|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Quintus Fabius Maximus, Cunctator (the Delayer) |
 |
|
 |
Consul
five times (233, 228, 215, 214, 209) and Roman dictator (217). He
defeated the Ligurians in 233. He is sent in 218, to Carthage, to
demand the end of agression against Saguntum - the cause of the Second
Punic War. He is appointed Dictator after the disaster of Trasimene
(217). He follows the Carthaginian army through Italy, monitoring their
activities closely. He fortifies the threatened cities, wears down the
enemy with guerilla warfare and prevents their resupply. This tactic
provided his nickname 'Cunctator' - delayer . However the Romans grew
impatient with this approach and replaced him. The disaster of Cannae
(216) showed the shrewdness of his view. Again appointed consul several
times. Fabius takes Tarentum and punished the inhabitants for their
defection by condemning them to slavery. Before his death he opposed
Scipio's plan to invade Africa - the expedition that in the end finally
won the war.
The following passage comes from Plutarch's Life of Fabius:
Our
Fabius, who was fourth in descent from that Fabius Rullus who first
brought the honourable surname of Maximus into his family, was also, by
way of personal nickname, called Verrucosus, from a wart on his upper
lip; and in his childhood they in like manner named him Ovicula, or The
Lamb, on account of his extreme mildness of temper. His slowness in
speaking, his long labour and pains in learning, his deliberation in
entering into the sports of other children, his easy submission to
everybody, as if he had no will of his own, made those who judge
superficially of him, the greater number, esteem him insensible and
stupid; and few only saw that this tardiness proceeded from stability,
and discerned the greatness of his mind, and the lionlikeness of his
temper. But as soon as he came into employments, his virtues exerted
and showed themselves; his reputed want of energy then was recognized
by people in general as a freedom of passion; his slowness in words and
actions, the effect of a true prudence; his want of rapidity and his
sluggishness, as constancy and firmness. Living in a great
commonwealth, surrounded by many enemies, he saw the wisdom of inuring
his body (nature's own weapon) to warlike exercises, and disciplining
his tongue for public oratory in a style conformable to his life and
character. His eloquence, indeed, had not much of popular ornament, nor
empty artifice, but there was in it great weight of sense; it was
strong and sententious, much after the way of Thucydides. We have yet
extant his funeral oration upon the death of his son, who died consul,
which he recited before the people. He was five times consul, and in
his first consulship had the honour of a triumph for the victory he
gained over the Ligurians, whom he defeated in a set battle, and drove
them to take shelter in the Alps, from whence they never after made any
inroad or depredation upon their neighbours. |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
