket-book, the design which he formed on this occasion, of rebuilding Carthage and Corinth; but that having been murdered soon after by the conspirators, Augustus Cæsar, his adopted son, who found this memorandum among his papers, rebuilt Carthage near the spot where it formerly stood, in order that the imprecations which had been vented at the time of its destruction, against those who should presume to rebuild it, might not fall upon them.†† We may guess at the dimensions of this famous city, by what Florius says, viz. that it was seventeen days on fire before it could be all consumed.-Quanta urbs deleta sit, ut de cæteris taceam, vel ignium mora probari potest; quippe per continuos decem et septem dies vix potuit incendium extingui.-Lib. ii. c. 15. † Neque se Roma, jam terrarum orbe superator, securam speravit fore, si nomen usquam maneret Car thaginis. Adeo odium certaminibus ortam, ultra metum durat, et ne in victis quidem deponitur, neque ante invisum esse desinit, quam esse desiit.Vel. Paterc. 1. i. c. 12. Ut ipse locus eorum, qui cum hac urbe de imperio certarunt, vestigia calamitatis ostenderet.-Cia Agrar. ii. n. 50. Appian, p. 84. Vel. Paterc. 1. i. c. 12. ¶ Appian. p. 85. Plut. in Vit Gracch. p. 389. **Marius cursum in Africam direxit, inopemque vitam in tugurio ruinarum Carthaginiensium toleravit: eum Marius aspiciens Carthaginem, illa intuens Marium, alter alteri possent esse solatio. Vel. Paterc. 1 ii. c. 19. tt Appian, p. 89. I know not what foundation Appian has for this story ;* but we read in Stra bo, that Carthage and Corinth were rebuilt at the same time by Cæsar, to whom he gives the name of God, by which title, a little before, he had plainly intended Julius Cæsar; and Plutarch, in the life-time of that emperor, ascribes expressly to him the establishment of these two colonies; and observes, that one remarkable circumstance in these two cities is, that as both had been taken and destroyed together, they likewise were rebuilt and repeopled at the same time. However this be, Strabo affirms, that in his time, Carthage was as populous as any city in Africa: and it rose to be the capital of Africa, under the succeeding emperors. It existed for about seven hundred years after in splendour, but at last was so completely destroyed by the Saracens, in the beginning of the seventh century, that neither its name, nor the least vestige of it, is known at this time in the country. A DIGRESSION ON THE MANNERS AND CHARACTER OF THE SECOND SCIPIO AFRICANUS. SCIPIO, the destroyer of Carthage, was son to the famous Paulus Æmilius, who conquered Perseus, the last king of Macedon; and consequently grandson to that Paulus, who lost his life in the battle of Cannæ. He was adopted by the son of the great Scipio Africanus, and called Scipio Emilianus; the names of the two families being so united, pursuant to the law of adoption. Our Scipio supported, with equal lustre, the honour and dignity of both houses, being possessed of all the exalted qualities of the sword and gown. The whole tenor of his life, says a historian, whether with regard to his actions, his thoughts, or his words, was conspicuous for its great beauty and regularity. He distinguished himself particularly, a circumstance seldom found at that time in persons of the military profession, by his exquisite taste for polite literature and all sciences, as well as by the uncommon regard he showed to learned men. It is universally known that he was reported to be the author of Terence's comedies, the most polite and elegant writings of which the Romans could boast. We are told of Scipio, that no man could blend more happily repose and action, nor employ his leisure hours with greater delicacy and taste: thus was he divided between arms and books, between the military labours of the camp, and the peaceful employment of the cabinet; in which he either exercised his body in toils of war, or his mind in the study of the sciences. By this he showed, that nothing does greater honour to a person of distinction, of whatever quality or profession, than the adorning his soul with knowledge. Cicero, speaking of Scipio, says, that he always had Xenophon's works in his hands, which are so famous for the solid and excellent instructions they contain, both in regard to war and policy. T He owed this exquisite taste for polite learning and the sciences, to the excellent education which Paulus Æmilius bestowed on his children. He had put them under the ablest masters in every art, and did not spare any expense on that occasion, though his circumstances were very narrow; Paulus Æmilius himself was present at all their lessons, as often as the affairs of government would permit, becoming, by this means, their chief preceptor.** The strict union between Polybius and Scipio finished the exalted qualities, which, by the superiority of his genius and disposition, and the excellency of his education, were already the subject of admiration.tt Polybius, with a great number of Achaians, whose fidelity the Romans suspected during the war with † Ibid. P. 83. Ibid. p. 733. Appian. 1. xvii. p. 833. Scipio Emilianus, vir avitis P. Africani paternisque L. Pauli virtutibus simillimus, omnibus belli ac togæ dotibus, ingeniique ac studiorum eminentissimus seculi sui, qui nihil in vita nisi laudandum aut feoit, aut dixit, aut sensit.-Vel. Paterc. 1. i. c. 12. Neque enim quisquam hoc Scipione elegantius intervalla negotiorum otio dispunxit; semperque aut belli aut pacis serviit artibus, semper inter arma ac studia versatus, aut corpus periculis, aut auimum disci. plinis exercuit. Vel. Paterc. c. 13. Africanus semper Socraticum Xenophontem in manibus habebat.Tusc, Quæst. 1. 2. n. 62 |