Final answer:
Scipio is shown as a man of Roman virtues, with his emotional display possibly challenging traditional masculinity, whereas the narrator in 'Daddy' tries to escape the oppression of her father's memory and paternalistic structures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The passage in question appears to depict Scipio as a complex character whose public emotional display might challenge the perceptions of traditional Roman masculinity. This suggests that the author may have indeed been concerned that Scipio's crying could be seen as un Roman, and thus, emphasizes his Roman deeds and contrasts them with a feminized depiction of his enemy, Hasdrubal. The feminization of the enemy could serve to underscore Scipio's masculinity and virtues as a Roman, despite his outward display of emotion, which was traditionally seen as a feminine trait.
In Sylvia Plath's poem Daddy, the narrator is trying to break away from the oppressive influence of her father's memory and perhaps broader paternalistic structures. The intense and conflicted emotions expressed in the poem convey the depth of the narrator's struggle and the nature of the break, which is both personal and symbolic, representing a broader escape from domination and constraint.