r, one person who had no
share in the Carthaginian friendship and the alliance formed with him,
Decius Magius, who neither was nor ought to be called a Campanian. Him
he requested to be surrendered to him, and that the sense of the
senate should be taken respecting his conduct, and a decree passed in
his presence." All concurred in this proposition, though a great many
considered him as a man undeserving such severe treatment; and that
this proceeding was no small infringement of their liberty to begin
with. Leaving the senate-house, the magistrate took his seat on the
consecrated bench, ordered Decius Magius to be apprehended, and to be
placed by himself before his feet to plead his cause. But he, his
proud spirit being unsubdued, denied that such a measure could be
enforced agreeably to the conditions of the treaty; upon which he was
ironed, and ordered to be brought into the camp before a lictor. As
long as he was conducted with his head uncovered, he moved along
earnestly haranguing and vociferating to the multitude which poured
around him on all sides. "You have gotten that liberty, Campanians,
which you seek; in the middle of the forum, in the light of day,
before your eyes, I, a man second to none of the Campanians, am
dragged in chains to suffer death. What greater outrage could have
been committed had Capua been captured? Go out to meet Hannibal,
decorate your city to the utmost, consecrate the day of his arrival,
that you may behold this triumph over a fellow-citizen." As the
populace seemed to be excited by him, vociferating these things, his
head was covered, and he was ordered to be dragged away more speedily
without the gate. Having been thus brought to the camp, he was
immediately put on board a ship and sent to Carthage, lest if any
commotion should arise at Capua on account of the injustice of the
proceeding, the senate also should repent of having given up a leading
citizen; and lest if an embassy were sent to request his restoration,
he must either offend his new allies by refusing their first petition,
or, by granting it, be compelled to retain at Capua a promoter of
sedition and disturbance. A tempest drove the vessel to Cyrenae, which
was at that time under the dominion of kings. Here flying for refuge
to the statue of king Ptolemy, he was conveyed thence in custody to
Alexandria to Ptolemy; and having instructed him that he had been
thrown into chains by Hannibal, contrary to the law of treaties, h