Ab urbe condita

[*](Roman Matrons Guilty of Poisoning.) M Claudius Marcellus and T Valerius were the new consuls. I find in the annals Flaccus and Potitus variously given as the consul's cognomen, but the question is of small importance.

This year gained an evil notoriety, either through the unhealthy weather or through human guilt. I would gladly believe —and the authorities are not unanimous on the point — that it is a false story which states that those whose deaths made the year notorious for pestilence were really carried off by poison.

I shall, however, relate the matter as it has been handed down to avoid any appearance of impugning the credit of our authorities.