Liv. 21.19.1Haec dērēcta percunctātiō ac dēnūntiātiō bellī magis ex dignitāte populī Rōmānī vīsa est quam dē foederum iūre verbīs disceptāre, cum ante, tum maximē Saguntō excīsa.This direct question and declaration of war seemed more in keeping with the dignity of the Roman people than to argue in words about the rights of treaties, both before and especially now that Saguntum had been destroyed. Liv. 21.19.2Nam sī verbōrum disceptātiōnis rēs esset, quid foedus Hasdrubalis cum Lutātiī priōre foedere, quod mūtātum est, conparandum erat, cum in Lutātiī foedere disertē additum esset, ita id ratum fore, sī populus cēnsuisset, in Hasdrubalis foedere nec exceptum tāle quicquam fuerit, et tot annōrum silentiō ita vīvō eō conprobātum sit foedus, ut nē mortuō quidem auctōre quicquam mūtārētur?For if it were a matter for verbal argument, what comparison was there between Hasdrubal's treaty and the earlier treaty of Lutatius, which was altered, since in Lutatius' treaty it had been expressly added that it would be valid only if the people approved it, while in Hasdrubal's treaty no such reservation had been made, and the treaty had been so far confirmed by the silence of so many years during his lifetime that not even after its author's death was anything changed?
Liv. 21.19.4Quamquam, et sī priōre foedere stārētur, satis cautum erat Saguntīnīs sociīs utrōrumque exceptīs.And yet, even if the earlier treaty were upheld, the Saguntines were sufficiently protected by the exception of the allies of both sides. Liv. 21.19.4Nam neque additum erat "iīs quī tunc essent" nec "nē quī posteā adsūmerentur;"For neither had 'those who were allies at that time' been added, nor 'that none should be taken on later'; Liv. 21.19.5et cum adsūmere novōs licēret sociōs, quis aequum cēnsēret aut ob nūlla quemquam merita in amīcitiam recipī aut receptōs in fidem nōn dēfendī?and since it was permitted to take on new allies, who would think it fair either that no one should be received into friendship for any services, or that those received under protection should not be defended? Liv. 21.19.5Tantum nē Carthāginiēnsium sociī aut sollicitārentur ad dēfectiōnem aut suā sponte dēscīscentēs reciperentur.The only condition was that allies of the Carthaginians should not be incited to revolt or received if they broke away of their own accord. Liv. 21.19.6Lēgātī Rōmānī ab Carthāgine sīcut iīs Rōmae imperātum erat, in Hispāniam, ut adīrent cīvitātēs et in societātem perlicerent aut āverterent ā Poenīs, trāiēcērunt.The Roman envoys, as they had been ordered at Rome, crossed from Carthage to Spain to approach the communities and either win them over to alliance or turn them away from the Carthaginians.
Liv. 21.19.7Ad Bargusiōs prīmum vēnērunt, ā quibus benignē exceptī, quia taedēbat imperiī Pūnicī, multōs trāns Hibērum populōs ad cupīdinem novae fortūnae ērēxērunt.They came first to the Bargusii, by whom they were kindly received, because they were weary of Carthaginian rule, and they roused many peoples across the Ebro to a desire for a new fortune. Liv. 21.19.8Ad Volciānōs inde est ventum, quōrum celebre per Hispāniam respōnsum cēterōs populōs ab societāte Rōmānā āvertit.From there they came to the Volciani, whose reply, famous throughout Spain, turned the other peoples away from alliance with Rome. Liv. 21.19.9Ita enim maximus nātū ex iīs in conciliō respondit: " quae verēcundia est, Rōmānī, postulāre vōs, utī vestram Carthāginiēnsium amīcitiae praepōnāmus, cum, quī id fēcērunt , crūdēlius, quam Poenus hostis perdidit, vōs sociī prōdiderītis?For thus the eldest of them answered in their council: 'What shame is this, Romans, that you demand that we put your friendship before that of the Carthaginians, when those who did so have been betrayed by you, their allies, more cruelly than the Carthaginian, their enemy, destroyed them? Liv. 21.19.10Ibi quaerātis sociōs cēnseō ubi Saguntīna clādēs ignōta est;I think you should look for allies where the disaster of Saguntum is unknown; Liv. 21.19.10Hispānīs populīs sīcut lūgubre ita īnsigne documentum Saguntī ruīnae erunt, nē quis fideī Rōmānae aut societātī cōnfīdat."to the peoples of Spain the ruins of Saguntum will be a lesson as conspicuous as it is mournful, that no one should trust Roman good faith or a Roman alliance.' Liv. 21.19.11Inde extemplō abīre fīnibus Volciānōrum iussī ab nūllō deinde conciliō Hispāniae benigniōra verba tulēre tulere.Then, ordered to leave the territory of the Volciani at once, they received no kinder words from any council of Spain thereafter.
Liv. 21.19.11Ita nēquīquam peragrātā Hispāniā in Galliam trānseunt.So, having travelled through Spain in vain, they cross into Gaul.