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Adesse finem belli ac laboris, in manibus esse praedam Carthaginis,
reditum domum in patriam ad parentes, liberos, coniuges penatesque
deos. Celsus haec corpore voltuque ita laeto ut vicisse iam crederes
dicebat.
Livy, 30.32.10-11
The end of the war and hardship was at hand, the spoils of Carthage
within reach, and the return home to their native city, to parents,
children, wives and household gods. So erect did he stand as he spoke
these words and with so happy a look on his face that one would have
believed him already the victor.
Moore, 1955, 489
Silius Italicus treats the material differently. If dispositions of the two armies were
included in the Punica then they must have been placed before the harangues, in an
AABc(Br) pattern. Scipio‟s harangue is bracketed because he is cut short before saying
anything; his men are so eager to fight they don‟t require further encouragement (Pun.
17.340). Thus only Hannibal actually addresses his troops and his harangue is longer
than the one in Livy‟s text. The emphasised tu or te throughout the speech shows that
Hannibal recognises individual soldiers more quickly by their feats in battle than by
their names. He recognises the arms that attacked and killed, or attacked and wounded
many famous Romans (Flaminius, Paulus, Marcellus, Gracchus, Appius, Fulvius,
Crispinus and the elder Scipio are all mentioned, Pun. 17.295-337). Hannibal concludes
with an acknowledgment that this battle is „final‟ and echoes the ahistorical claim that it
is for world domination:
Battle at Zama
„certatus nobis hodie dominum accipit orbis.‟
Pun. 17.337
„Today must decide the struggle between us for mastery of the world.‟
Duff, 1989, 463.
In Polybius‟ description of the battle at Zama, everything that could go wrong for
Hannibal did go wrong. The elephants began their charge but panicked. Some ran back
toward Hannibal‟s ranks, others ran down the spaces created as Scipio‟s men stepped
aside. The Roman infantry marched forward and charged, gradually gaining ground. As
the Carthaginian mercenaries began to give way, some turned and began to attack the
Carthaginians behind them, who fought back. Hannibal would not allow those who
turned back into the ranks; his men kept their spears lowered. The Roman cavalry
defeated and chased off the Carthaginian cavalry. The battle hung in the balance until
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