owed him in his retreat, though more out of regard for
his noble character than for his authority.

XXXVII. The Roman people, when the war was at an end, showed even more
plainly than before what terror and despair they had been in. As soon as
they saw the Volscians retreating from their walls, all the temples were
opened, and filled with worshippers crowned with garlands and
sacrificing as if for a victory. The joy of the senate and people was
most conspicuously shown in their gratitude to the women, whom they
spoke of as having beyond all doubt saved Rome. The senate decreed that
the magistrates should grant to the women any mark of respect and esteem
which they themselves might choose. The women decided on the building of
the temple of Female Fortune, the expenses of which they themselves
offered to subscribe, only asking the state to undertake the maintenance
of the services in it. The senate praised their public spirit, but
ordered the temple and shrine to be built at the public expense.
Nevertheless, the women with their own money provided a second image of
the goddess, which the Romans say, when it was placed in the temple was
heard to say,

"A pleasing gift have women placed me here."

XXXVIII. The legend says that this voice was twice heard, which seems
impossible and hard for us to believe. It is not impossible for statues
to sweat, to shed tears, or to be covered with spots of blood, because
wood and stone often when mouldering or decaying, collect moisture
within them, and not only send it forth with many colours derived from
their own substance, but also receive other colours from the air; and
there is nothing that forbids us to believe that by such appearances as
these heaven may foreshadow the future. It is also possible that statues
should make sounds like moaning or sighing, by the tearing asunder of
the particles of which they are composed; but that articulate human
speech should come from inanimate things is altogether impossible, for
neither the human soul, nor even a god can utter words without a body
fitted with the organs of speech. Whenever therefore we find many
credible witnesses who force us to believe something of this kind, we
must suppose that the imagination was influenced by some sensation which
appeared to resemble a real one, just as in dreams we seem to hear when
we hear not, and to see when we see not. Those persons, however, who are
full of religious fervour and love of the go