29.21
As to
Pleminius two stories are current. One is to the effect that when he heard of
the decision arrived at in Rome he started to go into exile at Naples, and on
his way was met by Q. Metellus, one of the ten senators, who arrested him
and brought him back to Regium. According to the other account Scipio
himself sent an officer with thirty men of highest rank amongst his cavalry
and threw Pleminius and the prime movers of the outbreak into chains. They
were all handed over by Scipio's orders or those of the officer to the people
of Regium for safe keeping. The praetor and the rest of the commission, on
their arrival at Locri, made the religious question their first care, in
accordance with their instructions. All the sacred money in the possession of
Pleminius and his soldiers was collected together, and together with what
they had brought with them was placed in the temple, and then expiatory
sacrifices were offered. After this the praetor summoned the troops to
assembly, and issued an order of the day threatening severe punishment to
any soldier who stayed behind in the city or carried away anything that did
not belong to him. He then ordered the standards to be borne outside the
city, and fixed his camp in the open country. The Locrians were given full
liberty to take whatever they recognised as their own property, and make a
claim for whatever could not be found. Above all he insisted upon the
immediate restoration of all free persons to their homes, any one who
neglected to restore them would be very severely punished.
The praetor's next business was to convene an assembly of the
Locrians, and here he announced that the senate and people of Rome gave
them back their constitution and their laws. Whoever wished to prosecute
Pleminius or any one else was to follow the praetor to Regium. If their
government wished to charge Scipio with either ordering or approving of the
crimes against gods and men which had been perpetrated in Locri they were
to send representatives to Messana, where, with the aid of his assessors, he
should hold an enquiry. The Locrians expressed their gratitude to the praetor
and the other members of the commission, and to the senate and people of
Rome. They announced their intention of prosecuting Pleminius, but as to
Scipio, "though he had not been much troubled about the injuries inflicted on
their city, they would rather have him their friend than their enemy. They
were quite convinced that it was neither by the orders nor with the approval
of P. Scipio that such infamous crimes were committed; his fault was that he
either reposed too much confidence in Pleminius or felt too much distrust in
the Locrians. Some men are so constituted that whilst they would not have
crimes committed they lack the resolution to inflict punishment when they
have been committed." The praetor and his council were greatly relieved at
not having to call Scipio to account; Pleminius and thirty-two others they
found guilty and sent them in chains to Rome. The commission then went to
Scipio to find out by personal observation whether there was any truth in the
common rumours about Scipio's style of dress and love of pleasure, in order
to be able to report to Rome.