Ab urbe condita

I ask you to elect as my fellow-consul, P. Decius, a man whom I have found to work with me in perfect harmony, a man who is worthy of your confidence, worthy of his illustrious sire.” [*](He spoke while the voting was still going on; probably only the centuria praerogativa had voted so far. The order in which the centuries were called up to vote was decided by lot, and the first was called the “prerogative century.” The decision by lot, which played such a large part in the political administration, was regarded as the work of the gods, and therefore the vote of the prerogative century had often a determining influence on the result of the election.)