§21.20.1in iis nova terribilisque species visa est, quod armati — ita mos gentis erat — in concilium venerunt.
Among them a strange and terrifying sight was seen, because they came armed—for such was the custom of the nation—to the council.
§21.20.2cum verbis extollentes gloriam virtutemque populi Romani ac magnitudinem imperii petissent, ne Poeno bellum Italiae inferenti per agros urbesque suas transitum darent, §21.20.3tantus cum fremitu risus dicitur ortus, ut vix a magistratibus maioribusque natu iuventus sedaretur; §21.20.4adeo stolida inpudensque postulatio visa est censere, ne in Italiam transmittant Galli bellum, ipsos id avertere in se agrosque suos pro alienis populandos obicere.
When, extolling in words the glory and valour of the Roman people and the greatness of their empire, they had requested that they should not grant a passage through their lands and cities to the Carthaginian who was bringing war upon Italy, so great a laugh is said to have arisen, accompanied by shouting, that the young men could scarcely be quieted by the magistrates and elders; so foolish and shameless did the demand seem, to propose that the Gauls should not let the war cross over into Italy, but should turn it upon themselves and expose their own lands to be ravaged for the sake of other people's.
§21.20.5sedato tandem fremitu responsum legatis est, neque Romanorum in se meritum esse neque Carthaginiensium iniuriam, ob quae aut pro Romanis aut adversus Poenos sumant arma; §21.20.6contra ea audire sese, gentis suae homines agro finibusque Italiae pelli a populo Romano stipendiumque pendere et cetera indigna pati.
When the clamour was at last quieted, answer was made to the envoys that there was neither any service of the Romans toward them, nor any injury of the Carthaginians, on account of which they should take up arms either on behalf of the Romans or against the Carthaginians; on the contrary, they heard that the men of their own nation were being driven from the lands and borders of Italy by the Roman people, and were paying tribute and suffering all other indignities.
§21.20.7eadem ferme in ceteris Galliae conciliis dicta auditaque; nec hospitale quicquam pacatumve satis prius auditum, quam Massiliam venere.
Almost the same things were said and heard in the other councils of Gaul; nor was anything hospitable or sufficiently peaceful heard until they came to Massilia.
§21.20.8ibi omnia ab sociis inquisita cum cura ac fide cognita: praeoccupatos iam ante ab Hannibale Gallorum animos esse; sed ne illi quidem ipsi satis mitem gentem fore — adeo ferocia atque indomita ingenia esse —, ni subinde auro, cuius avidissima gens est, principum animi concilientur.
There, everything, having been inquired into by their allies with care and good faith, was made known: that the minds of the Gauls had already been preoccupied by Hannibal; but that not even to him himself would they be a sufficiently gentle nation—so fierce and untameable are their tempers—, unless from time to time the minds of their chiefs should be won over with gold, of which the nation is extremely greedy.
§21.20.9ita peragratis Hispaniae Galliaeque populis legati Romam redeunt haud ita multo post, quam consules in provincias profecti erant.
Thus, having traversed the peoples of Spain and Gaul, the envoys returned to Rome not long after the consuls had set out for their provinces.
civitatem omnem expectatione belli erectam invenerunt, satis constante fama iam Hiberum Poenos transisse.
They found the whole state excited in expectation of war, with a sufficiently constant rumour that the Carthaginians had already crossed the Ebro.