§26.26.1Laevinus veris principio a Corcyra profectus navibus superato Leucata promunturio cum venisset Naupactum, Anticyram inde se petiturum edixit, ut praesto ibi Scopas Aetolique essent.
Laevinus, having set out by ship from Corcyra at the beginning of spring, when he had arrived at Naupactus after rounding the promontory of Leucatas, proclaimed that he would proceed from there to Anticyra, so that Scopas and the Aetolians might be ready for him there.
§26.26.2sita Anticyra est in Locride laeva parte sinum Corinthiacum intranti.
Anticyra is situated in Locris, on the left hand as one enters the Corinthian Gulf.
§26.26.3breve terra iter eo, brevis navigatio ab Naupacto est.
The journey there by land is short, and the voyage from Naupactus is also short.
tertio ferme post die utrimque oppugnari coepta est.
On about the third day after, the siege was begun from both sides.
gravior a maria oppugnatio erat, quia et tormenta machinaeque omnis generis in navibus erant, et Romani inde oppugnabant.
The attack from the sea was more severe, because there were catapults and siege engines of every kind on the ships, and the Romans were attacking from that side.
itaque intra paucos dies recepta urbs per deditionem Aetolis traditur, praeda ex pacto Romanis cessit.
And so, within a few days, the city, having been recovered by surrender, was handed over to the Aetolians, and the booty, according to the treaty, fell to the Romans.
§26.26.4litterae interea Laevino redditae consulem eum absentem declaratum, et successorem venire P. Sulpicium.
Meanwhile, letters were delivered to Laevinus, announcing that he had been declared consul in his absence, and that P. Sulpicius was coming as his successor.
ceterum diuturno ibi morbo inplicitus serius spe omnium Romam venit.
However, having been afflicted there by a long illness, he arrived in Rome later than anyone had expected.
M. Marcellus cum idibus Martiis consulatum inisset, §26.26.5senatum eo die moris modo causa habuit, professus nihil se absente conlega neque de re publica neque de provinciis acturum.
When M. Marcellus had entered upon his consulship on the Ides of March, he held the senate on that day merely for the sake of custom, declaring that in the absence of his colleague he would transact no business concerning either the state or the provinces.
§26.26.6scire se frequentis Siculos prope urbem in villis obtrectatorum suorum esse; quibus tantum abesse ut per se non liceat palam Romae crimina ficta ab inimicis vulgare, §26.26.7ut, ni simularent aliquem sibi timorem absente conlega dicendi de consule esse, ipse eis extemplo daturus senatum fuerit.
He said he knew that numerous Sicilians were near the city in the villas of his detractors; and that so far was it from being disallowed on his account for them to publish openly in Rome the false charges fabricated by his enemies, that, if they had not pretended to have some fear of speaking about the consul in the absence of his colleague, he himself would have granted them a senate immediately.
ubi quidem conlega venisset, non passurum quicquam prius agi, quam ut Siculi in senatum introducantur.
But when indeed his colleague had arrived, he would not suffer anything to be done before the Sicilians were introduced into the senate.
§26.26.8dilectum prope a M. Cornelio per totam Siciliam habitur, ut quam plurimi questum de se Romam venirent;
He added that a levy had been conducted by M.
eundem litteris falsis urbem inplesse, bellum in Sicilia esse, ut suam laudem minuat.
Cornelius almost throughout the whole of Sicily, in order that as many as possible might come to Rome to complain about him; and that the same man had filled the city with false letters saying that there was war in Sicily, in order to diminish his glory.
§26.26.9moderati animi gloriam eo die adeptus consul senatum dimisit; ac prope: iustitium omnium rerum futurum videbatur, donec alter consul ad urbem venisset.
Having obtained on that day the glory of a moderate mind, the consul dismissed the senate; and there seemed almost to be a suspension of all business until the other consul should come to the city.
§26.26.10otium, ut solet, excitavit plebis rumores: belli diuturnitatem et vastatos agros circa urbem, qua infesto agmine isset Hannibal, exhaustam dilectibus Italiam et prope quotannis caesos exercitus querebantur, §26.26.11et consules bellicosos ambo viros acresque nimis et feroces creatos, qui vel in pace tranquilla bellum excitare possent, nedum in bello respirare civitatem forent passuri.
The leisure, as is usual, excited the rumors of the plebeians: they complained of the long duration of the war, the devastated lands around the city through which Hannibal had marched with his hostile army, Italy exhausted by levies, and the armies destroyed almost every year, and that both consuls elected were warlike men, too fierce and impetuous, who were capable of stirring up war even in tranquil peace, much less likely to allow the state to take breath in war.