22.40
The
consul's reply was far from being a cheerful one, for he admitted that the
advice given was true, but not easy to put into practice. If a Dictator had
found his Master of the Horse unbearable, what power or authority would a
consul have against a violent and headstrong colleague? "In my first
consulship," he said, "I escaped, badly singed, from the fire of popular fury. I
hope and pray that all may end successfully, but if any mischance befalls us I
shall expose myself to the weapons of the enemy sooner than to the verdict
of the enraged citizens." With these words Paulus, it is said, set forward,
escorted by the foremost men amongst the patricians; the plebeian consul
was attended by his plebeian friends, more conspicuous for their numbers
than for the quality of the men who composed the crowd. When they came
into camp the recruits and the old soldiers were formed into one army, and
two separate camps were formed, the new camp, which was the smaller one,
being nearer to Hannibal, while in the old camp the larger part of the army
and the best troops were stationed. M. Atilius, one of the consuls of the
previous year, pleaded his age and was sent back to Rome; the other,
Geminus Servilius, was placed in command of the smaller camp with one
Roman legion and 2000 horse and foot of the allies. Although Hannibal saw
that the army opposed to him was half as large again as it had been he was
hugely delighted at the advent of the consuls. For not only was there nothing
left out of his daily plunder, but there was nothing left anywhere for him to
seize, as all the corn, now that the country was unsafe, had been everywhere
stored in the cities. Hardly ten days' rations of corn remained, as was
afterwards discovered, and the Spaniards were prepared to desert, owing to
the shortness of supplies, if only the Romans had waited till the time was
ripe.
