ius[32] favored the Carthaginian cause, and Plautius[33] the
Roman; and the latter talked with Alinius about betraying the place to
the Romans. Alinius at once informed Hannibal of the fact and Plautius
was brought to trial. While Hannibal was deliberating with the
councilors as to how to punish him, Plautius dared in his presence to
speak again to Alinius, who stood near, about betrayal. The latter
cried out: "There, there, he's talking to me about this very matter
now." Hannibal distrusted him on account of the improbability of the
case and acquitted Plautius as a victim of blackmail. After his
release the two men became harmonious and brought in soldiers obtained
from Marcellus, with whose aid they cut down the Carthaginian garrison
and delivered the city to the Romans.

[Footnote 32: By comparing other authors the names Alinius and
Plautius are found to be the corruptions of some copyists for Dasius
and Blattius.]

[Footnote 33: [See previous footnote.]]

This was the state of Carthaginian interests in Italy. Not even Sicily
retained its friendliness for them, but submitted to the consul
Laevinus. The leader of the Carthaginians in Sicily was Hanno, and
Muttines was a member of his staff. The latter had been with Hannibal
formerly and owing to the latter's jealousy of his great deeds of
valor had been sent into Sicily. When there also he made a brilliant
record as commander of the cavalry, he incurred the jealousy of Hanno
as well, and as a consequence was deprived of his command. Deeply
grieved at this he joined the Romans. First he accomplished the
betrayal of Agrigentum for them and then he helped them in reducing
other places, so that the whole of Sicily came again under their sway
without any great labor.

[Sidenote: B.C. 209 (_a.u._ 545)] IX, 8.--Fabius and Flaccus subdued
among other cities Tarentum, which Hannibal was holding. They gave
orders to a body of men to overrun Bruttium in order that Hannibal
might leave Tarentum and come to its assistance. When this had
happened, Flaccus kept watch of Hannibal while Fabius by night
assailed Tarentum with ships and infantry at once and captured the
city by means of his assault aided by betrayal. Hannibal, enraged at
the trick, was eager to find some scheme for paying Fabius back. So he
sent him a letter, purporting to be from the dwellers in Metapontum,
looking to a betrayal of the city; for he hoped that Fabius would
advance carelessly in that direction and t