BOOK VII. xux. 163-L. 167 



Piacenza is the toAvnship of Veleia, where six declared 

 110 years, four 120, one (Marcus Mucius Felix, son 

 of Marcus, of the Galerian tribe) 150. And, not to 

 delay ^dth further instances in a matter of admitted 

 fact, the census registered in the eighth region of 

 Italy 54 persons of 100 years of age, 14 of 110, 2 of 

 125, 4 of 130, the same number of 135 or 137, 3 of 

 140. 



Other instances of the fickleness of mortal fortunes stHking 

 are these : Homer" has recordcd that men of such }^,"„° •, 

 diverse fates as Hector and Polydamas were born on Hajitiudff*. 

 the same night ; Mareus CaeHus llufus and Gaius 

 Licinius Cah'us, both orators but with such different 

 success, were born on the same day, May 28 in the 

 consulship ^ of Gaius Marius and Gnaeus Carbo — 

 the latter's third. Taking the entire world, this 

 happens daily even to persons born at the same hours 

 — masters and slaves, kings and paupers come into 

 existence simultaneously. 



L. PubHus Cornelius Rufus, who Avas consul with 

 Manius Curius, lost his sight while asleep, when 

 dreaming that it w.as happening to him. In the 

 opposite way, Jason of Pherae being ill with a tumour 

 and given up by the doctors sought death in battle, 

 but was wounded in the chest and so obtained a cure 

 from the enemy. In the battle against the clans of 

 the Allobroges and Arverni on the river Isfcre, on 

 August 8, when 130,000 of the foe werc killed, the 

 consul ' Quintus Fabius Maximus got rid of a 

 quartan ague in action. In fact whatever be this 

 gift of nature that is bestowed upon us, it is uncertain 

 and insecure, indeed sinister and of brief duration 

 even in the case of those to whose lot it has fallen 

 in most bounteous measure, at all evonts whcn we 



617 



