§6.1.1quae ab condita urbe Roma ad captam urbem eandem Romani sub regibus primum, consulibus deinde ac dictatoribus decemvirisque ac tribunis consularibus gessere, foris bella, domi seditiones, quinque libris exposui, §6.1.2res cum vetustate nimia obscuras, velut quae magno ex intervallo loci vix cernuntur, tum quod parvae et rarae per eadem tempora litterae fuere, una custodia fidelis memoriae rerum gestarum, et quod, etiam si quae in commentariis pontificum aliisque publicis privatisque erant monumentis, incensa urbe pleraeque interiere. §6.1.3clariora deinceps certioraque ab secunda origine velut ab stirpibus laetius feraciusque renatae urbis gesta domi militiaeque exponentur. §6.1.4ceterum primo, quo adminiculo erecta erat, eodem innixa, M. Furio principe, stetit, neque eum abdicare se dictatura nisi anno circumacto passi sunt. §6.1.5comitia in insequentem annum tribunos habere, quorum in magistratu capta urbs esset, non placuit; res ad interregnum rediit. §6.1.6cum civitas in opere ac labore adsiduo reficiendae urbis teneretur, interim Q. Fabio, simul primum magistratu abiit, ab Cn. Marcio tribuno plebis dicta dies est, quod legatus in Gallos, ad quos missus erat orator, contra ius gentium pugnasset;
\nWhat the Romans performed from the founding of the city of Rome to the capture of the same city, first under kings, then under consuls, dictators, decemvirs, and consular tribunes, wars abroad and seditions at home, I have set forth in five books,\n\nmatters obscure due to extreme antiquity, just like things which from a great distance of space are scarcely discerned, both because in those times written records were small and rare, the sole faithful guardian of the memory of deeds, and because, even if there were any records in the commentaries of the pontiffs and other public or private monuments, they mostly perished when the city was burned.\n\nHenceforth, clearer and more certain deeds performed at home and in war shall be set forth from the second origin of the city, which was reborn, as if from its roots, more lushly and fruitfully.\n\nFor the rest, at first, leaning upon the same prop by which it had been raised up, with Marcus Furius as leader, the state stood; nor did they suffer him to abdicate his dictatorship until a full year had revolved.\n\nIt was not resolved that the tribunes in whose magistracy the city had been captured should hold the elections for the following year; the administration returned to an interregnum.\n\nWhile the state was held in the constant work and labor of rebuilding the city, meanwhile, as soon as Quintus Fabius retired from office, a day of trial was appointed for him by Gnaeus Marcius, tribune of the plebs, because as an envoy to the Gauls, to whom he had been sent as a negotiator, he had fought against the law of nations;\n\nfrom this trial, a death so opportune that a great part believed it voluntary rescued him.
§6.1.7cui iudicio eum mors adeo opportuna, ut voluntariam magna pars crederet, subtraxit. interregnum initum; §6.1.8P. Cornelius Scipio interrex fuit, post eum M. Furius Camillus.
An interregnum was entered upon;\n\nPublius Cornelius Scipio was interrex, and after him Marcus Furius Camillus.
is tribunos militum consulari potestate creat L. Valerium Publicolam iterum, L. Verginium, P. Cornelium, A. Manlium, L. Aemilium, L. Postumium. §6.1.9hi ex interregno cum extemplo magistratum inissent, nulla de re prius quam de religionibus senatum consuluere. §6.1.10in primis foedera ac leges — erant autem eae duodecim tabulae et quaedam regiae leges — conquiri, quae conparerent, iusserunt.
The latter elected as military tribunes with consular power Lucius Valerius Publicola for the second time, Lucius Verginius, Publius Cornelius, Aulus Manlius, Lucius Aemilius, and Lucius Postumius.\n\nWhen these had immediately entered upon office from the interregnum, they consulted the senate on no matter prior to that of religious affairs.\n\nFirst of all, they ordered that treaties and laws—and these were the Twelve Tables and certain royal laws—should be searched out, such as were still extant.
alia ex eis edita etiam in vulgus; quae autem ad sacra pertinebant, a pontificibus maxime, ut religione obstrictos haberent multitudinis animos, suppressa. §6.1.11tum de diebus religiosis agitari coeptum, diemque a. d. quintum decimum kal. Sextiles, duplici clade insignem, quo die ad Cremeram Fabii caesi, quo deinde ad Aliam cum exitio urbis foede pugnatum, a posteriore clade Alliensem appellarunt insignemque religione rei ullius publice privatimque agendae fecerunt. §6.1.12quidam, quod postridie idus Quinctiles non litasset Sulpicius tribunus militum neque inventa pace deum post diem tertium obiectus hosti exercitus Romanus esset, etiam postridie idus rebus divinis supersederi iussum; inde, ut postridie kalendas quoque ac nonas eadem religio esset, traditum putant.
Some of these were published even to the common people; but those which pertained to sacred rites were suppressed, chiefly by the pontiffs, so that they might keep the minds of the multitude bound by religious obligation.\n\nThen they began to debate concerning religious days, and the fifteenth day before the Kalends of Sextilis (July 18th), distinguished by a double disaster—on which day the Fabii were slaughtered at the Cremera, and on which later at the Allia a shameful battle was fought with the destruction of the city—they named the Day of the Allia from the latter disaster, and made it distinguished by a religious prohibition against transacting any business, publicly or privately.\n\nSome think that because on the day after the Ides of Quinctilis (July 16th) Sulpicius, the military tribune, had not offered an acceptable sacrifice, and the Roman army, without the peace of the gods having been found, was opposed to the enemy three days later, it was ordered that even on the day after the Ides religious rites should be suspended; thence they believe the tradition was handed down that the same religious prohibition should apply also to the day after the Kalends and the Nones.