The Gallic wars having now ceased, Lentulus conducted a campaign against the Ligurians.  He drove off the attacking parties and gained possession of several fortresses.—­Varus took Corsica as his objective point, and inasmuch as he lacked the necessary ships to carry him over, he sent a certain Claudius Clineas in advance with troops.  The latter terrified the Corsicans, held a conference with them, and made peace as though he had full authority to do so.  But Varus, paying no attention to the covenant, fought against the Corsicans until he had subjugated them. [Sidenote:  FRAG. 44^2] THE ROMANS TO DIVERT THE BLAME FOR BREAKING THE COMPACT FROM THEMSELVES SENT TO THE PEOPLE OFFERING TO GIVE CLAUDIUS UP.  WHEN HE WAS NOT RECEIVED, THEY DROVE HIM INTO EXILE. [Sidenote:  FRAG. 45^1] THEY WERE ON THE POINT OF LEADING AN EXPEDITION AGAINST THE CARTHAGINIANS ALLEGING THAT THE LATTER WERE COMMITTING OUTRAGES UPON THE MERCHANTS; BUT INSTEAD OF DOING THIS THEY EXACTED MONEY AND RENEWED THE TRUCE.  Yet the agreements were not destined even so to be of long standing.—­The case of the Carthaginians was accordingly postponed and they made an expedition against the Sardinians, who would not yield obedience, and conquered them.  Subsequently the Carthaginians persuaded the Sardinians to plan a secret uprising against the Romans.  Besides these the Corsicans also revolted and the Ligurians did not remain at rest.

[Sidenote:  B.C. 234 (a.u. 520)] The following year the Romans divided their forces into three parts in order that all the rebels, finding war waged upon them at once, might not render assistance to one another; and they sent Postumius Albinus into Liguria, Spurius Carvilius against the Corsicans, and Publius Cornelius, the praetor urbanus, into Sardinia.  And the consuls not without trouble, yet with some speed, accomplished their missions.  The Sardinians, animated by an immoderate amount of spirit, were vanquished by Carvilius in a fierce battle, for Cornelius and many of his soldiers had been destroyed by disease.  When the Romans left their country, the Sardinians and the Ligurians revolted again. [Sidenote:  B.C. 233 (a.u. 521)] Quintus Fabius Maximus was accordingly sent to Ligurian territory and Pomponius Manius into Sardinia.  The Carthaginians, as the cause of the wars, were adjudged enemies, and they sent to them and demanded money and ordained that they should remove their ships from all the islands, since these ports were hostile to them.  In making known their attitude the Romans despatched to their rivals a spear and a herald’s staff, bidding them choose one, whichever they pleased.  But the Carthaginians without shrinking made a rather rough answer and declared that they chose neither of the articles sent them, but were ready to accept either that the challengers might leave there.  Henceforth the two nations hated each other but hesitated to begin war.