guards at every gate, and round the walls, wherever circumstances made it necessary, had kept such a strict watch both by day and night, as to give no opportunity for making any attempt either to the enemy or doubtful allies.  On this account several days were consumed there to no purpose, when Hannibal, as none of those who had come to him at the lake Avernus, either came themselves or sent any letter or message, perceiving that he had carelessly followed delusive promises, moved his camp thence.  Even after this he did not offer any violence to the Tarentine territory, not quitting the hope of shaking their allegiance to the Romans, though his simulated lenity had hitherto been of no advantage to him; but as soon as he came to Salapia he collected stores of corn there from the Metapontine and Heraclean lands; for midsummer was now past, and the situation pleased him as a place for winter quarters.  From hence the Moors and Numidians were detached to plunder the territory of Sallentum, and the neighbouring woods of Apulia, from which not much booty of any other sort was obtained, but principally droves of horses, four thousand of which were distributed among his horsemen to be broken.

21.  The Romans, since a war by no means to be despised was springing up in Sicily, and the death of the tyrant had furnished the Syracusans with more enterprising leaders, rather than changed their attachment to the Carthaginian cause, or the state of their minds, decreed that province to Marcus Marcellus, one of their consuls.  After the assassination of Hieronymus, at first a tumult had taken place among the soldiery in the territory of the Leontines.  They exclaimed furiously that the manes of the king should be appeased with the blood of the conspirators.  Afterwards the frequent repetition of the word liberty, which was restored to them, a word so delightful to the ear, the hopes they had conceived of largesses from the royal treasury, and of serving in future under better generals, the relation of the horrid crimes and more horrid lusts of the tyrant, effected such an alteration in their sentiments, that they suffered to lie unburied the corpse of the king, whom a little before they regretted.  As the rest of the conspirators remained behind, in order to keep the army on their side, Theodotus and Sosis, mounted on the king’s horses, rode off to Syracuse with all possible speed, that they might surprise the king’s party, while unacquainted with all that had occurred.  But they were anticipated not only by report, than which nothing is swifter in such affairs, but also by a messenger who was one of the royal servants.  In consequence, Andranodorus had occupied with strong garrisons the Insula and the citadel, and every other convenient part which he could.  After sunset, when it was now growing dark, Theodotus and Sosis rode in by the Hexapylum, and displayed the royal vest stained with blood, and the ornament of the king’s head; then passing through the Tycha, and calling the people at once to