The +spolia opima+ (_spoils of honour_) were the arms taken on the field of battle by the victorious from the vanquished general. They were won on only three occasions:-- i. by +Romulus+, ii. by +Cossus+, iii. by +Marcellus+ (the Conqueror of Syracuse), who in his first consulship, 222 B.C., slew with his own hand Viridomarus, King of the Insubrian Gauls. Cf. Prop. V. x. D19 THE WAR WITH VEII, 405-396 B.C. (1) _First Pay given to Citizen Soldiers, 406 B.C._ Additum deinde omnium maxime tempestivo principum in multitudinem munere, ut ante mentionem ullam plebis tribunorumve decerneret senatus, ut stipendium miles de publico acciperet, cum ante id tempus de suo quisque functus eo munere esset. {5} Nihil acceptum umquam a plebe tanto gaudio traditur. Concursum itaque ad curiam esse prensatasque exeuntium manus et patres vere appellatos, effectum esse fatentibus, ut nemo pro tam munifica patria, donec quicquam virium superesset, corpori {10} aut sanguini suo parceret. Cum commoditas iuvaret, rem familiarem saltem acquiescere eo tempore, quo corpus addictum atque operatum rei publicae esset, tum quod ultro sibi oblatum esset, non a tribunis plebis agitatum, non suis sermonibus efflagitatum, {15} id efficiebat multiplex gaudium cumulatioremque gratiam rei. . . . Et lege perlata de indicendo Veientibus bello exercitum magna ex parte voluntarium novi tribuni militum consulari potestate Veios duxere. {20} LIVY, iv. 59, 60. [Linenotes: 1. +tempestivo+ = _seasonable_ (_timely_), in view of the coming struggle with Veii, and the necessity for winter campaigns. 2. +munere.+ Livy tells us (cap. 60) that the Senate did _not_ provide the pay as a present, but simply paid punctually their proper share of the _war-tax (tributum) in accordance with their assessment (cum senatus summa fide ex censu contulisset)_. 4. +de publico+ = _out of the Public Treasury_. 9. +fatentibus+ = _while men admitted_. --R. 11-12. +Cum ... acquiescere+ = _While the comfortable thought_ (_commoditas_ = lit. _advantage_) _pleased them_ (namely) _that their private property at least was undisturbed_-- i.e. that they paid no war-tax while they were in the field. --Rawlins. 12-13. +quo corpus ... esset+ = _when they were impressed (devoted to) and actively employed in the public service_. --S. +addictus+, properly of an insolvent debtor made over to his creditor = a _bondman_. 16-17. +id ... gratiam rei+ in apposition to +quod ... efflagitatum+. 19. +tribuni ... potestate.+ Military tribunes with consular power instead of Consuls were elected occasionally from 444 to 367 B.C. 20. +Veios.+ The capture of Veii by Camillus (396 B.C.), in consequence of the introduction of military pay, was enormously important to Rome.] +Reference.+ Ihne, _Hist._ vol. i. pp. 243-4. D20 THE WAR WITH VEII, 405-396 B.C. (2) A. _Lament over Veii._