[Frag.  XLV]

[Sidenote:  B.C. 235 (a.u. 519)] 1. ¶The Romans after exacting also money from the Carthaginians, renewed the truce.  And at first when an embassy from the latter arrived, they returned no proper answer, because they were aware of the state of their own equipment and because they were themselves still busied at that time with the war against the neighboring tribes.  After this, however, Hanno, a man of youthful years who employed striking frankness of speech, was sent.  He touched unreservedly on a number of other subjects and finally his appeal—­“If you don’t want to be at peace, restore to us both Sardinia and Sicily; for with these we purchased not a temporary respite but eternal friendship”—­caused them to become milder and ashamed [lacuna] (Ursinus, p.378.  Zonaras, 8, 18.)

2[lacuna] lest [Footnote:  Preceding this fragment four pages of the MS. are missing.] they might suffer the same injuries in return, so that they were very glad to delay,—­the one side choosing to preserve the prosperity that was an inheritance of the past, and the other to cling to the possessions which were still theirs.  To judge by their threats they were no longer maintaining peace, but in fact they still deliberated about the matter, so that all could see that whichever of the two found it to his advantage to create the first disturbance would also be the one to begin war.  Most men abide by their agreements just so long as suits their own convenience.  If they have in view a greater resultant benefit to themselves, they deem it safe even to break some compact. (Mai, p.184.)

[Frag.  XLVI]

[Sidenote:  B.C. 231 (a.u. 523)] ¶Once in the consulship of Marcus Pomponius and Gaius Papirius they despatched envoys to investigate affairs in Spain, although none of the Spanish States had ever yet belonged to them.  He, [Footnote:  A reference to some previous proper name, outside this fragment.] besides showing them other honors, addressed them in suitable words, declaring that he was obliged to fight against the Spaniards in order that the money which was still owing to the Romans on the part of the Carthaginians might be paid; for it was impossible to obtain it from any other source.  The envoys were consequently embarrassed to know how to censure him. (Mai, p.184)

[Frag.  XLVII]

[Sidenote:  B.C. 230 (a.u. 524)] 1. ¶The island of Issa surrendered itself voluntarily to the Romans.  This was the first time the islanders were about to make the acquaintance of the latter, but they judged them more friendly and faithful than the powers which they then dreaded.  Calculation caused them to place more dependence on the unknown than on the evident; for while the latter had aroused irritation through the dealings already had with it, the former afforded good hope, because its actions were as yet only matters of expectation. (Mai, ib.  Zonaras, 8, 19.)