Section 7 Livy: Hannibal Crosses the Alps Notes Part 5

Question 1

plana / proclivia

Answer 1

flat ground / downhill - the easy terrain vocabulary is juxtaposed, and the plosive consonants perhaps reflecting that the puffed-out soldiers will be able to breathe easier now.

Question 2

aut summum altero

Answer 2

Hannibal doesn’t promise ‘one more battle’ - he is honest with his men about what they can expect. This honesty breeds trust.

Question 3

arcem et caput in manu ac potestate

Answer 3

Notice these rhetorical couplings adding emphasis to how much the army has to gain from persevering a little longer.