Pharsalia tanti Causa mali. Cedant feralia nomina Cannae, Et damnata diu Romanis Allia fastis.
[Linenotes: 407. +Pharsalia+, Battle of, 48 B.C. Caesar signally defeated Pompey. 408. +feralia+ = _fatal_ (= +funesta+). 409. +fastis+, i.e. _Fasti consulares_, the registers of the higher magistrates. Cf. the Saxon Chronicle.]
+The Battle.+ ‘The defeat of the Allia was never forgotten by the Romans. The panic (due to the strange appearance of the barbarians and their unwonted method of fighting) which alone had caused the defeat, struck so deep into their minds that for centuries afterwards the name and the sight of Gauls inspired them with terror.’ --Ihne.
Romae interim satis iam omnibus ut in tali re ad tuendam arcem compositis turba seniorum domos regressi adventum hostium obstinato ad mortem animo exspectabant. Qui eorum curules gesserant magistratus, ut in fortunae pristinae honorumque ac { 5} virtutis insignibus morerentur, quae augustissima vestis est tensas ducentibus triumphantibusve, ea vestiti medio aedium eburneis sellis sedere. Galli autem ingressi postero die urbem patente Collina porta in forum perveniunt; ubi eos plebis aedificiis { 10} obseratis, patentibus atriis principum, maior prope cunctatio tenebat aperta quam clausa invadendi; adeo haud secus quam venerabundi intuebantur in aedium vestibulis sedentes viros, praeter ornatum habitumque humano augustiorem maiestate etiam, { 15} quam vultus gravitasque oris prae se ferebat, simillimos dis. Ad eos velut ad simulacra versi cum starent, M. Papirius, unus ex eis, dicitur Gallo barbam suam, ut tum omnibus promissa erat, permulcenti scipione eburneo in caput incusso iram { 20} movisse, atque ab eo initium caedis ortum, ceteros in sedibus suis trucidatos; post principum caedem nulli deinde mortalium parci, diripi tecta, exhaustis inici ignes.
[Linenotes: 1. +ut in tali re+ = _considering the circumstances_. 3. +obstinato ad+ = _firmly resolved on_... --Rawlins. 4-5. +curules magistratus+ = _curule magistracies_, i.e. of Dictator, Censor, Consul, Praetor, Curule Aedile, who possessed the right of using _sellae curules_ (_the ivory chairs of State_), originally an emblem of kingly power. 5-6. +in fortunae ... insignibus+ = _in the emblems of their old rank_ (+fortunae+) _and office_ (+honorum+) _and prowess_ (+virtutis+ i.e. prizes for valour; e.g. _phalerae_ = _bosses_, _coronae_ = _crowns_). 7. +tensas+ = _state cars_ in which the statues of the gods were drawn in solemn procession to the Circensian games. 11. +obseratis+ = _shut up_, lit. _barred_, +ob + sera+, cf. _sĕro_ = join. 14. +vestibulis+ = _entrance-courts_, only found in large houses. 14-15. +praeter ornatum habitumque+ = _not only in their garb and bearing_. --Whibley. 19. +ut tum ... erat+ = _worn long_ (+promissa+) _as was then the custom with all_, or _worn long in accordance with the fashion of the time_. --R. 20. +scipione eburneo+ = _the ivory staff_, one of the _insignia_ of the _triumphator_. 23. +exhaustis+ (sc. _aedibus_) = _when completely pillaged_.]