ily,
and Sardinia; to Quintus Minucius, that he might finish the inquiries
concerning the conspiracies in Bruttium, which, while praetor, he had
managed with care and fidelity. That he should also send to Locri, to
suffer punishment, those who had been convicted of sacrilege, and
who were then in chains at Rome; and that he should take care, that
whatever had been carried away from the temple of Proserpine should be
replaced with expiations. The Latin festival was repeated in pursuance
of a decree of the pontiffs, because ambassadors from Ardea had
complained to the senate, that during the said solemnity they had not
been supplied with meat as usual on the Alban mount. From Suessa an
account was brought, that two of the gates, and the wall between them,
had been struck with lightning. Messengers from Formiae related, that
the temple of Jupiter had also been struck by lightning; from Ostia,
likewise, news came of the like accident having happened to the temple
of Jupiter there; it was said, too, that the temples of Apollo and
Sancus, at Veliternum, were struck in like manner; and that in the
temple of Hercules, hair had grown (on the statue). A letter was
received from Quintus Minucius, propraetor, from Bruttium, that a foal
had been born with five feet, and three chickens with three feet
each. Afterwards a letter was brought from Macedonia, from Publius
Sulpicius, proconsul, in which, among other matters, it was mentioned,
that a laurel tree had sprung up on the poop of a ship of war. On
occasion of the former prodigies, the senate had voted, that the
consuls should offer sacrifices with the greater victims to such gods
as they thought proper. On account of the last prodigy, alone, the
aruspices were called before the senate, and, in pursuance of
their answer, the people were ordered by proclamation to perform
a supplication for one day, and worship was solemnized at all the
shrines.

2. This year, the Carthaginians brought to Rome the first payment
of the silver imposed on them as a tribute; and the quaestors having
reported, that it was not of the proper standard, and that, on the
assay, it wanted a fourth part, they made up the deficiency with money
borrowed at Rome. On their requesting that the senate would be pleased
to order their hostages to be restored to them, a hundred were
given up, and hopes were held out with relation to the rest, if they
remained in fidelity (to the treaty). They then further requested,