75.4
A certain Lucanian soldier was accused of wandering often from the camp at night for love of a young woman. Fabius, on hearing the accusation, ascertained that in other respects the man was an admirable man-at-arms, and he ordered that they secretly seize the man’s mistress and bring her to him. When she was brought, he sent for the man, and said to him, Your being away at night, contrary to the regulations, has not passed unnoticed, nor, on the other hand, your good service in the past. Therefore let your oifences be atoned for by your brave and manly deeds, and in future you will be with us, for I have a surety. And leading forward the girl he presented her to him. Ibid. chap. xx. (186 A-C). Cf. also Valerius Maximus, vii. 3. 7.
75.5
Hannibal kept the Tarentines in subjection by a garrison-all the city except the acropolis. Fabius drew him away a very long distance by a trick, and captured and sacked the city. When his secretary asked him what decision he had reached in regard to the sacred images, he said, Let us leave behind for the Tarentines their angered gods. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Fabius Maximus, chap. xxii. (187 A-C); Livy, xxvii. 16.
75.6
Marcus Livius, who had all the time held the acropolis with his garrison, said that it was because of him that the city had been taken. The others laughed at him, but Fabius said, You are quite right; for, if you had not lost the city, I should not have recaptured it. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Fabius Maximus, chap. xxiii. (187 E); Cicero, De oratore, ii. 67 (273), and De senectute, 4 (11).