§22.61.1postquam Manlius dixit, quamquam patrum quoque plerosque captivi cognatione attingebant, praeter exemplum civitatis minime in captivos iam inde antiquitus indulgentis, pecuniae quoque summa homines movit, §22.61.2quia nec aerarium exhauriri, magna iam summa erogata in servos ad militiam emendos armandosque, nec Hannibalem maxime huiusce rei, ut fama erat, egentem locupletari volebant.
After Manlius spoke, although the prisoners were related by blood to most of the senators also, besides the precedent of the state, which from of old had been least indulgent toward prisoners, the sum of money also moved the men, because they neither wished the treasury to be exhausted, since a large sum had already been spent in purchasing and arming slaves for military service, nor did they wish Hannibal to be enriched, who, as report went, was in the greatest need of this very thing.
§22.61.3cum triste responsum, non redimi captivos, redditum esset, novusque super veterem luctus tot iactura civium adiectus esset, cum magnis fletibus questibusque legatos ad portam prosecuti sunt.
When the sad response was returned, that the prisoners were not to be ransomed, and a new grief was added to the old one by the loss of so many citizens, they accompanied the envoys to the gate with great weeping and lamentation.
§22.61.4unus ex iis domum abiit, quod fallaci reditu in castra iure iurando se exsolvisset.
One of them went home, because he had freed himself from his oath by a deceitful return to the camp.
quod ubi innotuit relatumque ad senatum est, omnes censuerunt conprehendendum et custodibus publice datis deducendum ad Hannibalem esse.
When this became known and was reported to the senate, all resolved that he should be arrested and, with guards publicly provided, conducted back to Hannibal.
est et alia de captivis fama: §22.61.5decem primo venisse; de eis cum dubitatum in senatu esset, admitterentur in urbem necne, ita admissos esse, ne tamen iis senatus daretur; §22.61.6morantibus deinde longius omnium spe alios tris insuper legatos venisse, L. Scribonium et C. Calpurnium et L. Manlium; §22.61.7tum demum ab cognato Scribonii tribuno plebis de redimendis captivis relatum esse, nec censuisse redimendos senatum; et novos legatos tris ad Hannibalem revertisse, decem veteres remansisse, §22.61.8quod per causam recognoscendi nomina captivorum ad Hannibalem ex itinere regressi religione sese exsolvissent; de iis dedendis magna contentione actum in senatu esse, victosque paucis sententiis, qui dedendos censuerint; §22.61.9ceterum proxumis censoribus adeo omnibus notis ignominiisque confectos esse, ut quidam eorum mortem sibi ipsi extemplo consciverint, ceteri non foro solum omni deinde vita sed prope luce ac publico caruerint.
There is also another report about the prisoners: that ten came first; when there was doubt in the senate about them, whether they should be admitted into the city or not, they were admitted in such a way that, nevertheless, an audience with the senate was not granted to them; that, as they then lingered longer than anyone expected, three other envoys came in addition, Lucius Scribonius, Gaius Calpurnius, and Lucius Manlius; that then at last a proposal concerning the ransoming of the prisoners was introduced by a tribune of the plebs, a relative of Scribonius, and that the senate resolved that they should not be ransomed; and that the three new envoys returned to Hannibal, but the ten old ones remained, because on the pretext of reviewing the names of the prisoners, having turned back from their journey to Hannibal, they had freed themselves from their religious obligation; that there was a great dispute in the senate about surrendering them, and those who voted that they should be surrendered were defeated by a few votes; but by the next censors they were so overwhelmed with all brands and ignominies that some of them immediately brought death upon themselves, while the rest, for all their subsequent life, went without not only the forum but almost the light and public life.
§22.61.10mirari magis adeo discrepare inter auctores quam, quid veri sit, discernere queas.
You would be more inclined to wonder that writers differ so much than to be able to discern what the truth is.
quanto autem maior ea clades superioribus cladibus fuerit, vel ea res indicio est, quod fides sociorum, quae ad eam diem firma steterat, tum labare coepit, nulla profecto alia de re, quam quod desperaverant de imperio.
However, how much greater that disaster was than previous disasters is indicated by this very fact, that the loyalty of the allies, which up to that day had stood firm, then began to waver, for no other reason, surely, than that they had despaired of the empire.
§22.61.11defecere autem ad Poenos hi populi: Campani, Atellani, Calatini, Hirpini, Apulorum pars, Samnites praeter Pentros, §22.61.12Bruttii omnes, Lucani, praeter hos Uzentini et Graecorum omnis ferme ora, Tarentini, Metapontini, Crotonienses Locrique, et Cisalpini omnes Galli.
Moreover, these peoples revolted to the Carthaginians: the Campanians, Atellani, Calatini, Hirpini, part of the Apulians, the Samnites except the Pentri, all the Bruttii, the Lucanians, besides these the Uzentini and almost all the Greek coast, the Tarentines, Metapontines, Crotoniates, and Locrians, and all the Cisalpine Gauls.
§22.61.13nec tamen eae clades defectionesque sociorum moverunt, ut pacis usquam mentio apud Romanos fieret, neque ante consulis Romam adventum nec postquam is rediit renovavitque memoriam acceptae cladis; §22.61.14quo in tempore ipso adeo magno animo civitas fuit, ut consuli ex tanta clade, cuius ipse causa maxima fuisset, redeunti et obviam itum frequenter ab omnibus ordinibus sit et gratiae actae, quod de re publica non desperasset; §22.61.15qui si Carthaginiensium ductor fuisset, nihil recusandum supplicii foret.
Nor yet did these disasters and the defections of the allies move the Romans to let any mention of peace be made among them, neither before the consul's arrival at Rome, nor after he returned and renewed the memory of the disaster sustained; at which very time the state was of so great courage that, when the consul was returning from so great a disaster, of which he himself had been the chief cause, people of all classes went out in crowds to meet him, and thanks were given to him because he had not despaired of the republic; who, if he had been a general of the Carthaginians, would have had to refuse no punishment.