§31.12.1litterae deinde in senatu recitatae sunt Q. Minucii praetoris, cui Bruttii provincia erat: pecuniam Locris ex Proserpinae thensauris nocte clam sublatam, nec, ad quos pertineat facinus, vestigia ulla extare. §31.12.2indigne passus senatus non cessari ab sacrilegiis, et ne Pleminium quidem, tam clarum recensque noxae simul ac poenae exemplum, homines deterrere. §31.12.3C. Aurelio consuli negotium datum, ut ad praetorem in Bruttios scriberet senatui placere, quaestionem de expilatis thensauris eodem exemplo haberi, quo M. §31.12.4Pomponius praetor triennio ante habuisset; quae inventa pecunia esset, reponi; si quo minus inventum foret, expleri, ac piacularia, si videretur, sicut ante pontifices censuissent, fieri. §31.12.5curam expiandae violationis eius templi prodigia etiam sub idem tempus pluribus locis nuntiata accenderunt.
Then letters of the praetor Quintus Minucius, whose province was the Bruttii, were read in the senate: that money had been secretly carried off by night from the treasury of Proserpina at Locri, and that no traces existed as to whom the crime belonged. The senate took it with indignation that there was no end to sacrileges, and that not even Pleminius, so clear and recent an example of both guilt and punishment, deterred men. A task was given to the consul Gaius Aurelius to write to the praetor among the Bruttii that it was the senate's pleasure that an inquiry into the plundered treasury be held in the same manner as the praetor Marcus Pomponius had held it three years before; that whatever money had been found should be replaced; if less should be found, it should be made up, and expiatory rites, if it seemed proper, should be performed as the pontiffs had previously decreed. The care of expiating the violation of that temple was further excited by portents reported at the same time from several places.
in Lucanis caelum arsisse adferebant, Priverni sereno per diem totum rubrum solem fuisse, §31.12.6Lanuvi in templo Sospitae Iunonis nocte strepitum ingentem exortum.
In the territory of the Lucanians they reported that the sky had been on fire, at Privernum that the sun had been red through the whole day though the sky was clear, at Lanuvium in the temple of Juno Sospita a huge noise had arisen by night.
iam animalium obsceni fetus pluribus locis nuntiabantur: in Sabinis incertus infans natus, masculus an femina esset, alter sedecim iam annorum item ambiguo sexu inventus; §31.12.7Frusinone agnus cum suillo capite, Sinuessae porcus cum capite humano natus, in Lucanis in agro publico eculeus cum quinque pedibus. §31.12.8foeda omnia et deformia errantisque in alienos fetus naturae visa; ante omnia abominati semimares iussique in mare extemplo deportari, sicut proxime C. Claudio M. Livio consulibus deportatus similis prodigii fetus erat.
Already unnatural births of animals were being reported in several places: among the Sabines an infant of uncertain sex was born, whether it was male or female, and another of sixteen years was found likewise with ambiguous sex; at Frusino a lamb was born with a swine's head, at Sinuessa a pig with a human head, and in the Lucanian public land a colt with five feet. All these seemed foul and monstrous, and of nature wandering into unnatural offspring; above all, the hermaphrodites were detested and ordered to be immediately carried out into the sea, just as recently in the consulship of Gaius Claudius and Marcus Livius an offspring of similar portent had been carried out. Nonetheless, they ordered the decemvirs to consult the books concerning that portent.
§31.12.9nihilo minus decemviros adire libros de portento eo iusserunt. decemviri ex libris res divinas easdem, quae proxime secundum id prodigium factae essent, imperarunt.
The decemvirs from the books ordered the same sacred rites that had been performed recently after that portent.
carmen praeterea ab ter novenis virginibus cani per urbem iusserunt donumque Iunoni reginae ferri.
In addition, they ordered a hymn to be sung through the city by thrice nine virgins and a gift to be carried to Queen Juno.
§31.12.10ea uti fierent, C. Aurelius consul ex decemvirorum responso curavit.
Gaius Aurelius the consul, in accordance with the response of the decemvirs, took care that these things should be done.
carmen, sicut patrum memoria Livius, ita tum condidit P. Licinius Tegula.
The hymn, just as Livius had composed it within the memory of their fathers, so then Publius Licinius Tegula composed it.