had slain above two hundred thousand of the enemy, and captured above
fifty thousand. That out of the four consuls he had slain two; of the
two remaining, one was wounded, the other, having lost his whole army,
had fled from the field with scarcely fifty men; that the master of
the horse, an authority equal to that of consul, had been routed and
put to flight; that the dictator, because he had never engaged in a
pitched battle, was esteemed a matchless general; that the Bruttii,
the Apulians, part of the Samnites and of the Lucanians had revolted
to the Carthaginians. That Capua, which was the capital not only of
Campania, but after the ruin of the Roman power by the battle of
Cannae, of Italy also, had delivered itself over to Hannibal. That in
return for these so many and so great victories, gratitude ought
assuredly to be felt and thanks returned to the immortal gods."

12. Then, in proof of this such joyful news, he ordered the golden
rings to be poured out in the vestibule of the senate-house, of which
there was such a heap that some have taken upon themselves to say that
on being measured they filled three pecks and a half. The statement
has obtained and is more like the truth, that there were not more than
a peck. He then added, by way of explanation, to prove the greater
extent of the slaughter, that none but knights, and of these the
principal only, wore that ornament. The main drift of his speech was,
"that the nearer the prospect was of bringing the war to a conclusion,
the more should Hannibal be aided by every means, for that the seat of
war was at a long distance from home and in the heart of the enemy's
country. That a great quantity of corn was consumed and money
expended; and that so many pitched battles, as they had annihilated
the armies of the enemy, had also in some degree diminished the forces
of the victor. That a reinforcement therefore ought to be sent; and
money for the pay, and corn for the soldiers who had deserved so well
of the Carthaginian name." After this speech of Mago's, all being
elated with joy, Himilco, a member of the Barcine faction, conceiving
this a good opportunity for inveighing against Hanno, said to him,
"What think you now, Hanno? do you now also regret that the war
against the Romans was entered upon? Now urge that Hannibal should be
given up; yes, forbid the rendering of thanks to the immortal gods
amidst such successes; let us hear a Roman senator in the senate-house
of