Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 30
Frank Gardener Moore, Professor Emeritus in Columbia University, Ed.

40. Upon the arrival at Rome of the envoys from Africa, the Roman and the Carthaginian at the same time, the senate sat in the Temple of Bellona.¹ [2] There Lucius Veturius Philo² to the great joy of the senators set forth how they had fought with Hannibal in a battle that was for the Carthaginians their last, [p. 517]and that at length an end had been made of a war³ of grievous losses. [3] He then added that Vermina also, the son of Syphax, had been defeated —a small supplement to a victorious campaign. Upon that he was bidden to go out into the assembly and share the joyful news with the people. [4] Then all the temples in the city were opened for the offering of thanks, and three days of thanksgiving were ordered. When the Carthaginian envoys and those of King Philip —for these also had arrived —requested that a hearing in the senate be granted them, by order of the senate the dictator replied that the new consuls would grant them a hearing in the senate.⁴

[5] Thereupon the elections were held. As consuls Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus and Publius Aelius Paetus were elected, as praetors Marcus Iunius Pennus, to whom fell the city praetorship, Marcus Valerius Falto, to whom the land of the Bruttii, Marcus Fabius Buteo, to whom Sardinia, Publius Aelius Tubero, to whom Sicily was allotted. [6] As for the consuls' provinces, the senators were not disposed to take up the matter until the envoys of King Philip and those of the Carthaginians had been heard. [7] They foresaw the end of one war, the beginning of another.

Gnaeus Lentulus, the consul, was fired with the⁵ desire to have Africa as his province, aspiring to an easy victory if the war continued, or if it were already ending, to the glory of having so great a war end in his consulship. [8] Accordingly he declared that he would allow nothing to be taken up before Africa had been assigned him by decree as his province. [p. 519]He had the consent of his colleague, a moderate⁶ man and wise who saw that a contest with Scipio for that glory not only was unfair but also would prove unequal. [9] Quintus Minucius Thermus and Manius Acilius Glabrio, tribunes of the plebs, declared that Gnaeus Cornelius was attempting what had been vainly attempted in the preceding year by Tiberius Claudius, the consul;⁷ [10] that by authority of the senators the question whom they wished to have the high command in Africa had been brought before the people; that all thirty-five tribes had awarded that command to Scipio. [11] After many disputes, while the matter was before the senate and the people as well, the decision was ultimately left to the senate. [12] The senators therefore under oath⁸ — for such had been the agreement —decided that the consuls should determine their provinces by mutual agreement or by lot, which of them was to have Italy and which the fleet of fifty ships; [13] that he to whom the fleet fell should sail to Sicily, and if peace could not be arranged with the Carthaginians, he should cross over to Africa; that the consul should conduct operations on the sea and Scipio on the land, with the same authority to command as heretofore; [14] that if the peace terms should be agreed upon, the tribunes of the plebs should bring before the people the question whether to order the consul or Publius Scipio to grant peace, and, if the victorious army was to be brought back from Africa, who was to bring it back. [15] If the people should order that peace be granted through Publius Scipio, and that the army should be brought back by him as well, the consul should not cross over from Sicily to Africa. [16] The other [p. 521]consul, to whom Italy should fall, was to receive two⁹ legions from Marcus Sextius, the praetor.¹⁰