A. _Rome’s Empire safe in the keeping of Augustus._
Curtius expletis statuit monimenta lacunis; At Decius misso proelia rupit equo; 64 Coclitis abscissos testatur semita pontes: Est cui cognomen corvus habere dedit. Haec di condiderunt, haec di quoque moenia servant: Vix timeat, salvo Caesare, Roma Iovem. 68
[Linenotes: 63. +Curtius ... lacunis+, in allusion to the spot called _Lacus Curtius_ (marked by a circular pavement) in the Forum which served as a memorial (_monimenta_) of his heroic sacrifice. Livy, vii. 6. +lacuna+ (cf. _lacus_) = _a hole_, _pool_, _chasm_. 65. +semita+ (_sed + meo_ = _go + aside_) = _a path_, _road_. Cocles, apparently, gave his name to the street running up from the bridge which he ‘kept so well.’ --Ramsay. 66. +cui+, i.e. M. Valerius Corvus, the hero of Mt. Gaurus. See p. 91. [[previous selection]] 67-68. i.e. _with Caesar_ (_Augustus_) _safe_, Rome has none to fear, nay, scarce Jove himself. Flattery can go no further than this!]
B. _The Dream of the Consuls on the Eve of Battle._
Illud etiam somnium et magnae admirationis et clari exitus, quod eadem nocte duo consules P. Decius Mus et T. Manlius Torquatus Latino bello gravi ac periculoso non procul a Vesuvi montis radicibus { 10} positis castris viderunt. Utrique enim quaedam per quietem species praedixit ex altera acie imperatorem, ex altera exercitum dis Manibus matrique Terrae deberi; utrius autem dux copias hostium superque eas sese ipsum devovisset, victricem abituram. Id { 15} luce proxima consulibus sacrificio vel expiaturis, si posset averti, vel, si certum deorum etiam monitu visum foret, exsecuturis, hostiarum exta somnio congruerunt, convenitque inter eos, cuius cornu prius laborare coepisset, ut is capite suo fata patriae lueret. { 20} Quae neutro reformidante Decium depoposcerunt.
[Linenotes: 13. +Dis Manibus+ = _the deified souls of the dead_, usually looked upon as beneficent spirits. 15. +victricem+, sc. _aciem_. 17. +deorum etiam monitu+ = _by the warning of the gods also_, i.e. by the auspices as well as by the dream. 19-20. +cuius cornu ... coepisset.+ The left wing led by Decius was repulsed by the Latins, and Decius accordingly devoted himself to death.]
Procedente deinde certamine cum aliis partibus multitudo superaret Latinorum, Manlius consul audito eventu collegae paulisper addubitavit, an consurgendi iam triariis tempus esset; deinde melius ratus integros eos ad ultimum discrimen servari, { 5} Accensos ab novissima acie ante signa procedere iubet. Qui ubi subiere, extemplo Latini, tamquam idem adversarii fecissent, triarios suos excitaverunt; qui aliquamdiu pugna atroci cum et semet ipsi fatigassent et hastas aut praefregissent aut hebetassent, { 10} pellerent vi tamen hostem, debellatum iam rati perventumque ad extremam aciem, tum consul triariis ‘Consurgite nunc’ inquit ‘integri adversus fessos, memores patriae parentumque et coniugum ac liberorum, memores consulis pro vestra victoria { 15} morte occubantis.’ Ubi triarii consurrexerunt, integri, refulgentibus armis, nova ex improviso exorta acies, receptis in intervalla ordinum antepilanis, clamore sublato principia Latinorum perturbant hastisque ora fodientes primo robore virorum caeso per alios manipulos { 20} velut inermes prope intacti evasere tantaque caede perrupere cuneos, ut vix quartam partem relinquerent hostium.