to demand that the latter be turned over to Rome in punishment for
his audacity.

This solution seemed to please the Senate. Those who a few moments
before had shown themselves warlike and uncompromising bowed their heads
as if approving the words of Fabius. The thought of the insurrection in
Illyria counseled prudence to the most violent. They remembered the
enemy who was rising almost at their doors across the Adriatic, and who,
with their fleets given over to piracy, might attempt an invasion of
Roman territory. Egoism caused them to look upon this enterprise as more
important than any oath, and in order to deceive themselves and to hide
their own weakness, they exaggerated the importance of the embassy to
Hannibal's camp declaring that the African would raise the siege and ask
pardon of Rome as soon as he saw the Senatorial legates arrive.

Actaeon received this change on the part of the assemblage with visible
signs of impatience.

"I know Hannibal well," he shouted. "He will not obey you; he will scoff
at you! If you do not send an army the journey of your legates will be
useless!"

But the senators, eager to conceal the weakness to which their egoism
drove them, protested loudly against the words of Actaeon. Who spoke of
scoffing at the Republic of Rome? Who imagined that Hannibal would
scorn the envoys of the Senate? Let the stranger maintain silence--he
who was not even a son of the city in whose name he spoke.

Actaeon bowed his head. Then, turning to his aged companions, who did not
understand the resolution of the Senate, he murmured: "Our city is lost!
Rome fears to declare war against Hannibal and delays the clash of arms.
When they become ready to help us Saguntum will no longer exist!"

The three Saguntine legates received an order to retire. The senators
were about to appoint two patricians who should go as envoys of Rome.

As they left the Senaculum the eldest of the senators addressed Actaeon:

"Tell your companions to prepare for the journey. To-morrow at sunset
you will embark with the legates of the Senate in the port of Ostia."

CHAPTER IX

THE HUNGRY CITY

The trireme conveying the Roman legates had been on her voyage more than
fifteen days.

She had sailed up the coasts of the Tyrrhenian Sea; she had then crossed
the Sea of Liguria, bound by abrupt coasts, and had passed before
Massilia, the prosperous Grecian colony, also allied to Rome. Then,
audaciously crossing the broa