Book 1, Chapter 24

48 “Let us return to dreams. Coelius writes that Hannibal wanted to carry off the golden column in the shrine of Juno Lacinia. Unsure whether it was solid gold or merely gilded, he bored into it, and finding it solid, decided to remove it. In his sleep Juno appeared and warned him not to do so, threatening that, if he did, she would see to it that he lost the eye with which he could still see well. A shrewd man, he did not disregard her warning. Instead he had a little heifer made from the gold bored out of the column and set it on top.

49 “The following also appears in the Greek history of Silenus, whom Coelius follows, and who chronicled Hannibal’s deeds with the greatest care. After taking Saguntum, Hannibal dreamed he was summoned by Jupiter to the council of the gods. When he arrived, Jupiter ordered him to make war on Italy, and one of the council was appointed his guide. Following this guide, he began to advance with his army. Then the guide instructed him not to look back. Hannibal could not obey for long: overcome by curiosity, he looked. He saw a huge, monstrous beast entwined with snakes, overturning every tree, thicket, and building wherever it passed. In wonder he asked the god what kind of monster it was. The god replied that it was the devastation of Italy, and ordered him to press straight ahead without troubling himself over what was happening behind him, at his back.

50 “Agathocles records in his history that Hamilcar the Carthaginian, while besieging Syracuse, dreamed he heard a voice saying that the next day he would dine in Syracuse. When that day dawned, a great mutiny broke out in his camp between the Carthaginian and Sicilian soldiers. The Syracusans learned of it, burst into the camp unexpectedly, and captured Hamilcar alive. Thus events confirmed the dream. History is full of examples, and everyday life is crowded with them.

51 “But consider that Publius Decius, son of Quintus, who was the first of the Decii to become consul. While serving as a military tribune in the consulship of Marcus Valerius and Aulus Cornelius, when our army was hard pressed by the Samnites, he took the risks of battle too boldly and was warned to be more careful. He replied, as the annals record, that in a dream he had seen himself in the thick of the enemy, dying with the greatest glory. On that occasion he emerged unharmed and freed the army from encirclement. Three years later, however, as consul, he consecrated himself to death and charged in arms into the Latin battle line. By this act the Latins were defeated and destroyed. His death was so glorious that his son longed for the same.

48 “Back to dreams. In Coelius' account, Hannibal wished to take away a golden column from Juno's shrine at Lacinium. Unsure whether it was solid gold or merely gilded on the outside, he drilled into it. When he found it was solid, he decided to take it away. While he slept, he saw Juno telling him to leave it alone. She threatened that, if he took the column away, she would make sure he lost the eye he could still see well with. Being a clever man, he did not ignore the warning. So he had a small cow made from the gold drilled out of the column, and placed it on top of the column.

49 “This next story is also in the Greek history of Silenus, whom Coelius follows. Silenus gave a very careful account of Hannibal's career. After taking Saguntum, Hannibal dreamed of a summons from Jupiter to join the gods in council. There he received Jupiter's command to attack Italy. One member of the council was given him as a guide, and with this guide he began to advance with his army. The guide then told him not to look behind him. But he could not keep this up for long. Overcome by curiosity, he looked back. He saw a huge, monstrous beast wrapped in snakes. Wherever it went, it overturned every tree, bush, and house. In astonishment he asked the god to explain the monster. The god identified it as Italy's devastation. He told him to keep going straight ahead and not worry about what was happening behind his back.

50 “Agathocles writes in his history that Hamilcar the Carthaginian, while attacking Syracuse, dreamed he heard a voice saying that he would dine in Syracuse the next day. At dawn that day, a major mutiny divided his camp's Carthaginian and Sicilian soldiers. The Syracusans found out, broke into the camp by surprise, and took Hamilcar alive. The outcome thus bore out what he had dreamed. Such cases fill both the historical record and ordinary life.

51 “Take Publius Decius, the son of Quintus, the first of the Decii to become consul. He was a military tribune when Marcus Valerius and Aulus Cornelius were consuls and our army was under pressure from the Samnites. He took risks in battle rather boldly and was warned to be more careful. He said, as the histories record, that he had dreamed of dying with the greatest glory in the thick of the enemy. On that occasion he survived and freed the army from being trapped. But three years later, as consul, he formally vowed his own life to the gods and charged, fully armed, into the Latin battle line. By his action the Latins were defeated and wiped out. The glory of that death made his son wish to die in the same way.