g that they were overmatched in swiftness, they delivered
themselves up to the Romans, and were brought to the commander of the
fleet. Upon being asked by him who they were, whence they came, and
whither they were going, Xenophanes, having once been pretty
successful, made up a fictitious story and said, "that he was sent
from Philip to the Romans; that he had succeeded in reaching Marcus
Valerius, to whom alone he had safe access; that he was unable to make
his way through Campania, which was beset with the troops of the
enemy." But afterwards the Carthaginian dress and manners excited
suspicions of the messengers of Hannibal, and when interrogated, their
speech betrayed them; then on their companions being removed to
separate places, and intimidated by threats, even a letter from
Hannibal to Philip was discovered, and the agreement made between the
king of the Macedonians and the Carthaginian. These points having been
ascertained, the best course appeared to be, to convey the prisoners
and their companions as soon as possible to the senate at Rome, or to
the consuls, wheresoever they might be; for this service five of the
fastest sailing vessels were selected, and Lucius Valerius Antias sent
in command of them, with orders to distribute the ambassadors through
all the ships separately, and take particular care that they should
hold no conversation or consultation with each other. About the same
time Aulus Cornelius Mammula, on his return from the province of
Sardinia, made a report of the state of affairs in the island; that
every body contemplated war and revolt; that Quintus Mucius who
succeeded him, being on his arrival affected by the unwholesomeness of
the air and water, had fallen into a disorder rather lingering than
dangerous, and would for a long time be incapable of sustaining the
violent exertion of the war; that the army there, though strong enough
for the protection of a province in a state of tranquillity, was,
nevertheless, not adequate to the maintenance of the war which seemed
to be about to break out. Upon which the fathers decreed, that Quintus
Fulvius Flaccus should enlist five thousand foot and four hundred
horse, and take care that the legion thus formed should be transported
as soon as possible into Sardinia, and send invested with command
whomsoever he thought fit to conduct the business of the war until
Mucius had recovered. For this service Titus Manlius Torquatus was
sent; he had been twice c