Difficulty of Manning the Fleet.-After the departure of the Sicilian and Capuan envovs. the enrolment of the new a r， legions was completed. Then came the question of providing the fleet with its proper complement of rowers.There was not a sufficient·number of men available, nor was there any money at the time in the treasury with which to procure them or to pay them. In view of this state of things the consuls issued an order requiring private individuals to furnish seamen in pro- income and their rank, as they had done on a previous occasion, and also to supply them with thirty days'provision and pay. This order excited such a widespreadfeeling of indignation and resentment that if the people hadhad a leader they would have risen in insurrection. The consuls, then said，after ruining the Sicilians and Capuans. aaa冬eizea_upon the Roman plebs as their next victim to mangle and destroy.“After being drained by the war-tax.，’ 二，~，·，t’t，.。‘.。，，t.ney，compainea,”for so many years, we娜ve nothing left nut. the Dare ana wasted son。Vur houses have been burnt 妙the enemy, our slaves who tilled our fields have been appropriated勿the State, first buying them for a few co ppers to make soldiers of them, and now requisitioning them for seamen. Whatever silver or gold we had has been taken to pay the towers and furnish the annual war-tax. No resort to force, no exercise of authority can compel us to. give what we do notT . 7 17 1 possess. Let the consuls sell our goods, then let them glut their rage o几9ur bodies which are ail we nave left;nothing remains with which we can even ransom ourselves." Language of this kind was used not only in 州vate conversation, but openly in the Forum, before the very eyes of the consuls·A vast crowd had gathered round the tribunal, uttering angry cries, and the consuls were powerless to allay the agitation either by fair speeches or妙threats. Ultimately they announced that they would乡ve them three days to think the matter over, and they themselves devoted that time to whether they could not find some way out of the difficulty. The next day they called the senate together to consider the matter, and many arguments were advanced to prove that the plebs were acting fairly and reasonablv in their protest. At last the discussion came round to this point, that whether fair or ;nfair the burden must fall on the individual citizens. From what source, it was asked, could they procure seamen and sailors, when there was no money in the treasury, and how could they keep their hold on Sicily, or render the shores of Italy safe against any attempt by Philip, if they had no fleet?