1These things were done in Spain in the second summer of the Punic War, while in Italy the shrewd delaying of Fabius had brought a little respite from Roman disasters; 2and while it kept Hannibal in no ordinary anxiety, seeing that the Romans had at last chosen a master of war who would wage war by reason, not by fortune, so it was held in contempt among the citizens, soldiers and civilians alike, especially after there had been a battle in his absence, through the rashness of the master of the horse, with an outcome which I should more truly call happy than successful. 4Two things had been added to increase the unpopularity of the dictator: one through the deceit and trickery of Hannibal, because, when the dictator's estate had been pointed out to him by deserters, he ordered that, while everything around was levelled with the ground, sword and fire and all hostile violence should be kept from that alone, so that it might seem the reward of some secret pact; the other through his own act, doubtful perhaps at first, because the senate's authority was not waited for in that matter, but in the end turned without question to his highest praise.
6In exchanging prisoners it had been agreed between the Roman and Carthaginian commanders, as had been done in the first Punic War, that whichever side received more than it gave should pay two and a half pounds of silver for each soldier. 7When the Roman had received two hundred and forty-seven more than the Carthaginian, and the silver owed for them, though the matter was often raised in the senate, was being paid out too slowly because he had not consulted the senators, he sent his son Quintus to Rome, sold the estate left untouched by the enemy, and discharged the public obligation at private cost. 9Hannibal was in a standing camp before the walls of Gereonium, a city which he had captured and burned, leaving a few buildings for use as granaries.
10From there he would send two parts of his army to forage; 10with the third, kept ready for action, he himself stood on guard, at once protecting the camp and looking round lest an attack be made on the foragers from any quarter.