tratu facta esset, denuntiatque Gallis, ut se ad proelium expediant. Suos in acervum conicere sarcinas et arma 3 aptare ferroque, non auro, recuperare patriam iubet, in conspectu habentes fana deum et coniuges et liberos et solum patriae deforme belli malis et omnia, quae defendi repetique et ulcisci fas sit. Instruit deinde aciem, ut loci natura 4 patiebatur, in semirutae solo urbis et natura inaequali, et omnia quae arte belli secunda suis eligi praepararive pote-. rant providit. Galli nova re trepidi arma capiunt iraque 5 magis quam consilio in Romanos incurrunt. Iam verterat fortuna, iam deorum opes humanaque consilia rem Romanam adiuvabant. Igitur primo concursu haud maiore momento fusi Galli sunt quam ad Aliam vicerant. Iustiore 6 altero deinde proelio ad octavum lapidem Gabina via, quo se ex fuga contulerant, eiusdem ductu auspicioque Camilli vincuntur. Ibi caedes omnia obtinuit; castra capiuntur, et ne nuntius quidem cladis relictus. Dictator recuperata ex 7 hostibus patria triumphans in urbem redit, interque iocos militares, quos inconditos iaciunt, Romulus ac parens patriae

3. ulcisci parallel with defendi and repeti, and therefore passive, -a rare use of the word; cf. 2, 17, 7 ob iras graviter ultas.

4. semirutae: cf. 5, 43, 1. — - et inaequali: which was moreover naturally uneven; inaequali qualifies solo.

5. nova re trepidi. alarmed by the unexpected event. - momento: cf. 21, 43, 11; 24, 34, 2; with no greater impulse, i.e. as easily. — fusi. . . sunt: according to an ancient calendar this battle occurred on Feb. 13 (389 B.C.);

Varro, L.L. 6, 18, seems to put it shortly before July 5; but the general statement that the Gauls remained in the city seven months supports the earlier date.

6. iustiore proelio: a more regular battle; cf. 39, 2, 8 coactos in aciem descendere iusto proelio devicit. Gabina via: leading east from Rome to Gabii and Praeneste.

7. inconditos: in rude verse; cf. 7, 2, 5; a regular custom at triumphs. iaciunt: SC. milites from militares.

conditorque alter urbis haud vanis laudibus appellabatur. 8 Servatam deinde bello patriam iterum in pace haud dubie servavit, cum prohibuit migrari Veios, et tribunis rem intentius agentibus post incensam urbem et per se inclinata 9 magis plebe ad id consilium. Eaque causa fuit non abdicandae post triumphum dictaturae, senatu obsecrante ne rem publicam in incerto relinqueret statu.

B.C.

BOOK VI

The Licinio-Sextian Laws

I 35. Occasio videbatur rerum novandarum propter in377 gentem vim aeris alieni, cuius levamen mali plebes nisi 2 suis in summo imperio locatis nullum speraret: accingendum ad eam cogitationem esse; conando agendoque iam eo gradum fecisse plebeios, unde, si porro adnitantur, per

venire ad summa et patribus aequari tam honore quam virtute possent. In praesentia tribunos plebis fieri placuit, 3 quo in magistratu sibimet ipsi viam ad ceteros honores aperirent. Creatique tribuni C. Licinius et L. Sextius pro- 4 mulgavere leges omnes adversus opes patriciorum et pro commodis plebis: unam de aere alieno, ut deducto eo de capite quod usuris pernumeratum esset, id quod superesset triennio aequis pensionibus persolveretur; alteram 5 de modo agrorum, ne quis plus quingenta iugera agri possideret; tertiam, ne tribunorum militum comitia fierent, consulumque utique alter ex plebe crearetur: cuncta in

gentia et quae sine certamine maximo obtineri non possent. 6 Omnium igitur simul rerum quarum inmodica cupido inter mortales est, agri, pecuniae, honorum discrimine proposito conterriti patres cum trepidassent publicis privatisque consiliis, nullo remedio alio praeter expertam multis iam ante certaminibus intercessionem invento, collegas adversus tri7 bunicias rogationes conparaverunt. Qui ubi tribus ad suffragium ineundum citari a Licinio Sextioque viderunt, stipati patrum praesidiis nec recitari rogationes nec sollemne 8 quidquam aliud ad sciscendum plebi fieri passi sunt.

henceforth only consuls should be elected; see on § 2. - - consulumque... crearetur: sc. ut from the preceding ne. - utique: at least. -possent: a relative clause of characteristic; cf. Praef. 11 inmigraverint. There were other less important clauses not included here, that a certain proportion of free laborers should be employed; that no one should pasture more than 100 cattle and 500 sheep on the public lands; that the duoviri sacris faciundis should be increased to ten, and of these five should be plebeians; this last proposal, according to Livy, was made several years later. Appian, B.C. 1, 8.

Iam

7. tribus: the comitia tributa was probably first organized in 447 B.C. and included both patricians and plebeians, the latter, of course, in a large majority. In § 8 the same body is called concilium, and it should be said that some authorities maintain that the comitia tributa and the concilium plebis were the same thing, a body composed of plebeians only. rogationes: rogatio is the technical name of a bill for which a magistrate asks the approval of the people. It was read (recitare) by a clerk. sollemne: cf. 39, 15, I sollemne carmen precationis, quod praefari solent priusquam popu

que frustra saepe consilio advocato cum pro antiquatis rogationes essent, "bene habet" inquit Sextius; "quando quidem tantum intercessionem pollere placet, isto ipso telo tutabimur plebem. Agitedum, comitia indicite, patres, 9 tribunis militum creandis; faxo ne iuvet vox ista 'veto,' quam nunc concinentes collegas nostros tam laeti auditis." Haud inritae cecidere minae; comitia praeter aedilium tri- 10 bunorumque plebi nulla sunt habita. Licinius Sextiusque tribuni plebis refecti nullos curules magistratus creari passi sunt; eaque solitudo magistratuum et plebe reficiente duos tribunos et iis comitia tribunorum militum tollentibus per quinquennium urbem tenuit.

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lum adloquantur magistratus.ad sciscendum plebi: i.e. leading to the approval of the people; plebi is dat. of agent with the gerundive.

8. pro antiquatis essent: were considered as rejected; the verb antiquo (lit. to leave in its ancient condition) is the technical term for the rejection of a bill. Approval, on the other hand, was expressed by the words uti rogas. bene habet: a colloquial expression; all right.

9. agitedum: see on 2, 29, II. faxo: an old fut. perf. form, sometimes, as here, having the force of the future.veto: the protest of the tribune; intercedo and intercessio are the technical words referring to such action. concinentes: chanting.

IO. aedilium tribunorumque plebi: apparently the election of

*

these magistrates could not be prevented by the tribunician intercessio. Otherwise, the senate would have made use of tribunes to prevent the reëlection of Licinius and Sextius. For the form plebi see on 3, 35, 8.- curules magistratus: see on 5, 41, 2.— per quinquennium: this statement is not generally accepted, as it is thought that the state could not have existed for five years without magistrates of controlling power. According to Diod. 15, 75 (cf. Plin. 16, 44) the interregnum lasted only one year.

The proposals were first introduced in 377. The struggle for their passage was continued for ten years, Licinius and Sextius being elected every year. Meantime, on account of a war with Velitrae, they had allowed the