45.2
The
following day there was a meeting of the senate in the senate-house, and a
decree was made ordering public thanksgivings. The senators also passed a
resolution that, with the exception of the regular soldiers and the seamen of
the fleet the consul should disband those who had taken the military oath to
him. The question of the disbandment of the soldiers and seamen was
postponed until the arrival of the deputation from L. Aemilius, by whom the
despatch-bearer had been sent on in advance. On 25th September, about 8
A.M., they entered the City. A vast crowd had gone out to meet them at
various points and accompany them back to the City. Carrying the throng
along with them they made their way to the Forum, and from there to the
senate-house. The senate happened to be in session, and the consul brought
them into the House. They were detained there for some time whilst they
described the strength of the king's troops, both horse and foot, the numbers
of those killed and those taken prisoners, the small cost at which such a
slaughter of the enemy had been made, and the panic in which the king had
fled. They thought he would probably make for Samothrace, and they
informed the senate that the fleet was ready to take up the pursuit; he could
not escape either by land or sea. Shortly afterwards they were conducted to
the Assembly, where they made much the same statement, and the rejoicings
were renewed on the consul giving notice that all the sacred buildings were
opened, and every one was to go from the Assembly and offer, each for
himself, his thanks to the gods. All the temples throughout the City were
filled with crowds of women as well as men. The senators were recalled to
the senate-house and made a decree that, in consideration of the glorious
victory won by L. Aemilius, thanksgivings should be offered at all the shrines
for five days, and the victims sacrificed were to be full-grown animals.
Orders were given that the ships which were lying in the Tiber fully equipped
for service, to be sent to Macedonia should occasion arise, were to be hauled
up and placed in dock; the crews were to receive a year's pay and be
discharged, as also all who had taken the military oath to the consul. In
addition to these the troops in Corcyra, Brundisium and the coast of the
Hadriatic, or in the district of Larinum -an army had been distributed in all
these places as a reserve for C. Licinius to take to the support of his
colleague, should it become necessary -were ordered to be disbanded. A
five days' thanksgiving was proclaimed before the Assembly, to commence
on 26th September.
