Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 29
Cyrus Evans, Ed.

1. SCIPIO, after his arrival in Sicily, formed his volunteers into cohorts and centuries. [2] Of these he kept about his person three hundred young men, in the bloom of their age and the prime of their strength, unarmed, and not knowing for what purpose they were reserved, as they were not included in the centuries, nor furnished with arms. [3] He then selected out of the number of the youth of all Sicily three hundred horsemen, of the highest birth and fortune, who were to cross over with him into Africa, appointing a day on which they were to present themselves equipped and furnished with horses and arms. [4] This severe service, far from their native land, appeared to them likely to be attended with many hardships, and great dangers, both by sea and land; nor did that anxiety affect themselves alone, but also their parents and relations. [5] When the appointed day arrived, they exhibited their arms and horses. Then Scipio observed, “that an intimation had been conveyed to him that certain of the Sicilian horsemen felt a strong aversion to that service, as being severe and arduous. [6] If there were any who entertained such a feeling, that he would rather they should then confess it to him, than, complaining afterwards, prove themselves slothful and [p. 1232]useless soldiers to the state. He desired that they would openly avow their sentiments, for that he would hear them with kindly feeling.” [7] When one of the number took courage to declare, that if he were allowed the uncontrolled exercise of his will he certainly would not serve, Scipio replied to him thus: [8] “Since then, young man, you have not dissembled your sentiments, I will furnish a substitute for you, to whom I request that you transfer your arms, your horse, and other appliances of war; and, taking him hence immediately to your house, train him, and take care that he is instructed in the management of his horse and arms.” [9] The youth accepted the terms joyfully, when Scipio delivered to him one of the three hundred whom he kept unarmed. The rest, seeing the horseman thus discharged without giving any offence to the general, began severally to excuse themselves and receive substitutes. Thus Roman horsemen were substituted for the three hundred Sicilian, without any expense to the state. [10] The Sicilians had the care of instructing and training them, because the general had ordered that the man who should not do so, should serve himself. [11] It is said that this turned out to be an admirable body of cavalry, and rendered effectual service to the state in many engagements. [12] Afterwards, inspecting the legions, he chose out of them such soldiers as had served the greatest number of campaigns, particularly those who had acted under Marcellus; for he considered that they were formed under the best discipline, and also, from the long time in which they were engaged in the siege of Syracuse, were most skilled in the assault of towns: for his thoughts were now occupied with no small object, but the destruction of Carthage. [13] He then distributed his army through the towns; ordered the Sicilian states to furnish corn, sparing that which had been brought from Italy; repaired his old ships, and sent Caius Laelius with them into Africa to plunder. [14] His new ships he hauled on shore at Panormus, that they might be kept on land during the winter, as they had been hastily built of unseasoned timber.

[15] When every thing was got in readiness for the war he came to Syracuse, which had hardly yet returned to a state of tranquillity, after the violent commotions of the war. [16] The Greeks, demanding restitution of their property, which had been granted to them by the senate, from certain persons of [p. 1233]the Italian nation, who retained possession of it in the same forcible manner in which they had seized it in the war, Scipio, who deemed it [17??] of the first importance to preserve the public faith, restored their property to the Syracusans, partly by proclamation, and partly even by judgments pronounced against those who pertinaciously retained their unjust acquisitions. [18] This measure was acceptable not only to the persons immediately concerned, but to all the states of Sicily, and so much the more energetically did they give aid in the war. [19] During the same summer a very formidable war sprang up in Spain, at the instance of Indibilis the Ilergetian, from no other cause than the contempt he conceived for the other generals, in consequence of his admiration of Scipio. [20] He considered “that he was the only commander the Romans had left, the rest having been slain by Hannibal. That they had, therefore, no other general whom they could send into Spain after the Scipios were cut off there, and that afterwards, when the war in Italy pressed upon them with increased severity, he was recalled to oppose Hannibal. That, in addition to the fact that the Romans had the names only of generals in Spain, their old army had also been withdrawn thence. [21] That all the troops they had there were irresolute, as consisting of an undisciplined multitude of recruits. [22] That there would never again occur such an opportunity for the liberation of Spain. [23] That up to that time they had been the slaves either of Carthaginians or Romans, and that not to one or the other in turns, but sometimes to both together. [24] That the Carthaginians had been driven out by the Romans, and that the Romans might be driven out by the Spaniards, if they would unite: so that Spain, for ever freed from a foreign yoke, might return to her native customs and rites.” [25] By these and other observations he stirred up not only his countrymen, but the Ausetanians also, a neighbouring nation, as well as other states bordering on his own and their country. [26] Accordingly, within a few days, thirty thousand foot and about four thousand horse assembled in the Sedetanian territory, according to the orders which had been given.