§21.63.1consulum designatorum alter Flaminius, cui eae legiones, quae Placentiae hibernabant, sorte evenerant, edictum et litteras ad consulem misit, ut is exercitus idibus Martiis Arimini adesset in castris.
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.
§21.63.2hic in provincia consulatum inire consilium erat memori veterum certaminum cum patribus, quae tribunus plebis et quae postea consul prius de consulatu, qui abrogabatur, dein de triumpho habuerat;
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.
§21.63.3invisus etiam patribus erat ob novam legem, quam Q. Claudius tribunus plebis adversus senatum atque uno patrum adiuvante C. Flaminio tulerat, ne quis senator cuive senator pater fuisset maritimam navem, quae plus quam trecentarum amphorarum esset, haberet.
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.
§21.63.4id satis habitum ad fructus ex agris vectandos; quaestus omnis patribus indecorus visus.
This size was deemed sufficient for transporting the produce from their lands; all trade was looked upon as unbecoming to senators.
res per summam contentionem acta invidiam apud nobilitatem suasori legis Flaminio, favorem apud plebem alterumque inde consulatum peperit.
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.
§21.63.5ob haec ratus auspiciis ementiendis Latinarumque feriarum mora et consularibus allis impedimentis retenturos se in urbe, simulato itinere privatus clam in provinciam abiit.
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.
§21.63.6ea res ubi palam facta est, novam insuper iram infestis iam ante patribus movit: non cum senatu modo sed iam cum diis immortalibus C. Flaminium bellum gerere.
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.
§21.63.7consulem ante inauspicato factum revocantibus ex ipsa acie diis atque hominibus non paruisse; nunc conscientia spretorum et Capitolium et sollemnem votorum nuncupationem fugisse, §21.63.8ne die initi magistratus Iovis optimi maximi templum adiret, ne senatum invisus ipse et sibi uni invisum videret consuleretque, ne Latinas indiceret Iovique Latiari sollemne sacrum in monte faceret, §21.63.9ne auspicato profectus in Capitolium ad vota nuncupanda, paludatus inde cum lictoribus in provinciam iret.
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.
lixae modo sine insignibus, sine lictoribus profectum clam, furtim, haud aliter quam si exilii causa solum vertisset, §21.63.10magis pro maiestate videlicet imperii Arimini quam Romae magistratum initurum et in deversorio hospitali quam apud penates suos praetextam sumpturum.
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.
§21.63.11revocandum universi retrahendumque censuerunt et cogendum omnibus prius praesentem in deos hominesque fungi officiis, quam ad exercitum et in provinciam iret.
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.
§21.63.12in eam legationem — legatos enim mitti placuit — Q. Terentius et M. Antistius profecti nihilo magis eum moverunt, quam priore consulatu litterae moverant ab senatu missae.
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.
§21.63.13paucos post dies magistratum iniit, immolantique ei vitulus iam ictus e manibus sacrificantium sese cum proripuisset, multos circumstantes cruore respersit; fuga procul etiam maior apud ignaros, §21.63.14quid trepidaretur, et concursatio fuit.
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.
id a plerisque in omen magni terroris acceptum.
This was accepted by most as an omen of great terror.
§21.63.15legionibus inde duabus a Sempronio prioris anni consule, duabus a C. Atilio praetore acceptis in Etruriam per Appennini tramites exercitus duci est coeptus.
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.