10. ¶When the Carthaginians made no definite answer to the envoys and instead behaved contemptuously toward them, Marcus [Footnote:  According to Livy (XXI, 18, 1) his name was Quintus.  Willems suggests emending to Maximus here.] Fabius thrust his hands beneath his toga and holding them with palms upward said:  “Here I bring to you, Carthaginians, both war and peace:  do you choose unequivocally whichever of them you wish.”  Upon their replying to this challenge even then that they chose neither but would readily accept either that the Romans left with them, he declared war upon them. (Mai, p.190.  Zonaras, 8, 22.)

[Frag.  LV]

¶The Romans invited the Narbonenses to an alliance.  But the latter declared that they had never suffered any harm from the Carthaginians or received any favor from the Romans that they should war against the one or defend the other, and were quite angry with them, charging that the Romans had often treated their kinsmen outrageously. (Mai, p.190.)

[Frag.  LVI]

1. ¶From such an expectation, Dio says, already acquired from that source, the Romans and Carthaginians had reached a state in which they had formed the most different judgments regarding the administration of the war.  For hopefulness, in that it leads all men to cheerfulness, renders them also more active and confident, possessed of a faith that they will be victorious; lack of hope casts them into dejection and despair, and deprives of strength even the naturally stout-hearted.  (Mai, p.191.)

2.  Just as matters at a great distance and quite unknown are accustomed to disturb many men, so now they struck no little fear to the hearts of the Spaniards. [Footnote:  This refers to the Spaniards’ refusing, at the start, to undertake a campaign.  Cp.  Livy, XXI, 23.] For the majority of the multitude that makes a campaign not for any reason of its own but ranking as an allied force is a strong force just so long as it has the hopes of obtaining some benefit without danger.  But when the men reach the vicinity of the conflict, they are frightened out of their hopes of gain and lose their faith in promises.  And the most of them have gotten it into their heads that they are by all means going to be successful in any case; consequently, even if they should meet with some reverse, they esteem it lightly in comparison with the hopes which have been offsetting it. (Mai, p.191.  Cp.  Zonaras, 8, 23.)

[Sidenote:  B.C. 218 (a.u. 536)] 3.  When the preparations failed to be sufficient in any respect for the size of Hannibal’s army, and some one on this account suggested to him that the soldiers be fed on the flesh of their opponents, he did not take the idea amiss, but said he feared that some day through lack of bodies of that kind they might turn to eating one another. (Mai, p.191.  Cp.  Zonaras, 8, 23.)