Marcellus

For when he said, I am Lucius Bantius, Marcellus, as if astonished and delighted, said: What! are you that Bantius who is more talked of in Rome than any of those who fought at Cannae, as the only man who did not abandon Paulus Aemilius the consul, but encountered and received in his own body most of the missiles aimed at him?

And when Bantius assented and showed him some of his scars, Why, then, said Marcellus, when you bear such marks of your friendship towards us, did you not come to us at once? Can it be that you think us loath to requite valour in friends who are honoured even among our enemies? These kindly greetings he followed up by making him presents of a war horse and five hundred drachmas in silver.

After this Bantius was a most steadfast partisan and ally of Marcellus, and a most formidable denouncer and accuser of those who belonged to the opposite party.[*](The story of Lucius Bantius is told by Livy also (xxiii. 15, 7-16, 1).) These were many, and they purposed, when the Romans went out against the enemy, to plunder their baggage.