Scipio's Plan to Punish the Rebels
With this suggestion in their minds these officers
deliberated on the means of raising money; and having
communicated their decisions to Scipio, he said that he would
now consult them on the next necessary step. They accordingly resolved that they would name a day on which all were
to appear; and that then they would pardon the general body
of the men, but severely punish the instigators of the mutiny,
who were as many as thirty-five. The day having arrived, and
the mutineers having appeared to make terms and receive their
pay, Scipio gave secret instructions to the tribunes, who had
been sent on the mission to them, to meet them; and, each
of them selecting five of the ringleaders, to greet them with
politeness and invite them, if possible, to their own tent, or,
if they could not do that, to dinner or some such entertainment. But to the troops with him he sent round orders
to have provisions for a considerable period ready in three
days' time, because they were to march against the deserter
Andobales under Marcus Silanus. When they heard this
the mutineers were much emboldened, because they imagined that they would have everything in their own hands,
as the other troops would be gone by the time they joined
the general.
