ch. 362.36It so happened that preparations were being made for a
repetition of the Great Games. [Note] The reason for their
repetition was that early in the morning, prior to the
commencement of the Games, a householder after flogging his
slave had driven him through the middle of the Circus
Maximus. Then the Games commenced, as though the incident had
no religious significance. Not long afterwards, Titus
Latinius, a member of the plebs, had a dream. Jupiter
appeared to him and said that the dancer who commenced the
Games was displeasing to him, adding that unless those Games
were repeated with due magnificence, disaster would overtake
the City, and he was to
go and report this to the consuls. Though he was by no means
free from religious scruples, still his fears gave way before
his awe of the magistrates, lest he should become an object
of public ridicule. This hesitation cost him dear, for within
a few days he lost his son. That he might have no doubt as to
the cause of this sudden calamity, the same form again
appeared to the distressed father in his sleep, and demanded
of him whether he had been sufficiently repaid for his
neglect of the divine will, for a more terrible recompense
was impending if he did not speedily go and inform the
consuls. Though the matter was becoming more urgent, he
still delayed, and while thus procrastinating he was attacked
by a serious illness in the form of sudden paralysis. Now the
divine wrath thoroughly alarmed him, and wearied out by his
past misfortune and the one from which he was suffering, he
called his relations together and explained what he had seen
and heard, the repeated appearance of Jupiter in his sleep,
the threatening wrath of heaven brought home to him by his
calamities. On the strong advice of all present he was
carried in a litter to the consuls in the Forum, and from
there by the consuls' order into the Senate-house. After
repeating the same story to the senators, to the intense
surprise of all, another marvel occurred. The tradition runs
that he who had been carried into the Senate-house paralysed
in every limb, returned home, after performing his duty, on
his own feet.
