§26.40.1per idem tempus Laevinus consul, iam magna parte anni circumacta, in Siciliam veteribus novisque sociis expectatus cum venisset, primum ac potissimum omnium ratus Syracusis nova pace inconditas componere res; §26.40.2Agrigentum inde, quod belli reliquum erat tenebaturque a Carthaginiensium valido praesidio, duxit legiones.
Around the same time, the consul Laevinus, when a great part of the year had already passed, having arrived in Sicily where he was eagerly awaited by both old and new allies, thought that first and foremost of all things he should settle the disordered affairs in Syracuse under the new peace; thence he led his legions to Agrigentum, which was the remnant of the war and was held by a strong garrison of the Carthaginians.
§26.40.3et adfuit fortuna incepto.
And fortune favored the undertaking.
Hanno erat imperator Carthaginiensium, sed omnem in Muttine Numidisque spem repositam habebant.
Hanno was the commander of the Carthaginians, but they had placed all their hope in Muttines and the Numidians.
§26.40.4per totam Siciliam vagus praedas agebat ex sociis Romanorum neque intercludi ab Agrigento vi aut arte ulla nec, quin erumperet, ubi pellet, prohiberi poterat.
Wandering through the whole of Sicily, he was driving off plunder from the allies of the Romans, and he could not be cut off from Agrigentum by any force or skill, nor could he be prevented, whenever he wished, from breaking out.
§26.40.5haec eius gloria quia iam imperatoris quoque famae officiebat, postremo in invidiam vertit, ut ne bene gestae quidem res iam Hannoni propter auctorem satis laetae essent.
Because this glory of his was already eclipsing the reputation of the commander-in-chief as well, it finally turned into envy, so that not even well-conducted operations were any longer sufficiently pleasing to Hanno on account of the person who achieved them.
§26.40.6postremo praefecturam eius filio suo dedit, ratus cum imperio auctoritatem quoque ei inter Numidas erepturum quod longe aliter evenit:
Finally, he gave Muttines's command to his own son, thinking that with the command he would also strip him of his authority among the Numidians; which turned out far otherwise.
§26.40.7nam veterem favorem eius sua insuper invidia auxit, neque ille indignitatem iniuriae tulit confestimque ad Laevinum occultos nuntios misit de tradendo Agrigento.
For Hanno's envy moreover increased the old favor towards him, and he did not endure the indignity of the injustice, and immediately sent secret messengers to Laevinus about surrendering Agrigentum.
§26.40.8per quos ut est facta fides compositusque rei gerendae modus, portam ad mare ferentem Numidae cum occupassent pulsis inde custodibus aut caesis, Romanos ad id ipsum missos in urbem acceperunt.
When confidence was established through them and the manner of executing the plan was arranged, when the Numidians had occupied the gate leading to the sea, having driven off or slain the guards there, they admitted into the city the Romans sent for this very purpose.
§26.40.9et cum agmine iam in media urbis ac forum magno tumultu iretur, ratus Hanno non aliud quam tumultum ac secessionem, id quod et ante acciderat, Numidarum esse ad conprimendam seditionem processit.
And when the column was already marching into the center of the city and the forum with great tumult, Hanno, thinking that it was nothing other than a tumult and secession of the Numidians—which had also happened before—went out to suppress the mutiny.
§26.40.10atque ille, cum ei multitudo maior quam Numidarum procul visa, et clamor Romanus haudquaquam ignotus ad auris accidisset, priusquam ad ictum teli veniret, capessit fugam.
But he, when a multitude larger than that of the Numidians was seen by him from afar, and the Roman shout, by no means unknown, had reached his ears, before he came within the reach of a missile, took to flight.
§26.40.11per aversam portam emissus adsumpto comite Epicyde cum paucis ad mare pervenit, nactique opportune parvum navigium, relicta hostibus Sicilia, de qua per tot annos certatum erat, in Africam traiecerunt.
Escaping through the opposite gate, having taken Epicydes as a companion, he reached the sea with a few men; and having opportunely found a small vessel, leaving Sicily, about which they had contended for so many years, to the enemy, they crossed over to Africa.
§26.40.12alia multitudo Poenorum Siculorumque ne temptato quidem certamine cum caeci in fugam ruerent, clausique exitus essent, circa portas caesa.
The rest of the multitude of Carthaginians and Sicilians, without even attempting a battle, since they rushed blindly into flight and the exits had been closed, were slaughtered around the gates.
§26.40.13oppido recepto Laevinus, qui capita rerum Agrigenti erant, virgis caesos securi percussit, ceteros praedamque vendidit; omnem pecuniam Romam misit.
Having recovered the town, Laevinus scourged with rods and beheaded with an axe those who were the chief authors of the affairs at Agrigentum, and sold the rest and the booty; he sent all the money to Rome.
§26.40.14fama Agrigentinorum cladis Siciliam cum pervasisset, omnia repente ad Romanos inclinaverunt.
When the rumor of the slaughter of the Agrigentines had spread through Sicily, all things suddenly inclined to the Romans.
prodita brevi sunt viginti oppida, sex vi capta, voluntaria deditione in fidem venerunt ad quadraginta,
In a short time twenty towns were betrayed, six taken by force, and nearly forty came under their protection by voluntary surrender.
§26.40.15quarum civitatium principibus cum pro cuiusque merito consul pretia poenasque exsolvisset coegissetque Siculos positis tandem armis ad agrum colendum animos convertere, §26.40.16ut esset non incolarum modo alimentis frugifera insula, sed urbis Romae atque Italiae, id quod multis saepe tempestatibus fecerat, annonam levaret, ab Agathyrna inconditam multitudinem secum in Italiam transvexit.
When the consul, according to the merit of each, had distributed rewards and punishments to the leading men of these states, and had compelled the Sicilians, having at last laid down their arms, to turn their minds to cultivating the fields, so that the island might be fruitful not only for the sustenance of its inhabitants, but might ease the grain supply of the city of Rome and of Italy—as it had often done in many crises—he transported with him to Italy a disordered multitude from Agathyrna.
§26.40.17quattuor milia hominum erant, mixti ex omni conluvione, exules, obaerati, capitalia ausi plerique, cum in civitatibus suis ac sub legibus vixerant, et postquam eos ex variis causis fortuna similis conglobaverat Agathyrnam, per latrocinia ac rapinam tolerantes vitam.
There were four thousand men, mixed from every dreg, exiles, debtors, most of them having committed capital crimes when they had lived in their own states and under laws, and after a similar fortune had assembled them from various causes at Agathyrna, supporting their life through banditry and robbery.
§26.40.18hos neque relinquere Laevinus in insula tum primum nova pace coalescente velut materiam novandis rebus satis tutum ratus est, et Reginis usui futuri erant ad populandum Bruttium agrum adsuetam latrociniis quaerentibus manum.
Laevinus thought it not safe enough to leave these on the island, which was then for the first time coalescing in a new peace, like fuel for a revolution; and they were to be of use to the Regians, who were seeking a band accustomed to banditry for plundering the Bruttian territory.
et quod ad Siciliam attinet, eo anno debellatum est.
And as far as concerns Sicily, the war was brought to an end in that year.