[QUINTUS]: Noble Senators, I have been studying the votes already cast and your will is becoming clearer to me. But I have one question on which I would seek your counsel. It considers Motion 7 - the creation of a fourth legion. My question is this - where should that legion be deployed in the event that I strike into Sicily?

Currently, we have three legions - two attached to our Consular army and one to our Praetorian army. (Here I do count only our mobile forces - not the troops spread across our settlements in garrisons.) Both armies are accompanied by corresponding alae, made up by our Italian brothers. All are somewhat understrength but within the year will be replenished.

Suppose we raise a fourth legion, where should it be assigned? I see three possibilities:
- in the north, with our Praetorian army, to guard against Gaulish incursions. This addition would make our Praetorian army effectively a second Consular army.
- in the centre, to guard against seaborne incursions in our heartlands or to reinforce either the north or the south if under threat.
- in Sicily, to assist the Consular army in its conquest of Carthaginian settlements (again, I do not mean light garrison duties - these will be performed by other formations).

I would welcome any thoughts on this question. My personal inclination would be to assign the legion to the centre, acting as a strategic reserve. However, some of your talk of the danger of facing Carthage counsels against this.

Pray remember, I wish only your advice made on the assumption that we strike Carthage in Sicily and not Gaul in the north.