Chap. 5.] PERSONS PRESENTED WITH THE GRASS CROWN. 393 



CHAP. 5. (5.) THE ONLY PERSONS THAT HAYE BEEN PRESENTED 



WITH THIS CROWN. 



L. Siccius Dentatus 22 was presented with this crown but 

 once, though he gained as many as fourteen civic crowns, and 

 fought one hundred and twenty battles, in all of which he was 

 victorious so rarely is it that an army has to thank a single 

 individual only for its preservation ! Some generals, how- 

 ever, have been presented with more than one of these crowns, 

 P. Decius Mus, 23 the military tribune, for example, who re- 

 ceived one from his own army, and another from the troops 

 which he had rescued 24 when surrounded. He testified by an 

 act of devoutness in what high esteem he held such an honour 

 as this, for, adorned with these insignia, he sacrificed a white 

 ox to Mars, together with one hundred red oxen, which had 

 been presented to him by the beleaguered troops as the recom- 

 pense of his valour : it was this same Decius, who afterwards, 

 when consul, with Imperiosus 25 for his colleague, devoted his 

 life to secure victory to his fellow-citizens. 



This crown was presented also by the senate and people of 

 Rome a distinction than which I know of nothing in exist- 

 ence more glorious to that same Fabius 26 who restored the 

 fortunes of Home by avoiding a battle ; not, however, on the 

 occasion when he preserved the master of the horse 27 and his 

 army ; for then it was deemed preferable by those who were 

 indebted to him for their preservation to present him with a 

 crown under a new title, that of " father." The crown of 

 grass was, however, awarded to him, with that unanimity 

 which I have mentioned, after Hannibal had been expelled 

 from Italy ; being the only crown, in fact, that has hitherto 

 been placed upon the head of a citizen by the hands of the 

 state itself, and, another remarkable distinction, the only one 

 that has ever been conferred by the whole of Italy united. 



22 See B. vii. c. 29. 23 See B. xvi. c. 5. 



24 In the Samuite war. He died B.C. 340. 



25 Titus Manlius Torquatus Imperiosus, consul A.u.c. 414. It was he 

 who put his own son to death for engaging the enemy against orders. 



as Q,. Fabius Maximus, surnamed Cunctator, for his skill in avoiding an 

 engagement with Hannibal, and so wearing out the Carthaginian troops. 

 * 7 U. Miuutius, the Magistor Equitum. 



