Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 42
Evan T. Sage, Ph.D. and Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D., Ed.

27. The senate decided not to postpone the preparations for war. To Gaius Licinius the praetor was given the task of repairing and making ready fifty of the old quinqueremes which were stored in the ship-yards at Rome¹ and might still be usable. [2] If these were insufficient to make up the number, he was to write to his colleague Gaius Memmius in Sicily to repair and fit out the ships in Sicily, so that they could be sent as soon as possible to Brundisium. [3] Gaius Licinius the praetor was ordered to enroll, from among Roman citizens of the class of freedmen, sailors for twenty-five ships;² Gnaeus Sicinius was to order an equal number for twenty-five ships from the allies; the same praetor was to raise eight thousand infantry and four hundred cavalry³ from the allies of the Latin [p. 369]Name.⁴ [4] To receive this soldiery at Brundisium and⁵ send it to Macedonia, Aulus Atilius Serranus, who had been praetor the preceding year, was chosen. [5] In order that Gnaeus Sicinius the praetor should have an army ready to cross over, Gaius Licinius the praetor, on authorization of the senate, wrote to Gaius Popilius the consul to order both the second legion, which was the longest in service in the Ligurian country, and four thousand infantry and two hundred cavalry of the allies of the Latin Name to be at Brundisium on the thirteenth of February. [6] With this fleet and this army Gnaeus Sicinius was instructed to hold the theatre of operations in Macedonia until his successor should arrive, his term of command being prolonged for a year. All these orders voted by the senate were vigorously carried out. [7] Thirty-eight quinqueremes were launched from the ship-yards; Lucius Porcius Licinus was put in command to take them to Brundisium; twelve were sent from Sicily. [8] To purchase grain in Apulia and Calabria for the fleet and army three commissioners were sent, Sextus Digitius, Titus Juventius, and Marcus Caecilius. Gnaeus Sicinius the praetor set out from Rome in military dress, and on arriving in Brundisium found everything in readiness.