Public Feeling in Rome. Departure of the Consuls. The consuls left for the front, each by a separate route, and their departure was watched with feelings of painful anxiety. Men realised that the republic had two wars on its hands simultaneously;they recalled the disasters which followed upon Hannibal's appearance in Italy, and wondered what gods would be so propitious to the City and the empire as to grant victory over two enemies at once in widely distant fields. Up till now heaven had preserved it by balancing victories against defeats. When the cause of Rome had been brought to the ground in Italy at Thrasymenus and at Cannae, the successes in Spain raised it up once more;when reverse had been sustained in Spain and the State lost its and the greater part of both their armies, the many successesachieved in Italy and Sicily stayed the collapse of the batteredrepublic, whilst the distance at which that unsuccessful war was waged in the remotest corner of the world afforded in itself a breathing space. Now they had two wars on hand, both inItaly; two generals who bore illustrious names were closinground Rome; the whole weight of the peril, the whole burdenof the conflict had settled down on one spot. The one who wasfirst victorious would in a few days unite his forces with the other. :Such were the gloomy forebodings, and they were deepenedby the recollections of the past year made so mournful by thedeath of both consuls. In this depressed and anxious mood thepopulation escorted the consuls to the gates of the City, as theyleft for their respective provinces. There is an utterance re- 归corded of M. Livius which shows his bitter feeling towards his.fellow-citizens. When on his departure Q. Fabius warned himagainst giving battle before he knew the sort of enemy he hadto meet, Livius is said to have replied that he would fight assoon as he caught sight of the enemy. When asked why he wasin such a hurry he said: " Either I shall win special distinctionfrom conquering such an enemy or a well-earned if not veryhonourable pleasure from the defeat of my fellow-citizens." Ofierations against Hannibal.-Before the consul Claudius 1V ero arrived in nis province, tianni aai, wno was marcning just outside the frontiers of the territory of Larinum on his wav to the Sallentini. was attacked by C. Hostilius Tubulus. 且is iiant iniantrv created consiaeraDie alsoraer amongst the enemv. wno were not DreDared for action:4ooo of tnem were slain, and nine standards captured. Q. Claudius had quartered his troops in various cities in. the Sallentine district, and.on hearing. of. the enemy's approa电he quitted his winter quarters and took the field against him. Not wishing to meet both armies at once, Hannibal left the neighbourhood by night, and withdrew into Bruttium. Claudius marched back into the Sallentine territorv. and Hostilius while on his wav to CaDua met the consul hlaudlus N ero near v enusia.nere a corps a"eLite was selected from both armies, consisting of 40,000 infantry and 2500 cavalry, which the consul intended to employ against Hannibal. The rest of the troops Hostilius was ordered to take to Capua and then hand them over to Q. Fulvius the proconsul.