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δεη πνηεη ζζαη ηὴλ ν ξκ λ, επ ζαξζὴο σ λ ε δε πεξὶ ησ λ ν ισλ.
88
Hist. 3.85.6
After this he consulted with his brother and friends as to where and
how it was best to deliver his attack, being now quite confident of
final success.
Paton, 2001, 209.
Hannibal‟s confidence is understandable and Rome might be the implicit target for the
final attack, but Polybius leaves his audience hanging on the outcome of the meeting by
turning first to the consternation at Rome at news of yet another defeat and the missing
body of Flaminius. 227 When his narrative returns to Hannibal it becomes apparent that
marching on Rome was discussed at the meeting but rejected. Paradoxically perhaps,
Hannibal‟s confidence in achieving ultimate success causes him to decide against
approaching Rome in favour of going to the Adriatic coast (Hist. 3.86.8). The only
explanation offered is Hannibal‟s caution. Similarly, Polybius leaves his audience to
decide if it is caution or cruelty that underlies Hannibal‟s order that all adults
encountered be killed as his army makes its way to the Adriatic coast (Hist. 3.86.9).
Livy turns immediately to the reaction at Rome after the disaster at Trasimene, and
does not, therefore, present Hannibal meeting with advisors. When his narrative returns
to Hannibal it is implied that Hannibal considered marching on Rome. The crucial
difference from Polybius‟ portrait of Hannibal is that, instead of being confident of
success, Livy‟s Hannibal turns away because he calculated Rome‟s power to be too
strong after he tried but failed to take Spoletium, a Roman colony:
Hannibal recto itinere per Umbriam usque ad Spoletium venit. Inde
cum perpopulato agro urbem oppugnare adortus esset, cum magna
caede suorum repulsus, coniectans ex unius coloniae haud prospere
temptatae viribus quanta moles Romanae urbis esset, in agrum
Picenum avertit iter non copia solum omnis generis frugum
abundantem, sed refertum praeda, quam effuse avidi atque egentes
rapiebant.
Livy, 22.9.1-3.
Hannibal marched straight on through Umbria as far as Spoletium. But
when after systematically ravaging the country, he attempted to storm
the town, he was repulsed with heavy losses; and conjecturing from
227 Brizzi, 1984, 35-43 argues that the Gauls‟ tradition of decapitating the enemy and stripping their
armour would have rendered Flaminius‟ body unrecognisable. Livy 22.6.3-4 says the body was protected
by the veterans. Polybius, Hist. 3.84 is non-specific. Silius Italicus, Pun. 5.665: the body became buried
under corpses. Plutarch, Fab. Max. 3.3: Flaminius died heroically; his body never found.