Rome, and also accumulate a store at Catina to furnish supplies for the army which was to pass the summer at Tarentum. IX amongst the Colonies.-The deportation of the soldiers to Sicily, ，most of whom belonged to the Latin and the allied nationaliti es, very nearly·caused a great rising;so often do small occasions involve ns mvove serious consequences. Meetings11 .1 Im- V were held amongst the Latins and the allied communities in ey had been which they complained loudly that for ten years thdrained by levies and war-taxes; every year theyto sustain a great defeat, those who were not kill fought only ed in battle were carried off by sickness. A fellow-citizen who was enlisted by the Romans was more lost to them than one who had been made prisoner by the Carthaginians, for the latter was sent back to his home without ransom, the former was sent out of Italy into what was really exile rather than military service. There the men who had fought at Cannae had been for eiLrht years wearing out their lives, ana there they would die oerore the enemy, who had never been stronger than he was to-day, quitted Italian soil. If the old soldiers were not to return。and fresh ones were always being enlisted, there would soon be nobody left. They would be compelled therefore, before they st stage of " depopulation and famine, to refuse to 1\Ulix W ili6 L UIC ilel:eS51 LICS Ul Lneir slLtlatlon would very soon make it impossible to grant. If the Romans saw that this was the unanimous determination of their allies, they would assuremy begin to think about making peace with Carthage. Otherwise Italy would never be free from war as long as tiannioal was 。1:一，、 ，.Such was the general， tone of the meetings. There were at the tune thirty colonies Delonging to xome. Twelve of these announced to the consuls through their representatives in Rome that they had no means from which to furnish either men or money. The colonies in question were Ardea, Nepete, Sutrium, Alba, Carseoli, Sora, Suessa; Cercei, Setia, Cales, Narnia and In teramna. The consuls, startled by this unprecedented step,· wanted to frighten them out of such a detestable course, and thought that they would succeed better by uncompromising sternness than by adopting gentle methods.“You colonists," they said, “have dared to address us, the consuls, in language which we cannot bring ourselves to repeat openly in the senate, for it is not simply a refusal of military obligations, but an open revolt against Rome. You must go back to your respective colonies at once, while your treason is still confined to words, and consult your peop le You are not Capuans or Tarentines, but Romans, from Ro me you sprang, from Rome you have been planted in. colonies on land taken from the enemy, in order that you may augment her dominion. Whatever duties children owe to their parents，you owe to Rome. if indeed you feel a spark of affection for her or cherish any memories of your mother country. So you must begin your deliberations afresh, for what you are now so recklessly contemDlatinz means the betraval of the sovereignty or tome ana the surrenaer or victorv into the nanas or .tiannIDai。一’ Such were the arguments which each of the consuls advanced at considerable length, but they produced no impression. The envoys said that there was no reply for them to take home, nor was there any other policy for their senate to consider since there was not a man left for conscription nor any money for his pay. As the consuls saw that their determination was unshaken they brought the matter before the senate. Here such general consternation and alarm were felt that most of the senators declared that the empire was doomed, other colonies would take the same course. as would also the allies:all had azreed togetner to Betray the uity or tome to tianni aai.