14.
While this triumph over the Ligurians was being celebrated, when the Ligurians perceived that not only had the consular army been taken away
[
2??]
to
[p. 227]Rome, but even the legion sent back from Pisa by
1 Tiberius Claudius, being now freed from fear, secretly mustering an army they crossed the mountains by side roads and came down into the plains, and after devastating the lands around Mutina captured the colony itself by a surprise attack.
[
3]
When this was reported at Rome, the senate instructed the consul Gaius Claudius to hold the elections at the earliest possible moment, and after choosing the magistrates for the year to return to the province and rescue the colony from the enemy.
[
4]
The elections were held as the senate had decreed. The consuls chosen were Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Hispallus and Quintus Petilius Spurinus.
[
5]
Next the praetors were elected, Marcus Popilius Laenas, Publius Licinius Crassus, Marcus Cornelius Scipio, Lucius Papirius Maso, Marcus Aburius, Lucius Aquilius Gallus. The
imperium of Gaius Claudius the consul, together with his assignment to Gaul, was extended for a year;
[
6]
he was also instructed, in order to prevent the Histrians from doing the same thing that the Ligurians had done, to send to Histria the allies of the Latin confederacy whom he had withdrawn from the province by reason of his triumph.
[7]
The consuls, Gnaeus Cornelius and Quintus Petilius,2 on the day of their inauguration, sacrificed each an ox to Jupiter, as is usual, but in the victim which Quintus Petilius sacrificed no head to the liver was found. When this was announced to the senate he was instructed to continue sacrificing cattle until a favourable omen was secured.3
[8]
The senate next, when consulted about the provinces, decreed Pisa and the Ligurians as provinces for the consuls; the consul to whom Pisa should have fallen as a [p. 229]province4 was ordered to
[9??]
return for the elections5 on the arrival of the time of choosing magistrates.
[10]
It was added to the decree that they should each enroll two new legions and three hundred cavalry; and that each should call upon the allies of the Latin confederacy for ten thousand infantry and six hundred cavalry.
[11]
The imperium of Tiberius Claudius was extended until such time as the consul should have come to the province.6
