by a letter from the consul, Lucius Volumnius informing them that the army, which had ravaged Campania, had been defeated and dispersed whereupon, they decreed a public thanksgiving for this success, in the name of the consul.  The courts were opened, after having been shut eighteen days, and the thanksgiving was performed with much joy.  They then turned their thoughts to devising measures for the future security of the country depopulated by the Samnites, and, with this view, it was resolved, that two colonies should be settled on the frontiers of the Vescian and Falernian territories, one at the mouth of the river Liris, which has received the name of Minturnae, the other in the Vescian forest, which borders on the Falernian territory, where, it is said, stood Sinope, a city of Grecians, called thenceforth by the Roman colonists Sinuessa.  The plebeian tribunes were charged to procure an order of the commons, commanding Publius Sempronius, the praetor, to create triumphs for conducting the colonies to those places.  But persons were not readily found to give in their names, because they considered that they were being sent into what was almost a perpetual advanced guard in a hostile country, not as a provision from concord between consuls, and the evils arising from their disagreement in the conduct of military affairs; at the same time remarking, “how near the extremity of danger matters had been brought, by the late dispute between his colleague and himself.”  He warmly recommended to Decius and Fabius to “live together with one mind and one spirit.”  Observed that “they were men qualified by nature for military command:  great in action, but unpractised in the strife of words and eloquence; their talents were such as eminently became consuls.  As to the artful and the ingenious lawyers and orators, such as Appius Claudius, they ought to be kept at home to preside in the city and the forum; and to be appointed praetors for the administration of justice.”  In these proceedings that day was spent, and, on the following, the elections both of consuls and praetor were held, and were guided by the recommendations suggested by the consul.  Quintus Fabius and Publius Decius were chosen consuls; Appius Claudius, praetor; all of them absent; and, by a decree of the senate, followed by an order of the commons, Lucius Volumnius was continued in the command for another year.

23.  During that year many prodigies happened.  For the purpose of averting which, the senate decreed a supplication for two days:  the wine and frankincense for the sacrifices were furnished at the expense of the public; and numerous crowds of men and women attended the performance.  This supplication was rendered remarkable by a quarrel, which broke out among the matrons in the chapel of patrician chastity, which stands in the cattle market, near the round temple of Hercules.  Virginia, daughter of Aulus, a patrician, but married to Volumnius the consul, a plebeian, was,