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ivers 309 into pairs which add to the sense of double identity and civil war confusions in<br />

the Punica as discussed by McGuire. 310 And it is the more „extreme‟ omens that link the<br />

two texts; for example, both have the Alps moving (bel. civ. 1.610; Pun. 8.648-9) which<br />

Silius Italicus pairs with the Appenines moving. Silius Italicus‟ description of Vesuvius<br />

erupting on a „scale worthy of Etna‟ (Pun. 8.654) may also link to the volcano (Etna)<br />

omen in Lucan (bel. civ. 1.545-6). In addition, Silius Italicus‟ description of the swarms<br />

of bees around the Roman standards at Cannae as „thick‟ densae (Pun. 8.635) has a<br />

closer parallel to the description in Lucan than in Valerius Maximus (1.6.12). Lucan<br />

describes the swarms as so thick that the standards are hidden (Lucan, bel. civ. 7.187).<br />

In addition, both Lucan and Silius Italicus personify the standards with feelings of<br />

terror, trepidis… aquilis, metaphors, perhaps, for the soldiers who will march to them<br />

on behalf of Pompey and Varro.<br />

Furthermore Varro and Pompey share a reputation for ignoring omens. Valerius<br />

Maximus claims that Pompey was dismissive of thunderbolts fired against his men (Val.<br />

Max. 1.6.12). Silius Italicus directly links Varro to the tragedy of civil war through his<br />

rejection of an omen. <strong>The</strong> story of sorry coincidences, noted by Wilson as derived from<br />

Silius Italicus‟ reading of Ovid, 311 centres on a mistaken identity leading to parricide.<br />

<strong>The</strong> dying father forgives his son and the suicidal son leaves a message in blood on his<br />

shield to warn Varro: fuge proelia Varro (Pun. 9.175). Varro is angry (at yet another<br />

attempt to stop him), decides to ignore the impiety, 312 and continues preparations for<br />

battle, with disastrous consequences.<br />

<strong>The</strong> connection between Hannibal and Caesar is implied in that Varro and the<br />

Roman army at Cannae are equated with Pompey and his army at Pharsalus. <strong>The</strong> closest<br />

that Silius Italicus comes to comparing Hannibal and Caesar directly is through the<br />

omen of thunderbolts. 313 In the Punica and the de bello civili thunderbolts shoot from<br />

the lands from which the threats emanate (Libya and the north, respectively) upon the<br />

same destination, Latium (bel. civ. 1.534; Pun. 8.650). While these comparisons add<br />

weight to those who read Caesar in Silius‟ Hannibal, as Ahl, Davis and Pomeroy<br />

309<br />

<strong>The</strong> Aufidus and the Allia, Pun. 8.629; 8.647.<br />

310<br />

McGuire, 1997, 127.<br />

311<br />

Wilson, 2004, 244.<br />

312<br />

According to Cicero, Leg. 2.22, parricide was an offence against the divine; though Varro could not<br />

have „known‟ it was parricide.<br />

313<br />

Florus, 1.22.9-15 also compares Hannibal to one of Jupiter‟s thunderbolts, shooting through the Alps<br />

and descending on Italy where he releases thunderbolts of his own at the Ticinus and Trebia rivers, Lake<br />

Trasimene and finally at Cannae. Hannibal‟s putative surname „Barca‟ aptly translates as „thunderbolt.‟<br />

125

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