19.
Many horrid prodigies were seen at Rome this year, and reported from abroad.
[2]
It rained blood in the courts of the temples of Vulcan and Concord, and the priests reported that spears moved, and that the image of Juno Sospita at Lanuvium shed tears.
[3]
There was a pestilence in the country, in the market towns and market-places: and so violent was it in the city, that Libitina could scarcely supply the requisites for burying the dead.
[4]
These prodigies, and the mortality, alarmed the senate so much, that they ordered the consuls to sacrifice to such gods as they thought proper, victims of the larger kinds, and likewise the decemvirs to consult the books.
[5]
Pursuant to their direction, a supplication for one day was proclaimed, to be performed at every shrine in Rome. On the authority of these same, both the senate voted, and the consuls announced, that there should be a supplication and holidays for three days throughout the whole of Italy.
[6]
The pestilence raged with so great fury, that when, in consequence of the revolt of the Corsicans, and a war raised in Sardinia by the Iliensians, it seemed good, that, from among the Latin allies, eight thousand foot and three hundred horse should be raised, whom Marcus Pinarius the praetor should convey with him into Sardinia; —the
[7]
consuls returned a representation, that so great a number of men had died, and so many were sick, in every place, that the number of soldiers could not be made up.
[8]
The praetor was ordered to take from Cneius Baebius, proconsul, [p. 1876]who was in winter quarters at Pisae, as many soldiers as would make up the deficiency, and transport them from thence to Sardinia.
[9]
To Lucius Duronius the praetor, to whose lot Apulia had fallen, was given in addition the charge of making inquiry concerning the Bacchanalians; for some remaining seeds of the evils, formerly excited by those people, had shown themselves there the year before.
[10]
The inquiries were rather commenced under the praetor, Lucius Pupius, than brought to any issue; the senate therefore ordered the new praetor to cut up that evil by the roots, lest it might spread again more extensively.
[11]
The consuls, also, by direction of the senate, proposed to the people certain laws concerning canvassing for elections.
Livy. History of Rome by Titus Livius, books thirty-seven to the end, with the epitomes and fragments of the lost books. literally translated, with notes and illustrations, by. William A. McDevitte. York Street, Covent Garden, London. Henry G. Bohn. John Child and son, printers, Bungay. 1850. 4.
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