ing to try his son, mounted on
horseback and rode towards him through the crowd of bystanders. The
young man seeing him at a distance would not endure this slight, but
sent a lictor to bid his father dismount and come on foot, if he wanted
anything of the consul. Those present were vexed at this order, and
looked on Fabius in silence, as if they thought that he was unworthily
treated, considering his great reputation: but he himself instantly
alighted, ran to his son, and embracing him, said: "You both think and
act rightly, my son; for you know whom you command, and how great an
office you hold. Thus it was that we and our ancestors made Rome great,
by thinking less of our parents and of our children than of the glory of
our country." It is even said to be true that the great grandfather of
Fabius, although he had been consul five times, had finished several
campaigns with splendid triumphs, and was one of the most illustrious
men in Rome, yet acted as lieutenant to his son when consul in the
field, and that in the subsequent triumph the son drove into Rome in a
chariot and four, while he with the other officers followed him on
horseback, glorying in the fact that although he was his son's master,
and although he was and was accounted the first citizen in Rome, yet he
submitted himself to the laws and the chief magistrate. Nor did he
deserve admiration for this alone.

Fabius had the misfortune to lose his son, and this he bore with
fortitude, as became a man of sense and an excellent parent. He himself
pronounced the funeral oration which is always spoken by some relative
on the deaths of illustrious men, and afterwards he wrote a copy of his
speech and distributed it to his friends.

XXV. Cornelius Scipio meanwhile had been sent to Spain, where he had
defeated the Carthaginians in many battles and driven them out of the
country, and had also overcome many tribes, taken many cities, and done
glorious deeds for Rome. On his return he was received with great honour
and respect, and, feeling that the people expected some extraordinary
exploit from him, he decided that it was too tame a proceeding to fight
Hannibal in Italy, and determined to pour troops into Africa, attack
Carthage, and transfer the theatre of war from Italy to that country. He
bent all his energies to persuade the people to approve of this project,
but was violently opposed by Fabius, who spread great alarm through the
city, pointing out that it was be