wing night
nominated Marcus Fabius Buteo dictator, for six months, without a
master of the horse, in pursuance of the decree of the senate.

23. He having mounted the rostrum attended by the lictors, declared,
that he neither approved of there being two dictators at one time,
which had never been done before, nor of his being appointed dictator
without a master of the horse; nor of the censorian authority being
committed to one person, and to the same person a second time; nor
that command should be given to a dictator for six months, unless he
was created for active operations. That he would himself restrain
within proper bounds those irregularities which chance, the exigencies
of the times, and necessity had occasioned. For he would not remove
any of those whom the censors Flaminius and Aemilius had elected into
the senate; but would merely order that their names should be
transcribed and read over, that one man might not exercise the power
of deciding and determining on the character and morals of a senator;
and would so elect in place of deceased members, that one rank should
appear to be preferred to another, and not man to man. The old
senate-roll having been read, he chose as successors to the deceased,
first those who had filled a curule office since the censorship of
Flaminius and Aemilius, but had not yet been elected into the senate,
as each had been earliest created. He next chose those who had been
aediles, plebeian tribunes, or quaestors; then of those who had never
filled the office of magistrate, he selected such as had spoils taken
from an enemy fixed up at their homes, or had received a civic crown.
Having thus elected one hundred and seventy-seven senators, with the
entire approbation of his countrymen, he instantly abdicated his
office, and, bidding the lictors depart, he descended from the rostrum
as a private citizen, and mingled with the crowd of persons who were
engaged in their private affairs, designedly wearing away this time,
lest he should draw off the people from the forum for the purpose of
escorting him home. Their zeal, however, did not subside by the delay,
for they escorted him to his house in great numbers. The consul
returned to the army the ensuing night, without acquainting the
senate, lest he should be detained in the city on account of the
elections.

24. The next day, on the proposition of Manius Pomponius the praetor,
the senate decreed that a letter should be written to the