23.21
About
this time despatches arrived from Sicily and Sardinia. The one sent from T.
Otacilius, the propraetor commanding in Sicily, was read in the senate. It
stated in effect that P. Furius had reached Lilybaeum with his fleet; that he
himself was seriously wounded and his life in great danger; that the soldiers
and sailors had no pay or corn given them from day to day, nor was there
any means of procuring any, and he strongly urged that both should be sent
as soon as possible, and that, if the senate agreed, one of the new praetors
should be sent to succeed him. The despatch from A. Cornelius Mammula
dealt with the same difficulty as to pay and corn. The same reply was sent to
both; there was no possibility of sending either, and they were instructed to
make the best arrangements they could for their fleets and armies. T.
Otacilius sent envoys to Hiero, the one man whom Rome could fall back
upon, and received in reply as much money as he needed and a six months'
supply of corn. In Sicily the allied cities sent generous contributions. Even in
Rome, too, the scarcity of money was felt and a measure was carried by M.
Minucius, one of the tribunes of the plebs, for the appointment of three
finance commissioners. The men appointed were: L. Aemilius Papus, who
had been consul and censor; M. Atilius Regulus, who had been twice consul,
and L. Scribonius Libo, one of the tribunes of the plebs. Marcus and Caius
Atilius, two brothers, were appointed to dedicate the temple of Concord
which L. Manlius had vowed during his praetorship. Three new pontiffs
were also chosen -Q. Caecilius Metellus, Q. Fabius Maximus, and Q.
Fulvius Flaccus -in the place of P. Scantinius who had died, and of L.
Aemilius Paulus, the consul, and Q. Aelius Paetus, both of whom fell at
Cannae.
