26.26
At the
beginning of spring Laevinus set sail from Corcyra and after rounding the
promontory of Leucata reached Naupactus. He announced that he was going
on to attack Anticyra, so that Scopas and the Aetolians might be ready for
him there. Anticyra is situated in Locris, on the left hand as you enter the
Corinthian Gulf, and is only a short distance either by sea or land from
Naupactus. In three days the attack began in both directions; the naval attack
was the heavier one because the ships were furnished with artillery and
engines of every kind, and it was the Romans who were delivering the attack
on this side. In a few days the place surrendered and was made over to the
Aetolians; the booty in accordance with the treaty became the property of
the Romans. During the siege a despatch was handed to Laevinus informing
him that he had been made consul, and that P. Sulpicius was coming to
succeed him. Whilst he was there he was overtaken by a tedious illness, and
consequently arrived in Rome much later than was expected. M. Marcellus
entered upon his consulship on March 15, and in order to comply with
traditional usage summoned a meeting of the senate on the same day. The
meeting was a purely formal one; he announced that in his colleague's
absence he should not submit any proposals either in respect of the policy of
the State or the assignment of provinces. "I am quite aware," he told the
senators, "that there are a large body of Sicilians quartered in the country
houses of my detractors round the City. I have no intention of preventing
them from publishing here in Rome the charges which have been got up by
my enemies; on the contrary, I was prepared to give them an immediate
opportunity of appearing before the senate had they not pretended to be
afraid of speaking about a consul in his colleague's absence. When, however,
my colleague has come I shall not allow any business to be discussed before
the Sicilians have been brought into the senate house. M. Cornelius has
issued what is practically a formal summons throughout the island in order
that as many as possible might come to Rome to lay their complaints against
me. He has filled the City with letters containing false information about a
state of war existing in Sicily, solely that he may tarnish my reputation." The
consul's speech won for him the reputation of being a man of moderation and
self-control. The senate adjourned, and it seemed as though there would be a
total suspension of business pending the other consul's arrival. As usual,
idleness led to discontent and grumbling. The plebs were loud in their
complaints about the way the war dragged on, the devastation of the land
round the City wherever Hannibal and his army moved, the exhaustion of
Italy by the constant levies, the almost annual destruction of their armies.
And now the new consuls were both of them fond of war, far too
enterprising and ambitious, quite capable, even in a time of peace and quiet,
of getting up a war, and now that war was actually going on all the less
likely to allow the citizens any respite or breathing space.
