Maharbal
Maharbal (Punic: 𐤌𐤄𐤓𐤁𐤏𐤋, mhrbʿl; Ancient Greek: Μαάρβας; fl. 3rd century BC) was a Numidian army commander in charge of the cavalry under Hannibal and his second-in-command during the Second Punic War.
Attributed
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- Hannibali uictori cum ceteri circumfusi gratularentur suaderentque ut, tanto perfunctus bello, diei quod reliquum esset noctisque insequentis quietem et ipse sibi sumeret et fessis daret militibus, Maharbal praefectus equitum, minime cessandum ratus, "immo ut quid hac pugna sit actum scias, die quinto" inquit, "uictor in Capitolio epulaberis. Sequere; cum equite, ut prius uenisse quam uenturum sciant, praecedam." Hannibali nimis laeta res est uisa maiorque quam ut eam statim capere animo posset. Itaque uoluntatem se laudare Maharbalis ait; ad consilium pensandum temporis opus esse. Tum Maharbal: "non omnia nimirum eidem di dedere. Vincere scis, Hannibal; uictoria uti nescis." mora eius diei satis creditur saluti fuisse urbi atque imperio.
- When all others, surrounding the victorious Hannibal, congratulated him, and advised that, having completed so great a battle, he should himself take the remainder of the day and the ensuing night for rest, and grant it to his exhausted troops; Maharbal, prefect of the cavalry, who was of opinion that no time should be lost, said to him, "Nay, rather, that you may know what has been achieved by this battle, five days hence you shall feast in triumph in the Capitol. Follow me: I will go first with the cavalry, that they may know that I am arrived before they know of me as approaching." To Hannibal this project appeared too full of joy, and too great for his mind to embrace it and determine upon it at the instant. Accordingly, he replied to Maharbal, that "he applauded his zeal, but that time was necessary to ponder the proposal." Upon this Maharbal observed, "Of a truth the gods have not bestowed all things upon the same person. You know how to conquer, Hannibal; but you do not know how to make use of your victory." That day's delay is firmly believed to have been the preservation of the city and the empire.
- In Livy, History of Rome, bk. 22, sec. 51 (tr. D. Spillan and Cyrus Edmonds, 1868)
External links
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Encyclopedic article on Maharbal on Wikipedia- "Livy: Book XXII" at The Latin Library
