24.37
Other
cities took courage from this example of defection, and the Roman garrisons
were either expelled from their strongholds or treacherously overpowered.
Henna, situated on a lofty position precipitous on all sides was naturally
impregnable, and it had also a strong Roman garrison and a commandant
who was not at all a suitable man for traitors to approach. L. Pinarius was a
keen soldier and trusted more to his own vigilance and alertness than to the
fidelity of the Sicilians. The numerous betrayals and defections which
reached his ears and the massacre of Roman garrisons made him more than
ever careful to take every possible precaution. So by day and night alike,
everything was in readiness, every position occupied by guards and sentinels,
and the soldiers never laid aside their arms or left their posts. The chief
citizens of Henna had already come to an understanding: with Himilco about
betraying the garrison, and when they observed all this vigilance and
recognised that the Romans were not open to any treacherous surprise, they
saw that they would have to use forcible measures. "The city and its
stronghold," they said, "are under our authority; if as free men we accepted
the Roman alliance we did not hand ourselves over to be kept in custody as
slaves. We think it right, therefore, that the keys of the gates should be given
up to us; the strongest bond between good allies is to trust one another's
loyalty; it is only if we remain friends with Rome voluntarily and not by
constraint that your people can feel grateful to us." To this the Roman
commandant replied: "I have been placed in charge here by my commanding
officer, it is from him that I have received the keys of the gates and the
custody of the citadel; I do not hold these things at my own disposal or at
the disposal of the citizens of Henna, but at the disposal of the man who
committed them to my charge. To quit one's post is with the Romans a
capital offence, and fathers have even punished it as such in the case of their
own children. The consul Marcellus is not far away, send to him, he has the
right and authority to act in the matter." They said that they should not send,
and if argument failed they would seek some other method of vindicating
their liberty. To this Pinarius answered: "Well if you think it too much
trouble to send to the consul, you can, at all events, give me an opportunity
of consulting the people, that it may be made clear whether this demand
proceeds from a few or from the whole body of the citizens." They agreed to
convene a meeting of the assembly the following day.
