eague, Marcus Atilius, the city
praetor, undertaking the duties of his office. The province of
Ariminum fell to the lot of Publius Sempronius, that of Suessula to
Cneius Fulvius, with two legions each likewise; Fulvius taking with
him the city legions; Tuditanus receiving his from Manius Pomponius.
The following generals were continued in command, and their provinces
assigned to them thus: to Marcus Claudius, so much of Sicily as lay
within the limits of the kingdom of Hiero; to Lentulus, the
propraetor, the old province in that island; to Titus Otacilius, the
fleet; no additional troops were assigned to them. Marcus Valerius had
Greece and Macedonia, with the legion and the fleet which he had
there; Quintus Mucius had Sardinia, with his old army, consisting of
two legions; Caius Terentius, Picenum, with one legion which he then
commanded. Besides, orders were given to enlist two legions for the
city, and twenty thousand men from the allies. With these leaders and
these forces did they fortify the Roman empire against the many wars
which had either actually broken out, or were suspected at one and the
same time. After enlisting the city legions and raising troops to make
up the numbers of the others, the consuls, before they quitted the
city, expiated the prodigies which were reported. A wall and a gate
had been struck by lightning; and at Aricia even the temple of Jupiter
had been struck by lightning. Other illusions of the eyes and ears
were credited as realities. An appearance as of ships had been seen in
the river at Tarracina, when there were none there. A clashing of arms
was heard in the temple of Jupiter Vicilinus, in the territory of
Compsa; and a river at Amiternum had flowed bloody. These prodigies
having been expiated according to a decree of the pontiffs, the
consuls set out, Sempronius for Lucania, Fabius for Apulia. The father
of the latter came into the camp at Suessula, as his
lieutenant-general; and when the son advanced to meet him, the
lictors, out of respect for his dignity, went on in silence. The old
man rode past eleven of the fasces, when the consul ordered the lictor
nearest to him to take care and he called to him to dismount; then at
length dismounting, he exclaimed, "I wished to try, my son, whether
you were duly sensible that you are a consul."

45. To this camp came Dasias Altinius of Arpi privately and by night,
attended by three slaves, with a promise that if he should receive a
reward