Hannibal ante portas
The Latin phrase Hannibal ante portas ("Hannibal at the gates") is based on the historical utterance Hannibal ad portas ("Hannibal at the gates") in the Philippian speeches of the Roman politician and writer Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BC). ), in which there is a warning against Mark Antony's claim to power .
In the Philippian speeches ("Hannibal, credo, erat ad portas" with ironic "credo") and the work De finibus bonorum et malorum ("Si Hannibal ad portas venisset," with unreal "venisset") the expression stands for an immediate threat to existence , but in both places Cicero speaks of an only imagined, only alleged or only imagined danger. In other places in the Philippian speeches, Cicero equates - but without using the phrase "Hannibal ad portas" - Antonius with the most feared general of Rome's arch enemy, Hannibal of Carthage , who was the one in the Second Punic War after his legendary march across the Alps never actually stood at the gates of Rome, the devastating attack of which one in Rome must very well feared. That trauma was later reflected in a catchphrase . Other Roman writers such as the historian Titus Livius (49 BC to 17 AD) also took up the phrase and used it in their writings to denote a great danger, mostly relating directly to Hannibal.
"Hannibal ante portas" indicates the location of Hannibal. Hannibal is therefore right outside the gates of Rome. However, Hannibal was never before Rome, only near Rome and rather moved around in the other areas of Italy. Therefore the popular quote “Hannibal ante portas” is wrong. The term "Hannibal ad portas" can refer to the location of Hannibal near the gates (Hannibal at the gates). The preposition "ad" mainly indicates the direction, i. H. Hannibal was on the way "to the" gates. This translation seems to make the most sense because Hannibal marched on Rome after his victory in the battle of Cannae .
Today the saying is used to warn of an imminent danger, for example a person or thing that appears to be threatening. The potential is also used comedically: a film by the German humorist Loriot is entitled Pappa ante portas .
literature
- Michael Maaß : Ceterum censeo ... or something. In: Badisches Landesmuseum Karlsruhe (ed.): Hannibal ad Portas. Power and wealth of Carthage. Theiss Verlag, Stuttgart 2004, pp. 380–382.
Individual evidence
- ^ Marcus Tullius Cicero: Philippicae orationes 1,11.
- ↑ Marcus Tullius Cicero: De finibus bonorum et malorum 4,22.
- ↑ Titus Livius: Ab urbe condita 23,16,2 ( cum Hannibal ad portas esset ).
- ↑ Titus Livius: Ab urbe condita 26,41,12 ( et visum prope in portis victorem Hannibalem ).
- ↑ Cf. Duden online: Under Hannibal ad portas , the usual language usage with ante is rated as "incorrect".