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“ [20] Our forefathers spent many ages in eradicating whatever caused them trouble. Carthage was conquered in a long and difficult war, but our distinguished leader 1 feared that she might survive the victory. Scipio utterly destroyed Numantia, 2 after undergoing many vicissitudes in its siege. Rome laid Fidenae 3 low, in order that no rivals of her power might grow up, and for that same reason crushed Falerii and Veil; 4 and even trustworthy ancient histories would have difficulty in convincing us that those cities were ever powerful. 5 ”

1 Scipio Aemilianus; cf. Seneca, Dial. xi. 14, 5, quid referam Aemilianum Scipionem . . . vir in hoc natus, ne urbi Romanae aut Scipio deesset aut Carthago superesset.

2 Cf. Florus, i. 24, 18. The siege lasted, with interruptions, for thirteen years.

3 Cf. Livy, iv. 17 ff.

4 Cf. Livy, v. 25-27.

5 Cf. Flor. i. 6, 11, laborat annalium fides, ut Veios fuisse credamus, “Our trust in our annals has a difficult task to make us believe that Veii ever existed.” Florus, L.C.L., p. 41.

Ammianus Marcellinus. With An English Translation. John C. Rolfe, Ph.D., Litt.D. Cambridge. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1935-1940.

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