§23.30.1dum haec in Hispania geruntur, Petelia in Bruttiis aliquot post mensibus, quam coepta oppugnari erat, ab Himilcone praefecto Hannibalis expugnata est.
While these things were going on in Spain, Petelia in the Bruttian territory, some months after its siege had begun, was taken by storm by Himilco, a lieutenant of Hannibal.
§23.30.2multo sanguine ac volneribus ea Poenis victoria stetit, nec ulla magis vis obsessos quam fames expugnavit.
That victory cost the Carthaginians much blood and many wounds, nor did any force conquer the besieged more than hunger.
§23.30.3absumptis enim frugum alimentis carnisque omnis generis quadrupedum suetae insuetaeque, postremo coriis herbisque et radicibus et corticibus teneris strictisque foliis vixere, §23.30.4nec ante, quam vires ad standum in muris ferendaque arma deerant, expugnati sunt.
For, having consumed all the nourishment of grain, and of meat of every kind of quadruped, both accustomed and unaccustomed, they finally lived on hides, herbs, roots, and tender bark and stripped leaves, nor were they conquered before strength to stand on the walls and bear arms was lacking.
§23.30.5recepta Petelia Poenus ad Consentiam copias traducit, quam minus pertinaciter defensam intra paucos dies in deditionem accepit.
Having recovered Petelia, the Carthaginian moved his forces to Consentia, which, being less obstinately defended, he received in surrender within a few days.
§23.30.6isdem ferme diebus et Bruttiorum exercitus Crotonem, Graecam urbem, circumsedit, opulentam quondam armis virisque, tum iam adeo multis magnisque cladibus adflictam, ut omnis aetatis minus duo milia civium superessent.
About the same days, an army of the Bruttians also besieged Croton, a Greek city, once opulent in arms and men, but then already afflicted by so many and great disasters that fewer than two thousand citizens of every age survived.
§23.30.7itaque urbe a defensoribus vacua facile potiti hostes sunt; arx tantum retenta, in quam inter tumultum captae urbis e media caede quidam effugere.
Therefore, the enemy easily took possession of the city, which was empty of defenders; only the citadel was retained, into which, amid the confusion of the captured city, some fled from the midst of the slaughter.
§23.30.8et Locrenses descivere ad Bruttios Poenosque prodita multitudine a principibus.
The Locrians also defected to the Bruttians and Carthaginians, the multitude being betrayed by their leading men.
§23.30.9Regini tantummodo regionis eius et in fide erga Romanos et potestatis suae ad ultimum manserunt.
Only the Rhegians of that region remained both in allegiance to the Romans and under their own power to the very last.
§23.30.10in Siciliam quoque eadem inclinatio animorum pervenit, et ne domus quidem Hieronis tota ab defectione abstinuit.
In Sicily also, the same inclination of minds arrived, and not even the entire house of Hiero abstained from defection.
§23.30.11namque Gelo, maximus stirpis, contempta simul senectute patris simul post Cannensem cladem Romana societate ad Poenos defecit, §23.30.12movissetque in Sicilia res, nisi mors adeo opportuna, ut patrem quoque suspicione aspergeret, armantem eum multitudinem sollicitantemque socios absumpsisset.
For Gelo, the eldest of the family, despising at once the old age of his father and the Roman alliance after the disaster of Cannae, defected to the Carthaginians; and he would have stirred up trouble in Sicily, had not a death so timely that it cast suspicion even upon his father, snatched him away while he was arming the multitude and soliciting the allies.
§23.30.13haec eo anno in Italia, in Africa, in Sicilia, in Hispania vario eventu acta.
These things were done that year in Italy, Africa, Sicily, and Spain with varying success.
exitu anni Q. Fabius Maximus a senatu postulavit, ut aedem Veneris Erycinae, quam dictator vovisset, dedicare liceret.
At the close of the year, Q. Fabius Maximus requested of the senate that he might be permitted to dedicate the temple of Venus Erycina, which he had vowed when dictator.
§23.30.14senatus decrevit, ut Ti.
The senate decreed that Ti.
Sempronius consul designatus, cum magistratum inisset, ad populum ferret, ut Q. Fabium duumvirum esse iuberent aedis dedicandae causa.
Sempronius, the consul-elect, when he entered upon his magistracy, should propose to the people that they should command Q. Fabius to be a commissioner of two for the purpose of dedicating the temple.
§23.30.15et M. Aemilio Lepido, qui consul augurque fuerat, filii tres, Lucius, Marcus, Quintus, ludos funebres per triduum et gladiatorum paria duo et viginti in foro dederunt.
And for M. Aemilius Lepidus, who had been consul and augur, his three sons, Lucius, Marcus, and Quintus, gave funeral games for three days, and twenty-two pairs of gladiators in the forum.
§23.30.16aediles curules C. Laetorius et Ti.
The curule aediles, C.
Sempronius Gracchus, consul designatus, qui in aedilitate magister equitum fuerat, ludos Romanos fecerunt, qui per triduum instaurati sunt.
Laetorius and Ti. Sempronius Gracchus, the consul-elect, who during his aedileship had been master of the horse, exhibited the Roman games, which were repeated for three days.
§23.30.17plebei ludi aedilium M. Aureli Cottae et M. Claudi Marcelli ter instaurati.
The plebeian games of the aediles M. Aurelius Cotta and M. Claudius Marcellus were thrice repeated.
circumacto tertio anno Punici belli Ti.
The third year of the Punic War having run its course, Ti.
Sempronius consul idibus Martiis magistratum init.
Sempronius, the consul, entered upon his magistracy on the Ides of March.
§23.30.18praetores Q. Fulvius Flaccus, qui antea bis consul censorque fuerat, urbanam, M. Valerius Laevinus peregrinam sortem in iuris dictione habuit; Ap.
Of the praetors, Q. Fulvius Flaccus, who had previously been twice consul and censor, had the city jurisdiction, M. Valerius Laevinus the foreign jurisdiction; Ap.
Claudius Pulcher Siciliam, Q. Mucius Scaevola Sardiniam sortiti sunt.
Claudius Pulcher drew Sicily, Q. Mucius Scaevola Sardinia.
M. Marcello pro consule imperium esse populus iussit,
The people commanded that M.
§23.30.19quod post Cannensem cladem unus Romanorum imperatorum in Italia prospere rem gessisset.
Marcellus should have command as proconsul, because after the disaster of Cannae he was the only one of the Roman generals in Italy who had conducted affairs successfully.