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claims that Hannibal had avenged their defeat off the Aegates Islands: Aegates ille et
servilia foedera larga ultus caede dies (Pun. 11.527-8). Hanno still argues for peace but
for a different reason to the one given in Livy‟s text, it is because Hanno fears the
Roman determination after losing at Cannae: vos ego, vos metuo, Cannae (Pun. 11.574).
Livy includes two pairs of speeches that include recollections of the First Punic War
which he arranges in an AB-BA pattern spanning the third decad. Two are by Hannibal
[B] and the other two are each by a Scipio [A]. The first pair are by Hannibal and Scipio
(the father of Africanus) to their respective armies prior to battle at the Ticinus River
and the second pair are recorded as a conversation between Hannibal and Scipio
Africanus shortly before battle at Zama.
Livy also places a pair of speeches in the Roman Senate that include references to the
First Punic War. The first is by Fabius Maximus and the second, given in response, by
Scipio (Africanus). Fabius Maximus opposes the assignment of Africa to the newly
elected consul, Scipio, in a forceful direct speech that uses a series of si clauses to draw
comparisons between Scipio and Lutatius, the First and the Second Punic Wars, as well
as between Hamilcar and Hannibal (Livy, 28.41.3-42). Fabius Maximus upholds
Regulus as an example of someone who had mixed fortunes on African soil (Livy,
28.42.1). Livy summarises what he describes as Scipio‟s response: Scipio ita locutus
fertur (Livy, 28.43.2-44). Scipio ignores the comparison with Lutatius but argues for the
right not to be influenced by Regulus‟ fate any more than that of his uncle and father
who died in Spain (Livy, 28.43.17-19). Thus both speakers refer to the earlier examples
from the First Punic War although Scipio also alludes to the more recent events around
his father and uncle.
By contrast, the representation of this debate in the Punica is, in one respect, more
plausible because both speakers, Fabius and Scipio, focus on the contemporary
circumstances of the Second Punic War. The epic Fabius poses a series of perfectly
legitimate militarily-focussed questions to Scipio about how Hannibal might react to
Scipio‟s invasion of Africa (Pun. 16.604-643). In structural terms Scipio‟s reply might
be said to allude to Livy‟s version of Fabius‟ speech because the epic Scipio draws a
series of comparisons between himself as the man-of-action and Fabius the Delayer,
each prefaced by si (Pun. 16.676-680).
Shortly before battle at Zama, Polybius and Livy present a meeting taking place
between Hannibal and Scipio which is discussed more fully in Chapter 6, but relevant
here in terms of the references the speakers make to the First Punic War (there is no
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