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So the Romans found themselves fighting a three-front
罗马就发现自己三面楚歌
war: a stalemate with Hannibal in central Italy,
在意大利中部与汉尼拔陷入僵局
a see-saw battle with Spain in the west,
在西部则是与西班牙僵持
and a holding action against Philip of Macedon
同时也对东部马其顿的菲利浦有所动作
in the east, Carthage, for its part, considered Spain
而迦太基认为西班牙
and its mineral wealth more crucial to the war
及其丰富的矿产资源对战争更重要
than Hannibal's Italian invasion force. By and by,
比汉尼拔在意大利的侵略更重要
Carthage diverted resources to their Spanish troops,
迦太基向西班牙军队输送物资
which were led by Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal.
这是由汉尼拔的弟弟哈斯杜鲁巴带领的
After managing to trounce a Roman army
在公元前211年，痛打一只罗马军队之后
in two eleven BC, Hasdrubal thought
哈斯杜鲁巴想
he would cross the Alps and join his big brother.
他可以穿越阿尔卑斯山，加入他的哥哥
This was a bad career move.
这一步棋走错了
Hasdrubal's decision basically abandoned Spain
他的决定就是放弃西班牙，交由罗马
to Romans, who conquered most of the peninsula
罗马占领了半岛的绝大地区
under the brilliant young general Publius Cornelius
那也是在小将布普里乌斯的带领下
Scipio. We'll hear more about this guy.
我们对这个人会了解更多
Even worse for Carthage,
对迦太基人来说，更坏的是
Hasdrubal was intercepted and killed by Roman troops
哈斯杜鲁巴在中途被拦截，被罗马军队杀死
in two zero seven. It meant that
那是在公元前207年，也意味着
all Hannibal could do was retreat to the mountains
是汉尼拔能做的就撤退到山后
and make the Romans force him out.
等罗马军队逼退他
This could have taken forever,
这一次可能就是永远逼退
thanks to the delaying tactics invented by Fabius.
这多亏了马克西姆斯的拖延策略
But in two zero five BC,
但在公元前205年
young Publius Cornelius Scipio was elected consul
年轻的普布里乌斯被选为领事
on a platform of taking the battle to Africa, thereby
他在非洲开始作战
forcing Carthage to recall Hannibal.Scipio's election
逼迫迦太基重新召回汉尼拔，而普布乌里斯的当选
as consul violated the mos maiorum.
他选为领事，这里违反常规
Scipio was a member of
普布里乌斯普属于大家族
a very old and very famous patrician family,
那是一个古老而闻名的贵族家庭
but as a mere lad of thirty-one,
但他只是一个31岁的小伙子
he was twelve years too young to hold the consulship.
只有再过12年，他才能够当领事
The more conservative senators, such as
而更保守的元老们，比如
Fabius Maximus, opposed the invasion of Africa Fabius Maximus
他反对侵入非洲
and tried to force Scipio to keep his army in Sicily.
想牵制普布乌里斯的军队留在西西里岛
To enhance their performance against Hannibal,
为了更好的与汉尼拔作战
the Romans at this time brought in the cult of
那时的罗马人引入一种祭祀礼仪
the Magna Mater, the Great Mother from Asia Minor,
那被称为玛格纳玛特，也就是小亚细亚的始母
with some genuinely zany circumstances,
也有一些滑稽的场景
which I will discuss later.
我待会儿还会讲到
But Scipio was not one to listen to stodgy old men
西庇阿却不愿听老家伙的建议
or superstitious priests. Scipio invaded Africa and,
也不愿听从那些迷信的牧师，西庇阿侵略非洲
as predicted, Hannibal abandoned Italy
正如预测，汉尼拔放弃意大利
to defend the Carthaginian homeland.
保卫迦太基故土
After the battle of Zama, just outside of Carthage,
在扎马战争之后，也就离迦太基不远
in two zero three BC, Hannibal himself realized
那是在公元前203年，汉尼拔自己也意识到
the game was up and
这场游戏该结束了
he convinced Carthage to sue for peace.
他说服迦太基追求和平
The more conservative Roman aristocracy,
但更多像Fabius一样保守的贵族
like Fabius Maximus, wanted Carthage to be punished
希望迦太基受到惩罚
or even razed to the ground.
甚至将其夷为平地
Given the nastiness of the Second Punic War,
考虑到肮脏的第二布匿战争
it's hard to blame them. But the mos maiorum,
很难责备他们，但是根据法令
the final decision belonged to the victorious general.
那终决定权握在获胜将军的手中
Scipio rewarded Hannibal
西庇阿奖励了汉尼拔
by appointing Hannibal the civic leader of Carthage.
他任命汉尼拔为迦太基民间领袖
The aristocracy was not pleased.
但贵族们并不满意
The Roman masses, on the other hand,
但在另一方面，罗马大众
happily welcomed Scipio back to Rome
非常高兴迎接Scipio回到罗马
and they pleaded with him to take control of the state.
他们请求他掌管这片土地
