The Receition of the Mater Idaea.-Although Africa nab not been omciallv piacect amonz the provinces-tie senators, 1 tninK, Kept it secret to prevent the Lartnazlnians rrom azettlna mrormation Derorenana-tne citizens tuuv expectea tnat Afnca wouta De the scene or nostlnties tnis year, ana that the end of the Punic War was not far off. In this state of excitement men's minds were filled with superstition and the ready credence given to announcement of portents increased their number. Two suns were said to have been seen;there were intervals of daylight during the night;a meteor was seen to shoot from east to west;a gate at Tarracina and at Anagnia a Bate and several portions of the wall were struck by liahtninz: 气.声‘I‘J了 in the temple of Juno Sospita at Lanuvium a crash followed by ,a dreadful roar was heard.’To expiate these portents special intercessions were offered for a whole day, and in consequence of a shower of stones a nine days' solemnity of prayer and sacrifice was ob served. The reception of Mater Idaea was also being anxiously discussed. M. Valerius, the member of the deputation who had come in advance, had reported that she would be in Italy almost fibnediately and a fresh messenger had brought word that she was already at Tarracina. The attention of the senate was engrossed by a very difficult question;they had to decid e who was the best and noblest 一man in the State. Every one felt that to gain this distinction would be for him a real vict ory, far outweighing any official tion or honourable distinction which either patricians or ns could confer Of all the great and good men in the 沪State they adjudged the best and noblest to be P. Scipio, the son of the Cnaeus Scipio who had fallen in S pain ;a man not yet old enou gh to be quaestor.9 what spe c诫 of his运duced the senate to come to this conclusion I should have be ”n glad to record for posterity had the writers who lived nearest to those days handed them down.As it is I will not obtrude my conjectures upon a matter hidden in the mists of antiquity. P. Scipio matrons, to the vessel, and when brought to land he was to place her in the hands of the, matrons who were to bear her to her destination. As soon as the ship appeared off the mouth of the Tiber he put out to sea in accordance with his instructions.received the goddess from the hands of her priestesses, and brought her to land. Here she was received by the foremost matrons of the City, amongst whom the name of Claudia Quinta stands out p re-eminentlv. reputatiotion n had previously b决n doubtful but this sacred func- surrounded her with a halo of. chastity in the eye of posterity. The matrons each taking their their turn in b eann ，t，tr the sacred image, carried the goddess into the temple of Victory on the Palatine. All the citizens flocked out to meet them, censers in which incense was burning were placed before the doors in the streets through which she was borne, and from all lips arose the prayer that she would of her own free vw-ill and favour be pleased to enter Rome. The day on which this event took place was 12th April, and was observed as a festival;the came in crowds to make their offerings to the deity;a rnium was held and Games were constituted which were