[Footnote 33: i.e. the Africans now formed the horns of a _crescent_ in relation to their centre, while it formed the _concave_ part of the crescent. --D.]
+Results of the Battle.+ Hannibal becomes master of Magna Graecia, and the Romans lose (including 23,000 taken prisoners) about 70,000 men.
SECOND PUNIC WAR, 218-202 B.C. CANNAE, 216 B.C. (2)
Cn. Lentulus tribunus militum cum praetervehens equo sedentem in saxo cruore oppletum consulem vidisset, ‘L. Aemili’ inquit, ‘quem unum insontem culpae cladis hodiernae dei respicere debent, cape hunc equum, dum et tibi virium aliquid superest, { 5} et comes ego te tollere possum ac protegere. Ne funestam hanc pugnam morte consulis feceris; etiam sine hoc lacrimarum satis luctusque est.’ Ad ea consul: ‘Tu quidem, Cn. Corneli, macte virtute esto; sed cave frustra miserando exiguum tempus e { 10} manibus hostium evadendi absumas. Abi, nuntia publice patribus, urbem Romanam muniant ac, priusquam victor hostis advenit, praesidiis firment; privatim Q. Fabio L. Aemilium praeceptorum eius memorem et vixisse adhuc et mori. Memet in hac { 15} strage militum meorum patere exspirare, ne aut reus iterum e consulatu sim aut accusator oollegae existam, ut alieno crimine innocentiam meam protegam.’ Haec eos agentes prius turba fugientium civium, deinde hostes oppressere; consulem ignorantes, { 20} quis esset, obruere telis, Lentulum inter tumultum arripuit equus. Tum undique effuse fugiunt.
[Linenotes: 1. +praetervehens equo+ = _riding by_. +praetervehor+ used here as a deponent. --Dimsdale. 2. +oppletum+ (= _perfusum_) = _covered_ (lit. _filled up_), or _drenched_. 4. +respicere+ = _to look on with favour_. --D. 9. +macte virtute esto+ = lit. _go on and prosper in your courage_. +mactus+ = i. _magis + auctus_ = _increased_, _glorified_, or more prob. ii. = old partic. of obsolete _mago_ (= _augeo_), from √μακ e.g. in μάκ-αρ. Vocative used as nominative. 14. +praeceptorum.+ His self-sacrifice was not in vain. The tactics of Fabius were again adopted after his death. 15. +et vixisse adhuc et mori+ = _died as he had ever lived_. --D. 17. +reus iterum e consulatu+ = _a second time to stand on my defence in consequence of my consulship_, i.e. on a charge that grew out of his acts as Consul (219 B.C.) with M. Livius Salinator of misappropriation of the spoils at the close of the Illyrian War. 18-19. +ut ... protegam.+ The two Consuls had the chief command of the army on alternate days. Varro was in command at Cannae.]