d also they are convinced that
some honour is paid to Dionysus in this ceremony, which God we name
Evius and Thriambos. It is curious to observe that the great Laconian
lawgiver arranged the sacrifices differently to those of Rome. In
Sparta those ex-generals who have accomplished their purpose by
persuasion or fraud sacrifice an ox, while those who have done it by
battle offer a cock. For, though warlike to excess, they thought that
a victory gained by clever negotiation was greater and more befitting
human beings than one gained by force and courage. Which is to be
preferred, I leave to my readers' consideration.

XXIII. When Marcellus entered upon his fourth consulship, his enemies
induced the Syracusans to send a deputation to Rome, to complain
loudly to the Senate of the cruel and unjust treatment which they had
received from him. Marcellus chanced to be performing some sacrifice
in the Capitol; so when the Syracusans came to the assembled Senate,
begging for a hearing that justice might be done them, the other
consul stopped them, feeling that Marcellus ought not to be attacked
in his absence. But Marcellus as soon as he heard of it, came to the
Senate-house, seated himself as consul, on the curule chair, and
despatched business; then, when this was finished, he came down and
placed himself as a private person in the place where men on their
trial usually stood, and called on the Syracusans to prove their
charges against him. They were abashed at his majestic confidence of
demeanour, and he who had been invincible in arms seemed to them yet
more terrible and unapproachable in his consular purple. Nevertheless,
encouraged by the enemies of Marcellus, they began their impeachment,
and pleaded their cause in a piteous fashion, their chief point being
that they, who were friends and allies of the Romans, had been treated
in a way in which many other generals had forborne to treat hostile
cities. Marcellus answered that they had done the Romans much harm,
for which they had received no punishment, except such as could not be
prevented in war, because victorious soldiers cannot be restrained
from sacking a town which they have won, and their city, he said, was
taken because they had refused his frequent offers of terms of
agreement. They could not urge that they had been forced into war by
their despots, for they had themselves chosen those very despots with
the intention of going to war. After both parties had been hea