lightning. At Frusino, light had shone forth during
the night. At Asculum, a lamb had been born with two heads and five
feet. At Formiae, two wolves entering the town had torn several
persons who fell in their way; and, at Rome, a wolf had made its way,
not only into the city, but into the Capitol. Caius Acilius, plebeian
tribune, caused an order to be passed, that five colonies should be
led out to the sea-coast; two to the mouths of the rivers Vulturnus
and Liternus; one to Puteoli and one to the fort of Salernum. To these
was added Buxentum. To each colony three hundred families were ordered
to be sent. The commissioners appointed to conduct them thither, and
who were to hold the office for three years, were Marcus Servilius
Geminus, Quintus Minucius Thermus, and Tiberius Sempronius Longus. As
soon as the levies, and such other business, religious and civil, as
required their personal attendance, was finished, both the consuls set
out for Gaul. Cornelius took the direct road towards the Insubrians,
who were then in arms, and had been joined by the Caenomanians.
Quintus Minucius turned his route to the left side of Italy, and
leading away his army to the lower sea, to Genoa, opened the campaign
with an invasion of Liguria. Two towns, Clastidium and Litubium, both
belonging to the Ligurians, and two states of the same nation, Celela
and Cerdicium, surrendered to him. And now, all the states on this
side of the Po, except the Boians among the Gauls and the Ilvatians
among the Ligurians, were reduced to submission: no less, it is said,
than fifteen towns and twenty thousand men surrendered themselves. He
then led his legions into the territory of the Boians.

[Footnote 1: Pluto, Summus Mamum.]

30. The Boian army had, not very long before, crossed the Po and
joined the Insubrians and Caenomanians; for, having heard that the
consuls intended to act with their forces united, they wished to
increase their own strength by this junction. But when information
reached them that one of the consuls was ravaging the country of the
Boians, a dispute instantly arose. The Boians demanded, that all, in
conjunction, should carry succour to those who were attacked; while
the Insubrians positively refused to leave their country defenceless.
In consequence of this dissension, the armies separated; the Boians
went to defend their own territory, and the Insubrians, with the
Caenomanians, encamped on the banks of the river Mincius. About fi