Chapter 25
+Result.+ 'The principle was established that Patricians and Plebeians were both citizens of the State, and equally eligible to the honours and dignities of the Republic.' --Ihne.
D29
THE LICINIAN LAWS, 376-366 B.C. (2)
_The Origin of the Floralia, 238 B.C._
'Dic, dea,' respondi, 'ludorum quae sit origo.'
Vix bene desieram; rettulit illa mihi: 'Cetera luxuriae nondum instrumenta vigebant: Aut pecus, aut latam dives habebat humum; 4 Hinc etiam locuples, hinc ipsa pecunia dicta est.
Sed iam de vet.i.to quisque parabat opes.
Venerat in morem populi depascere saltus; Idque diu licuit, poenaque nulla fuit. 8 Vindice servabat nullo sua publica vulgus; Iamque in privato pascere inertis erat.
Plebis ad aediles perducta licentia talis Publicios: animus defuit ante viris. 12 Rem populus recipit: multam subiere nocentes: Vindicibus laudi publica cura fuit.
Multa data est ex parte mihi, magnoque favore Victores ludos inst.i.tuere novos. 16 Parte locant Clivum, qui tunc erat ardua rupes: Utile nunc iter est. Publiciumque vocant.'
OVID, _Fasti_, v. 237-254, H. [V. 277-294]
[Linenotes: 2. +illa+, i.e. _Flora_, the Roman G.o.ddess of Flowers and Spring.
3. +luxuriae instrumenta+ = _appliance of luxury_.
5. +locuples+ (_locus + plenus_) = _rich in lands_.
+pecunia+ from +pecus+, _cattle_ being in olden time the chief form of wealth and the chief medium of exchange. For +pecus+, cf. _fee_, _fief_, _feudal_.
7. +Venerat... saltus+ = _it had grown into a custom to feed (cattle) on the public forest-pastures_. (Cf. the ager publicus.) --H.
9. +sua publica+ = _their common property_, i.e. their interest in the public land.
+vulgus+ here = _the commons_, not the _plebs_ as opposed to the _populus_.
10. +inertis erat+ = _it was the mark of a man wanting in spirit_.
12. +Publicios.+ L. and M. Publicius Malleolus,[21] plebeian aediles, B.C. 241.
+animus... viris+, i.e. information had before been given but no aedile dared to act upon it.
13. +recipit+ = _takes up the charge at the Comitia_.
+multam+ = _a fine_. Cf. to mulct = to fine.
14. +publica cura+ = _their public spirit_. --H.
15. +multa... mihi+, i.e. a new Temple was built to Flora near the Circus Maximus.
+ludos novos+ = _the Floralia_.
16. +Parte locant+ (sc. _muniendum_) +Clivum+ = _with the (other) part they contract for (the making of) the Clivus_, a sloping road, called the Clivus Publicius, which led up to the Aventine.]
[Footnote 21: For Malleolus, cf. Charles Martel of France, 'The Hammer' circ. 689-741 A.D.]
THE CONQUEST OF ITALY, 366-266 B.C.
D30
SECOND INVASION OF THE GAULS, 361 B.C.
_Manlius and his son Torquatus._
L. Manlio, c.u.m dictator fuisset, M. Pomponius tribunus plebis diem dixit, quod is paucos sibi dies ad dictaturam gerendam addidisset; criminabatur etiam, quod t.i.tum filium, qui postea est Torquatus appellatus, ab hominibus relega.s.set et ruri habitare {5} iussisset. Quod c.u.m audivisset adulescens filius negotium exhiberi patri, accurrisse Romam et c.u.m prima luce Pomponii domum venisse dicitur. Cui c.u.m esset nuntiatum, qui illum iratum allaturum ad se aliquid contra patrem arbitraretur,
CICERO, _de Officiis_, iii. -- 112.
[Linenotes: 1. +L. Manlio+, i.e. L. Manlius Capitolinus Imperiosus, appointed Dictator 363 B.C. 'to drive in a nail (_clavi figendi causa_) on the right side of the Temple of Jupiter, to mark the number of the year, because written doc.u.ments were rare in those times.'
2. +diem dixit+ = _named a day (for his trial before the Comitia)_.
4-6. +quod t.i.tum filium... iussisset.+ Livy, vii. 4, says 'And for what offence? Because he was a little slow of speech and not ready with his tongue.'
4. +Torquatus+, Dictator 353 and 349 B.C., and three times Consul.
6. +negotium exhiberi patri+ = lit. _that trouble was being brought upon his father_, i.e. _that his father was in trouble_.
9-10. +qui arbitraretur+ = _inasmuch as he thought_. Adject. causal clause. --Holden.
11. +remotis arbitris+ = _when he had put out of the room all witnesses_. --H. +arbiter+[22] = (ar = ad + bito = eo) = spectator, umpire.
14-15. +missum facturum+ = _would set at liberty_.
19. +ad Anienem Galli.+ On this, their second invasion, the Gauls advanced as far as the Anio. Livy tells us that after the death of their champion the Gauls fled under cover of night.
21-22. +cuius... fugati+, i.e. the great battle of Vesuvius fought 340 B.C. by the Veseris, a R. in Campania near Mount Vesuvius, which established for ever the supremacy of Rome over Latium.]
[Footnote 22: Cf. _arbiter pugnae_, _bibendi_, Horace.]
+Parallel Pa.s.sage.+ Livy, vii. 4, 5, 9, 10.
D31
FIRST SAMNITE WAR, 343-341 B.C. (1)
_An Important Epoch in Roman History._
Maiora iam hinc bella et viribus hostium et longinquitate vel regionum vel temporum, quibus bellatum est, dicentur. Namque eo anno adversus Samnites, gentem opibus armisque validam, mota arma; Samnitium bellum ancipiti Marte gestum {5} Pyrrhus hostis, Pyrrhum Poeni secuti. Quanta rerum moles! quoties in extrema periculoram ventum, ut in hanc magnitudinem, quae vix sustinetur, erigi imperium posset! Belli autem causa c.u.m Samnitibus Romanis, c.u.m societate amicitiaque iuncti essent, {10} extrinsecus venit, non orta inter ipsos est. Samnites Sidicinis iniusta arma, quia viribus plus poterant, c.u.m intulissent, coacti inopes ad opulentiorum auxilium confugere Campanis sese coniungunt. Campani magis nomen ad praesidium sociorum quam {15} vires c.u.m attulissent, fluentes luxu ab duratis usu armorum in Sidicino pulsi agro, in se deinde molem omnem belli verterunt. Namque Samnites, omissis Sidicinis ipsam arcem finitimorum Campanos adorti, unde aeque facilis victoria, praedae atque gloriae {20} plus esset, Tifata, imminentes Capuae colles, c.u.m praesidio firmo occupa.s.sent, descendunt inde quadrato agmine in planitiem, quae Capuam Tifataque interiacet. Ibi rursus acie dimicatum; adversoque proelio Campani intra moenia compulsi, c.u.m robore iuventutis {25} suae acciso nulla propinqua spes esset, coacti sunt ab Romanis petere auxilium.
LIVY, vii. 29.
[Linenotes: 1. +iam hinc+, i.e. 343-266 B.C.
2. +longinquitate... temporum+ = _the distance of the theatre of war_ (+regionum+) _and the length of the campaign_ (+temporum+).--Rawlins.
6-7. +quanta rerum moles+ = _What stupendous exertions!_--R.
8. +in hanc magnitudinem+, i.e. in the reign of Augustus.
10. +c.u.m societate+, i.e. from 354 B.C.
12. +Sidicinis+, a Sabellian people N.W. of Campania, on the Samnite border.
16. +fluentes (luxu)+ = _enervated_ (lit. _relaxed_) by luxury.
21. +Tifata+ (neut. Plur.), a mountain range N.E. of Capua.
22-23. +quadrato agmine+ = _in regular order of battle_, so that the whole army formed a parallelogram.]
+The Cause of the War.+ 'The interference of Rome was a breach of the Treaty with the Samnites. Livy admits this, but a.s.serts that Capua had formally surrendered to Rome, and as a subject state claimed her protection. The story is confessedly false, for Capua remained, what it had always been, an independent town.' --R.
D32
FIRST SAMNITE WAR, 343-341 B.C. (2)
_Battle of Mt. Gaurus. M. Valerius Corvus._
Non alias militi familiarior dux fuit, omnia inter infimos militum haud gravate munia obeundo. In ludo praeterea militari, c.u.m velocitatis viriumque inter se aequales certamina ineunt, comiter facilis; vincere ac vinci vultu eodem, nec quemquam aspernari {5} parem, qui se offerret; factis benignus pro re, dictis haud minus libertatis alienae quam suae dignitatis memor, et, quo nihil popularius est, quibus artibus petierat magistratus, iisdem gerebat. Itaque universus exercitus incredibili alacritate adhortationem {10} prosecutus ducis castris egreditur....