s
had that in view in tarrying with the army: and that afterwards a
dictator having been nominated to hold the election contrary to their
wishes, they had carried it, as it were, by storm, that the augurs
should declare the dictator informally elected. That they therefore
had gotten an interregnum; but one consulate was surely in the hands
of the Roman people. Thus the people would have that at their own
unbiassed disposal, and that they would confer it on that man who
would rather conquer in reality than lengthen the term of his
command."

35. When the people had been inflamed by these harangues, though there
were three patrician candidates for the consulship, Publius Cornelius
Merenda, Lucius Manlius Vulso, and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, two of
plebeian families, who had been ennobled, Caius Atilius Serranus and
Quintus Aelius Paetus, one of whom was pontiff, the other an augur,
Terentius alone was created consul, that the comitia for choosing his
colleague might be in his own management. Then the nobles, finding
that the competitors whom they had set up were not strong enough,
though he strenuously refused for a long time, prevail upon Aemilius
Paulus, who was strongly opposed to the people, to become a candidate.
He had been consul before with Marcus Livius, and from the
condemnation of his colleague, and almost of himself, had come off
scathed. On the next day of the election, all who had opposed Varro
withdrawing, he is given to the consul rather as a match to oppose him
than as a colleague. Afterwards the assembly for the election of
praetors was held, and Manius Pomponius Matho and Publius Furius
Philus were chosen. The city lot for the administration of justice at
Rome fell to the lot of Pomponius; between Roman citizens and
foreigners, to Philus. Two praetors were added, Marcus Claudius
Marcellus for Sicily, and Lucius Postumius for Gaul. These were all
appointed in their absence; nor was an honour which he had not
previously borne committed to any one of them, except the consul
Terentius, several brave and able men having been passed over,
because, at such a juncture, it did not appear advisable that a new
office should be committed to any one.

36. The forces also were augmented. But how great was the augmentation
of infantry and cavalry authors vary so much, that I scarcely dare
positively assert. Some state, that ten thousand soldiers were levied
as a reinforcement; others, four fresh legions, that there