History of Rome

​Scipio himself was afflicted with a serious illness, but the rumor was even more serious, since everyone added something to what they had heard out of an innate human desire to intentionally nurture rumors, which disturbed the whole province and especially its distant parts;

​and it became apparent how great a commotion a real disaster would have excited, since an empty rumor had stirred up such great tempests. Neither did the allies remain in their allegiance, nor the army in their duty.

​Mandonius and Indibilis, for whom—because they had destined in their minds the kingdom of Spain for themselves once the Carthaginians were driven out thence— ​nothing had happened according to their hope, having stirred up their countrymen—who were Lacetani—and having excited the youth of the Celtiberians, hostilely ravaged the Suessetanian and Sedetanian territory of the allies of the Roman people. Another civil madness arose in the camp at Sucro.

​There were eight thousand soldiers there, placed as a garrison for the nations that inhabit this side of the Ebro.

​Now their minds were disturbed not then for the first time, when doubtful rumors about the commander’s life were brought, but already before by the license gathered from prolonged idleness, as usually happens, and not a little because, for those accustomed to live more loosely on plunder in enemy territory, conditions in peace were more restricted.

​And at first only secret conversations were spread: if there were war in the province, what were they doing among pacified peoples? If the war was already finished and the province subdued, why were they not being carried back to Italy?

​Demands were also made for pay more insolently than was according to military custom and modesty, and insults were thrown by the guards at the tribunes patrolling the watches, and by night some had gone to plunder into the surrounding pacified territory; finally, by day and openly, they departed from the standards without leave.

​Everything was conducted according to the desire and license of the soldiers, nothing according to the institution and discipline of military service or the command of those who were in charge.

​Yet the form of a Roman camp was maintained by this one thing: that, because they thought the tribunes, from the contagion of their madness, would not be free from sedition and defection, they both allowed them to administer justice in the headquarters, and sought the watchword from them, and went on guard and watch in order;

​and while they had taken away the force of authority, they nevertheless preserved the appearance of those obeying a command, they themselves actually commanding.

​The mutiny then broke out, after they perceived that the tribunes were censuring and disapproving of what was being done, and trying to oppose it, and openly refusing that they would be associates in their madness.

​Therefore, the tribunes having been driven from the headquarters and shortly after from the camp, the command was conferred by the consensus of all upon the leaders of the sedition, common soldiers, Gaius Albius Calenus and Gaius Atrius Umber.

​Who, by no means content with the ornaments of a tribune, even dared to touch the insignia of supreme command, the fasces and axes; nor did it enter their minds that those rods and axes, which they carried before them to the terror of others, were hanging over their own backs and necks.

​The falsely believed death of Scipio blinded their minds, under the soon-to-be-spread rumor of which they did not doubt that all Spain would burn with war;

​in that tumult both money could be demanded from the allies and nearby cities plundered, and in the disturbed state of affairs, since everyone would dare everything, the things they themselves had done would be less conspicuous.