ch. 103.10Lucretius returned with an immense amount of booty, and
with a still more brilliant reputation. This prestige he
enhanced on his arrival by laying out all the booty in the
Campus Martius for three days, that each person might
recognise and take away his own property. The rest, for which
no owners appeared, was sold. By universal consent a triumph
was due to the consul, but the matter was delayed through the
action of the tribune, who was pressing his measure. The
consul regarded this as the
more important question. For some days the subject was
discussed both in the senate and the popular assembly. At last
the tribune yielded to the supreme authority of the consul
and dropped his measure. Then the consul and his army
received the honour they deserved; at the head of his
victorious legions he celebrated his triumph over the
Volscians and Aequi. The other consul was allowed to enter the
City without his troops and enjoy an ovation. [Note]
The following year the new consuls, P. Volumnius and Ser.
Sulpicius, were confronted by the proposed law of
Terentilius, which was now brought forward by the whole
college of tribunes. During the year, the sky seemed to be on
fire; there was a great earthquake; an ox was believed to
have spoken—the year before this rumour found no credence.
Amongst other portents it rained flesh, and an enormous
number of birds are said to have seized it while they were
flying about; what fell to the ground lay about for several
days without giving out any bad smell. The Sibylline Books
were consulted by the duumviri, and a prediction was found
of dangers which would result from a gathering of aliens,
attempts on the highest points of the City and consequent
bloodshed. Amongst other notices, there was a solemn warning
to abstain from all seditious agitations. The tribunes
alleged that this was done to obstruct the passing of the
Law, and a desperate conflict seemed imminent.
As though to show how events revolve in the same cycle year
by year, the Hernici reported that the Volscians and Aequi,
in spite of their exhaustion, were equipping fresh armies.
Antium was the centre of the movement; the colonists of
Antium were holding public meetings in Ecetra, the capital,
and the main strength of the war. On this information being
laid before the senate, orders were given for a levy. The
consuls were instructed to divide the operations between
them; the Volscians were to be the province of the one, the
Aequi of the other. The tribunes, even in face of the
consuls, filled the Forum with their shouts, declaring that
the story of a Volscian war was a prearranged comedy, the
Hernici had been prepared beforehand for the part they were
to play; the liberties of the Roman were not being repressed
by straightforward opposition, but were being cunningly
fooled away. It was impossible to persuade them that the
Volscians and Aequi, after being almost exterminated, could
themselves commence hostilities; a new enemy, therefore, was
being sought for; a colony which had been a loyal neighbour
was being covered with infamy. It was against the unoffending
people of Antium that war was declared; it was against the
Roman plebs that war was really being waged. After loading
them with arms they would drive them in hot haste out of the
City, and wreak their vengeance on the tribunes by sentencing
their fellow-citizens to banishment. By this means—they might
be quite certain—the Law would be defeated; unless, while the
question was still undecided, and they were still at home,
still unenrolled, they took steps to prevent their being
ousted from their occupation of the City, and forced under
the yoke of servitude. If they showed courage, help would not
be wanting, the tribunes were unanimous. There was no cause
for alarm; no danger from abroad. The gods had taken care,
the previous
year, that their liberties should be safely protected.
