Nec mi aurum posco nec mi pretium dederitis, Nec[34] cauponantes bellum, sed belligerantes Ferro, non auro vitam cernamus utrique. Vosne velit an me regnare era, quidve ferat Fors, Virtute experiamur. Et hoc simul accipe dictum: Quorum virtuti[35] belli fortuna pepercit, Eorundem libertati me parcere certum est. Dono, ducite, doque volentibus cum magnis dis. Regalis sane et digna Aeacidarum genere sententia. [32] _effecit_ Edd.; _efficit_ MSS. [33] _cum cive_ [Edd.: _civi_] _aliter contendimus si_ L, Anemoecius, Edd.; _cum civiliter contendimus aliter si_ A B H a b c. [34] _Nec_ A B H b c; _Non_ L p, Bt., Heine. [35] _virtuti_ A B^2 L c, Edd.; _virtute_ B^1 H b; _virtutei_ Vahlen. XII. This also I observe--that he who would properly have been called "a fighting enemy" (_perduellis_) was called "a guest" (_hostis_), thus relieving the ugliness of the fact by a softened expression; for "enemy" (_hostis_) meant to our ancestors what we now call "stranger" (_peregrinus_). This is proved by the usage in the Twelve Tables: "Or a day fixed for trial with a stranger" (_hostis_). And again: "Right of ownership is inalienable for ever in dealings with a stranger" (_hostis_). What can exceed such charity, when he with whom one is at war is called by so gentle a name? And yet long lapse of time has given that word a harsher meaning: for it has lost its signification of "stranger" and has taken on the technical connotation of "an enemy under arms." #Justice in war.# *38* But when a war is fought out for supremacy and when glory is the object of war, it must still not fail to start from the same motives which I said a moment ago were the only righteous grounds for going to war. But those wars which have glory for their end must be carried on with less bitterness. For we contend, for example, with a fellow-citizen in one way, if he is a personal enemy, in another, if he is a rival: with the rival it is a struggle for office and position, with the enemy for life and honour. So with the Celtiberians and the Cimbrians we fought as with deadly enemies, not to determine which should be supreme, but which should survive; but with the Latins, Sabines, Samnites, Carthaginians, and Pyrrhus we fought for supremacy. The Carthaginians violated treaties; Hannibal was cruel; the others were more merciful. From Pyrrhus we have this famous speech on the exchange of prisoners: