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Cannae (Livy, 22.46; 51.3; cf. Hist. 3.114.7 where Polybius names Hanno). The epic
Hannibal says nothing of his dream to Mago but claims weakness from wounds and
tired soldiers. In what seems to be an echo of the meeting presented by Polybius after
Trasimene when Hannibal chose not to march on Rome because he was confident of
success, this Hannibal warns Mago in direct speech against the dangers of over-
confidence:
celatis superum monitis clausoque pavore
vulnera et exhaustas saevo certamine vires
ac nimium laetis excusat fidere rebus.
95
Pun. 10.377-9
Concealing the divine warning and suppressing his fears, Hannibal
pleaded in excuse the wounds and weariness of the soldiers after their
fierce conflict, and spoke of over-confidence due to success.
Duff, 1989, 79
Mago‟s angry reply echoes the critique given by Livy that, by not following up on his
victory, Hannibal had not defeated Rome, only Varro:
„tanta mole,‟ inquit, „non Roma ut creditit ipsa
sed Varro est victus...‟
Pun. 10.382-3
„Then our mighty effort has not defeated Rome, as Rome herself
believed; it has only defeated Varro...‟
Duff, 1989, 79
Hannibal is slowing down. Ahl, Davis and Pomeroy note that representations of
Hannibal in the Punica after Cannae indicate a steady decline and loss of vigour; there
are no further outstanding battle successes. 239 The poetic reinterpretation reflects what
might be viewed as a change of policy by the historic Hannibal. It was to his advantage
to wait and assess how many towns in Italy either defect or surrender to him after
Cannae. Silius Italicus, in acknowledging the physical and logistical difficulties for
Hannibal to march on Rome after Cannae, gives both the concerns voiced by Hannibal
to his brother as well as the opinion of Hannibal‟s men. They believe that the march to
Rome in 211 was better timed than after Cannae:
creduntque ducis sollertibus actis
aptius id coeptum, quam si duxisset ab ipso
fatali Aeneadis campo.
239 Ahl, Davis, Pomeroy, 1986, 2509-2510; also Marks, 2005, 26.
Pun. 12.519-21