12.
This extraordinary preparation particularly alarmed the Campanians, for fear the Romans might begin that year's war with a siege of Capua. Accordingly they sent legates to Hannibal to beg him to bring his army to Capua.
[2]
New armies, they said, [p. 213]were being enrolled at Rome for besieging it, and the1 defection of no city had more embittered the Romans.
[3]
Since they reported this with such excitement, Hannibal, thinking he must make haste, lest he be anticipated by the Romans, set out from Arpi and established himself by Tifata in his old camp above Capua.
[4]
Then leaving Numidians and Spaniards to defend the camp and Capua at the same time, he came down with the rest of his army to the Lake of Avernus, with the pretext of sacrificing,2 in reality to attack Puteoli and the garrison which was there.
[5]
Maximus, on being informed that Hannibal had left Arpi and was returning to Campania, without interrupting his journey by day or night returned to the army.
[6]
And he ordered Tiberius Gracchus to bring his troops from Luceria to Beneventum, and Quintus Fabius, the praetor —he was the consul's son —, to relieve Gracchus at Luceria.
[7]
Two praetors set out at the same time for Sicily, Publius Cornelius to the army, and Titus Otacilius to take command of the sea-coast and of naval operations.
[8]
And the others set out for their several assignments, and those whose commands had been prolonged held the same regions as in the previous year.
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