Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

Scipio the Elder used to spend on literature all the leisure he could win from his military and political duties, and he used to say that he was busiest whenever he had nothing to do. [*](Cf. Cicero, De officiis, iii. 1 numquam se minus otiosum esse quam cum otiosus . . . esset. )

When he captured Carthage [*](New Carthage in Spain, 210 B.C.; Polybius, x. 8-19; Livy, xxvii. 7 and xxvi. 42-51.) by assault, some of his soldiers, having taken captive a comely maiden, came to him with her, and offered to give her to him. I would gladly take her, said he, if I were a private and not a commander. [*](Cf. Polybius, x. 19; Polyaenus, Strategemata, viii. 16. 6; Livy, xxvi. 50; Valerius Maximus, iv. 3. 1; Frontinus, Strategemata, ii. 11. 5; Aulus Gellius.)

While he was besieging the city of Baria, [*](Baria, attested by inscriptions, is probably the right spelling (variants: Barea, Bareia, Badia, Batheia), if the same town is meant.) in which was visible a temple of Venus overtopping all else, he ordered that in giving sureties for appearance they should specify that place, since he purposed two days hence to hear litigants in this temple of Venus. And so he did, as he had foretold, after the city had been taken. [*](Cf. Valerius Maximus, iii. 7. 1; and Aulus Gellius, vi. 1.)

When somebody inquired in Sicily on what he placed his reliance in purposing to take his army across to Carthage, he pointed out to the inquirer three hundred men [*](As in Livy, xxix. 1; Valerius Maximus, vii. 3. 3.) in armour, who were drilling, and also a lofty tower which overlooked the sea. There is not one of these men, said he, who would not go up to the top of that tower and throw himself down head first at my command.

When he had crossed over, and was master of the land, and had burned the enemy’s camps, the Carthaginians sent to him and made a treaty of peace, agreeing to surrender their elephants and ships, and to pay an indemnity. [*](Polybius, xv. 18, and Livy, xxx. 16, indicate similar terms.) But when Hannibal had sailed back from Italy, they were sorry because of their agreement, since they did not now feel afraid. Scipio, learning this, said that, not even if they wished it, would he keep the compact unless they paid a million pounds more, because they had sent for Hannibal. [*](Not noted in Livy, xxx. 35, nor elsewhere, apparently.)