§27.4.1iam aestas in exitu erat, comitiorumque consularium instabat tempus.
Summer was already drawing to a close, and the time for the consular elections was at hand.
sed litterae Marcelli negantis e re publica esse vestigium abscedi ab Hannibale, cui cedenti certamenque abnuenti gravis ipse instaret, curam iniecerant, §27.4.2ne aut consulem tum maxime res agentem a bello avocarent, aut in annum consules deessent.
But a letter from Marcellus, asserting that it was not to the interest of the state to withdraw a single step from Hannibal, whom he himself was pressing hard as the enemy retreated and declined battle, had caused anxiety, lest they should either recall from the war a consul who was just then conducting operations with the greatest vigor, or there should be a lack of consuls for the coming year.
§27.4.3optimum visum est, quamquam extra Italiam esset, Valerium potius consulem ex Sicilia revocari.
It seemed best that, although he was outside Italy, the consul Valerius should rather be recalled from Sicily.
§27.4.4ad eum litterae iussu senatus ab L. Manlio praetore urbano missae cum litteris consulis M. Marcelli, ut ex iis nosceret, quae causa patribus eum potius quam collegam revocandi ex provincia esset.
To him a letter was sent by order of the senate by Lucius Manlius, the city praetor, together with the letter of the consul Marcus Marcellus, so that from them he might learn what reason the senators had for recalling him from his province rather than his colleague.
§27.4.5eo fere tempore legati ab rege Syphace Romam venerunt, quae is prospera proelia cum Carthaginiensibus fecisset, memorantes.
About the same time, ambassadors came to Rome from King Syphax, recounting the successful battles which he had fought with the Carthaginians.
§27.4.6regem nec inimiciorem ulli populo quam Carthaginiensi nec amiciorem quam Romano esse adfirmabant; misisse eum antea legatos in Hispaniam ad Cn. et P. Cornelios imperatores Romanos; §27.4.7nunc ab ipso velut fonte petere Romanam amicitiam voluisse.
They asserted that the king was neither more hostile to any people than to the Carthaginian, nor more friendly than to the Roman; that he had previously sent ambassadors to Spain to the Roman commanders Gnaeus and Publius Cornelius; and now he had wished to seek Roman friendship, as it were, from the very fountainhead.
senatus non legatis modo benigne respondit, sed et ipse legatos cum donis ad regem misit, L. Genucium P. Poetelium P. Popillium.
The senate not only replied graciously to the ambassadors, but also itself sent legates with gifts to the king, namely Lucius Genucius, Publius Poetelius, and Publius Popillius.
§27.4.8dona tulere togam et tunicam purpuream, sellam eburneam, pateram ex quinque pondo auri factam.
The gifts they carried were a purple toga and tunic, an ivory chair, and a patera made of five pounds of gold.
protinus et alios Africae regulos iussi adire.
They were also ordered to go immediately to the other petty kings of Africa.
§27.4.9iis quoque quae darentur, portata, togae praetextae et terna pondo paterae aureae.
For them also presents were carried to be given, namely, praetextae togas and golden paterae of three pounds each.
§27.4.10et Alexandream ad Ptolomaeum et Cleopatram reges M. Atilius et M’. Acilius legati, ad commemorandam renovandamque amicitiam missi, dona tulere, regi togam et tunicam purpuream cum sella eburnea, reginae pallam pictam cum amiculo purpureo.
And to Alexandria, to the joint sovereigns Ptolemy and Cleopatra, Marcus Atilius and Manius Acilius were sent as legates to commemorate and renew the friendship, and they carried gifts: for the king, a purple toga and tunic with an ivory chair, and for the queen, an embroidered palla with a purple mantle.
§27.4.11multa ea aestate, qua haec facta sunt, ex propinquis urbibus agrisque nuntiata sunt prodigia: Tusculi agnum cum ubere lactenti natum, Iouis aedis culmen fulmine ictum ac prope omni tecto nudatum; §27.4.12isdem ferme diebus Anagniae terram ante portam ictam diem ac noctem sine ullo ignis alimento arsisse, et aves ad compitum Anagninum in luco Dianae nidos in arboribus reliquisse; §27.4.13Tarracinae in mari haud procul portu angues magnitudinis mirae lascivientium piscium modo exsultasse; §27.4.14Tarquiniis porcum cum ore humano genitum, et in agro Capenate ad lucum Feroniae quattuor signa sanguine multo diem ac noctem sudasse.
Many portents were reported that summer in which these things were done, from the neighboring cities and fields: at Tusculum a lamb was born with a lactating udder, and the peak of the temple of Jupiter was struck by lightning and stripped of almost its entire roof; about the same days at Anagnia the ground before the gate, being struck, burned day and night without any fuel for fire, and the birds in the grove of Diana at the Anagnian crossroads left their nests in the trees; at Tarracina in the sea not far from the port, snakes of wondrous size leaped about like sporting fish; at Tarquinii a pig was born with a human face, and in the Capenate territory, at the grove of Feronia, four statues sweated abundant blood day and night.
§27.4.15haec prodigia hostiis maioribus procurata decreto pontificum; et supplicatio diem unum Romae ad omnia pulvinaria, alterum in Capenati agro ad Feroniae lucum indicta.
These portents were expiated with larger victims by decree of the pontiffs; and a supplication of one day was proclaimed at Rome at all the shrines, and another day in the Capenate territory at the grove of Feronia.