Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 40
Evan T. Sage, Ph.D. and Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D., Ed.

47. The same year the propraetors in Spain, [p. 149]Lucius Postumius and Tiberius Sempronius, arranged¹ between them that Albinus should proceed through Lusitania against the Vaccaei and then return to Celtiberia; that Gracchus, if there were a greater war there, should make his way into the furthermost part of Celtiberia. [2] . . .² He first took by storm the city of Munda, attacking it unexpectedly by night. Then, accepting hostages and leaving a garrison, he captured fortresses and burned the countryside until he came to another very powerful town which the Celtiberians call Certima. [3] There, just as he was moving up his siege-engines, ambassadors came from the town, whose speech had the ring of old-fashioned frankness, and they did not disguise the fact that they would fight to the end if they had the strength. [4] For they asked that they might be permitted to go to the camp of the Celtiberians to summon aid; if they did not obtain it then they would consult by themselves and apart from the Celtiberians. When Gracchus granted this they departed and a few days later brought with them ten other ambassadors. [5] It was the hour of noon. They asked nothing from the praetor at first, except that he should order that they be given something to drink. Having quaffed the first cups they asked for a second drink, to the accompaniment of great laughter on the part of the bystanders at such uncultured natures, ignorant of all etiquette. [6] Then the eldest of them said: “We have been sent by our people to ascertain on what in the world it is that you rely in attacking us.” [7] To this question Gracchus replied that he came relying on an excellent army; if they wished to see it, in order to make a more trustworthy report to their people, he would give them the opportunity. [8] He ordered the tribunes of [p. 151]the soldiers to command all the forces of infantry and³ cavalry to equip themselves and to march in review under arms. [9] After this spectacle the ambassadors were sent away and discouraged their people from sending aid to the besieged city. The townspeople, after vainly building fires on their towers at night, which had been the signal agreed upon, finding themselves destitute of their one hope of assistance, surrendered. [10] Twenty-four thousand nummi were demanded of them, and forty of their noblest knights, not expressly as hostages —for they were ordered to do military duty⁴ —yet in the very nature of the situation as a guarantee of loyalty.