him to the Army as into an Illustrious Academy where he might learn and practise the exercises which should be appointed him Occasion was not slow to present it selfe for the young Prince had scarce compleated his ninth year when news was brought to Carthage that in Spain the Victones were revolted and that not content to refuse the payment of the ordinary Tribute they had slain those that were to exact it and us'd all the Carthaginians in the same sort who had put themselves into a posture to maintain them The Prince Amilcar determined to go and â—ame these Rebels and when all things were in readiness for this expedition he would not set forth from Carthage till he had first rendred the Gods propitious Wherefore he repaired to the Temple to Sacrifice and as he prayed to the Gods to protect the interests of a just Dominion and to give Carthage good success in the War which he undertook At this word of War the little Hannibal who had followed his Father interrupted him and by a young transport which made him loose all considerations How to the War said he with eagerness I will go to it Amilcar notwithstanding his attention at his prayers was touched with this distraction which appeared to him as charming as it was extraordinary and thereupon calling to minde the apparition of Queen Dido with what she had foretold of Hannibal and thinking on the loss of a part of Sicily and the usuâ—pation of Sardinia by the Romanes he conceived that it would give a strong impression of hatred to his Son towards a people with whom he had in appearance made a Peace which he had very great cause to break Whereupon he took the hand of the little Hannibal and causing him to lay it upon the Altar as all the world hath known since Hannibal said he to him will you swear before the Immortal Gods to be an Enemy to the Romans who have taken Scicily and Sardinia from us I will do it answered Hannibal with a countenance beyond one of his age and I swear by the great Gods cryed he turning his face towards the Altar that I will be an enemy to the Romanes to my last breath Amilcar after this Oath and some prayers which he made besides went forth of the Temple and retired to his Palace He was ravished with having seen in his Hannibal so fair tokens of future greatness and to injoy the pleasure yet more wherewith he could not be satisfied he caused him to be brought to him to consider him attentively But he was strangely surprised when he saw that sadness had chased from the visage of Hannibal that young fierceness which was wont to animate him and observed a melancholly in it of which he could not have been capable of in the tenderness of his years Amilcar caressed the little Prince and demanded the cause of his discontent to which he urged him so pressingly that the generous youth answered him Ah My Lord I am an enemy to the Romans and do not yet make War upon them Amilcar was transported with joy at these words he kiss'd his dear Hannibal a thousand times and told him to comfort him that he was not yet in a condition to make War that neither his Oath nor his Honour did oblige him to an impossibility and that he must expect strength from time to execute his generous designs But My Lord answered Hannibal why do you delay to do it I wait replyed the Prince Amilcar seriously till the troubles of Spain be composed After which I intend to go into Italy and I promise you to carry you thither Soon after the Prince Amilcar performed what he had promised to the little Prince he lead him into Spain with him to render him known and dear to all the Troops which he commanded and although the little Hannibal was yet uncapable to serve in Armies and that some friends represented to his Father that that was not a fitting place to breed and frame the manners of a young Prince nevertheless Amilcar liked better that Hannibal should acquire an aire and deportment too free and fierce in an Army then to be accomplisht in the delicate politeness of Carthage Beside this consideration which Amilcar had to render him wholly a Warrior because he knew him compleatly generous the tenderness of paternal love was so prevalent in this regard that would not permit Amilcar to be separated from his dear Child for whom he had an affection as extraordinary as his hopes I will not trouble you My Lords with relating the imbarkement of the Prince Amilcar or his voyage seeing he arrived at Spain without any remarkable adventure Nor will I detain you with the conversations he took delight to make with Hannibal the agreeable answers made therein by this little Prince having so great matters to rehearse that to avoid being extreamly prolix I am constrained to pass over the pleasant in silence You shall onely know continued Aspar that the Prince Amilcar defeated the Rebell Victones and reduced them under the Carthaginians obedience and likewise that he governed the affairs of Spain in sufficient peace during some years It was about this time that I was given to the Prince Hannibal and at the same that with all the Carthaginians I admired the brave qualities of my Master The aspect of this Prince began to seem very high his eyes were filled with a fire that may be truly termed Martial his stature was comely his genius solid although very active but it may be justly said that all these qualities gave place to the greatness of his courage of which he gave so glorious proofs and his valour although in the blossome was so much admired that Amilcar did not consider him but with greater transports of joy then I am able to express For the Vectones having not continued in their duty but for want of power to quit it with strength enough had alwaies in their hearts the seeds of Rebellion and as people which are tainted with this kind of malady are like ordinary sick persons who seek rest by tossing up and down so the Vectones stirr'd again without considering that they did in effect lose that quiet by their revolts which they imagined they should obtain Advertisement was given Amilcar that within three or four principal Cities they had began to proclaim Liberty and being this word is apt to touch the hearts of people and that example is very powerful in this sort of conjunctures eighteen or twenty of the best Cities of Spain did the same thing so that in a short while after Amilcar saw an Army of forty thousand men upon him Wherefore the Prince took the Campagne with all the forces he could assemble intending not to give the enemies time to understand their own and increase them but resolved forthwith to present them battel It was in this occasion where Hannibal signaliz'd himself by a hundred gallant actions which he performed at the Head of the Volunteirs
could not come to the sight of the Princess There is nothing more certain My Lord answered the Saguntine and that which makes me believe that Attanes is yet more perplexed in his mind then before is this that at the same time she would not admit him into her presence she received Regulus very obligingly and shewed him all the honours and civilities he could expect How interposed Hannibal a little troubled is Regulus so well treated by Thomira Regulus who is no relation to Thomira He is so without question replyed he although not so well as Lucius who is the relation perhaps you understand and it must be acknowledged that if Regulus be esteemed he deserves it For Regulus hath a very comely person a good genius and a heart extreamly generous and does all things in so noble a manner that excepting you My Lord and the prince Lucius I cannot say that I ever knew a Prince so well accomplisht The Princess hath also caused very great care to be taken of him as soon as she was in a condition to do it she hath visited him two or three times and obligingly reprov'd him for that he had adventured to come abroad to give her thanks for the goodness she had towards him But My Lord continued the Saguntine it is sincerely true that they have spoken very advantageously of you that the princess blamed Regulus for designing to depart without coming to attend upon you I confess Madam answered Regulus Hannibal is a brave person generous and in a word an Illustrious Prince but when I consider that Hannibal is a Carthaginian I cannot resolve to shew him civility and I shall never do any to what person soever of a people whose onely name gives me horror Let him do what he pleases provided he be gone interupted Hannibal roughly and as he pronounced these words Attanes who came to bid him adieu entered his Chamber and made him a Complement so loose and expressive of the trouble which the hatred of Thomira had raised in his mind that Hannibal was more ravished with it then he could have been with the most eloquent discourse My Master shewed many Civilities to the King of the Turdetanes aud when he repaid his visit he assured him that he would make it his care to act for the good and advantage of his State From Attanes Hannibal went to wait upon the Princess Thomira and by good fortune found her without other company then that of two of her Virgin-attendants My Master was ravished with this occasion which afforded him place and convenience to speak to the Princess but immediately as he was going to take the benefit of it he was diverted by a certain trouble though no other then pleasing which hindred him from speaking for he was seized with such a joy when he saw himself in a condition that he might abandon himself to pleasure and behold without obstacle his fair Princess that is eyes his countenance and behaviour spoke sufficiently what his mouth could not Thomira declared her self in no other then in the same silent fashion and modesty producing the same effect in her breast that transports did in that of Hannibal she daâ—ed not to look up on this passionate Prince This disturbance caused her to blush and that sanguin and her fear rendring her more fair and lovely spoke so sensibly to my Master that being carried by the violence of his passion he went to lay himself at her feet without considering that there were two Virgins in the Chamber if the Princess who was surprised and displeas'd with it had not hindered him from doing it About this time came one to make excuses to the Princess on the behalf of Nadalia I will not receive them answered Thomira but on condition that she come instantly and make them her self and you may tell her added she turning to him that brought the message that I complain extreamly of her Madam answered the Saguntine Nadalia will be constrained to see the Troops of Attanes march away for Alcon who is just now arrived hath something of so great importance to communicate to the King of the Turdetanes that it is necessary for Nadalia to attend till Attanes be departed to see her Father But Madam proceeded he there being great concourse to see this departure Nadalia being not permitted to speak with you hath had the contentment to imploy that time in speaking of you with the Prince of Celtiberia and Regulus who as you know is to go along with Attanes and being they are not to go till an hour hence Nadalia cannot have the honour to see you till after that time The Princess of Castulon was desirous to have drawn the discourse out longer with this man both to have the pleasure of hearing him speak of Nadalia and to hinder the Prince of Carthage from discovering to her the sentiments she thought she too well knew already But then judging it not to be seemly she began at length to speak to the Prince Hannibal to the end he might not have time to entertain her with a passion that so much displeased her that she could not reasonably return a pertinent answer unto it My Lord said this fair Princess unto him you will permit me to make vowes for a Romane and to wish that Regulus who is not yet perfectly cured may not suffer harm by the voyage which he undertakes For truly My Lord continued she to hinder him from speaking although I had not a tender soul yet I ought in reason to interest my self in the indisposition of Regulus since he suffers it not but for having defended Saguntum besides that my own misfortunes are sufficient instructers to me to have compassion of those of another It is not necessary adorable Princess answered Hannibal to justifie your compassion before a Prince who desires with all his soul to be able to excite it in yours You have for Regulus fair Thomira have some I beseech you towards a Prince that adores you Regulus hath fought for you Regulus hath received his wounds for the interest of Saguntum in a word Regulus hath serv'd you But divine Princess if it be lawful to judge of actions according to the intention of him that hath performed them we may say that you are not obliged to Regulus since he took arms rather against the Carthaginians then to serve the princess of Castulon and designed more to satisfie his passion then to assist Saguntum seeing we know the other Romanes who had not the same interest abandon'd it The case of Hannibal is far different Hannibal acts not but for Thomira If Hannibal suffers Thomira is the only cause that makes him suffer and in a word Hannibal considers more the Princess Thomira then all the world together besides I know well Madam you will say I have ruin'd Saguntum but I can make out that even this serves to prove the greatness of the respect which I have for you I have besieged Saguntum because it
taken arms to satisfie your passion rather then to advantage the concernments of Carthage After this discourse the tvvo Princes rejoyned themselves to Maharbal Hanno and the other Officers which were with them there was an observable of no little rarity that all this great company kept silence a considerable time together Hannibal had a discontentment upon him whose nature he did not understand he ransackt his whole soul over to find its cause but was as far to seek as before for believing himself to be yet free from love he could not conceive that jealousie should beget these disquiets of mind Attanes resented a kind of repentance which how piquant and disquiet soever it was it argued a great distraction and I conceive that in his inquietude he accused himself of having spoken too much before the fierce and puissant Prince and perhaps also he blamed himselfe afterwards that he had not spake enough nor answered to the last words of my Master Maharbal Hanno and the rest dared not to begin the conversation either out of respect or for that they took that time to ruminate upon the cause of that which they observed upon the countenances of Hannibal and Attanes But My Lords all this company kept silence as I told you and when they began to break it the conversation was so irregular that I should be as troubled to describe it to you as themselves were to make it It is true that it lasted no long time for the King of the Turdetanes not being able to support the presence of the fierce Hannibal after that which had passed between them separated himself from them and left the room after he had performed the same civilities he was used to do although with an air that seemed extreamly forced My Master whose humour is haughty constrain'd himselfe very little and returned the King of the Turdetanes onely the civilities which he could not avoid making him and whereunto seemliness obliged him After which he came up again to Maharbal and Hanno but feeling the impatience of being alone so much increase he gaue so visible tokens of it insomuch that Maharbal and Hanno making a low reverence went forth and by their example obliged all the other officers to do the same My Master being alone walked in his Chamber with large steps without well considering what he did and cast about in his mind a thousand different thoughts But at length all those Cogitations gave place to those which he had conceived against the King of the Turdetanes How Attanes said he to himself dost thou pretend to the heart of Thomira How dost thou pretend to the possession of the fairest person that ever was Ha Attanes do not flatter thy self herein thou shalt never obtain the Princess Thomirr of Hannibal but if you be obstinate in this pretension continued he following the violence of his humour that Hannibal even that Hannibal of whom thou pretendest to obtain her shall carry fire and sword into thy States and tear out that heart which dare insolently to offer it selfe to the fair Princess of Castulon Thus continuing several turns about the Chamber he caused me to be called and doing me the honour to communicate his thoughts to me he would needs know those which I had upon this occurrence My Lord answered I you bring me into a strange perplexity but since it is your pleasure to have me speak I shall do it sincerely I do not see continued I that you have cause to be so highly troubled as you are for since the Princess Thomira is of very great merit you ought to be glad in seeing her your Queen and since the King of the Turdetanes who hath serv'd you loves passionately the Princess of Castulon you ought to be ravish'd with joy to reward the services of Attanes by granting him the fair Thomira How Aspar replyed my Master roughly would you have me so weak as to abandon the Princess of Castulon Alas have I not rendred her unhappy enough without delivering her into the hands of a man against whom she hath a manifest aversion which hath been justly augmented by the new causes he hath given her at the siege of Saguntum No no Aspar I will never do it I have other means to acquit my selfe towards Attanes without giving him that precious recompence and I conceive Thomira deserves to raign over other people then the Turdetanes Peradventure you reserve the fair Thomira for a greater Prince said I to him smilingly with a liberty which was oftentimes permitted me and perhaps you have not conconceiv'd aversion against the King of the Turdieanes but by reason you have conceived some other matter towards the Princess of Castulon I think thou art become a fool Aspar answered my Master being much provoked with my discourse but notwithstanding enforcing himselfe to smile soon after for suspecting me capable of such dulness but to oblige me more you ought to have told me in express terms That I am enamoured on Thomira It is true added he more seriously then he would that I have very different sentiments for this Princess from those that I have for Attanes But that some other matter which you mean without doubt maliciously is no other then a compassion which is really very tender and an esteem which I am obliged to have for a Princess whom I believe the fairest person in the World It is free for you My Lord replyed I with a little merriment to give things what names you please Yet I have sometimes heard that such kind of sentiments ought to be termed love Notwithstanding I shall call them as you please and choose rather not to well express their nature then to give them a name which might seem to please But My Lord continued I more seriously if I suspect you capable of a passion which you call weakness I charge you at least with a weakness which a thousand illustrious examples have authorised as noble and if you believe you are incapable of it it is for that in truth you understand better the conduct of an Army then the first approaches of Love which never enters into our breasts but under the appearance of some other passion and never dares own its true name till it ha's rendred it self absolute Master of the soul To give you therefore the pleasure of believing that it is become Master of mine replyed my Master with a half smile I will go visit the Princess Thomira and moreover I will not do it till you have first sent to know if it may be without inseasonableness and inconvenience I soon did what my Master appointed me and understood that the Saguntine Ladies who were with the Princess had answered that the visite would be not onely not incommodious but of great advantage to Thomira Hannibal had no sooner received this favourable answer but he hasted to the Chamber of the Princess where as the Saguntine Ladies who were her attendants came forward to receive him there appeared