§3.1Rebus his ex sententia peractis fidenti animo atque infesto Romanis, quo facilius causam bellandi reperiret, effecit ut imperator cum exercitu in Hispaniam mitteretur, eoque secum duxit filium Hannibalem annorum novem.
These things having been accomplished according to his wish, with a confident mind and hostile to the Romans, in order that he might more easily find a pretext for war, he brought it about that he was sent as commander with an army to Spain, and thither he took with him his son Hannibal, nine years of age.
§3.2erat praeterea cum eo adulescens illustris, formosus, Hasdrubal, quem nonnulli diligi turpius, quam par erat, ab Hamilcare loquebantur (non enim maledici tanto viro deesse poterant).
There was, moreover, with him a distinguished and handsome youth, Hasdrubal, whom some said was loved by Hamilcar more shamefully than was fitting (for detractors could not be wanting to so great a man).
quo factum est ut a praefecto morum Hasdrubal cum eo vetaretur esse.
Consequently, he was forbidden by the overseer of morals to be with him.
huic ille filiam suam in matrimonium dedit, quod moribus eorum non poterat interdici socero genero.
To him Hamilcar gave his daughter in marriage, because, by their customs, a father-in-law and a son-in-law could not be forbidden to associate.
§3.3de hoc ideo mentionem fecimus, quod Hamilcare occiso ille exercitui praefuit resque magnas gessit et princeps largitione vetustos pervertit mores Karthaginiensium eiusdemque post mortem Hannibal ab exercitu accepit imperium.
We have made mention of him for this reason, because, after Hamilcar was killed, he commanded the army and performed great deeds, and was the first to subvert the ancient customs of the Carthaginians by bribery, and after his death, Hannibal received the supreme command from the army.