20.
At Rome,
1 in talk at least, they had no
2 thoughts except for Antiochus as their enemy, but as yet there were no preparations for war except in their minds.
[
2]
To both consuls
3 Italy was decreed as a province, with the qualification that they should arrange between themselves or decide by lot which should preside at the elections that year;
[
3]
the one to whom that responsibility did not fall should be prepared to lead the legions outside of Italy if any need should arise anywhere.
4
[
4]
This consul was authorized to recruit two new legions and, from the allies of the Latin confederacy, twenty thousand infantry and eight hundred cavalry;
[
5]
to the other consul were assigned the two legions which Lucius Cornelius, consul of the preceding year, had commanded and, of the allies of the Latin confederacy from the same army, fifteen thousand infantry and five hundred cavalry.
[
6]
In the case of Quintus
[p. 59]Minucius, along with the army which he had in
5 Liguria, his
imperium was prolonged; it was added that as reinforcements four thousand Roman infantry should be enlisted and one hundred and fifty cavalry, and the allies were ordered to furnish the same general with five thousand infantry and two hundred and fifty cavalry.
[
7]
Gnaeus Domitius received from the lot a province outside Italy, wherever the senate should decree; to Lucius Quinctius fell Gaul and the holding of the elections.
[
8]
The praetors then drew for their provinces, and Marcus Fulvius Centumalus received the urban jurisdiction, Lucius Scribonius Libo that between citizens and aliens, Lucius Valerius Tappo Sicily, Quintus Salonius Sarra Sardinia, Marcus Baebius Tamphilus Hither Spain, Aulus Atilius Serranus Farther Spain.
[
9]
But the provinces of these two were changed first by the senate and then by vote of the people also:
[
10]
to Atilius the fleet and Macedonia were assigned, to Baebius the Brutti.
6
[
11]
The
imperium of Flaminius and Fulvius in the Spanish provinces was prolonged. To Atilius
7 for service among the Brutti were assigned the two legions which had been in reserve the year before, and it was ordered that the allies should furnish him with fifteen thousand infantry and five hundred cavalry.
[
12]
Baebius Tamphilus was directed to build thirty quinqueremes and to launch from the dockyards whatever old ships were seaworthy, and to enlist naval allies; the consuls were also directed to turn over to him two thousand allies of the Latin confederacy and one thousand Roman infantry.
[
13]
These two praetors and two armies, on land and sea, were prepared, it was said, to operate against Nabis, who was now openly attacking the allies of the Roman
[p. 61]people
8 ; but the ambassadors sent to Antiochus
9 were awaited, and in
[
14??]
the expectation of their return the senate had forbidden the consul Gnaeus Domitius to leave the City.