Book 39
4
Hasdrubal’s wife finally threw herself and children from the citadel into the burning streets. Livy, Ep. 51.
4
After an interview with [Scipio], in which he was kindly treated, Hasdrubal desired leave to go away from the town. . . .
5
At the sight of the city utterly perishing amidst the flames Scipio burst into tears, and stood long reflecting on the inevitable change which awaits cities, nations, and dynasties, one and all, as it does every one of us men. This, he thought, had befallen Ilium, once a powerful city, and the once mighty empires of the Assyrians, Medes, Persians, and that of Macedonia lately so splendid. And unintentionally or purposely he quoted,—the words perhaps escaping him unconsciously,—Homer, Il. 6, 448. The day shall be when holy Troy shall fall And Priam, lord of spears, and Priam’s folk. And on my asking him boldly (for I had been his tutor) what he meant by these words, he did not name Rome distinctly, but was evidently fearing for her, from this sight of the mutability of human affairs. . . .
