Having finished every thing which was to be done in Rome, the consuls set out for the war.

Fulvius first went advance to Capua; in a few days Fabius followed.

He implored his colleague in person, and Marcellus by a letter use the most vigorous measures to detain Hannibal, while he was making an attack upon Tarentum.

That when that city was taken from the enemy, who had been repulsed on all sides and had no place where he might make a stand or look back up as a safe retreat, he would not then have even a pretext for remaining in Italy.
He also sent a messenger to Rhegium, the praefect of the garrison, which had been placed there the consul Laevinus, against the Bruttians, and consisted eight thousand men, the greater part of whom had been brought from Agathyrna in Sicily, as has been before mentioned, and were men who had been accustomed to live by rapine.

To these were added fugitives of the Bruttians natives of that country, equal to them in daring, and under an equal necessity of braving every thing.