The estate of Hasdrubal (221)

After the death of Hasdrubal, no one doubted that the initiative of the soldiers who had immediately carried the young Hannibal into the praetorium and proclaimed him general with a unanimous cry and voice, was confirmed. by popular vote. He had barely reached the age of puberty when a letter from Hasdrubal had already summoned him.

In a deliberation of the senate on this subject, the Barcine faction strongly supported the proposal:Hannibal, it said, should become accustomed to the profession of arms and collect the inheritance of paternal power. Hanno, leader of the opposing faction, spoke:"We are sending you, he said, a request which seems very just, and yet I am of the opinion that it should be rejected." The oddity of this ambiguous opinion had captured general attention. "Yes," resumed Hanno, "Hasdrubal believes himself fully authorized to claim from the son what he lavished on the father, in the flower of his youth. war, are delivered first to the whims of our generals? Are we also afraid that the son of Amilcar does not see soon enough the image of absolute power, of the royal authority that his father exercised?

And, when the son-in-law of this sovereign commands our armies by hereditary right, will the scepter of the son weigh too late on our heads? Let this young man stay in Carthage; that he learn there, by obedience to the laws and to the magistrates, to live within the bosom of equality:such is my opinion. Let us fear that this faint spark will one day ignite a vast

fire."