The two largest tribes, therefore, the Insubres and Boii, made a league and sent messengers to the Gauls dwelling among the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alps&groupId=313&placeId=609">Alps</a> and near the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhone&groupId=933&placeId=1667">Rhone</a>, who are called Gaesatae because they serve for hire, this being the proper meaning of the word.
They urged and incited their kings Concolitanus and Aneroëstus to make war on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>, offering them at present a large sum in gold, and as to the future, pointing out to them the great prosperity of the Romans, and the vast wealth that would be theirs if they were victorious.
They had no difficulty in persuading them, as, in addition to all this, they pledged themselves to be loyal allies and reminded them of the achievement of their own ancestors,
who had not only overcome the Romans in combat, but, after the battle, had assaulted and taken <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> itself,
possessing themselves of all it contained, and, after remaining masters of the city for seven months, had finally given it up of their own free will and as an act of grace, and had returned home with their spoil, unbroken and unscathed.
When the kings had been told all this, they became so eager for the expedition that on no occasion has that district of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gaul&groupId=598&placeId=1108">Gaul</a> sent out so large a force or one composed of men so distinguished or so warlike.
All this time, the Romans, either hearing what was happening or divining what was coming, were in such a state of constant alarm and unrest,
that at times we find them busy enrolling legions and making provision of corn and other stores, at times marching to the frontier, as if the enemy had already invaded their territory, while as a fact the Celts had not yet budged from their own country.
This movement of the Gauls contributed in no small measure to the rapid and unimpeded subjugation of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Spain&groupId=983&placeId=1735">Spain</a> by the Carthaginians;
for the Romans, as I said above, regarded this matter as of more urgency, since the danger was on their flank, and were compelled to neglect the affairs of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Spain&groupId=983&placeId=1735">Spain</a> until they had dealt with the Gauls.
They therefore secured themselves against the Carthaginians by the treaty with Hasdrubal, the terms of which I stated above, and threw their whole effort into the struggle with their enemies in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a>, considering it their main interest to bring this to a decisive conclusion.
Walbank Commentary