M. Licinius M. F. Crassus, Cn.  Cornelius Cn.  F. Lentulus. (B.C. 14 = a. u. 740.)

Tib.  Claudius Tib.  F. Nero, P. Quintilius Sex.  F. Varus. (B.C. 13 = a. u. 741.)

M. Valerius M. F. Messala Barbatus, P. Sulpicius P. F. Quirinus. (B.C. 12 = a. u. 742.)

Paulus Fabius Q. F. Maximus, Q. AElius Q. F. Tubero. (B.C. 11 = a. u. 743.)

Iullus Antonius M. F., Africanus Q. Fabius Q. F. (B.C. 10 = a. u. 744.)

(BOOK 54, BOISSEVAIN.)

[B.C. 22 (a. u. 732)]

[-1-] The following year, during which Marcus Marcellus and Lucius Arruntius were the consuls, the river caused another flood which submerged the City, and many objects were struck by thunderbolts, among them the statues in the Pantheon; and the spear even fell from the hand of Augustus.  The pestilence raged throughout Italy so that no one tilled the land, and I think that the same was the case in foreign parts.  The Romans, therefore, reduced to dire straits by disease and by famine, thought that this had happened to them for no other reason than that they did not have Augustus for consul this time also.  They accordingly wished to elect him as dictator, and shutting the senate up within its halls they forced it to vote this measure by threatening to burn down the building.  Next they took the twenty-four rods and accosted Augustus, begging him both to be named dictator and to become commissioner of grain, as Pompey had once been.  He accepted the latter duty under compulsion and ordered two men from among those who had served as praetors five years or more previously, in every instance, to be chosen annually to attend to the distribution of grain.  As for the dictatorship, however, he would not hear of it and went so far as to rend his clothing when he found himself unable to restrain them in any other way, either by reasoning or by prayer.  As he already had authority and honor even beyond that of dictators he did right to guard against the jealousy and hatred which the title would arouse. [-2-] His course was the same when they wished to elect him censor for life.  Without entering upon the office himself he immediately designated others as censors, namely Paulus AEmilius Lepidus and Lucius Munatius Plancus, the latter a brother of that Plancus who had been proscribed and the former a person who at that time had himself been under sentence of death.  These were the last private citizens to hold the appointment, as was at once made manifest by the men themselves.  The platform on which they were intended to perform the ceremonies pertaining to their position fell to the ground in pieces when they had ascended it on the first day of their office.  After that there were no other censors appointed together, as they had been.  Even at this time Augustus in spite of their having been chosen took care of many matters which properly belonged to them.  Of the Public Messes he abolished some altogether and reformed others