§30.40.1legati ex Africa Romani simul Carthaginiensesque cum venissent Romam, senatus ad aedem Bellonae habitus est.
When the Roman and Carthaginian ambassadors from Africa had arrived at Rome, the senate was held at the temple of Bellona.
§30.40.2ubi cum L. Veturius Philo pugnatum cum Hannibale esse suprema Carthaginiensibus pugna finemque tandem lugubri bello inpositum ingenti laetitia patrum exposuisset, §30.40.3adiecit Verminam etiam Syphacis filium, quae parva bene gestae rei accessio erat, devictum.
There, when Lucius Veturius Philo had reported, to the immense joy of the senators, that a battle had been fought with Hannibal in what was the final clash for the Carthaginians, and that an end had at last been put to the mournful war, he added that Vermina also, the son of Syphax, had been utterly defeated—which was a small addition to a grand achievement.
in contionem inde prodire iussus gaudiumque id populo inpertire.
He was then ordered to go out to the public assembly and impart that joy to the people.
§30.40.4tum patefacta gratulationi omnia in urbe templa, supplicationesque in triduum decretae.
Then all the temples in the City were opened for thanksgiving, and supplications were decreed for three days.
legatis Carthaginiensium et Philippi regis — nam ii quoque venerant — petentibus, ut senatus sibi daretur, responsum iussu patrum ab dictatore est consules novos iis senatum daturos esse.
To the ambassadors of the Carthaginians and of King Philip—for they too had arrived—who were requesting that an audience with the senate be granted to them, answer was made by the dictator by order of the senators that the new consuls would grant them an audience.
comitia inde habita.
Then the elections were held.
§30.40.5creati consules Cn. Cornelius Lentulus, P. Aelius Paetus;
Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus and Publius Aelius Paetus were elected consuls.
praetores M. Iunius Pennus, cui sors urbana evenit, M. Valerius Falto Bruttios, M. Fabius Buteo Sardiniam, P. Aelius Tubero Siciliam est sortitus.
As for the praetors, Marcus Junius Pennus obtained by lot the urban jurisdiction, Marcus Valerius Falto the Bruttii, Marcus Fabius Buteo Sardinia, and Publius Aelius Tubero Sicily.
§30.40.6de provinciis consulum nihil ante placebat agi, quam legati Philippi regis et Carthaginiensium auditi essent; belli finem alterius, alterius principium prospiciebant animis.
It was resolved that nothing should be done regarding the provinces of the consuls until the ambassadors of King Philip and of the Carthaginians had been heard; they foresaw in their minds the end of one war and the beginning of another.
§30.40.7Cn. Lentulus consul cupiditate flagrabat provinciae Africae, seu bellum foret, facilem victoriam, seu iam finiretur, finiti tanti belli a se consule gloriam petens.
Gnaeus Lentulus, the consul, was burning with a desire for the province of Africa, seeking, if there should be war, an easy victory, or, if it was already being concluded, the glory of having finished so great a war during his consulship.
§30.40.8negare itaque prius quicquam agi passurum, quam sibi provincia Africa decreta esset, concedente conlega, moderato viro et prudenti, qui gloriae eius certamen cum Scipione, praeterquam quod iniquum esset, etiam inpar futurum cernebat.
He therefore declared that he would not suffer any business to be transacted before the province of Africa was decreed to him, with the consent of his colleague, a moderate and prudent man, who saw that a contest for glory with Scipio, besides being unfair, would also be unequal for him.
§30.40.9Q. Minucius Thermus et M’. Acilius Glabrio tribuni plebis rem priore anno nequiquam temptatam ab Ti. Claudio consule Cn. Cornelium temptare aiebant; §30.40.10ex auctoritate patrum latum ad populum esse, cuius vellent imperium in Africa esse; omnes quinque et triginta tribus P. Scipioni id imperium decresse.
Quintus Minucius Thermus and Manius Acilius Glabrio, tribunes of the plebs, said that Gnaeus Cornelius was attempting a thing attempted in vain the year before by the consul Tiberius Claudius; that, on the authority of the senators, it had been proposed to the people whose command they wished to be in Africa, and all thirty-five tribes had decreed that command to Publius Scipio.
multis contentionibus §30.40.11et in senatu et ad populum acta res postremo eo deducta est, ut senatui permitterent.
After many contentions both in the senate and before the people, the matter was finally brought to the point that they referred it to the senate.
patres igitur iurati — §30.40.12ita enim convenerat — censuerunt, uti consules provincias inter se conpararent sortirenturve, uter Italiam, uter classem navium quinquaginta haberet; cui classis obvenisset, in Siciliam navigaret; §30.40.13si pax cum Carthaginiensibus componi nequisset, in Africam traiceret; §30.40.14consul mari, Scipio eodem quo adhuc iure imperii terra rem gereret; si condiciones convenirent pacis, tribuni plebis populum rogarent, utrum consulem an P. Scipionem iuberent pacem dare, et quem, si. deportandus exercitus victor ex Africa esset, deportare; §30.40.15si pacem per P. Scipionem dari atque ab eodem exercitum deportari iussissent, ne consul ex Sicilia in Africam traiceret.
The senators therefore, having been sworn— for so it had been agreed—decreed that the consuls should arrange between themselves or decide by lot their provinces, as to which should have Italy and which the fleet of fifty ships; the one to whom the fleet fell should sail to Sicily; if peace could not be concluded with the Carthaginians, he should cross over into Africa; the consul should conduct operations by sea, and Scipio on land with the same right of command as he had held up to that time; if the terms of peace should be agreed upon, the tribunes of the plebs should put the question to the people whether they ordered the consul or Publius Scipio to grant peace, and whom they ordered to bring back the victorious army if it had to be brought back from Africa; if they ordered that peace be granted through Publius Scipio and that the army be brought back by him, the consul should not cross over from Sicily into Africa.
§30.40.16alter consul, cui Italia evenisset, duas legiones a M. Sextio praetore acciperet.
The other consul, to whom Italy fell, should receive two legions from the praetor Marcus Sextius.