23.25
When
the news of this disaster arrived the whole community was in such a state of
alarm that the shops were shut up and a solitude like that of night pervaded
the City. Under these circumstances the senate instructed the aediles to make
a round of the City and order the citizens to re-open their shops and lay
aside the aspect of public mourning. Ti. Sempronius then convened the
senate, and addressed them in a consolatory and encouraging tone. "We," he
said, "who were not crushed by the overthrow at Cannae must not lose heart
at smaller calamities. If we are successful, as I trust we shall be, in our
operations against Hannibal and the Carthaginians, we can safely leave the
war with the Gauls out of account for the present; the gods and the Roman
people will have it in their power to avenge that act of treachery. It is with
regard to the Carthaginians and the armies with which the war is to be
carried on that we have now to deliberate and decide." He first gave details
as to the strength of infantry and cavalry, and the proportion in each of
Roman and allied troops, which made up the Dictator's army; Marcellus
followed with similar details as to his own force. Then inquiry was made of
those who were acquainted with the facts as to the strength of the force with
C. Terentius Varro in Apulia. No practical method suggested itself for
bringing up the two consular armies to sufficient strength for such an
important war. So in spite of the justifiable resentment which was generally
felt they decided to discontinue the campaign in Gaul for that year. The
Dictator's army was assigned to the consul. It was decided that those of
Marcellus' troops who were involved in the flight from Cannae should be
transported to Sicily to serve there as long as the war continued in Italy. All
the least efficient in the Dictator's army were also to be removed there, no
period of service being fixed in their case, except that they must each serve
out their time. The two legions raised in the City were allocated to the other
consul who should succeed L. Postumius; and it was arranged that he should
be elected as soon as favourable auspices could be obtained. The two legions
in Sicily were to be recalled at the earliest possible moment, and the consul
to whom the legions from the City had been assigned was to take out of
those what men he required. C. Terentius had his command extended for
another year, and no reduction was to be made in the army with which he
was protecting Apulia.
