ass fleet, had made levies of their best men, and had become
so strong that in the third month they returned to Sicily. It was the
five hundredth year from the founding of Rome. The lower city of
Panhormus they took without trouble, but in the siege of the citadel
they fared badly until food failed those in it. Then they came to
terms with the consuls. [Sidenote: FRAG. 43^20] THE CARTHAGINIANS KEPT
WATCH FOR THEIR SHIPS HOMEWARD BOUND AND CAPTURED SEVERAL THAT WERE
FULL OF MONEY.

[Footnote 22: This is A. Atilius Calatinus again.]

[Sidenote: B.C. 253 (_a.u._ 501)] The next event was that Servilius
Caepio and Gaius Sempronius, consuls, made an attempt upon Lilybaeum
(from which they were repulsed) and crossing over to Libya ravaged the
coast districts. As they were returning homeward they encountered a
storm and incurred damage. Hence the people, thinking that the damage
was due to their inexperience in naval affairs, voted that they should
keep away from the sea in general but with a few ships should guard
Italy.

[Sidenote: B.C. 252 (_a.u._ 502)] In the succeeding year Publius
Gaius[23] and Aurelius Servilius[24] came to Sicily and subdued Himera
besides some other places. However, they did not get possession of any
of its inhabitants, for the Carthaginians conveyed them away by night.
After this Aurelius secured some ships from Hiero and adding to his
contingent all the Romans that were there he sailed to Lipara. Here
he left the tribune Quintus Cassius,[25] who was to keep a lookout but
avoid a battle, and set sail for home. Quintus, disregarding orders,
made an attack upon the city and lost many men. Aurelius, however,
subsequently took the place, killed all the inhabitants, and deposed
Cassius from his command.

[Footnote 23: A mistake for Gaius Aurelius and Publius Servilius, as
at the beginning of Chapter 16.]

[Footnote 24: [See previous footnote.]]

[Footnote 25: But Valerius Maximus (II, 7, 4) calls him P. Aurelius
Pecuniola.]

[Sidenote: B.C. 251 (_a.u._ 503)] The Carthaginians learned what the
Romans had determined regarding the fleet and sent an expedition to
Sicily hoping now to bring it entirely under their control. As long as
both consuls, Caecilius Metellus and Gaius Furius, were on the ground,
they remained quiet; but when Furius set out for Rome, they conceived
a contempt for Metellus and proceeded to Panhormus. Metellus
ascertained that spies had come from the enemy, and assembling all the