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Trasimene than after Cannae. One unforeseen result of Hannibal not marching on Rome
after Cannae has been the extraordinary amount of discussion it has generated. 238
Livy presents Hannibal later regretting his decision not to march on Rome (Livy,
26.7.2). The reason that Livy offers for Hannibal not marching on Rome after Cannae is
due to Hannibal‟s state of mind in that the idea is too vast and too joyous for him to
grasp:
Hannibali nimis laeta res est visa maiorque quam ut eam statim capere
animo posset.
Livy, 22.51.3
To Hannibal the idea was too joyous and too vast for his mind at once
to grasp it.
Foster, 1949, 369.
Where Livy represents Hannibal as overwhelmed with joy by his achievement, in the
Punica Hannibal has a quite different, almost surprising emotion. Hannibal is not happy
after his victory at Cannae, but angry. Angry and frustrated because he had not attained
his object of marching on Rome:
stimulat dona inter tanta deorum
optatas nondum portas intrasse Quirini.
94
Pun. 10.331-2
When the gods had given him so much, it stung him to think that he
had not yet gained his object - to enter the gates of Quirinus.
Duff, 1989, 75.
This epic Hannibal intends to march on Rome the following day but Juno, aware of
Jupiter‟s plans for Rome‟s destiny, prevents him pursuing his objective by summoning
Sleep (Pun. 10.337-345). The only thing that Hannibal can do is dream about marching
on Rome and even then, when he arrives outside the city, Jupiter orders him not to enter
the city (Pun. 10.358-369). Thus, in this version, Hannibal cannot take the city even in
his dreams!
When Hannibal wakes, it is his brother, Mago (not Maharbal), who urges him to
march on Rome (Pun. 10.375-9; „fratri‟ Pun. 10.387). In some ways, Silius Italicus‟ use
of Mago concurs with both Livy and Polybius to the extent that they both place Mago
with Hannibal on the battlefield at Cannae, whereas only Livy places a Maharbal at
238 A few examples: Montgomery, 1968, 98 argues Maharbal was right in principle. Warmington, 1969,
208: „Hannibal‟s force was too small, and he had no siege engines.‟ Lancel, 1998, 109 and Hoyos, 2003,
136 argue that conditions were unchanged since Hannibal arrived in Italy; he did not have the resources to
besiege Rome. Lancel 1998, 96: „Hannibal was best suited to a war of mobility rather than a static war
against the well-fortified city of Rome.‟ Shean, 1996, 180-1 defends the decision not to march on Rome.