A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

1. DeciusMagics, one of the most distinguished men at Capua in the time of the second Punic war, and the leader of the Roman party in that town in opposition to Hannibal. He is characterised by Velleius Paterculus (2.16), who was descended from him, as "Campanorurn princeps celeberrimus et nobilissimus vir." He used every effort to dissuade his fellow-citizens from receiving Hannibal into their town after the battle of Cannae, B. C. 216, but in vain; and, accordingly, when Hannibal entered the city, one of his first acts was to require the senate to deliver up Magius to him. This request was complied with: Magius was put on board ship, and sent to Carthage; but a storm having driven the vessel to Cyrene, Magius fled for refuge to the statue of Ptolemy. He was in consequence carried to Alexandria to Ptolemy Philopator, who set him at liberty, and gave him permission to go where he pleased. Magius chose Egypt as his residence, as he could not return to Capua, and did not choose to go to Rome, where he would have been looked upon as a deserter, as long as there was war between his own town and the Romans. (Liv. xxiii 7, 10.)