§28.24.1Scipio ipse gravi morbo implicitus, graviore tamen fama, cum ad id quisque quod audierat insita hominibus libidine alendi de industria rumores adiceret aliquid, provinciam omnem ac maxime longinqua eius turbavit; §28.24.2apparuitque, quantam excitatura molem vera fuisset clades, cum vanus rumor tantas procellas excivisset.
Scipio himself was afflicted with a serious illness, but the rumor was even more serious, since everyone added something to what they had heard out of an innate human desire to industry-intentionally nurture rumors, which disturbed the whole province and especially its distant parts; and it became apparent how great a commotion a real disaster would have excited, since an empty rumor had stirred up such great tempests.
non socii in fide, non exercitus in officio mansit.
Neither did the allies remain in their allegiance, nor the army in their duty.
§28.24.3Mandonius et Indibilis, quibus, quia regnum sibi Hispaniae pulsis inde Carthaginiensibus destinarant animis, §28.24.4nihil pro spe contigerat, concitatis popularibus — Lacetani autem erant — et iuventute Celtiberorum excita agrum Suessetanum Sedetanumque sociorum populi Romani hostiliter depopulati sunt.
Mandonius and Indibilis, for whom—because they had destined in their minds the kingdom of Spain for themselves once the Carthaginians were driven out thence— nothing had happened according to their hope, having stirred up their countrymen—who were Lacetani—and having excited the youth of the Celtiberians, hostilely ravaged the Suessetanian and Sedetanian territory of the allies of the Roman people.
civilis alius furor in castris ad Sucronem ortus.
Another civil madness arose in the camp at Sucro.
§28.24.5octo ibi milia militum erant, praesidium gentibus, quae cis Hiberum incolunt, inpositum.
There were eight thousand soldiers there, placed as a garrison for the nations that inhabit this side of the Ebro.
§28.24.6motae autem eorum mentes sunt non tum primum, cum de vita imperatoris dubii rumores allati sunt, sed iam ante licentia ex dintino, ut fit, otio conlecta, et non nihil, quod in hostico laxius rapto suetis vivere artiores in pace res erant.
Now their minds were disturbed not then for the first time, when doubtful rumors about the commander's life were brought, but already before by the license gathered from prolonged idleness, as usually happens, and not a little because, for those accustomed to live more loosely on plunder in enemy territory, conditions in peace were more restricted.
§28.24.7ac primo sermones tantum occulti serebantur: si bellum in provincia esset, quid sese inter pacatos facere? si debellatum iam et confecta provincia esset, cur in Italiam non revehi?
And at first only secret conversations were spread: if there were war in the province, what were they doing among pacified peoples? If the war was already finished and the province subdued, why were they not being carried back to Italy?
§28.24.8flagitatum quoque stipendium procacius quam ex more et modestia militari erat, et ab custodibus probra in circumeuntes vigilias tribunos iacta, et noctu quidam praedatum in agrum circa pacatum ierant; postremo interdiu ac propalam sine commeatu ab signis abibant.
Demands were also made for pay more insolently than was according to military custom and modesty, and insults were thrown by the guards at the tribunes patrolling the watches, and by night some had gone to plunder into the surrounding pacified territory; finally, by day and openly, they departed from the standards without leave.
§28.24.9omnia libidine ac licentia militum, nihil instituto ac disciplina militiae aut imperio eorum, qui praeerant, gerebatur.
Everything was conducted according to the desire and license of the soldiers, nothing according to the institution and discipline of military service or the command of those who were in charge.
§28.24.10forma tamen Romanorum castrorum constabat una ea re, quod tribunos, ex contagione furoris haud expertes seditionis defectionisque rati fore, et iura reddere in principiis sinebant et signum ab eis petebant et in stationes ac vigilias ordine ibant; §28.24.11et ut vim imperii abstulerant, ita speciem dicto parentiun, ultro ipsi imperantes, servabant.
Yet the form of a Roman camp was maintained by this one thing: that, because they thought the tribunes, from the contagion of their madness, would not be free from sedition and defection, they both allowed them to administer justice in the headquarters, and sought the watchword from them, and went on guard and watch in order; and while they had taken away the force of authority, they nevertheless preserved the appearance of those obeying a command, they themselves actually commanding.
§28.24.12erupit deinde seditio, postquam reprehendere atque inprobare tribunos ea, quae fierent, et conari obviam ire et propalam abnuere furoris eorum se futuros socios senserunt.
The mutiny then broke out, after they perceived that the tribunes were censuring and disapproving of what was being done, and trying to oppose it, and openly refusing that they would be associates in their madness.
§28.24.13fugatis itaque e principiis ac post paulo e castris tribunis, ad principes seditionis, gregarios milites, C. Albium Calenum et C. Atrium Umbrum, delatum omnium consensu imperium est.
Therefore, the tribunes having been driven from the headquarters and shortly after from the camp, the command was conferred by the consensus of all upon the leaders of the sedition, common soldiers, Gaius Albius Calenus and Gaius Atrius Umber.
§28.24.14qui nequaquam tribuniciis contenti ornamentis insignia etiam summi imperii, fasces securesque, attrectare ausi; neque venit in mentem suis tergis suisque cervicibus virgas illas securesque imminere, quas ad metum aliorum praeferrent.
Who, by no means content with the ornaments of a tribune, even dared to touch the insignia of supreme command, the fasces and axes; nor did it enter their minds that those rods and axes, which they carried before them to the terror of others, were hanging over their own backs and necks.
§28.24.15mors Scipionis falso credita obcaecabat animos, sub cuius vulgatam mox famam non dubitabant totam Hispaniam arsuram bello; §28.24.16in eo tumultu et sociis pecunias imperari et diripi propinquas urbes posse, et turbatis rebus, cum omnia omnes auderent, minus insignia fore, quae ipsi fecissent.
The falsely believed death of Scipio blinded their minds, under the soon-to-be-spread rumor of which they did not doubt that all Spain would burn with war; in that tumult both money could be demanded from the allies and nearby cities plundered, and in the disturbed state of affairs, since everyone would dare everything, the things they themselves had done would be less conspicuous.