▁with ▁his ▁mind ▁focused ▁on ▁the ▁god ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁e ve ▁of ▁departure ▁to ▁Italy ▁he ▁saw ▁a ▁strange ▁vision ▁which ▁he ▁believed ▁was ▁sent ▁by ▁Mel q art . ▁ ▁A ▁youth ▁of ▁divine ▁beauty ▁appeared ▁to ▁Hann ib al ▁in ▁the ▁night . ▁ ▁The ▁youth ▁told ▁Hann ib al ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁sent ▁by ▁supre me ▁de ity , ▁Jup iter , ▁to ▁guide ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁H amil car ▁to ▁Italy . ▁“ F ollow ▁me ,” ▁said ▁the ▁g host ly ▁visitor , ▁“ and ▁see ▁that ▁that ▁thou ▁look ▁not ▁behind ▁thee .” ▁Hann ib al ▁followed ▁the ▁instructions ▁of ▁the ▁visitor . ▁ ▁His ▁curiosity , ▁however , ▁over c ame ▁him , ▁and ▁as ▁he ▁turned ▁his ▁head , ▁Hann ib al ▁saw ▁a ▁ser pent ▁crash ing ▁through ▁forest ▁and ▁th icket ▁causing ▁destruction ▁everywhere . ▁It ▁moved ▁as ▁a ▁black ▁temp est ▁with ▁cla ps ▁of ▁th under ▁and ▁flash es ▁of ▁light ning ▁gathered ▁behind ▁the ▁ser pent . ▁When ▁Hann ib al ▁asked ▁the ▁meaning ▁of ▁the ▁vision ▁the ▁being ▁replied , ▁“ What ▁thou ▁beh old est ▁is ▁the ▁des olation ▁of ▁Italy . ▁Follow ▁thy ▁star ▁and ▁in quire ▁no ▁farther ▁into ▁the ▁dark ▁coun s els ▁of ▁heaven .” ▁ ▁Gra ec o - R oman ▁trad itions ▁It ▁was ▁suggested ▁by ▁some ▁writers ▁that ▁the ▁Pho en ician ▁Mel ic ert es ▁son ▁of ▁In o ▁found ▁in ▁Greek ▁myth ology ▁was ▁in ▁origin ▁a ▁reflection