1With the Saguntines there was not yet war, but already, to provide a cause of war, quarrels were being sown with their neighbours, especially the Turdetani. 2Since the same man who was the sower of the dispute was supporting these, and it was clear that what was sought was not a contest of rights but force, envoys were sent by the Saguntines to Rome, begging help for the war that now beyond doubt threatened. 3The consuls at Rome at that time were Publius Cornelius Scipio and Tiberius Sempronius Longus. 3When they had brought the envoys into the senate and raised the question of state policy, and it had been decided to send envoys to Spain to look into the affairs of the allies, who, if they saw good cause, were both to warn Hannibal to keep his hands off the Saguntines, allies of the Roman people, and to cross to Carthage in Africa and lay the complaints of the allies of the Roman people before it — this embassy had been decreed but not yet sent when news came, sooner than anyone had expected, that Saguntum was under attack.
5Then the matter was referred afresh to the senate; 6and some, proposing that Spain and Africa be assigned as provinces to the consuls, thought that the war should be waged by land and sea, while others wanted to direct the whole war against Spain and Hannibal; 7there were those who thought that so great an undertaking should not be set in motion rashly and that the envoys from Spain should be awaited. 8This opinion, which seemed the safest, prevailed, and the envoys, Publius Valerius Flaccus and Quintus Baebius Tamphilus, were sent all the sooner to Saguntum to Hannibal, and from there to Carthage, if he did not desist from the war, to demand the general himself in punishment for the breaking of the treaty.