22.53
Although there were four military
tribunes on the spot -Fabius Maximus of the first legion, whose father had
been lately Dictator, L. Publicius Bibulus and Publius Cornelius Scipio of the
second legion, and Appius Claudius Pulcher of the third legion, who had just
been aedile -the supreme command was by universal consent vested in P.
Scipio, who was quite a youth, and Appius Claudius. They were holding a
small council to discuss the state of affairs when P. Furius Philus, the son of
an ex-consul, informed them that it was useless for them to cherish ruined
hopes; the republic was despaired of and given over for lost; some young
nobles with L. Caecilius Metellus at their head were turning their eyes
seaward with the intention of abandoning Italy to its fate and transferring
their services to some king or other. This evil news, terrible as it was and
coming fresh on the top of all their other disasters, paralysed those who were
present with wonder and amazement. They thought that a council ought to
be summoned to deal with it, but young Scipio, the general destined to end
this war, said that it was no business for a council. In such an emergency as
that they must dare and act, not deliberate. "Let those," he cried, "who want
to save the republic take their arms at once and follow me. No camp is more
truly a hostile camp than one in which such treason is meditated." He started
off with a few followers to the house where Metellus was lodging, and
finding the young men about whom the report had been made gathered there
in council, he held his naked sword over the heads of the conspirators and
uttered these words: "I solemnly swear that I will not abandon the Republic
of Rome, nor will I suffer any other Roman citizen to do so; if I knowingly
break my oath, then do thou, O Jupiter Optimus Maximus, visit me, my
home, my family, and my estate with utter destruction. I require you, L.
Caecilius, and all who are here present, to take this oath. Whoever will not
swear let him know that this sword is drawn against him." They were in as
great a state of fear as though they saw the victorious Hannibal amongst
them, and all took the oath and surrendered themselves into Scipio's custody.
