The people now felt that the end of the republic had come, but still
they would not listen to Hannibal when he sent messengers to ask terms
of peace. They were probably surprised when, instead of marching upon
their capital, the Carthaginian remained in comparative inactivity, in
pursuance of his former policy. He was not entirely disappointed this
time, in expecting that his brilliant victory would lead some of the
surrounding nations to declare in his favor, for finally the rich city
of Capua, which considered itself equal to Rome, opened to him its
gates, and he promised to make it the capital of Italy (B.C. 216). With
Capua went the most of Southern Italy, and Hannibal thought that the
war would soon end after such victories, but he was mistaken.
Two other sources of help gave him hope, but at last failed him. Philip
V., one of the ablest monarchs of Macedon, who had made a treaty with
Hannibal after the battle of Cann?, tried to create a diversion in his
favor on the other side of the Adriatic, but his schemes were not
energetically pressed, and failed. Again, a new king of Syracuse, who
had followed Hiero, offered direct assistance, but he, too, was
overcome, and his strong and wealthy city taken with terrible carnage,
though the scientific skill of the famous Archimedes long enabled its
ruler to baffle the Roman generals (B.
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