§27.6.1dictator postquam Romam venit, C. Sempronium Blaesum legatum, quem ad Capuam habuerat, in Etruriam provinciam ad exercitum misit in locum C. Calpurni praetoris, quem, ut Capuae exercituique suo praeesset, §27.6.2litteris exciuit.
After the dictator came to Rome, he sent Gaius Sempronius Blaesus, the lieutenant whom he had had at Capua, into the province of Etruria to the army, in place of the praetor Gaius Calpurnius, whom, in order that he might command the army at Capua and his own, he had summoned by letter.
ipse comitia in quem diem primum potuit edixit; quae certamine inter tribunos dictatoremque iniecto perfici non potuerunt.
He himself announced the elections for the earliest day possible; which, because a dispute was injected between the tribunes and the dictator, could not be completed.
§27.6.3Galeria iuniorum, quae sorte praerogativa erat, Q. Fulvium et Q. Fabium consules dixerat, eodemque iure vocatae inclinassent, ni se tribuni plebis C. et L. Arrenii interposuissent, §27.6.4qui neque magistratum continuari satis civile esse aiebant, et multo foedioris exempli eum ipsum creari, qui comitia haberet; §27.6.5itaque si suum nomen dictator acciperet, se comitiis intercessuros; si aliorum praeterquam ipsius ratio haberetur, comitiis se moram non facere.
The Galeria century of the juniors, which was the prerogative by lot, had named Quintus Fulvius and Quintus Fabius as consuls, and the others, called by the same right, would have inclined in the same direction, had not the tribunes of the plebs Gaius and Lucius Arrenius interposed themselves, who said that it was not democratic enough for a magistracy to be continued, and that it was of a much worse example for that very man to be elected who was holding the elections; therefore, if the dictator accepted his own name, they would intercede in the elections; but if consideration were had for others than himself, they would not cause delay to the elections.
§27.6.6dictator causam comitiorum auctoritate senatus, plebis scito, exemplis tutabatur: §27.6.7namque Cn. Servilio consule, cum C. Flaminius alter consul ad Trasumennum cecidisset, ex auctoritate patrum ad plebem latum, plebemque scivisse, ut, quoad bellum in Italia esset, ex iis, qui consules fuissent, quos et quotiens vellet, reficiendi consules populo ius esset; §27.6.8exemplaque in eam rem se habere vetus L. Postumi Megelli, qui interrex iis comitiis, quae ipse habuisset, consul cum C. Iunio Bubulco creatus esset; recens Q. Fabii, qui sibi continuari consulatum, nisi id bono publico fieret, profecto numquam sisset.
The dictator defended the cause of the elections by the authority of the senate, by a decree of the commons, and by precedents: for in the consulship of Gnaeus Servilius, when the other consul Gaius Flaminius had fallen at Trasumennus, on the authority of the senators a proposal was brought to the commons, and the commons had resolved that as long as there was war in Italy, the people should have the right to re-elect as consuls from those who had been consuls, whomsoever and as often as they wished; and that he had an old precedent for this in Lucius Postumius Megellus, who, as interrex, in the very elections which he himself had held, had been created consul with Gaius Junius Bubulcus; and a recent one in Quintus Fabius, who certainly would never have allowed the consulship to be continued to himself unless it were done for the public good.
§27.6.9his orationibus cum diu certatum esset, postremo ita inter dictatorem ac tribunos convenit, ut eo, quod censuisset senatus, staretur.
After it had been long disputed with these speeches, at last it was agreed between the dictator and the tribunes that they should abide by what the senate had decreed.
§27.6.10patribus id tempus rei publicae visum est, ut per veteres et expertos bellique peritos imperatores res publica gereretur: itaque moram fieri comitiis non placere.
To the senators it seemed to be a time for the state such that the republic should be governed by veteran and experienced commanders skilled in war; therefore they did not wish delay to be made for the elections.
§27.6.11concedentibus tribunis comitia habita; declarati consules Q. Fabius Maximus quintum, Q. Fulvius Flaccus quartum.
With the tribunes conceding, the elections were held; Quintus Fabius Maximus was declared consul for the fifth time, and Quintus Fulvius Flaccus for the fourth time.
§27.6.12praetores inde creati L. Veturius Philo, T. Quinctius Crispinus, C. Hostilius Tubulus, C. Aurunculeius.
Then the praetors were elected: Lucius Veturius Philo, Titus Quinctius Crispinus, Gaius Hostilius Tubulus, and Gaius Aurunculeius.
magistratibus in annum creatis Q. Fulvius dictatura se abdicavit.
When the magistrates had been elected for the year, Quintus Fulvius abdicated the dictatorship.
§27.6.13extremo aestatis huius classis Punica navium quadraginta cum praefecto Hamilcare in Sardiniam traiecta Olbiensem primo, §27.6.14dein, postquam ibi P. Manlius Volso praetor cum exercitu apparuit, circumacta inde ad alterum insulae latus, Caralitanum agrum vastavit, et cum praeda omnis generis in Africam redit.
At the end of this summer, a Carthaginian fleet of forty ships with Hamilcar as commander, having crossed over to Sardinia, first [devastated] the territory of Olbia, then, after the praetor Publius Manlius Volso appeared there with his army, having been turned from there to the other side of the island, devastated the territory of Caralis, and returned to Africa with plunder of every kind.
§27.6.15sacerdotes Romani eo anno mortui aliquot suffectique: C. Servilius pontifex factus in locum T. Otacilii Crassi; Ti. Sempronius Ti. F. Longus augur factus in locum T. Otacilii Crassi; §27.6.16decemvir item sacris faciundis in locum Ti. Semproni C. F. Longi Ti. Sempronius Ti. F. Longus suffectus.
Several Roman priests died that year and were replaced: Gaius Servilius was made pontiff in place of Titus Otacilius Crassus; Tiberius Sempronius Longus, son of Tiberius, was made augur in place of Titus Otacilius Crassus; likewise Tiberius Sempronius Longus, son of Tiberius, was substituted as decemvir for performing sacred rites in place of Tiberius Sempronius Longus, son of Gaius.
M. Marcius rex sacrorum mortuus est et M. Aemilius Papus maximus curio; neque in eorum locum sacerdotes eo anno suffecti.
Marcus Marcius, the king of sacrifices, died, and Marcus Aemilius Papus, the chief curio; nor were priests substituted in their place that year.
§27.6.17et censores hic annus habuit L. Veturium Philonem et P. Licinium Crassum, maximum pontificem.
This year also had censors, Lucius Veturius Philo and Publius Licinius Crassus, the pontifex maximus.
Crassus Licinius nec consul nec praetor ante fuerat, quam censor est factus; ex aedilitate gradum ad censuram fecit.
Licinius Crassus had been neither consul nor praetor before he was made censor; he made the step to the censorship from the aedileship.
§27.6.18sed hi censores neque senatum legerunt neque quicquam publicae rei egerunt: mors diremit L. Veturi; inde et Licinius censura se abdicavit.
But these censors neither enrolled the senate nor transacted any public business: the death of Lucius Veturius broke it off; and therefore Licinius also abdicated the censorship.
aediles curules L. Veturius §27.6.19et P. Licinius Varus ludos Romanos diem unum instaurarunt.
The curule aediles, Lucius Veturius and Publius Licinius Varus, renewed the Roman games for one day.
aediles plebei Q. Catius et L. Porcius Licinus ex multaticio argento signa aenea ad Cereris dedere, et ludos pro temporis eius copia magnifici apparatus fecerunt.
The plebeian aediles, Quintus Catius and Lucius Porcius Licinus, dedicated bronze statues to Ceres from the money obtained from fines, and celebrated games with magnificent preparation according to the resources of that time.