Curiosities & wonders > Titus Livius' Roman history

Chap. 55.
ROMAN HISTORY
483
CHAP. LV.
Camillus prevails.
CaMILLUS’s arguments, in general, but especially
those drawn from religion, are allowed to have left a
very strong impression with the people; but a chance
•word, seasonably spoken, determined them entirely. For
some moments after, when the senate had met in the
Curia Hostilia, to deliberate on these things, the cohorts,
as they were returning from guard, passed in a body
through the forum, and a centurion called out in the co-
mitium, * Ensign, plant your colours, toe shall he very well
‘ here:' upon which, the senators ran out of the temple,
crying, We accept the omen. The multitude standing
around, unanimously approved the motion.
The law being afterwards rejected, they began to
build the city, without forming a plan, or regarding pro¬
perty. The public supplied them with tiles, and per¬
mitted them to take stones or other materials, wherever
thej- found it convenient; exacting,security, however,
from every one, that his house should be finished in
twelve months. The hurry they were in prevented them
from paying the least regard to regularity in the streets?
For every man, without minding property, laid the foun¬
dation of his house in the first empty place that occur¬
red; for which reason, the old sewers, which had origi¬
nally run through the streets, now ran everywhere un¬
der the houses; and the city had more the appearance
of being populous, than of being regularly disposed.
FINIS.