The historie of tvvo the moste noble capitaines of the worlde, Anniball and Scipio of theyr dyuers battailes and victories, excedyng profitable to reade, gathered and translated into Englishe, out of Titus Liuius, and other authoures, by Antonye Cope esquier.

¶ The oration of Vibius Virius concerning the yeldyng of Capua, the Romaines receyue the towne, slea the senatours, and conuerte the groundes therof to the profit of their city of Rome. Cap. xl. (Book 40)

THe Campanes perceyuing the returne of Quin∣tus Fuluius, and not of Annibal, iuged them sel∣fes than to be vtterly forsaken of him. Wherfore wepyng and mourning the noble men kept them in their houses, loking dayly for their owne dea∣thes, and distruction of the citie. The hole charge of the ke∣ping therof was in Bostar and Hanno, captains of the garri∣son of the Carthaginenses. They fering their own estate, sent priuily letters to Anniball, somewhat sharply written, wher∣in they blamed hym, not onely for leauyng the citie of Capua to the handes of the Romaines: but also that ••e, committing his capitaynes and his sure frendes and souldiours of his re∣tinue into the handes of his enemies, to suffre tourmentes in∣tollerable, was hym selfe gone to the Brucians, bycause he wolde not see before hym the takynge of Capua. Wherfore they saide, in case he wolde come agayn to them, and returne his hole power thither, they with the hole power of Capua, wold be redy to breake forthe on theyr ennemyes, trusting to wynne therby moche honour. They sayde also, that his com∣myng ouer the mountaines was not to warre with the Rhe∣gines, or with the Tarentines, but with the Romaynes: and where the Romain legions were, there shuld the army of the Carthaginenses also be. And so doinge, he had for the moste part euer good spede, as at Cannas, at Trasymenus, & diuers other places, by giuing them bataile valiantly.

¶ These letters were sent by one of Numidia, an espye, that counterfaited him self to be run from the Carthaginenses ar∣my for the hūger that daily oppressed the citie. Other letters also of the same effect, were sent by dyuers other Numidians,

but it chaunced, that a woman, whome one of the messangers had kepte as his harlotte, feelyng greate hunger in the cytie, ranne out of the towne into the tentes of the Romain consull Flaccus, and declared vnto hym of suche an espy, that was in his campe, whiche had letters to conueye to Anniball. This man was founde oute. And whan he came before her, hede∣nyed any parte of her accusation to be trewe: he denied also, that he knewe the woman. But whanne he sawe tourmentes prepared for hym, he confessed the hole truthe, and also he confessed, that many other of his facion were among the Ro∣mayns, who wayted but theyr tyme, whan they might escape from the Romayn hoste with lyke letters to Anniball. Ther∣vpon serche was made, and aboue .lxx. of theym taken: who were beaten fyrst with roddes, and than hadde theyr handes striken of, and were sent again into the citie, to their captains.

¶ Whan the capitayns sawe that extreme punyshement she∣wed to theyr messangers, theyr hartes began to fayle them. Whervpon Lesius that yererular of the citie, called a gene∣rall counsayle: In the whyche many of the senatours moued, that ambassadours shulde be sent to the Romayn consuls: but Vibius Virius, who was the chiefe causer of the yeldyng of Capua to Anniball, beynge demaunded of his opinyon ther∣in, aunswered, that all they that spake of peace takyng, or of the yeldyng of Capua, ought to remembre, bothe what they wolde haue done, yf they had had the Romayns in theyr po∣wer, in lyke case as they had them, and also what the Campa∣nes were lyke to suffer, whan they were submitted wholly to theyr pleasure.

¶ Lette vs (sayde he) remembre, howe leauing theyr frend∣shyp, we submytted vs to Anniball: and not contented ther∣with, we slewe all the Romaynes lefte here in garrison with vs. And to haue the certayne knowlege of theyr hartes and enuy towarde vs, lette vs call before vs theyr actes done of late agaynst vs, and therby ye shall perceyue, what kyndnes we are lyke to haue at theyr handes. Anniball a straunger, and theyr vtter enemy being in Italy, and the cuntrey on all par∣tes fulfylled with warre: yet they leauyng Anniball, and all other theyr busynesse, sente bothe the consulles with theyr whole armyes, to besiege Capua, where we by longe conty∣nuall kepyng of the same siege, are almost famished with hun∣ger.

but for further profe of theyr ••••••yee towarde vs, let vs consyder, that although Anniball commyng to our succours, had almoste wonne theyr campes, sayne many of theyr men, and put them in great ieopardy of losing all that they had: yet all that ieoperdous peryll of losse neuer coulde moue theym to remoue theyr siege. Afterward whan he had passed the ri∣uer of Vulturnus, bournynge the fieldes of Calenus theyr fath full frendes: yet coulde not the hurtes of them call the capitaynes from our myserable siege. Ye than he caused his baners to be displayd before the walles of the citie of Rome, saying: that onles they wold leaue Capua, he wold take their high citie of Rome from them. Yet wolde they not leaue the siege of Capua, beares, wulues, and all wyld beastes, be they in neuer so great a rage and fury, if a man goo to their caues, where theyr yong whelpes lye: anone they wyll leaue al that they are aboute, and runne streighte to the defence of theyr yonge: but the furyous Romaynes, whan Rome was com∣passed about with theyr enemies, nother for theyr wyues and their chyldren (whose lamentable wepinges myght be heard almoste hither) nother for their houses, the temples of their goddis, nor for feare of violating the Sepultures of theyr auncetours, coulde be withdrawen from the siege of Capua, so desyrous they be to execute on vs greuous punyshement: And so sore they do thyrst to drynke of our bludde. And but reason: for happily we shulde haue done lykewyse to them, yf fortune had deserued vs. Wherfore sens it is the pleasure of the goddis, that nedes I muste dye: yet wylle I chuse me a deathe, bothe honest and gentyll: wherby I wyll escape the tormentes and dispites that myne ennemies truste to put me vnto. Whan Fuluius and Claudius shall solempnely with triumph enter into Rome, I wyl not bounden be drawen be∣fore them as a spectacle or wondryng stocke, and after put in pryson, or being tyed to a poste, suffer my body to be scour∣ged, and at last haue my head stryken from my body with the axe of Rome, nother will I lyue to se my cuntrey distroied & bourned, or to see the noble matrons and maidens of Capua rauished and defouled. In the beginnyng of the flourishynge of the citie of Rome, the Romains distroyed the citie of Al∣ba, and threwe it downe to the grounde: yet had they theyr originall from the same citie, what trowe ye than they wyl do

to Capua, whiche they hate more than they doo Carthage? Therfore frendes, so many of you as be desyrous to dye, be∣fore ye se these so many and so spiteful miseries, come this day to dyner with me, your meate is alredy dressed: and whā we be well filled with wyne and good meates, a cup of drynke, that I wyll fyrst drinke my selfe, shall be borne about to euery one of you: and that drynke shall delyuer the body from tor∣mentes, the mynde from rebukes, the eies and the eares frō the syght and hearyng of all cruell dispites that be prepared for people that are ouercome. After whan we shall be deade, our seruauntes shall be redy to throwe our bodies into great fyres made for the purpose, there to be bourned, and so shall we neuer come into the handes of our enemies. This is the onely honest and free way to dye, wherby our ennemies shall meruaile and wonder at our noble courage. And Annibal shal therby well perceyue, that he hath forsaken and betrayde his valyant and faithfull felowes.

¶ This oration of Vibius was heard and wel alowed of ma∣ny mo than had hartes to folowe it, or put it in execution. for the more part of the senatours said, that they had oft tymes in warres had experience of the pitie and gentylnesse of the Romaines shewed to their ennemies in suche extremitie, not mystrustyng, but they shulde fynde them mercyfull nowe to them, vpon humble request to them made: and thervpon de∣termined to send legatis to the cōsul, to yeld them vp Capua.

¶ Vibius Virius went home to his house to dyner, whome xxvii. senatours folowed, where they dyned, and drunke plē∣ty of wyne, to the intent they might haue the lesse feelinge of the last dredefull drynke whan it came. At the last they all re∣ceiued the poyson, and went from the table, taking eyther o∣ther by the handes, and louingly enbrasyng one an other, la∣mented their owne deathes, with the distruction of the cun∣trey. Some remained there, and died, and were bourned in the fyres made for that intent: some went home to their hou∣ses, and there made their ende: so that before the towne was deliuered to the Romaines, none of them were left on lyue.

¶ The next day the gates were opened, and the Romaines suffered to enter. Than were all the gates kepte by the Ro∣mains, that no man shuld go furth, and first all the armour and wepons were brought to the Romain capitain: than were the

Carthaginenses of the garrison taken and put in prison. The senatours were cōmanded to go to the consuls, than being in their tentes, from whens such as were most consenting to the receiuīg of Annibal, were sent to sūdry prisons .xxv. to Cales, and .xxviii. to Theanus, vntil it was agreed, what punishment they shuld haue. Their golde and syluer was brought in, and deliuered to the officers, called Questores. Claudius the cō∣sull was moch inclined to take the senators to mercy: Fuluius on the other side wold haue them suffer, in example of other rebelles and traytours. Wherefore Claudius remitted all thing to the iugement of the senate of Rome, and sent thither to knowe their pleasure therin. Whervpon Fuluius, fearing lest he shuld be stayed of his purpose, cōmanded the tribunes, with .ii. M. horsemen, to be redy to ride with him at the third blast of a trumpet. With this cōpany of horsmen in the night he departed from the army, and by that it was day light, came to Theanus, where causyng the senatours of Capua, there being prisoners, to be brought before him, incontinent be cau∣sed them to be violently scourged with roddes, and after to haue their heades striken of. From thens, as fast as he might he hied to Cales, and there likewise sat vpon the iugement of the other senatours of Capua. but whiles they were going to execution, one came from the senate of Rome, riding in great hast, with letters, willing him to stay the iudgement and exe∣cution of the punishment of the Cāpane senators. Than Ful∣uius iudging the letters to be writen for that intent, neuer di∣sclosed them, but put them in his bosom, saying to the officers that they shuld procede quickly to the execution accordinge to the lawe: So were they also whipped, and after had their heades stryken of. Than the consull drewe furth his letters, and redde them, saying they came very late, to let the thynge that was alredy done. From Cales he returned to Capua and there put diuers other in prison, beside many of the citie that were sold. Thā was there great debate in the senate at Rome whether the citie of Capua shuld be burned and vtterly dy∣stroyed, in exaumple of other rebelles or not. Moch it mo∣ued theym soo to doo, for that it was a greate and a stronge citie, and a very nere neyghbour vnto them: whych if it shuld be an ennemy agayne to Rome, as it late was, should great∣lye dysquiete the Romaynes. Neuerthelesse in conclusyon,

considering the fertilitie of the grounde, whiche was the best of all Italy, they agreed to vse it to their profit, hauing plow∣men laborers & other to manure and tyl the groundes, and the houses to be inhabited with rude people, and menne of handy craftes: so that it shuld be a citie of no body politike, nor haue senatours, or other commune counsell or rulars, but onely a iudge yerely to be sent from Rome, to minister iustice among them. By this meane was the citie preserued from vtter dy∣struction, and the profite therof, with the fieldes adioyning, employed to the common profite of the Romains.