§26.48.1eo die Scipio, C. Laelio cum sociis navalibus urbem custodire iusso, §26.48.2ipse in castra legiones reduxit fessosque milites omnibus uno die belli operibus, quippe qui et acie dimicassent et capienda urbe tantum laboris periculique adissent et capta cum iis, qui in arcem confugerant, iniquo etiam loco pugnassent, curare corpora iussit.
On that day, Scipio, having ordered Gaius Laelius to guard the city with the naval allies, himself led the legions back to the camp and ordered the soldiers—who were exhausted by all the labors of war in a single day, since they had both fought in the battle line and in capturing the city had undergone so much toil and danger, and after its capture had fought even in an unfavorable position with those who had fled to the citadel—to refresh themselves.
§26.48.3postero die militibus navalibusque sociis convocatis primum dis immortalibus laudes gratesque egit, qui se non urbis solum opulentissimae omnium in Hispania uno die compotem fecissent, sed ante eo congessissent omnis Africae atque Hispaniae opes, ut neque hostibus quicquam relinqueretur, et sibi ac suis omnia superessent.
On the following day, having called the soldiers and the naval allies to an assembly, he first offered praise and thanks to the immortal gods, who had not only made him master of the wealthiest city of all in Spain in a single day, but had previously amassed there all the wealth of Africa and Spain, so that nothing was left to the enemy, and everything was superabundant for himself and his men.
§26.48.4militum deinde virtutem conlaudavit, quod eos non eruptio hostium, non altitudo moenium, non inexplorata stagni vada, non castellum in alto tumulo situm, non munitissima arx deterruisset, quo minus transcenderent omnia perrumperentque.
Then he praised the courage of the soldiers, because neither the sally of the enemy, nor the height of the walls, nor the unexplored shallows of the lagoon, nor the fort situated on a high hill, nor the most strongly fortified citadel had deterred them from scaling and breaking through everything.
§26.48.5itaque quamquam omnibus omnia deberet, praecipuum muralis coronae decus eius esse, qui primus murum ascendisset; profiteretur, qui se dignum eo duceret dono.
Therefore, although he owed everything to all of them, the special honor of the mural crown belonged to him who had been the first to scale the wall; let him declare himself, whoever deemed himself worthy of that gift.
§26.48.6duo professi sunt, Q. Trebellius centurio legionis quartae et Sex. Digitius socius navalis.
Two declared themselves: Quintus Trebellius, a centurion of the fourth legion, and Sextus Digitius, a naval ally.
nec ipsi tam inter se acriter contendebant quam studia excitaverant uterque sui corporis hominum.
Nor did they themselves contend as fiercely with each other as they had excited the passions of the men of their respective bodies.
§26.48.7sociis C. Laelius praefectus classis, legionariis M. Sempronius Tuditanus aderat.
Gaius Laelius, the commander of the fleet, supported the allies, while Marcus Sempronius Tuditanus supported the legionaries.
§26.48.8ea contentio cum prope seditionem veniret, Scipio tris recuperatores cum se daturum pronuntiasset, qui cognita causa testibusque auditis iudicarent, uter prior in oppidum transcendisset, §26.48.9C. Laelio et M. Sempronio, advocatis partis utriusque, P. Cornelium Caudinum de medio adiecit eosque tris recuperatores considere et causam cognoscere iussit.
When this dispute was coming close to a mutiny, Scipio, having announced that he would appoint three recuperators to judge, after investigating the case and hearing the witnesses, which of the two had scaled the town first, added Publius Cornelius Caudinus as an impartial third party to Gaius Laelius and Marcus Sempronius, the advocates of each side, and ordered those three recuperators to sit and investigate the case.
§26.48.10cum res eo maiore ageretur certamine quod amoti tantae dignitatis non tam advocati quam moderatores studiorum fuerant, C. Laelius relicto consilio ad tribunal ad Scipionem accedit §26.48.11eumque docet rem sine modo ac modestia agi, ac prope esse, ut manus inter se conferant.
Since the matter was being conducted with all the greater conflict because those of such great dignity who had been set aside had been not so much advocates as directors of the passions of their groups, Gaius Laelius, leaving the council, approached Scipio at the tribunal, and informed him that the business was being conducted without limit or restraint, and was close to their coming to blows.
ceterum etiam si vis absit, nihilo minus detestabili exemplo rem agi, quippe ubi fraude ac periurio decus petatur virtutis.
Furthermore, even if violence should be absent, the matter was nevertheless being conducted with a detestable example, since the honor of courage was being sought through fraud and perjury.
§26.48.12stare hinc legionarios milites, hinc classicos, per omnis deos paratos iurare magis quae velint, quam quae sciant vera esse, et obstringere periurio non se solum suumque caput, sed signa militaria et aquilas sacramentique religionem.
On one side stood the legionary soldiers, on the other the sailors, ready to swear by all the gods what they wished rather than what they knew to be true, and to bind with perjury not only themselves and their own lives, but also the military standards, the eagles, and the sanctity of their military oath.
§26.48.13haec se ad eum de sententia P. Cornelii et M. Sempronii deferre.
He was reporting these things to him, he said, with the agreement of Publius Cornelius and Marcus Sempronius.
Scipio conlaudato Laelio ad contionem advocavit pronuntiavitque se satis compertum habere Q. Trebellium et Sex. Digitium pariter in murum escendisse, seque eos ambos virtutis causa coronis muralibus donare.
Scipio, having praised Laelius, called an assembly and declared that he had sufficiently ascertained that Quintus Trebellius and Sextus Digitius had scaled the wall at the same time, and that he was presenting both of them with mural crowns on account of their courage.
§26.48.14tum reliquos, prout cuiusque meritum virtusque erat, donavit; ante omnis C. Laelium praefectum classis et omni genere laudis sibimet ipse aequavit et corona aurea ac triginta bubus donavit.
Then he rewarded the others, according as each had merit and courage; above all, Gaius Laelius, the commander of the fleet, whom he equaled to himself in every kind of praise, and presented with a golden crown and thirty oxen.