The Young Carthaginian 19

Study Guide Questions for Ch. 19 “In the Mines”

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Grammar Questions: (The Information of the Text)

1. What were some reasons Hannibal did not want to march against Rome immediately after his incredible victory at Cannae?

2. What “policy” did Hannibal continue to act upon instead of attacking Rome directly?

3. What two reasons did the Roman Senate give for not allowing anyone to pay ransom for captured Roman soldiers?

4. How many soldiers did Rome muster together over the winter to oppose Hannibal?

5. What island did Malchus and his men end up on and what forced them to take refuge there?

6. What course of action is decided upon by the Carthaginian officers when they realize they are surrounded by an overwhelming number of the enemy?

7. Describe the kind of labor the Carthaginian captives were forced to complete. What were they doing and what were the conditions like?

8. What reason did the officer in charge give for not putting Malchus to the same kind of labor as the rest of his men?

9. Describe the plan that Malchus and his men come up with to escape the labor camp. 

10. How does having this plan of escape affect Malchus’ men?

Logic Questions: (Interpreting, Comparing/Contrasting, Reasoning)

1. Why do you think the senate didn’t punish Varro for his failure against Hannibal?

2. Why were the Carthaginian soldiers so calm in the midst of the dangerous storm when the Capuan sailors were in “despair”?

3. Why would Malchus and his men risk being killed by trying to escape from the labor camp?

4. Why is it that Malchus is so frequently captured in this story? Is there something about his character that explains this or is it mere coincidence?

Rhetoric Questions: (The Analysis of Ideas in the Text)

1. Should Hannibal have pressed the attack against Rome itself as some of his officers urged him to do? Why or why not?

2. What do you think about the Roman senate’s policy of not allowing the ransom of soldiers from the enemy? Is it prudent? Is it cruel? Consider the reasons the Romans gave for this policy and either affirm them with reason or reject them with reason.

Theological Analysis: (Sola Scriptura)

1. Read Psalm 49. According to the Scripture, who can and who cannot be ransomed before God? Who alone, according to this psalm, can ransom the soul of a man from death?