III.

PARTING.

The ensuing days were pregnant with rumour and action. The waves of
terror and despair that lashed over the city, as blow after blow fell,
had now receded. The white banner, that was always lowered at the
approach of an enemy, still spread its undulating folds above
Janiculum; the crops and fruit trees and vines smiled upon the
hillsides; the flocks and herds browsed peacefully along the Campagna
with never a Numidian pillager to disturb their serenity; and, amid
all, there was no rumour of allied gates opened to receive the invader,
no welcome from the Italians whom he had striven to conciliate.
Courage returned, and with courage firmness, and with firmness
confidence to endure and dare and do, so long as invaders presumed to
set foot upon the heritage of Rome.

How far this new confidence was born of the news that the Carthaginian
was turning aside to the west, through Umbria and Picenum, how far by
the rumour that Spoletum had closed her gates and repulsed his
vanguard, or how far by wrath at the tales of ravage and the numberless
murders of Roman citizens that marked his line of march, it would be
difficult to apportion.

However these, the city was now seething with energetic preparation.
The Senate sat daily and into each night. No word of peace was
uttered--all was war and revenge. Quintus Fabius Maximus was elected
pro-dictator by a vote of the Comitia--not dictator, because that could
only be done through appointment by the surviving consul, then absent
in Gaul--or none knew where. By the same power, and in order to
appease the commons irritated by criticisms of Flaminius, Marcus
Minutius Rufus was elected master of the horse. Nor were the gods
neglected. Their stimulating influence was invoked by the dictator to
inspire the people with confidence, while he soothed them with the
intimation that Flaminius had failed rather through overcourage and
neglect of divine things than through mere plebeian temerity and
ignorance. Fabius took care to impress it upon all that he himself
would take full warning from the lesson. He moved that the Sibylline
books should be consulted, and the Senate promptly acted upon the
motion. These directed that a holy spring be proclaimed forthwith;
that every animal fit for sacrifice, and born between the Kalends of
March and May throughout all Italy, should be offered to Jupiter.
Votive games were decided upon, couches were set by the judges, whereon
th