28.25
They
were every hour expecting fresh details of Scipio's death, and even news of
his funeral. None came however and the idle rumours by degrees died away.
Then they began to look for those who started the report, but each in turn
kept out of the way, preferring to be thought credulous rather than
suspected of inventing such a story. Abandoned by their followers, the
ringleaders looked with dread upon the insignia they had assumed, and fully
expected that in return for this idle show of power they would draw down
upon themselves the weight of the true and legitimate authority. While the
mutiny was thus at a standstill, definite information was brought that Scipio
was alive and this was soon followed by the further intelligence that his
health was restored. This intelligence was brought by a party of seven
military tribunes, whom Scipio had sent to Sucro. At first their presence was
strongly resented, but the quiet talks they had with those they happened to
know had a calming effect; they visited the soldiers in their tents, and chatted
with the groups which gathered round the tribunals or in front of the
headquarters tent. They made no reference to the treason the soldiers had
been guilty of, but only questioned them as to the causes of the sudden
outbreak. They were told in reply that the men did not get their pay
punctually, nor their due share of credit for the part they had played in the
campaign. It was by their courage, they asserted, that the Roman name was
preserved and the province saved for the republic after the destruction of the
two armies and their commanders, at the time when the Iliturgans committed
their foul crime. And though they had received the just recompense for their
treason, no one had been found to reward the Roman soldiers for their
meritorious services.
In reply to these and similar complaints the tribunes told the men
that their requests were reasonable and they would lay them before the
general. They were glad that these were nothing worse or harder to set right,
and the men might rest assured that P. Scipio, after the favour the gods had
shown him, and, indeed, the whole State, would show their gratitude. Scipio
was experienced in war, but unfamiliar with the storms of internal
disturbances. Two things made him anxious, the possibility of the army
exceeding all measure in its insubordination, or of his inflicting punishments
which would be excessive. For the present he decided to go on as he had
begun, and handle the matter gently. Collectors were sent among the
tributary states so that the soldiers might hope to receive their pay soon. An
order was shortly after issued for them to assemble at New Carthage for that
purpose; they might go in a body or successively in single detachments as
they preferred. The unrest was already dying down when the sudden
cessation of hostilities on the part of the revolted Spaniards completely
stopped it. When Mandonius and Indibilis heard that Scipio was still alive,
they gave up their enterprise and retired within their frontiers, and the
mutineers could no longer find any one either amongst their own countrymen
or amongst the natives who would associate himself with their mad scheme.
After carefully considering every possible plan they saw that the only way of
escaping the consequences of their evil counsels, and that not a very hopeful
way, was to submit themselves either to the just displeasure of their general
or to his clemency, which they were not without hopes of experiencing. They
argued that he had ever pardoned the enemies of his country after armed
conflict, whereas during their mutiny not a wound had been received or a
drop of blood shed, it had been free from all cruelty and did not deserve a
cruel punishment. So ready are men with reasons when they wish to palliate
their own misconduct. There was considerable hesitation as to whether they
should go to receive their pay separately cohort by cohort. or all together.
The latter course seemed the safer and they decided upon it.
