 | Hannibal |  |
Scene II.
—Apulia. The camp of Nero at Venusia. Nero in his tent.Enter an Interpreter.
Nero.
Here is the letter. Read it me in Latin,
If these strange signs contain, indeed, a meaning.
Inter.
'Tis writ in Carthaginian, I perceive.
Nero.
That much I guessed. But let me know who wrote it.
Inter.
'Tis writ by Hasdrubal to Hannibal.
Nero.
I thank thee, Jove! Read on.
Inter.
With your permission,
O Nero, I will study it awhile. [Reads.]
Nero.
Thou readest slowly; but I pardon thee,
So thou shalt find the meaning out at last.
Inter.
It scarcely can be mastered at a glance.
So different are the souls of Rome and Carthage,
The very order of these written lines
Mechanically expresses to the eye
The order of their thoughts, as contrary
To ours as right is contrary to left.
Nero.
Methinks a general writing on his business,
All the world over, writes it but one way—
And that's the shortest. Nathless, take thy time.
57
[Reads.]
I have mastered the contents, most noble Nero,
And they are at your service.
Nero.
Read them.
Inter.
Thus then:
“My brother, know that Placentia having closed
its gates upon me, and I having no artillery wherewith
to beat down its walls, I have stayed before them only
till the Cisalpine Gauls, and Ligurians, who are well
disposed towards me, could join my standard. Tomorrow
morning I shall march by the Æmilian road to
Ariminum. Let us then meet in Umbria, and march
together by the Flaminian road to Rome. Livius is at
Sena; but do thou dispose of Nero, and then let Livius
do his worst. I could say much more; but, my brother,
let this suffice, till the gods and our good swords bring
us face to face. Farewell.”
Nero.
Write this in Latin.
Inter.
[Writes.]
It is written, Nero.
Nero.
Now, pray you leave me.
[Exit Interpreter.
Hasdrubal, methinks,
It was thine evil genius penned this letter;
And thou shalt own it, for this day I've found
The great occasion the stars send but once,
And on the instant am inspired to use it.
Enter Catius.
Come, Catius, canst thou guess who wrote this letter?
Cat.
The characters are surely Carthaginian.
58
Know, then, the pen of Hasdrubal himself
Traced every line of it. Here's the translation.
Read that and tell me what thou think'st of it.
Cat.
I think the meeting that he talks of here,
Will never be whilst Claudius Nero breathes.
Nero.
Right, Catius. Know'st thou how I got this letter?
Two wild Numidian horsemen, hastening straight
From Hasdrubal in search of Hannibal,
Sought him, so we conceive, first at Canusium,
Whilst he the while was hurrying on his errand
Of devil's mischief to the Bruttian border;
Then following his traces farther south,
Just as their errand was almost fulfilled,
Are taken in a god-provided snare;
For, straying from their road, too near Tarentum,
Some foragers of Quintus Claudius seized them,
And, spite of their resistance, got this letter,
Not without cost of bloodshed, be you sure.
He sent it with the prisoners on to me,
And I have done my best to wring from them
What more of information they possessed,
But vainly—torture could not wrench a word
From their clenched teeth, and so they died in silence.
Cat.
Nero, this luck is from the gods indeed.
I cannot think less than that Rome's salvation
Hangs on this day's events, as thou shalt use them.
Nero.
Ay, Catius, I already have devised
A means to part this desperate pair for ever.
59
With urgent requisition for fresh levies—
Wherever there are hands to wield a weapon—
Against the advancing force of Hasdrubal,
And counsel to send forward the home legions
To hold the pass of Narnia 'gainst his coming.
Meanwhile myself will secretly set forth
With a picked force, so soon as falls the night,
And march for life and death to Livius' camp
At Sena. Thence, I think, thou'lt hear of me.
Ay, and this conqueror here shall hear of me,
E'en whilst he waits for what shall never come—
A summons from his brother to the Capitol.
Cat.
Nero, thy plan is masterly conceived,
And from my soul I envy thee the deed.
Nero.
And now to business. What I write to-day,
With hope shall fever Rome's great heart at last.
| Hannibal | |