[153] In the performance of such rites, the slightest mistake of a word or syllable was deemed highly inauspicious; to prevent which, the regular form of words was pronounced by a priest, and repeated after him by the persons officiating.
[154] Villa publica. It was destined to public uses, such as holding the census, or survey of the people, the reception of ambassadors, &c.
[155] ærarium facere, signifies to strip a person of all the privileges of a citizen, on which he became civis ærarius, a citizen only so far as he paid taxes.
[156] Senators. Niebuhr, ii. note 995, seems to doubt whether these belonged to single cities or were the senators of the entire Volscian nation.
[157] Fines. The fines imposed in early times were certain numbers of sheep or oxen; afterwards it was ordered by law that these fines should be appraised and the value paid in money. Another law fixed a certain rate at which the cattle should be estimated, 100 asses for an ox, 10 for a sheep.
[158] The passing of a senatus-consultum, or decree of the senate, might be prevented in several ways; as, for instance, by the want of a sufficiently full meeting, &c.; in such cases the judgment of the majority was recorded, and that was called auctoritas senatûs.
[159] The reading of the original here is decidedly incorrect. Various emendations have been attempted, but none can be deemed satisfactory.
[160] So I have rendered pro se—or it may be rendered, "considering their circumstances," scil. the external circumstances in which they were placed.
[161] Expectatione, &c. With confident expectations on the part of his countrymen, rather than simple hope.
[162] According to Niebuhr, (vol. ii. p. 233,) this fear put into the mouth of Claudius, is attributable to ignorance or forgetfulness on the part of Livy, of the early usage in the dividing of spoils, which had ceased to be observed in the time of Augustus. According to former Roman usage, half of the conquering army was employed, under the sanction of a solemn oath, to subtract nothing, in collecting the spoil, which was then partly divided by lot, partly sold, and the proceeds, if promised to the soldiers, disbursed to them man by man, if otherwise, it was brought into the treasury. Both schemes mentioned here by Livy, it will be observed, contemplated compensation to the people for the war-tax which they had so long paid; but that of Licinius was more favourable, especially to the poor, as the ordinary citizens would receive equal shares, and the compensation would be direct and immediate.—Gunne.