History of Rome

​Flaminius, one of the consuls-designate, to whom the legions wintering at Placentia had fallen by lot, sent an edict and letters to the consul, ordering that this army should be present in camp at Ariminum on the Ides of March.

​It was his intention to enter upon his consulship in his province, mindful of his old struggles with the senators, which he had carried on first as tribune of the plebs, and afterwards as consul—first regarding his consulship, which was being annulled, and then regarding his triumph.

​He was also hated by the senators on account of a new law, which Quintus Claudius, a tribune of the plebs, had passed against the senate, with Gaius Flaminius alone of the senators assisting him, that no senator, or anyone whose father had been a senator, should own a sea-going ship of more than three hundred amphorae burden.

​This size was deemed sufficient for transporting the produce from their lands; all trade was looked upon as unbecoming to senators. This matter, conducted with the utmost contention, brought hatred among the nobility upon Flaminius, who had supported the law, but popularity with the plebs, and consequently his second consulship.

​For these reasons, thinking that they would keep him in the city by fabricating auspicious omens, by the delay of the Latin Festival, and by other obstacles thrown in the way of consuls, he pretended to go on a journey and, as a private citizen, departed secretly for his province.

​When this fact became known, it aroused fresh anger in addition in the minds of the senators, who were already hostile before: Gaius Flaminius, they said, was waging war not only with the senate, but now even with the immortal gods.

​Formerly, when made consul without auspices, he had not obeyed when gods and men recalled him from the very battle-line; now, from a consciousness of having spurned them, he had fled both from the Capitol and from the solemn declaration of his vows, ​lest on the day of entering upon his office he should approach the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, lest he, hated as he was, should see and consult the senate which was hated by him alone, lest he should proclaim the Latin Festival and perform the solemn sacrifice to Jupiter Latiaris on the mountain, ​lest, after taking the auspices and setting out to the Capitol to declare his vows, he should go thence into his province clad in the general’s cloak and with his lictors. He had set out like a camp-follower, without insignia, without lictors, secretly and stealthily, in no way differently than if he had changed his country for the sake of exile, ​to enter upon his office, forsooth, at Ariminum rather than at Rome as more fitting for the majesty of the empire, and to assume the bordered toga in a common inn rather than before his own household gods.

​They resolved unanimously that he should be recalled and brought back, and should be compelled by all means to perform his duties towards gods and men in person, before he went to the army and into his province.

​On this embassy—for it was decided that envoys should be sent—Quintus Terentius and Marcus Antistius set out, but they moved him no more than the letters sent by the senate had moved him during his previous consulship.

​A few days later he entered upon his office, and as he was offering sacrifice, a calf, which had already been struck, escaped from the hands of the sacrificers and, having dashed away, sprinkled many of those standing around with blood; at a distance there was an even greater flight ​among those who did not know what the panic was, and there was a great bustle. This was accepted by most as an omen of great terror.

​Then, having received two legions from Sempronius, the consul of the previous year, and two from Gaius Atilius, the praetor, the army began to be led into Etruria through the passes of the Apennines.