26.23
Then
followed the election of praetors. The successful candidates were P. Manlius
Vulso, L. Manlius Acidinus, C. Laetorius and L. Cincius Alimentus. When
the elections were over news came of the death of T. Otacilius in Sicily. He
was the man whom the people would have given to T. Manlius as his
colleague in the consulship, if the order of the proceedings had not been
interrupted. The Games of Apollo had been exhibited the previous year, and
when the question of their repetition the next year was moved by the praetor
Calpurnius, the senate passed a decree that they should be observed for all
time. Some portents were observed this year and duly reported. The statue
of victory which stood on the roof of the temple of Concord was struck by
lightning and thrown down on to the statues of Victory which stood above
the facade in front of the pediment, and here it was caught and prevented
from falling lower. At Anagnia and Fregellae the walls and gates were
reported to have been struck. In the forum of Subertum streams of blood
had flowed for a whole day. At Eretium there was a shower of stones and at
Reate a mule had produced offspring. These portents were expiated by
sacrifices of full-grown victims; a day was appointed for special intercessions
and the people were ordered to join in solemn rites for nine days. Some
members of the national priesthood died this year, and others were appointed
in their stead. Manlius Aemilius Numida, one of the Keepers of the Sacred
Books, was succeeded by M. Aemilius Lepidus. C. Livius was appointed
pontiff in the room of M. Pomponius Matho, and M. Servilius, augur, in the
place of Spurius Carvilius Maximus. The death of the pontiff T. Otacilius
Crassus did not occur before the close of the year, so no one was appointed
in his place. C. Claudius, one of the Flamens of Jupiter, was guilty of
irregularity in laying the selected parts of the victim on the altar and
consequently resigned his office.