ayers, that the business
which the state had in contemplation, concerning a new war, might
terminate prosperously and happily for the senate and people of Rome.
At every one of those sacrifices, appearances were favourable, and
the propitious omens were found in the first victims. Accordingly, the
auspices gave this answer:--That, by this war, the boundaries of the
Roman empire would be enlarged; and that victory and triumph were
portended. When this answer was reported, the senate, having their
minds now freed from superstitious fears, ordered this question to be
proposed to the people; "Was it their will, and did they order, that
war should be undertaken against king Antiochus, and all who should
join his party?" And that if that order passed, then the consuls were,
if they thought proper, to lay the business entire before the senate.
Publius Cornelius got the order passed; and then the senate decreed,
that the consuls should cast lots for the provinces of Italy and
Greece; that he to whose lot Greece fell, should, in addition to the
number of soldiers enlisted and raised from the allies by Quinctius
for that province, pursuant to a decree of the senate, take under
his command that army, which, in the preceding year, Marcus Baebius,
praetor, had, by order of the senate, carried over to Macedonia.
Permission was also granted him, to receive succours from the allies,
out of Italy, if circumstances should so require, provided their
number did not exceed five thousand. It was resolved, that Lucius
Quinctius, consul of the former year, should be commissioned as a
lieutenant-general in that war. The other consul, to whom Italy fell,
was ordered to carry on the war with the Boians, with whichever he
should choose of the two armies commanded by the consuls of the last
year; and to send the other to Rome; and these were ordered to be the
city legions, and ready to march to whatever place the senate should
direct.

2. Things being thus adjusted in the senate, excepting the assignment
of his particular province to each of the magistrates, the consuls
were ordered to cast lots. Greece fell to Acilius, Italy to Cornelius.
The lot of each being now determined, the senate passed a decree, that
"inasmuch as the Roman people had, at that time, ordered war to
be declared against king Antiochus, and those who were under his
government, the consuls should command a supplication to be performed,
on account of that business; and that Mani