Act 8 Scene 2

Rome, the Capitol. 

Emergency meeting of the Senate underway to discuss the state of affairs in Carthage and to extradite Hannibal. 

Enter Scipio Africanus, Gaius Terentius Varro, Fabius Maximus and two senior senators.

Gaius Terentius Varro: ‘Tis been three months or more and our main foe, hath trodden from one king’s court to another across the eastern lands. The Carthaginians claim he is in exile, that his escape is not their doing, and judging by their servile nature, methinks Hannibal didst impose this exile on himself.

1^st Senator: We must continue, with greater zeal to track down our greatest enemy, as he seeks refuge in the courts of our enemies, to plot ‘gainst us.

Scipio Africanus: Myself have posted scouts and there are reports which speak, that he didst journey to Tyre, that land of their forefathers, but presently, if he hasn’t fled, he keeps his state in the court of Antiochus III of Syria in the great city of Ephesus.

Fabius Maximus: If that be true, then, prithee, why doth I hear reports that he didst arm himself at the head of an army?

Gaius Terentius Varro: Thou heardst right, aye, for he keeps himself busy by plotting ‘gainst us whilst quietly slipping through our fingers like grains of sand from the Sahara! There are reports that he wouldst launch an assault on us using the king's army.

Scipio Africanus: To that gentlemen we shouldst note, that I have the fullest confidence in the report o’th’spy, who says that the king doth plan an attack on our shores, but Hannibal shallst be away in the king’s court pondering over the knights and pawns in morose foreboding.

2^nd Senator: Prithee if we know of an assault, shouldst we not make haste to defend our shores?

Scipio Africanus: Aye, good senator fret not, for at first light me and my troops shallst be there to greet them. Without Hannibal's effortless guile, they shallst fall like a pack of cards. Then I the victor shallst write a letter to the king whilst holding hostages and ask him to immediately extradite Hannibal in return for the hostages. Then let him flee for soon the net of diplomacy will take root to scoop up the perch. If this fails then I will redouble my efforts to ensnare him!

Fabius Maximus: Then let us part for the night, as at an end today’s discussion is!

Others: Let us all!

[Exeunt