History of Rome

​Upon these letters being read, they decreed that Gaius Aurelius the consul should order the army, for which he had appointed a day to assemble in Etruria, ​to be present at Ariminum on the same day; and either he himself, if he could do so consistently with the public interest, should set out to suppress the Gallic uprising, or he should write to the praetor, ​that, when the legions from Etruria should have come to him, five thousand of the allies having been sent in their place, which in the meantime should serve as a protection for Etruria, he himself should set out to free the colony from the siege.

​They also voted that ambassadors should be sent to Africa, the same to Carthage, the same to Numidia to Masinissa:

​to Carthage, to report that their citizen Hamilcar, who had been left in Gaul—they did not know for certain whether from Hasdrubal’s army earlier, or from Mago’s army later—

​was making war contrary to the treaty, and had roused the armies of the Gauls and Ligurians to arms against the Roman people; and that he, if peace pleased them, must be recalled by them and surrendered to the Roman people.

​At the same time, they were ordered to report that not all the deserters had been returned to them, and that a large part of them was said to be openly moving about at Carthage; and that these ought to be arrested and searched for, so that they might be restored to them according to the treaty.

​These were the instructions to the Carthaginians. They were ordered to congratulate Masinissa, because he had not only recovered his paternal kingdom, but had also increased it, the most flourishing part of Syphax’s territory having been added.

​They were ordered, moreover, to announce that war had been undertaken with King Philip, ​because he had aided the Carthaginians with reinforcements, and by inflicting injuries on the allies of the Roman people while war was raging in Italy, had compelled fleets and armies to be sent into Greece, and by dividing the forces, had been a chief cause of the later crossing into Africa; and they were to ask that he send reinforcements of Numidian cavalry for that war.

​Ample gifts were given for them to carry to the king: ​golden and silver vessels, a purple toga and an embroidered tunic with an ivory scepter, and a bordered toga with a curule chair; and they were ordered to promise that, if he should indicate that there was any need for them to strengthen and enlarge the kingdom, the Roman people would eagerly provide this in accordance with his merit.

​The ambassadors of Vermina, son of Syphax, also approached the senate during those days, excusing his error and youth, and turning all the blame upon the deceit of the Carthaginians:

​and saying that Masinissa had also been made a friend from an enemy to the Romans; and that Vermina also would strive lest he be surpassed in services toward the Roman people either by Masinissa or by any other; and they begged that he be called king, ally, and friend by the senate.

​It was answered to the ambassadors that both his father Syphax had suddenly become an enemy of the Roman people from an ally and friend without cause, and that he himself had laid down the first trial of his youth in provoking the Romans with war.

​Therefore, peace must first be sought by him from the Roman people, before he could be called king, ally, and friend; for the Roman people were accustomed to give the honor of that title in proportion to the great services of kings toward them.

​That Roman ambassadors would be in Africa, to whom the senate would give instructions to dictate terms of peace to Vermina, provided he left the free decision of it to the Roman people; if he should wish anything to be added, removed, or changed in them, he would have to request it again from the senate.

​The ambassadors sent to Africa with these instructions were Gaius Terentius Varro, Spurius Lucretius, and Gnaeus Octavius. A quinquereme was given to each.