Pater meus, inquit, Hamilcar puerulo me, utpote non amplius novem annos nato, in Hispaniam imperator proficiscens, Karthagine Iovi optimo maximo hostias immolavit. Quae divina res dum conficiebatur, quaesivit a me vellemne secum in castra proficisci. Id cum libenter accepissem atque ab eo petere coepissem ne dubitaret ducere, tum ille, Faciam, inquit,si mihi fidem quam postulo dederis. Simul me ad aram adduxit apud quam sacrificare instituerat eamque ceteris remotis tenentem iurare iussit numquam me in amicitia cum Romanis fore.
My father Hamilcar, when I was a small boy not more than nine years old, just as he was setting out from Carthage to Spain as commander-in-chief, offered up victims to Jupiter, Greatest and Best of gods. While this ceremony was being performed, he asked me if I would like to go with him on the campaign. I eagerly accepted and began to beg him not to hesitate to take me with him. Thereupon he said: I will do it, provided you will give me the pledge that I ask. With that he led me to the altar on which he had begun his sacrifice, and having dismissed all the others, he bade me lay hold of the altar and swear that I would never be a friend to the Romans.
final_alignments\Cornelius_Nepos_Hannibal.json