U. C. 538. in amicitia Romana, non Carthaginienses modo, qui regioA. C. 216. nem obtinebant, sed Bruttii quoque ceteri, ob separata ab se consilia, oppugnabant. Quibus quum obsistere malis nequirent Petelini, legatos Romam ad præsidium petendum miserunt. Quorum preces lacrimæque (in questus enim flebiles, quum sibimet ipsi consulere jussi sunt, sese in vestibulo curiæ profuderunt) ingentem misericordiam Patribus ac populo moverunt. Consultique iterum a M'. Pomponio prætore Patres, circumspectis omnibus imperii viribus, fateri coacti, nihil jam longinquis sociis in se præsidii esse, redire domum', fideque ad ultimum expleta, consulere sibimet ipsos in reliquum præsenti fortuna jusserunt. Hæc postquam renuntiata legatio Petelinis est, tantus repente moeror pavorque senatum eorum cepit, ut pars profugiendi, qua quisque posset, ac deserendæ urbis auctores essent; pars, quando deserti a veteribus sociis essent, adjungendi se ceteris Bruttiis, ac per eos dedendi Hannibali. Vicit tamen ea pars, quæ nihil raptim nec temere agendum, consulendumque de integro censuit. Re laxata2 postero die per minorem trepidationem tenuerunt optimates, ut, convectis omnibus ex agris, urbem ac muros firmarent. 21. Per idem fere tempus literæ ex Sicilia Sardiniaque Romam allatæ. Priores ex Sicilia T. Otacilii proprætoris in senatu recitatæ sunt: 'P. Furium prætorem cum classe ex 'Africa Lilybæum venisse: ipsum graviter saucium in dis'crimine ultimo vitæ esse. Militi et navalibus sociis neque 'stipendium, neque frumentum ad diem3 dari; neque, unde 'detur, esse. Magnopere suadere, ut quam primum ea 'mittantur; sibique, si ita videatur, ex novis prætoribus 'successorem mittant.' Eademque ferme de stipendio frumentoque ab A. Cornelio Mammula proprætore ex Sardinia scripta. Responsum utrisque, non esse, unde mitteretur: jussique ipsi classibus atque exercitibus suis consulere. T. Otacilius, ad unicum subsidium populi Romani Hieronem* Bruttians had by this time taken 9 Quorum preces lacrimæque &c.] 2 Re laxatá.] i. e. Laxamento dato. "The case appearing less urgent." It is almost certain, however, that Crevier's emendation restores the original reading, relatá— re tenuerunt, and this is further confirmed by the appearance of retinuerunt in some Mss. 3 Frumentum ad diem.] Either, "their daily provisions," (rations,) or, ad diem (sc. constitutam) dari, "were distributed regularly," (in time.) 4 Hieronem] This timely act of generosity is believed to have been the last public act of Hiero. legatos quum misisset, in stipendium, quanti argenti opus U. C 538. fuit, et sex mensium frumentum accepit. Cornelio in Sar- A. C. 216. dinia civitates sociæ benigne contulerunt. Et Romæ quoque propter penuriam argenti triumviri mensarii3, rogatione M. Minucii tribuni plebis, facti, L. Æmilius Papus, qui consul censorque fuerat, et M. Atilius Regulus, qui bis consul fuerat, et L. Scribonius Libo, qui tum tribunus plebis erat. Et duumviri creati, M. et C. Atilii, ædem Concordiæ, quam L. Manlius prætor voverat, dedicaverunt. Et tres pontifices creati, Q. Cæcilius Metellus, et Q. Fabius Maximus, et Q. Fulvius Flaccus, in locum P. Scantinii demortui, et L. Æmilii Paulli consulis, et Q. Elii Pæti, qui ceciderant pugna Cannensi. Quum cetera, quæ continuis cladibus fortuna minuerat, quantum consiliis humanis assequi poterant, Patres explessent; tandem se quoque et solitudinem curiæ, paucitatemque convenientium ad publicum consilium respexerunt. Neque enim post L. Æmilium et C. Flaminium censores senatus lectus fuerat, quum tantum senatorum adversæ pugnæ, ad hoc sui quemque casus per quinquennium absumpsissent. Quum de ea re M'. Pomponius prætor, dictatore post Casilinum amissum profecto jam ad exercitum, exposcentibus cunctis retulisset; tum Sp. Carvilius, quum longa oratione non solum inopiam, sed paucitatem etiam civium, ex quibus in Patres legerentur, conquestus esset, explendi senatus causa, et jungendi artius Latini nominis cum populo Romano, magnopere se suadere dixit, ut ex singulis populis Latinorum, binis senatoribus, si Patres Romani censuissent, civitas daretur, atque in demortuorum locum in senatum legerentur. Eam sententiam haud æquioribus animis, quam ipsorum quondam postulatum Latinorum, Patres audierunt: et, quum fremitus indignantium tota curia esset, et præcipue T. Manlius, esse etiam nunc 6 Quum tantum senatorum &c.] 5 Triumviri mensarii.] "Three sore cost, after the Gallic invasion. commissioners of finance, banking "In war," says Gibbon, "the commissioners." Independently of worst sufferings fall црои the most the expenses of the war, the want innocent and helpless.' of money was occasioned by the revolt of several towns, from which the exchequer would have been, otherwise, receiving contributions; by the hostile occupation of large tracts of land, and the destruction of crops; by the deaths in battle of many tax-payers, whose bereaved families could not supply the deficiency; and by the dread of borrowing money at interest, as the poorer citizens had done, to their Earnestly, se 8 Et præcipuè T. Manlius &c.] "And Manlius in particular declared that there still lived a man of that family, one of whom, a consul, had once threatened in the Senate," &c. (See note c. 6, above.) 22. U. C. 538. 23. 'ret eos. stirpis ejus virum,' diceret, 'ex qua quondam in Capitolio consul minatus esset, quem Latinum in curia vidisset, eum sua manu se interfecturum;' Q. Fabius Maximus, Nunquam rei ullius alieniore tempore mentionem factam in senatu,' dixit, quam inter tam suspensos sociorum ani'mos incertamque fidem id tactum', quod insuper sollicitaEam unius hominis temerariam vocem silentio ' omnium exstinguendam esse: et, si quid unquam arcani 'sanctive ad silendum in curia fuerit, id omnium maxime ' tegendum, occulendum, obliviscendum, pro non dicto ha'bendum esse.' Ita ejus rei oppressa mentio est. Dictatorem, qui censor ante fuisset, vetustissimusque3 ex iis, qui viverent, censoriis esset, creari placuit, qui senatum legeret: accirique C. Terentium consulem ad dictatorem dicendum jusserunt. Qui, quum ex Apulia, relicto ibi præsidio, magnis itineribus Romam redisset, nocte proxima, ut mos erat, M. Fabium Buteonem ex senatusconsulto sine magistro equitum dictatorem et sex menses dixit. Is, ubi cum lictoribus in Rostra escendit, neque duos dictatores tempore uno, quod nunquam antea factum esset, probare se,' dixit: 'neque dictatorem se sine magistro equitum: nec censoriam 'vim uni permissam, et eidem iterum: nec dictatori, nisi 'rei gerendæ causa creato, in sex menses datum imperium. 'Quæ immoderata fors, tempus ac necessitas fecerint, iis se 'modum impositurum. Nam neque senatu quemquam 'moturum ex iis, quos C. Flaminius, L. Æmilius censores ' in senatum legissent: transscribi tantum recitarique eos 'jussurum; ne penes unum hominem judicium arbitriumque de fama ac moribus senatoris fuerit: et ita in demortuorum locum sublecturum, ut ordo ordini, non homo ho'mini prælatus videretur.' Recitato vetere senatu, inde primos in demortuorum locum legit, qui post L. Æmilium et C. Flaminium censores curulem magistratum cepissent, necdum in senatum lecti essent; ut quisque eorum primus' creatus erat: tum legit, qui ædiles, tribuni plebei, quæsto 6 4 6 9 Alieniore tempore.] "At a more unlucky (unseasonable) moment." 1 Id tactum.] "Such a question should be started." 2 Si quid unquam arcani &c.] "With whatever secresy and solemnity had ever tended to secure silence." 3 Vetustissimusque.] "The senior of the ex-censors then living." 4 Neque dictatorem &c.] It was contrary to precedent that there should be two dictators and but one censor at a time; and contrary to law that the same man should be censor a second time. 5 Quæ immoderata &c.] "The irregularities which accident, occasion, and necessity had created, he would restrain within due limits." 6 Transscribi.] i. e. So as to contain only the names of the sur. vivors. 7 Ut quisque eorum primus.] "In the order in which they had been successively elected" (to the curule offices). resve fuerant: tum ex iis, qui magistratus non cepissent, U. C. 538. qui spolia ex hoste fixa domi haberent, aut civicam coronam A. C. 216. accepissent. Ita, centum septuaginta septem cum ingenti approbatione homnium in senatum lectis, extemplo se magistratu abdicavit, privatusque de Rostris descendit, lictoribus abire jussis: turbæque se immiscuit privatas agentium res, tempus hoc sedulo terens, ne deducendi sui causa populum de foro abduceret. Neque tamen elanguit cura hominum ea mora, frequentesque eum domum deduxerunt. Consul nocte insequenti ad exercitum rediit, non facto certiore senatu, ne comitiorum causa in urbe retineretur. 8 Postero die consultus a M'. Pomponio prætore senatus decrevit, dictatori scribendum, uti, si e republica censeret esse, ad consules subrogandos veniret cum magistro equitum et prætore M. Marcello, ut ex iis præsentibus noscere Patres possent, quo statu respublica esset, consiliaque ex rebus caperent. Qui acciti erant, omnes venerunt, relictis legatis, qui legionibus præessent. Dictator, de se pauca ac modice locutus, in magistrum equitum, Ti. Sempronium Gracchum, magnam partem gloriæ vertit; comitiaque edixit, quibus L. Postumius tertium absens, qui tum Galliam provinciam obtinebat, et Ti. Sempronius Gracchus, qui tum magister equitum et ædilis curulis erat, consules crearentur9. Prætores inde creati, M. Valerius Lævinus, Ap. Claudius Pulcher, Q. Fulvius Flaccus, Q. Mucius Scævola. Dictator, creatis magistratibus, Teanum1 in hiberna ad exercitum rediit, relicto magistro equitum Romæ: qui, quum post paucos dies magistratum initurus esset, de exercitibus scribendis comparandisque in annum Patres consuleret. Quum eæ res maxime agerentur, nova clades nuntiata, aliam super aliam2 cumulante in eum annum fortuna: L. Postumium, consulem designatum, in Gallia ipsum atque exercitum deletos. Silva erat vasta, (Litanam Galli vocabant3) qua exercitum traducturus erat. Ejus silvæ dextra lævaque circa viam Galli arbores ita inciderant, ut immotæ starent', momento levi impulsæ occiderent. Legiones duas 24. 5 U.C. 538. Romanas habebat Postumius, sociûmque ab supero mari A. C. 216. tantum conscripserat, ut viginti quinque millia armatorum in agros hostium induxerit. Galli oram extremæ silvæ quum circumsedissent, ubi intravit agmen saltum, tum extremas arborum succisarum impellunt: quæ, alia in aliam, instabilem per se ac male hærentem, incidentes, ancipiti strage arma, viros, equos obruerunt, ut vix decem homines effugerent. Nam quum exanimati plerique essent arborum truncis fragmentisque ramorum, ceteram quoque multitudinem, inopinato malo trepidam, Galli, saltum omnem armati circumsedentes, interfecerunt; paucis e tanto numero captis, qui, fluminis pontem petentes, obsesso ante ab hostibus ponte interclusi sunt. Ibi Postumius, omni vi, ne caperetur, dimicans, occubuit. Spolia corporis caputque ducis præcisum Boii ovantes templo, quod sanctissimum est apud eos, intulere. Purgato inde capite, ut mos iis est, calvam auro cœlavere': idque sacrum vas iis erat, quo sollennibus libarent: poculumque idem sacerdoti esse, ac templi antistitibus. Præda quoque haud minor Gallis, quam victoria, fuit. Nam etsi magna pars animalium strage silvæ 6 Quæ, alia in aliam, &c.] "And these, as they fell successively against the others which were unsteady and slightly attached, buried arms, horses, and men under the surrounding ruin, so that, &c." 7 Calvam auro cælavere.] "Embossed the skull with gold." A more recent period of Italian history furnishes a similar story of a skull, the desecration of which was followed by tragical consequences. Alboin, king of the Lombards, (in the reign of Justin 11. the nephew of Justinian,) having slain Cunimund king of the Gepida in battle, made a drinkingcup of his skull, according to the national custom, and at the same time, strange to tell, married his enemy's daughter, Rosamond, by whose beauty he had been captivated. Some time after, on the capture of Pavia, he sent to the queen, from his own table where he was celebrating his victory, her father's skull filled with wine, together with an insulting message. Dissembling her resentment for the moment, she immediately entered into a conspiracy with two of the king's officers to assassinate him. The conspiracy was successful; but she was eventually compelled to take flight in company with one of the murderers. The skull of Cunimund was preserved for 200 years among the Lombards. The popularity of this practice among the northern nations may be inferred from the fact, that it was anticipated as one of the enjoyments of the Valhala, and that they numbered their victories by such trophies, as the North-American Indians by scalps. In the translation of the song of Lodbrog, in an Edda, we find the lines; "Bliss eternal shall be mine Where the halls of Odin shine: To him, great sire, my deeds are known; |
