§30.27.1principio insequentis anni M. Servilius et Ti. Claudius senatu in Capitolium vocato de provinciis rettulerunt. §30.27.2Italiam atque Africam in sortem coici, Africam ambo cupientes, volebant.
At the beginning of the following year, Marcus Servilius and Tiberius Claudius, having summoned the senate to the Capitol, made a motion concerning the provinces. They wished Italy and Africa to be cast into the lot, both of them desiring Africa.
ceterum Q. Metello maxime adnitente neque negata neque data est Africa; §30.27.3consules iussi cum tribunis plebis agere, ut, si iis videretur, populum rogarent, quem vellent in Africa bellum gerere.
However, due to the utmost exertion of Quintus Metellus, Africa was neither denied nor granted; the consuls were ordered to act with the tribunes of the plebs so that, if it seemed good to them, they should ask the people whom they wished to conduct the war in Africa.
omnes tribus P. Scipionem iusserunt. §30.27.4nihilo minus consules provinciam Africam — ita enim senatus decreverat — in sortem coniecerunt. §30.27.5Ti. Claudio Africa evenit, ut quinquaginta navium classem, omnes quinqueremes, in Africam traiceret parique imperio cum P. Scipione esset; §30.27.6M. Servilius Etruriam sortitus.
All the tribes ordered Publius Scipio. Nonetheless, the consuls cast the province of Africa into the lot—for so the senate had decreed. Africa fell to Tiberius Claudius, on the condition that he should cross over a fleet of fifty ships, all quinqueremes, into Africa, and should have equal command with Publius Scipio; Marcus Servilius obtained Etruria by lot.
in eadem provincia et C. Servilio prorogatum imperium, si consulem manere ad urbem senatu placuisset. §30.27.7praetores M. Sextius Galliam est sortitus, ut duas legiones provinciamque traderet ei P. Quinctilius Varus; C. Livius Bruttios cum duabus legionibus, quibus P. Sempronius proconsul priore anno praefuerat; §30.27.8Cn. Tremellius Siciliam, ut a P. Villio Tappulo praetore prioris anni provinciam et duas legiones acciperet; Villius pro praetore viginti navibus longis et militibus mille oram Siciliae tutaretur; §30.27.9M. Pomponius viginti navibus reliquis mille et quingentos milites Romam deportaret; C. Aurelio Cottae urbana evenit. §30.27.10ceteris ita, uti quisque obtinebant provincias exercitusque, prorogata imperia.
In the same province, the command was also prorogued for Gaius Servilius, in case it should please the senate that the consul should remain at the city. As for the praetors, Marcus Sextius obtained Gallia by lot, so that Publius Quinctilius Varus should hand over to him the two legions and the province; Gaius Livius obtained the Bruttii with the two legions which Publius Sempronius the proconsul had commanded the previous year; Gnaeus Tremellius obtained Sicily, so that he should receive the province and the two legions from Publius Villius Tappulus, the praetor of the previous year; Villius, as propraetor, was to protect the coast of Sicily with twenty warships and a thousand soldiers; Marcus Pomponius was to transport fifteen hundred soldiers back to Rome with the remaining twenty ships; to Gaius Aurelius Cotta fell the urban praetorship. For the others, their commands were prorogued just as each was holding their provinces and armies.
sedecim non amplius eo anno legionibus defensum imperium est. §30.27.11et ut placatis dis omnia inciperent agerentque, ludos, quos M. Claudio Marcello, T. Quinctio consulibus T. Manlius dictator, quasque hostias maiores voverat, si per quinquennium res publica eodem statu fuisset, ut eos ludos consules, priusquam ad bellum proficiscerentur, facerent. §30.27.12ludi in circo per quadriduum facti, hostiaeque quibus votae erant dis caesae.
The empire was defended that year by no more than sixteen legions. And in order that they might begin and conduct all things with the gods appeased, it was decided that the consuls, before they set out for the war, should celebrate those games which the dictator Titus Manlius had vowed—as well as the larger victims he had promised—in the consulship of Marcus Claudius Marcellus and Titus Quinctius, on the condition that the commonwealth should remain in the same state for five years. The games were celebrated in the circus for four days, and the victims were slain to the gods to whom they had been vowed.