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21: From Saguntum to the Trebia Translation by Rev. Canon
Roberts (1905)    I consider myself at liberty to commence what
is only a section of my history with a prefatory remark such as
most writers have placed at the very beginning of their works,
namely, that the war I am about to describe is the most
memorable of any that have ever been waged, I mean the war which
the Carthaginians, under Hannibal's leadership, waged with Rome.
No states, no nations ever met in arms greater in strength or
richer in resources; these Powers themselves had never before
been in so high a state of efficiency or better prepared to
stand the strain of a long war; they were no strangers to each
other's tactics after their experience in the first Punic War;
and so variable were the fortunes and so doubtful the issue of
the war that those who were ultimately victorious were in the
earlier stages brought neare