The Senate's Instructions to Marcellus
The Senators having thus heard both sides called
The Senate refer both the deputations to Marcellus, |
in the legates from Marcellus; and when
they saw that they also were inclined to a
pacification, and that Marcellus was more
inclined to favour the enemy than the allied tribes, they
answered the Arevacae that Marcellus would declare in Iberia
to both parties the decision of the Senate. However, they
were convinced in their own minds that their true interests
were such as the envoys of the allied tribes suggested, and
that the Arevacae were still inclined to haughty independence, and that their own commander was afraid of them:
they therefore gave secret instructions to the
legates of Marcellus to carry on the war with
spirit, and as the honour of the country demanded.
but secretly determine to go on with the war and to supersede Marcellus. |
But when they had thus determined
on a continuance of the war, feeling no confidence in Marcellus, they determined first of all to send a
commander to relieve him in Iberia, as the
new consuls Aulus Postumius and Lucius
Licinius Lucullus had just taken up their
office.
Licinius Lucullus, Aulus Postumius Albinus. |
They then entered with spirit and
vigour on their preparations, because they
believed that the Iberian question would be decided by the
result of this campaign: if these enemies were beaten, they
assumed that all others would accept the orders of Rome;
but that, if the Arevacae proved able to ward off the punishment that threatened them, not only would their spirits be
again raised, but those of all the other Iberian tribes besides.