Saguntine Alcon negotiations
Headquarters operations were not slowed down. Maharbal, son of Himilcon, who commanded for Hannibal, displayed so much activity that neither the soldier nor the enemy noticed the absence of the general. He gained some advantages, brought down, with three rams, a section of wall, and, on Hannibal's return, was able to show him some very recent ruins. He immediately led his army in front of the citadel. After a bloody struggle, disastrous for both armies, part of the citadel was stormed. (Two men, Alcon of Sagunto and the Spaniard Alorcus, then attempted some means of accommodation. Alcon, unbeknownst to his compatriots, spent the night in Hannibal's camp, flattering himself that he would gain something by dint of prayers:but insensitive to his tears, the irritated victor imposed the harshest conditions, and from then on the negotiator, having become a defector, remained with the enemy, protesting that death awaited him who would bring such a capitulation to the Saguntines. They would be completely satisfied with the Turdetans; they would deliver all their silver, all their gold; they would leave the city with only one garment; they would go and settle in the places that the Carthaginian would have prescribed. said Alcon, Sagunto will not accept such proposals. - Courage yields, when all the rest is vanquished, said Alorcus, I offer myself as mediator." A soldier in the army of Hannibal, Alorcus had had with the Saguntines some public liaisons of friendship and hospitality. He handed over his arms without mystery to the enemy sentries, crossed the intrenchments, and had himself conducted before the governor of Sagunto. (8) A multitude of citizens of all classes had assembled in a moment; the crowd was driven away; the senate gave audience to Alorcus who delivered this speech:
Speech by Spaniard Alorcus
“If Alcon, your fellow-citizen, after coming to Hannibal to ask him for peace, had brought you back his answer, it would have been useless for me to come here, as an envoy of Hannibal, and still more as a defector. But , since he remained with the enemy, either by his fault, if his fears are imaginary, or by yours, if one cannot tell you the truth without danger, I have come, in the name of our old friendship to teach you that there are still some ways of accommodation and salvation for you. Your interest alone, and not foreign considerations, dictates this language to me. You will believe it, Saguntines; for, as long as you have resisted with your own forces, or that you counted on the help of Rome, I never spoke to you of capitulation. But today there is no more hope on the side of the Romans; your arms, even your ramparts no longer protect you; so I bring you a peace more necessary than advantageous. This hope, you can realize it, if you accept in vain cus the conditions of the winner; if you do not consider as a loss what you no longer have, since everything is in the power of the enemy; if you only see a favor in what he wants to leave you. Your city, already largely destroyed, almost entirely in its power, will cease to belong to you; he leaves you the territory, and will fix the place where the new Saguntum must rise. All the gold, all the silver of the State, of individuals, will be handed over to him; your wives, your children, yourselves will be saved if you resign yourself to leaving the city, unarmed and with two garments. Such is the decree of the victor, a fatal and terrible decree, but which fortune makes it a law for you to accept; and I do not despair, when he will be master of everything, to find him less rigorous on some point. But it would be better to undergo this treatment than to allow yourself to be massacred, than to see your women and children dragged and kidnapped in front of you, victims of the laws of war."