6.1
The history of the
Romans from the foundation of the City to its capture, first under kings, then
under consuls, dictators, decemvirs, and consular tribunes, the record of
foreign wars and domestic dissensions, has been set forth in the five
preceding books. The subject matter is enveloped in obscurity; partly from
its great antiquity, like remote objects which are hardly discernible through
the vastness of the distance; partly owing to the fact that written records,
which form the only trustworthy memorials of events, were in those times
few and scanty, and even what did exist in the pontifical commentaries and
public and private archives nearly all perished in the conflagration of the
City. Starting from the second beginnings of the City, which, like a plant cut
down to its roots, sprang up in greater beauty and fruitfulness, the details of
its history both civil and military will now be exhibited in their proper order,
with greater clearness and certainty. At first the State was supported by the
same prop by which it had been raised from the ground, M. Furius, its chief,
and he was not allowed to resign office until a year had elapsed. It was
decided that the consular tribunes, during whose rule the capture of the City
had taken place, should not hold the elections for the ensuing year; matters
reverted to an interregnum. The citizens were taken up with the pressing and
laborious task of rebuilding their City, and it was during this interval that Q.
Fabius, immediately on laying down his office, was indicted by Cn. Marcius,
a tribune of the plebs, on the ground that after being sent as an envoy to the
Gauls to speak on behalf of the Clusians, he had, contrary to the law of
nations, fought against them. He was saved from the threatened proceedings
by death; a death so opportune that many people believed it to be a
voluntary one. The interregnum began with P. Cornelius Scipio as the first
interrex; he was followed by M. Furius Camillus, under whom the election of
military tribunes was conducted. Those elected were L. Valerius Publicola,
for the second time, L. Verginius, P. Cornelius, A. Manlius, L. Aemilius, and
L. Postumius.
They entered upon their office immediately, and their very first case
was to submit to the senate measures affecting religion. Orders were made
that in the first place search should be made for the treaties and laws -these
latter including those of the Twelve Tables and some belonging to the time
of the kings -as far as they were still extant. Some were made accessible to
the public, but those which dealt with divine worship were kept secret by the
pontiffs, mainly in order that the people might remain dependent on them for
religious guidance. Then they entered upon a discussion of the "days of
prohibition." The 18th of July was marked by a double disaster, for on that
day the Fabii were annihilated at the Cremera, and in after years the battle at
the Alia which involved the ruin of the City was lost on the same day. From
the latter disaster the day was called "the day of the Alia," and was observed
by a religious abstinence from all public and private business. The consular
tribune Sulpicius had not offered acceptable sacrifices on July 16 (the day
after the Ides), and without having secured the good will of the gods the
Roman army was exposed to the enemy two days later. Some think that it
was for this reason that on the day after the Ides in each month all religious
functions were ordered to be suspended, and hence it became the custom to
observe the second and the middle days of the month in the same way.