otnote A: The punishment of excessive and unbroken prosperity was
assigned by the Greeks to the goddess Nemesis. The idea of too great a
career of success exciting the anger of the gods is common throughout
the whole of ancient literature. A well-known instance is the story of
Polykrates of Samos, as told by Herodotus. Amasis the king of Egypt,
observing the unbroken good fortune of Polykrates, advised him
voluntarily to sacrifice some of his treasures. Polykrates, following
his friend's advice, cast his signet-ring into the sea. But the ring was
swallowed by a fish, and the fish was caught and presented to the king,
who thus recovered his ring. When Amasis heard of this, he refused to
ally himself with Polykrates, thinking that such good fortune presaged a
terrible disaster. Polykrates was put to death shortly afterwards by the
Persians, who conquered his kingdom.]

XXXVIII. By his return to Rome with great spoils, he proved that those
men were right who had not feared that weakness or old age would impair
the faculties of a general of daring and experience, but who had chosen
him, ill and unwilling to act as he was, rather than men in the prime
of life, who were eager to hold military commands. For this reason, when
the people of Tusculum were reported to be in insurrection, they bade
Camillus take one of the other five tribunes as his colleague, and march
against them. Camillus, in spite of all that the rest of the tribunes
could urge, for they all wished to be taken, chose Lucius Furius, whom
no one could have supposed he would have chosen; for he it was who had
been so eager to fight, against the better judgment of Camillus, and so
had brought about the defeat in the late war; however, Camillus chose
him rather than any other, wishing, it would appear, to conceal his
misfortune and wipe out his disgrace.

The people of Tusculum cleverly repaired their fault. When Camillus
marched to attack them they filled the country with men working in the
fields and tending cattle just as in time of peace; the city gates were
open, the boys at school, the lower classes plying various trades, and
the richer citizens walking in the market-place in peaceful dress. The
magistrates bustled about the city, pointing out where the Romans were
to be quartered, as if the thought of treachery had never entered their
minds. Camillus, though this conduct did not shake his belief in their
guilt, was moved to pity by their repentance. He order