§9.24.1παραπλήσια δέ μοι δοκεῖ τούτοις καὶ τὰ κατʼ Ἀννίβαν γεγονέναι·
It seems to me that the circumstances regarding Hannibal also occurred in a similar way to these.
§9.24.2καὶ γὰρ περιστάσεσι παραδόξοις καὶ ποικίλαις ἐχρήσατο καὶ φίλοις τοῖς ἔγγιστα μεγάλας ἐσχηκόσι διαφοράς, ὥστε καὶ λίαν ἐκ τῶν κατʼ Ἰταλίαν πράξεων δυσθεώρητον εἶναι τὴν τοῦ προειρημένου φύσιν.
For he experienced unexpected and diverse circumstances, and had closest friends who had great differences among themselves, so that from his actions in Italy it is extremely difficult to discern the character of the aforementioned man.
§9.24.3τὰς μὲν οὖν τῶν περιστάσεων ὑποβολὰς εὐχερὲς καὶ διὰ τῶν προειρημένων καὶ διὰ τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα ῥηθησομένων καταμαθεῖν, τὰς δὲ τῶν φίλων οὐκ ἄξιον παραλιπεῖν, ἄλλως τε καὶ διὰ μιᾶς γνώμης ἱκανὴν τοῦ πράγματος ἔμφασιν ἐξὸν λαβεῖν.
Now, while it is easy to understand the promptings of circumstances both from what has been said before and from what will be said hereafter, it is not right to overlook those of his friends, especially since it is possible from a single opinion to obtain a sufficient illustration of the matter.
§9.24.4καθʼ ὃν γὰρ καιρὸν Ἀννίβας ἐξ Ἰβηρίας τὴν εἰς Ἰταλίαν πορείαν ἐπενόει στέλλεσθαι μετὰ τῶν δυνάμεων, μεγίστης προφαινομένης δυσχρηστίας περὶ τὰς τροφὰς καὶ τὴν ἑτοιμότητα τῶν ἐπιτηδείων τοῖς στρατοπέδοις, ἅτε καὶ κατὰ τὸ μῆκος ἀνήνυτον ἔχειν τι δοκούσης τῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος καὶ τὴν ἀγριότητα τῶν μεταξὺ κατοικούντων βαρβάρων,
For at the time when Hannibal was planning to make his march from Iberia to Italy with his forces, a very great difficulty presented itself concerning the food and the readiness of provisions for the armies, since the road seemed to have something endless about it due to its length, and also because of the multitude and the wildness of the barbarians living between.
§9.24.5τότε δοκεῖ καὶ πλεονάκις ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ περὶ τούτου τοῦ μέρους ἐμπιπτούσης ἀπορίας εἷς τῶν φίλων Ἀννίβας ὁ Μονομάχος ἐπικαλούμενος ἀποφήνασθαι γνώμην διότι μία τις ὁδὸς αὑτῷ προφαίνεται. διʼ ἧς ἐστιν εἰς Ἰταλίαν ἐλθεῖν ἐφικτόν.
At that time, while helplessness concerning this matter was frequently arising in the council, it is said that one of his friends, Hannibal surnamed Monomachus, expressed his opinion that one single way presented itself to him, through which it was possible to reach Italy.
§9.24.6τοῦ δʼ Ἀννίβου λέγειν κελεύσαντος, διδάξαι δεῖν ἔφη τὰς δυνάμεις ἀνθρωποφαγεῖν καὶ τούτῳ ποιῆσαι συνήθεις.
When Hannibal ordered him to speak, he said that they must teach the forces to eat human flesh and make them accustomed to this.
§9.24.7Ἀννίβας δὲ πρὸς μὲν τὸ τόλμημα καὶ τὸ πρακτικὸν τῆς ἐπινοίας οὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἐδυνήθη, τοῦ δὲ πράγματος λαβεῖν ἔννοιαν οὔθʼ αὑτὸν οὔτε τοὺς φίλους ἐδύνατο πεῖσαι.
But Hannibal, though he was unable to say anything against the boldness and the practicality of the idea, could not persuade either himself or his friends to entertain the thought of such an action.
§9.24.8τούτου δὲ τἀνδρὸς εἶναί φασιν ἔργα καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὴν Ἰταλίαν εἰς Ἀννίβαν ἀναφερόμενα περὶ τῆς ὠμότητος, οὐχ ἧττον δὲ καὶ τῶν περιστάσεων.
They say that the deeds of cruelty attributed to Hannibal in Italy were the work of this man, and no less also of the circumstances.