Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 34
Cyrus Evans, Ed.

11. Meanwhile, in Spain, the consul lay encamped at a small distance from Emporiae. [2] Thither came three ambassadors from Bilistages, chieftain of the Ilergetians, one of whom was his son, representing, that “their fortresses were besieged, and that they had no hopes of being able to hold out, unless the Roman troops came to their assistance. [3] Three thousand men,” they said, “would be sufficient;” and they added, that, “if such a force came to their aid, the enemy would not keep their ground.” [4] To this the consul answered, that “he was truly concerned for their danger and their fears; but that he had by no means so great an amount of forces, as that, while there lay in his neighbourhood such a powerful force of the enemy, with whom he daily expected a general engagement, he could safely diminish his strength by dividing his troops.” [5] The ambassadors, on hearing this, threw themselves at the consul's feet, and with tears conjured him “not to forsake them at such a perilous juncture. [6] For, if rejected by the Romans, to whom could they apply? They had no other allies, no other hope on earth. [7] They might have escaped the present hazard, if they had consented to forfeit their faith, and to conspire with the rest; but no menaces, no appearances of danger, had been able to shake their constancy, because they hoped to find in the Romans abundant succour and support. [8] If there was no further prospect of this, if it was refused them by the consul, they called gods and men to witness, that reluctantly and under compulsion they must change sides, to avoid such sufferings as the Saguntines had undergone; and that they would perish together with the other states of Spain, rather than alone.”