Whilst_they. were on their way to Syracuse Sci pio by words but by acts. He army to muster at Syracuse and the Meet to be prepared for action as though he had to engage the Cartha乡nians that day both by land and sea. When the commission had landed he received them courteously, and the following day he invited them to watch the manoeuvres of his land and sea forces, the troops performing their evolutions. iilst the ships in the harbour engaged in a sham sea-fight. praetor and the commissioners were taken for a tour of inspection round the arsenals and magazines and the other preparations for war, and the impression made by the whole and by each separate detail was such as to conwince them that if that general and that arm y could not co nquer Carthage, no one ever could. They bade him sail for Africa with the blessing of heaven, and fulfil as as possible had unanimously chosen him as their consul. They left in such joyous spirits that thev seemed to be takin back the announcement of a victorv。ana not sunpi*v reDortin the magnincent preparations for war. Pleminius and his fellow criminals were thrown into prison as soon as they reached Rome. When they were first brought before the people by the tribunes the minds of all were too full of the sunerings of the Locnans to leave any room for pity. But after they had been brought forward several times the feeling against them became gradually less embittered, the mutilation which Pleminius， had suffered. and . the thought of the absentf, acipio who had Deiriended him disposed the populace in his favour. However, before the trial was over he died in prison. Clodius Licinius in the Third Book of his Roman History )ry says that Pleminius bribed some men to set fire to various parts of the City during the Games which Scipio Africanus was celebrating, in fulfilment of a vow. during his second cons /呀.J to give him an ODDortunity of breaking out of zaol and 几三砂J几.不 his escape. The plot was discovered.and he was by order of JL，J the senate consigned to the Tullianum. No proceedings took place with regard to Scipio except in the senate, where all the commissioners and the tribunes spoke in such glowing terms of the general and his fleet and army that the senate resolved that an expedition should start for Africa, as soon as possible. They gave Scipio permission to select from the armies in Sicily what troops he would like to take with him, and what he would lea ve in occupation of the island.