The Classical Review http://journals.cambridge.org/CAR
Additional services for The Classical Review:
Email alerts: Click here Subscriptions: Click here Commercial reprints: Click here Terms of use : Click here
The Trebbia and Lake Trasimene in Messrs. How & Leigh's Roman History
G. B. Grundy
The Classical Review / Volume 10 / Issue 06 / July 1896, pp 284 - 287 DOI: 10.1017/S0009840X00204277, Published online: 27 October 2009
Link to this article: http://journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0009840X00204277
How to cite this article: G. B. Grundy (1896). The Trebbia and Lake Trasimene in Messrs. How & Leigh's Roman History. The Classical Review, 10, pp 284-287 doi:10.1017/S0009840X00204277
Request Permissions : Click here
Downloaded from http://journals.cambridge.org/CAR, IP address: 128.122.253.228 on 24 Apr 2015 284 THE CLASSICAL REVIEW. sed etiam destruuntur.] Oavfiatnairdrr) 8c 17 264, 25. 'OITWS yap ol fn.lv aOXioi ras i[rvx.a$ oxor] Si i?s fn.eX.rj Kal pvO/xol [et compages, TidvOXTLV. transitiones, harmoniae et concordiae uocum Arm. has aOeoi for &6X101, [Mang. : Ex et generum et coetuum gregum] KO.1 irdvO'contextu reponendum uidetur aOeoi.] ocra Kara, TT/V //.OVCTLK^V eirucpivfTM' \rj Xoyiov In the above notes I have only noticed Trpo
THE TKEBBIA AND LAKE TRASIMENE IN MESSES. HOW & LEIGH'S ROMAN HISTORY. THE Roman History recently issued by (2) That connection with the right or Messrs. How and Leigh seems so good that east bank was maintained by a bridge, it is likely to be largely used. This very possibly of boats (p. 185). fact, however, must serve as a provocation (3) That the river Trebbia flowsi n winter to any one who feels that the views ex- with a strong and turbulent flood (p. 185). pressed in the book are open to criticism, (4) That the second camp occupied by more especially if those views are expressed Scipio was on the right or east bank of the in a portion of the work which is likely to river on a spur of the Apennines (p. 183). be of peculiar interest to those for whom (Quite a different view is stated, not ap- it is intended. ' The special point to which parently as an alternative, on p. 185.) I refer is the account of Hannibal's opera- (5) That, consequently, the actual battle tions in Italy from the time of the passage took place on the left or west bank. of the Alps to the battle of Lake Trasi- These statements are so inter-dependent mene. The subject would be of much less that it is impossible to discuss them quite importance did it not necessarily affect the separately. view which must be taken of Polybius and If the remark about the Trebbia is Livy as military historians. Messrs. Leigh intended to convey the meaning that it is and How follow Polybius' account of the during the winter season in a continuous operations up to the time of the retreat of state of strong and turbulent flood, it is Scipio from the Ticinus to Placentia. After incorrect. The water is frequently low this, in dealing with the campaign in North during the winter. The rise and fall of so Italy they diverge from both Polybius and quick a stream is, of course, rapid and Livy, and this apparently without adequate liable to frequent variation. Furthermore reason. it may reasonably be concluded that before Briefly put, their view seems to be:— the day of the battle the stream was low (1) That Scipio's first camp after his and easily passable, for on that day the retreat from the Ticinus was on the left or Romans crossed it, although swollen by a west bank of the Trebbia, i.e. on the rain storm which had occurred during the opposite bank to Placentia (p. 185). previous night (Polyb. iii. 72, 4). The
1 THE CLASSICAL REVIEW. 285 existence of the bridge is, of course, a pure alluvial ground between Placentia and the supposition. Neither Polybius nor Livy position first mentioned. hint at such a thing, and yet the former The first position stated does at any rate mentions the fact that Seipio constructed a satisfy what are evidently the main motives bridge over the Ticinus (P. iii. 60, 1), and of this part of the history of events, Scipio's speaks of the bridge over the Pad us at recognition of the fact that the manifest Placentia (P. iii. 66, 3). But if there was superiority of Hannibal's cavalry made it a bridge, it can hardly have been one of dangerous for him to remain in the plain, boats. A real winter freshet on the Trebbia and his desire not to risk all in a pitched would have swept such a construction away battle. The second, of course, eminently incontinently. But whether there was a fails to satisfy these conditions, and as it is bridge or not, is it in the slightest degree not only unsupported by the evidence of the likely that Seipio would have retired to original authorities but is in disaccord with Placentia with a view to ' his forces having what they do tell us of the movement, it a secure position to rest upon' (P. iii. 66, can hardly serve any genuine historical 9), and then have taken up a position with purpose. a river like the Trebbia between him and As far as the question is affected by the his point d'appui ? At the season of the revolt of the Celts in the Roman camp (P. year at which the events took place a iii. 67, 1-7), it may be said, at any rate, sudden rise of the river might at any time that the action of these Celts would point render his communication with Placentia to their being from the west rather than impossible, or, even supposing the imaginary from the east of the Trebbia, for to the bridge were there, what would have been east of this stream the land would be at his position in case Hannibal defeated him the time of the revolt, i.e. when the Romans in this river angle with only this one narrow were in camp 1, practically at the mercy of line of retreat 1 His army must have been the Roman army. If this were so, then annihilated. And yet Messrs. How and prior to this outbreak the Celts west of that Leigh assert that ' all strategical considera- river were divided in their allegiance, for tions go to prove that the first position of some, at any rate, of them, viz. those in the Seipio would be in front of the Trebbia' neighbourhood of the place where Hannibal (i.e. on the left bank). Surely the exact effected his crossing of the Padus, had opposite of this is the case. Even if the entered into friendly relations with the subsequent account of the battle and what Carthaginians, and it is consequently pos- followed were not conclusive on this point, sible that Scipio's movement may have been every consideration of strategy would point partly instigated by his desire to overawe to the space of land between the Trebbia those Celts to the west of the Trebbia who and Placentia as the position of the -first had hitherto been neutral, if not loyal, into Roman camp. Seipio would then have had a continuance of this attitude. This would the line of the Trebbia on his front instead presume a move on his part from the east of his rear and would be in immediate touch to the west side of that river. This change with his point d'appui. for the worse in the attitude of the Celts The authors of this history make two emphasized the necessity of a move to a statements which it is impossible to recon- more secure position, where cavalry could cile with one another as to the position of not be used, to some such position in fact as the second camp of the Romans :— Messrs. How and Leigh indicate on p. 183. But was this position on the right or left of (1) On p. 183 (ad Jin.) they say that the Trebbia ] Messrs. How and Leigh say ' Seipio took up a stronger position on a the right or east side. They admit that spur of the Apennines, covered by the Livy's account will not square with this mountain torrent,' i.e. the Trebbia. view. They admit, too, that Polybius' This is, it must be remembered, on the account agrees in the main with Livy's. right or east bank according to their If they throw over Polybius and Livy to view. The position would be eight and what authority do they appeal 1 Apparently a half miles, as the crow flies, from Pla- it is to their own view of what would have centia. been the best strategical course which Seipio (2) On p. 185 they say,' He (Seipio) then could have adopted under the circumstances. crossed the stream, and protected by it, Unfortunately strategy is controlled by cir- rested his right on the fortress, his left on cumstances, and in this case the circum- the Apennines.' stances were such as to compel Seipio to This is quite a different position from the adopt a policy of masterly inactivity in a first mentioned. It covers the low-lying NO. LXXXES. VOL. X. x 286 THE CLASSICAL REVIEW. secure position. As to Polybius' account Kaipovi, Ac. Hannibal may then it seems to make one or two things quite have been engaged at Clastidium when clear:— Sempronius came up. Even if he were not, (1) The battle was fought at some point the latter might well have joined Scipio by in tbe course of the Trebbia where there avoiding the plain and keeping to the foot was high ground on one side of the stream hills of the Apennines, and furthermore the and ground on which cavalry could act on Celts on the east of the Trebbia, whose the other. There is only one part of the attitude towards the Carthaginians seems to river course where this consideration is ful- have been of a very doubtful character (P. filled and that requires the second Roman iii. 69, 5, 6), would probably screen Sem- camp on the west or left side of the stream. pronius' approach. (The detail is given in the Journal of The geography of the region through Philology, July, 1895.) which Hannibal marched from the northern (2) Messrs. How and Leigh's theory plain to Faesulae is evidently not known to would demand that the battle took place on Polybius and Livy save in the merest out- the left or west side of the river. line, and the line of Hannibal's march can But it is clear that Polybius understood be little more than conjectured, and that it to have taken place on the same side of not with anything approaching to certainty ; the Trebbia as Placentia, for he says (P. still the coast track from Liguria to the iii. 75) that the Romans who cut their lower Arno seems to agree most closely with way through tbe Carthaginian ranks, the vague details we have at our disposal, though they saw those on their own wings especially with Livy's remark that Hannibal hard pressed, TO /iky iiri/!}or]6eiv TOIJTOIS •q after the engagement with Sempronius ITOXLV els T-qv iavrwv amevai irapefJifioXrjV (xxi. 59) retired to Liguria. aTriyvuxrav, v THE PLACE OP THE PARMENIDES IN THE ORDER OF THE PLATONIC DIALOGUES, FURTHER CONSIDERED. IN his interesting article on' the place of the dialogue in question shares with the the Parmenides in the order of the Platonic Timaeus, Critias, or Laws, and with no dialogues,' which appeared in the April num- other The following table exhibits ap- ber of this Review, and which seems in some proximately the numerical ratios of the slight measure to take its point of departure several dialogues according to-the number from an edition of the Parmenides published of words at once common and peculiar to by me, Professor Campbell is good enough to each with the Timaeus, Critias, and Laws :— speak of my work in terms for which I owe Parm., Hipp.-Min. $• The position him thanks. At the same time the body of of the Parmenides in this list, like that of his article, which I did not see on its first the Phaedrus, is partly accounted for by ex- appearance, implies that his views have re- ceptional circumstances.' This, it will be ceived less than justice from myself among seen, is but a passing reference: the words others, and that his conclusions differ con- constituting the ratio are not quoted, and siderably from mine. Perhaps I may be the evidence is to some extent discounted by permitted a word or two on the subject. the closing qualification. Before I could (1) I certainly should be very sorry either deal with the argument in detail I must to say now, or to have said at any time, any- first have extracted my own evidence from thing unjust of a scholar to whom Platonic Ast's Lexicon, or some other source; a task criticism owes so much. Prof. Campbell's for which, amid the difficulties under which arguments from language were advanced in I worked, I had not time. Prof. Campbell his edition of the Sophistes and Politicus, expresses surprise that I should have asked and students who failed to consider them ' by what circumstances 1': but at least I attentively as bearing on those dialogues hint an answer to my own query in the same would not be well advised. But he will, I sense as he does, by saying ' clearly the sub- hope, admit that the question is different in ject matter would have to be considered.' regard to other dialogues which he cited Passing to the general question of lin- only by way of illustration. Thus all that guistic tests as evidence of date, I admit at his argument says about the Parmenides is once that they may have great value; but as follows (Soph, and Polit. Introd. p. that value will depend very largely upon xxxiii.) :—' there is no other dialogue which 'circumstances.' Let me take examples. equally with these approximates to the langu- I point out in my work that while one age of the later dialogues [Timaeus, Critias, German statistician places the Republic in a Laws], as measured by the number of words certain position as a result of summing up, (in proportion to the number of pages) which in the gross, a series of characteristic x2