nor our virtue rewarded, we only ask to be allowed to make trial of our courage, and to exercise our virtue.  We seek for labour and danger that we may discharge the duty of men and soldiers.  A war is carrying on in Sicily, now for the second year, with the utmost vigour on both sides.  The Carthaginians are storming some cities, the Romans others, armies of infantry and horse are engaging in battle, at Syracuse the war is prosecuted by sea and by land.  We hear distinctly the shout of the combatants, and the din of arms, while we ourselves lie inactive and unemployed, as if we had neither hands nor arms.  The consul, Sempronius has now fought many pitched battles with the enemy with legions of slaves.  They receive as the fruits of their exertion their liberty, and the rights of citizens.  Let us at least be employed by you as slaves purchased for the service of this war, let us be allowed to combat with the enemy and acquire our freedom by fighting.  Do you wish to make trial of our valour by sea, by land, in a pitched battle, or in the assault of towns?  We ask as our portion all those enterprises which present the greatest difficulty and danger, that what ought to have been done at Cannae may be done as soon as possible, for the whole of our subsequent lives has been doomed to ignominy.”

7.  At the conclusion of this speech they prostrated themselves at the knees of Marcellus.  Marcellus replied, that the question was neither within his authority nor his power, that he would, however, write to the senate, and be guided in every thing he did by the judgment of the fathers.  This letter was brought to the new consuls, and by them read in the senate, and, on the question being put relative to this letter, they decreed, “that the senate saw no reason why the interests of the republic should be intrusted to the hands of soldiers who had deserted then comrades, in battle, at Cannae.  If Marcus Marcellus, the proconsul, thought otherwise, that he should act as he deemed consistent with the good of the republic and his own honour, with this proviso, however, that none of these men should be exempt from service, nor be presented with any military reward in consideration of valour, or be conveyed back to Italy, while the enemy was in that country.”  After this, agreeably to the decree of the senate, and the order of the people, an election was held by the city praetor, at which five commissioners were created for the purpose of repairing the walls and turrets, and two sets of triumviri, one to search for the property belonging to the temples, and to register the offerings, the other for repairing the temples of Fortune and Mother Matuta within the Carmental gate, and also that of Hope without the gate, which had been destroyed by fire the year before.  Dreadful storms occurred at this time.  It rained stones for two days without intermission in the Alban mount.  Many places were struck by lightning; two buildings in the Capitol, the rampart in the camp above Suessula