Liv. 22.25.1Dē hīs rēbus persaepe et in senātū et in contiōne āctum est.These matters were discussed very often both in the senate and in the assembly. Liv. 22.25.2Cum laetā cīvitāte dictātor ūnus nihil nec fāmae nec litterīs crēderet et, ut vēra omnia essent, secunda sē magis quam adversa timēre dīceret, tum M. Metilius tribūnus plēbis id enim vērō ferendum esse negat: nōn praesentem sōlum dictātōrem obstitisse reī bene gerendae, sed absentem etiam gestae obstāre ac sēdulō tempus terere, quō diūtius in magistrātū sit sōlusque et Rōmae et in exercitū imperium habeat.While the city rejoiced, the dictator alone put no faith in either rumour or letter, and said that even if everything were true he feared success more than failure; then Marcus Metilius, tribune of the plebs, declared that this was really not to be borne: the dictator had not only stood in the way of success when he was present, but even when absent was obstructing success already won, and was deliberately wasting time, so that he might stay longer in office and hold sole command both at Rome and in the army. Liv. 22.25.5Quippe cōnsulum alterum in aciē cecidisse, alterum speciē classis Pūnicae persequendae procul ab Ītaliā ablēgātum;For one of the consuls had fallen in battle, and the other had been sent away far from Italy on the pretext of pursuing the Punic fleet; Liv. 22.25.6duōs praetōrēs Siciliā atque Sardiniā occupātōs, quārum neutra hōc tempore praetōre egeat;two praetors were occupied with Sicily and Sardinia, neither of which needed a praetor at this time; Liv. 22.25.6M. Minucium magistrum equitum, nē hostem vidēret, nē quid reī bellicae gereret, prope in custōdiā habitum.Marcus Minucius, the master of the horse, had been kept almost under guard, so that he might not see the enemy or carry out any act of war.
Liv. 22.25.7Itaque herculē nōn Samnium modo, quō iam tamquam trāns Hibērum agrō Poenīs concessum sit, sed Campānum Calēnumque et Falernum agrum pervastātōs esse, sedente Casilīnī dictātōre et legiōnibus populī Rōmānī agrum suum tūtante.And so, by Hercules, not only Samnium, which had already been yielded to the Carthaginians as if it were land beyond the Ebro, but the Campanian, Calenian and Falernian districts had been laid waste, while the dictator sat at Casilinum and protected his own estate with the legions of the Roman people. Liv. 22.25.8Exercitum cupientem pugnāre et magistrum equitum clausōs prope intrā vallum retentōs, tamquam hostibus captīvīs arma adēmpta.The army, eager to fight, and the master of the horse had been held back, almost shut up inside the rampart, their arms taken from them as if they were captured enemies. Liv. 22.25.9Tandem, ut abscesserit inde dictātor, ut obsidiōne līberātōs, extrā vallum ēgressōs fūdisse ac fugāsse hostīs.At last, as soon as the dictator had gone away from there, they had gone out beyond the rampart like men freed from a siege, and routed and put the enemy to flight.
Liv. 22.25.10Quās ob rēs, sī antīquus animus plēbeī Rōmānae esset, audāciter sē lātūrum fuisse dē abrogandō Q. Fabī imperiō;For these reasons, if the Roman plebs had its ancient spirit, he would boldly have brought a bill to abrogate the command of Quintus Fabius; Liv. 22.25.10nunc modicam rogātiōnem prōmulgātūrum dē aequandō magistrī equitum et dictātōris iūre.as it was, he would put forward a moderate bill to make equal the authority of the master of the horse and of the dictator. Liv. 22.25.11Nec tamen nē ita quidem prius mittendum ad exercitum Q. Fabium, quam cōnsulem in locum C. Flāminī suffēcisset.Yet not even so should Quintus Fabius be sent to the army before he had appointed a consul in place of Gaius Flaminius. Liv. 22.25.12Dictātor contiōnibus sē abstinuit in āctiōne minimē populāris.The dictator kept away from the assemblies, being anything but popular as a speaker. Liv. 22.25.12Nē in senātū quidem satis aequīs auribus audiēbātur, cum hostem verbīs extolleret biennīque clādēs per temeritātem atque īnscītiam ducum acceptās referret et magistrō equitum, quod contrā dictum suum pugnāsset, ratiōnem dīceret reddendam esse.Even in the senate he was heard with ears none too friendly, when he extolled the enemy in his speeches, and recounted the disasters of two years suffered through the rashness and ignorance of the commanders, and said that the master of the horse must be called to account for having fought against his orders.
Liv. 22.25.14Sī penes sē summa imperiī cōnsiliīque sit, prope diem effectūrum, ut sciant hominēs bonō imperātōre haud magnī fortūnam mōmentī esse, mentem ratiōnemque dominārī, et in tempore et sine ignōminiā servāsse exercitum quam multa mīlia hostium occīdisse maiōrem glōriam esse.If the supreme power of command and counsel were in his hands, he would very soon bring it about that men knew that with a good commander fortune was of little weight, that mind and reason ruled, and that to have saved an army in good time and without disgrace was greater glory than to have killed many thousands of the enemy. Liv. 22.25.16Huius generis ōrātiōnibus frūstrā habitīs et cōnsule creātō M. Atīliō Rēgulō, nē praesēns dē iūre imperiī dīmicāret, prīdiē quam rogātiōnis ferendae diēs adesset, nocte ad exercitum abiit.Having made speeches of this kind in vain, and having appointed Marcus Atilius Regulus consul, in order not to contend in person about the authority of his command, he left for the army by night, on the day before the day for voting on the bill arrived. Liv. 22.25.17Lūce ortā cum .When day dawned and Liv. 22.25.17Plēbis concilium esset, magis tacita invidia dictātōris favorque magistrī equitum animōs versābat, quam satis audēbant hominēs ad suādendum quod vulgō placēbat prōdīre, et favōre superante auctōritās tamen rogātiōnī dēerat.the council of the plebs was in session, silent resentment against the dictator and goodwill towards the master of the horse stirred their minds more than men had the courage to come forward and urge what pleased the crowd, and though favour prevailed, the bill still lacked weighty support.
Liv. 22.25.18Ūnus inventus est suāsor lēgis C. Terentius Varrō, quī priōre annō praetor fuerat, locō nōn humilī sōlum sed etiam sordidō ortus.One man was found to speak for the law, Gaius Terentius Varro, who had been praetor the year before, a man sprung from a background not just humble but even mean. Liv. 22.25.19Patrem lanium fuisse : ferunt, ipsum īnstitōrem mercis, fīliōque hōc ipsō in servīlia eius artis ministeria ūsum.His father, they say, was a butcher who hawked his own wares, and used this very son in the servile tasks of that trade.