40.2
The
spring of that year was a stormy one. On the eve of the Parilia, about the
middle of the day a terrible storm of wind and rain burst and wrecked many
sacred and ordinary buildings. It blew down the bronze statues on the
Capitol, it carried off the door from the temple of Luna on the Aventine and
dashed it against the walls behind the temple of Ceres. Other statues were
overturned in the Circus Maximus together with their pedestals. Several
sculptures were broken off from the roofs of the temples and ruthlessly
shattered. This storm was in consequence regarded as a portent, and the
augurs were bidden to direct the necessary expiation for it. A further
expiation was demanded in consequence of intelligence brought to Rome of
the birth of a mule at Reate with only three feet, and a report from Formiae
that the temple of Apollo at Caieta had been struck by lightning. In
consequence of these portents twenty full-grown victims were sacrificed and
special intercessions offered for one day. From a despatch sent by A.
Terentius it was ascertained that P. Sempronius, after more than a year's
illness, had died in Further Spain. The praetors were ordered to start for
Spain as soon as possible. Legations from overseas were admitted to an
audience of the senate. First came those from Eumenes, Pharnaces and the
Rhodians. The latter complained of the disaster which had overtaken Sinope.
Envoys from Philip and from the Achaeans and Lacedaemonians went to
Rome at the same time. After hearing Marcius, who had been sent to
ascertain the state of affairs in Greece and Macedonia, the senate gave their
reply. The two sovereigns and the Rhodians were informed that the senate
would send a commission to look into those matters.
