The Consuls Set Out to Iberia and Libya
Such was the state of Celtic affairs from the beginning
to the arrival of Hannibal; thus completing the course of events
which I have already had occasion to describe.
Meanwhile the Consuls, having completed the necessary note
preparations for their respective missions, set sail at the beginning of summer—Publius to Iberia, with sixty
ships, and Tiberius Sempronius to Libya, with a
hundred and sixty quinqueremes. The latter
thought by means of this great fleet to strike
terror into the enemy; and made vast preparations at Lilybaeum,
-- 202 -- collecting fresh troops wherever he could get them, as
though with the view of at once blockading Carthage itself.
Publius Cornelius coasted along Liguria, and crossing in note
five days from Pisae to Marseilles, dropped
anchor at the most eastern mouth of the Rhone,
called the Mouth of Marseilles, note and began
disembarking his troops. For though he heard that Hannibal
was already crossing the Pyrenees, he felt sure that he was
still a long way off, owing to the difficulty of his line of country,
and the number of the intervening Celtic tribes. But long
before he was expected, Hannibal had arrived at the crossing
of the Rhone, keeping the Sardinian Sea on his right as he
marched, and having made his way through the Celts partly
by bribes and partly by force. Being informed that the
enemy were at hand, Publius was at first incredulous of the
fact, because of the rapidity of the advance; but wishing to
know the exact state of the case,—while staying behind himself to refresh his troops after their voyage, and to consult with
the Tribunes as to the best ground on which to give the
enemy battle,—he sent out a reconnoitring party, consisting
of three hundred of his bravest horse; joining with them as
guides and supports some Celts, who chanced to be serving
as mercenaries at the time in Marseilles.
