MARCELLUS
  268？…208　B。C。
  by　Plutarch
  translated　by　John　Dryden
  THEY　say　that　Marcus　Claudius；　who　was　five　times　consul　of　the
  Romans；　was　the　son　of　Marcus；　and　that　he　was　the　first　of　his　family
  called　Marcellus；　that　is；　martial；　as　Posidonius　affirms。　He　was；
  indeed；　by　long　experience；　skilful　in　the　art　of　war；　of　a　strong
  body；　valiant　of　hand；　and　by　natural　inclinations　addicted　to　war。
  This　high　temper　and　heat　he　showed　conspicuously　in　battle；　in
  other　respects　he　was　modest　and　obliging；　and　so　far　studious　of
  Greek　learning　and　discipline；　as　to　honour　and　admire　those　that
  excelled　in　it；　though　he　did　not　himself　attain　a　proficiency　in　them
  equal　to　his　desire；　by　reason　of　his　employments。　For　if　ever　there
  were　any　men　whom；　as　Homer　says；　Heaven
  〃From　their　first　youth　unto　their　utmost　age
  Appointed　the　laborious　wars　to　wage；〃
  certainly　they　were　the　chief　Romans　of　that　time；　who　in　their
  youth　had　war　with　the　Carthaginians　in　Sicily；　in　their　middle　age
  with　the　Gauls　in　the　defence　of　Italy　itself；　and　at　last；　when　now
  grown　old；　struggled　again　with　Hannibal　and　the　Carthaginians；　and
  wanted　in　their　latest　years　what　is　granted　to　most　men；　exemption
  from　military　toils；　their　rank　and　their　great　qualities　still　making
  them　be　called　upon　to　undertake　the　command。
  Marcellus；　ignorant　or　unskillful　of　no　kind　of　fighting；　in
  single　combat　surpassed　himself；　he　never　declined　a　challenge；　and
  never　accepted　without　killing　his　challenger。　In　Sicily；　he　protected
  and　saved　his　brother　Otacilius　when　surrounded　in　battle；　and　slew
  the　enemies　that　pressed　upon　him；　for　which　act　he　was　by　the
  generals；　while　he　was　yet　but　young；　presented　with　crowns　and
  other　honourable　rewards；　and；　his　good　qualities　more　and　more
  displaying　themselves；　he　was　created　Curule　Aedile　by　the　people
  and　by　the　high　priests　Augur；　which　is　that　priesthood　to　which
  chiefly　the　law　assigns　the　observation　of　auguries。　In　his
  Aedileship；　a　certain　mischance　brought　him　to　the　necessity　of
  bringing　an　impeachment　into　the　senate。　He　had　a　son　named　Marcus；　of
  great　beauty；　in　the　flower　of　his　age；　and　no　less　admired　for　the
  goodness　of　his　character。　This　youth；　Capitolinus；　a　bold　and
  ill…mannered　man；　Marcellus's　colleague；　sought　to　abuse。　The　boy　at
  first　himself　repelled　him；　but　when　the　other　again　persecuted　him；
  told　his　father。　Marcellus；　highly　indignant；　accused　the　man　in　the
  senate：　where　he；　having　appealed　to　the　tribunes　of　the　people；
  endeavoured　by　various　shifts　and　exceptions　to　elude　the　impeachment；
  and；　when　the　tribunes　refused　their　protection；　by　flat　denial
  rejected　the　charge。　As　there　was　no　witness　of　the　fact；　the　senate
  thought　fit　to　call　the　youth　himself　before　them：　on　witnessing　whose
  blushes　and　tears；　and　shame　mixed　with　the　highest　indignation；
  seeking　no　further　evidence　of　the　crime；　they　condemned
  Capitolinus；　and　set　a　fine　upon　him；　of　the　money　of　which
  Marcellus　caused　silver　vessels　for　libation　to　be　made；　which　he
  dedicated　to　the　gods。
  After　the　end　of　the　first　Punic　war；　which　lasted　one…and…twenty
  years；　the　seed　of　Gallic　tumults　sprang　up；　and　began　again　to
  trouble　Rome。　The　Insubrians；　a　people　inhabiting　the　subalpine　region
  of　Italy；　strong　in　their　own　forces；　raised　from　among　the　other
  Gauls　aids　of　mercenary　soldiers；　called　Gaesatae。　And　it　was　a　sort
  of　miracle；　and　special　good　fortune　for　Rome；　that　the　Gallic　war　was
  not　coincident　with　the　Punic；　but　that　the　Gauls　had　with　fidelity
  stood　quiet　as　spectators；　while　the　Punic　war　continued；　as　though
  they　had　been　under　engagement　to　await　and　attack　the　victors；　and
  now　only　were　at　liberty　to　come　forward。　Still　the　position　itself；
  and　the　ancient　renown　of　the　Gauls；　struck　no　little　fear　into　the
  minds　of　the　Romans；　who　were　about　to　undertake　a　war　so　near　home
  and　upon　their　own　borders；　and　regarded　the　Gauls；　because　they　had
  once　taken　their　city；　with　more　apprehension　than　any　people；　as　is
  apparent　from　the　enactment　which　from　that　time　forth　provided；
  that　the　high　priests　should　enjoy　an　exemption　from　all　military
  duty；　except　only　in　Gallic　insurrections。
  The　great　preparations；　also；　made　by　the　Romans　for　war　（for　it
  is　not　reported　that　the　people　of　Rome　ever　had　at　one　time　so　many
  legions　in　arms；　either　before　or　since）；　and　their　extraordinary
  sacrifices；　were　plain　arguments　of　their　fear。　For　though　they　were
  most　averse　to　barbarous　and　cruel　rites；　and　entertained　more　than
  any　nation　the　same　pious　and　reverent　sentiments　of　the　gods　with　the
  Greeks；　yet；　when　this　war　was　coming　upon　them；　they　then；　from
  some　prophecies　in　the　Sibyls'　books；　put　alive　underground　a　pair
  of　Greeks；　one　male；　the　other　female；　and　likewise　two　Gauls；　one
  of　each　sex；　in　the　market　called　the　beast　market：　continuing　even　to
  this　day　to　offer　to　these　Greeks　and　Gauls　certain　ceremonial
  observances　in　the　month　of　November。
  In　the　beginning　of　this　war；　in　which　the　Romans　sometimes　obtained
  remarkable　victories；　sometimes　were　shamefully　beaten；　nothing　was
  done　toward　the　determination　of　the　contest　until　Flaminius　and
  Furius；　being　consuls；　led　large　forces　against　the　Insubrians。　At　the
  time　of　their　departure；　the　river　that　runs　through　the　country　of
  Picenum　was　seen　flowing　with　blood；　there　was　a　report　that　three
  moons　had　once　been　seen　at　Ariminum；　and；　in　the　consular　assembly；
  the　augurs　declared　that　the　consuls　had　been　unduly　and
  inauspiciously　created。　The　senate；　therefore；　immediately　sent
  letters　to　the　camp；　recalling　the　consuls　to　Rome　with　all　possible
  speed；　and　commanding　them　to　forbear　from　acting　against　the　enemies；
  and　to　abdicate　the　consulship　on　the　first　opportunity。　These　letters
  being　brought　to　Flaminius；　he　deferred　to　open　them　till；　having
  defeated　and　put　to　flight　the　enemy's　forces；　he　wasted　and　ravaged
  their　borders。　The　people；　therefore；　did　not　go　forth　to　meet　him
  when　he　returned　with　huge　spoils；　nay；　because　he　had　not　instantly
  obeyed　the　command　in　the　letters；　by　which　he　was　recalled；　but
  slighted　and　contemned　them；　they　were　very　near　denying　him　the
  honour　of　a　triumph。　Nor　was　the　triumph　sooner　passed　than　they
  deposed　him；　with　his　colleague；　from　the　magistracy；　and　reduced　them
  to　the　state　of　private　citizens。　So　much　were　all　things　at　Rome　made
  to　depend　upon　religion；　they　would　not　allow　any　contempt　of　the
  omens　and　the　ancient　rites；　even　though　attended　with　the　highest
  success：　thinking　it　to　be　of　more　importance　to　the　public　safety
  that　the　magistrates　should　reverence　the　gods；　than　that　they
  should　overcome　their　enemies。　Thus　Tiberius　Sempronius；　whom　for
  his　probity　and　virtue　the　citizens　highly　esteemed；　created　Scipio
  Nasica　and　Caius　Marcius　consuls　to　succeed　him；　and　when　they　were
  gone　into　their　provinces；　lit　upon　books　concerning　the　religious
  observances；　where　he　found　something　he　had　not　known　before；　which
  was　this。　When　the　consul　took　his　auspices；　he　sat　without　the　city
  in　a　house；　or　tent；　hired　for　that　occasion；　but；　if　it　happened　that
  he；　for　any　urgent　cause；　returned　into　the　city；　without　having　yet
  seen　any　certain　signs；　he　was　obliged　to　leave　that　first　building；
  or　tent；　and　to　seek　another　to　repeat　the　survey　from。　Tiberius；　it
  appears；　in　ignorance　of　this；　had　twice　used　the　same　building　before
  announcing　the　new　consuls。　Now；　understanding　his　error；　he
  referred　the　matter　to　the　senate：　nor　did　the　senate　neglect　this
  minute　fault；　but　soon　wrote　expressly　of　it　to　Scipio　Nasica　and
  Caius　Marcius；　who；　leaving　their　provinces　and　without　delay
  returning　to　Rome；　laid　down　their　magistracy。　This　happened　at　a
  later　period。　About　the　same　time；　too；　the　priesthood　was　taken
  away　from　two　men　of　very　great　honour；　Cornelius　Cethegus　and　Quintus
  Sulpicius：　from　the　former；　because　he　had　not　rightly　held　out　the
  entrails　of　a　beast　slain　for　sacrifice；　from　the　latter；　because；
  while　he　was　immolating；　the　tufted　cap　which　the　Flamens　wear　had
  fallen　from　his　head。　Minucius；　the　dictator；　who　had　already　named
  Caius　Flaminius　master　of　the　horse；　they　deposed　from　his　command；
  because　the　squeak　of　a　mouse　was　heard；　and　put　others　into　their
  places。　And　yet；　notwithstanding；　by　observing　so　anxiously　these
  little　niceties　they　did　not　run　into　any　superstition；　because　they
  never　varied　from　nor　exceeded　the　observances　of　their　ancestors。
  So　soon　as　Flaminius　with　his　colleague　had　resigned　the
  consulate；　Marcellus　was　declared　consul　by　the　presiding　officers
  called　Interrexes；　and；　entering　into　the　magistracy；　chose　Cnaeus
  Cornelius　his　colleague。　There　was　a　report　that；　the　Gauls
  proposing　a　pacification；　and　the　senate　also　inclining　to　peace；
  Marcellus　inflamed　the　people　to　war；　but　a　peace　appears　to　have　been
  agreed　upon；　which　the　Gaesatae　broke；　who；　passing　the　Alps；
  stirred　up　the　Insubrians　（they　being　thirty　thousand　in　number；　and
  the　Insubrians　more　nume