carried their point that they should collect all their
property out of the fields, and fortify the city and the walls.

21. Much about the same time letters were brought from Sicily and
Sardinia. That of Titus Otacilius the propraetor was first read in the
senate. It stated that Lucius Furius the praetor had arrived at
Lilybaeum from Africa with his fleet. That he himself, having been
severely wounded, was in imminent danger of his life; that neither pay
nor corn was punctually furnished to the soldiers or the marines; nor
were there any resources from which they could be furnished. That he
earnestly advised that such supplies should be sent with all possible
expedition; and that, if it was thought proper, they should send one
of the new praetors to succeed him.

Nearly the same intelligence respecting corn and pay was conveyed in a
letter from Aulus Cornelius Mammula, the propraetor, from Sardinia.
The answer to both was, that there were no resources from whence they
could be supplied, and orders were given to them that they should
themselves provide for their fleets and armies. Titus Otacilius having
sent ambassadors to Hiero, the only source of assistance the Romans
had, received as much money as was wanting to pay the troops and a
supply of corn for six months. In Sardinia, the allied states
contributed liberally to Cornelius. The scarcity of money at Rome also
was so great, that on the proposal of Marcus Minucius, plebeian
tribune, a financial triumvirate was appointed, consisting of Lucius
Aemilius Papus, who had been consul and censor, Marcus Atilius
Regulus, who had been twice consul, and Lucius Scribonius Libo, who
was then plebeian tribune. Marcus and Caius Atilius were also created
a duumvirate for dedicating the temple of Concord, which Lucius
Manlius had vowed when praetor. Three pontiffs were also created,
Quintus Caecilius Metellus, Quintus Fabius Maximus, and Quintus
Fulvius Flaccus, in the room of Publius Scantinius deceased, and of
Lucius Aemilius Paulus the consul, and of Quintus Aelius Paetus, who
had fallen in the battle of Cannae.

22. The fathers having repaired, as far as human counsels could effect
it, the other losses from a continued series of unfortunate events, at
length turned their attention on themselves, on the emptiness of the
senate-house, and the paucity of those who assembled for public
deliberation. For the senate-roll had not been reviewed since the
censorship of Lucius Aemilius