Aemilius was appointed commander to conduct this war, not with
six lictors only, like ordinary generals, but twelve, so as to give him
consular authority. He defeated the barbarians in two pitched battles,
with a loss of nearly thirty thousand. The credit of this exploit
belongs peculiarly to the general, who made such use of the advantage of
the ground, and the ford over a certain river, as to render victory an
easy matter for his soldiers. He also took two hundred and fifty cities,
which opened their gates to him. Having established a lasting peace in
his province he returned to Rome, not having gained a penny by his
command. For he was careless of money-making, though he spent his
fortune without stint; and it was so small, that after his death it
hardly sufficed to make up the dower of his wife.
V. He married Papiria, the daughter of Papirius Maso, a consular; and
after living with her for a considerable time, divorced her, though he
had by her an illustrious family, for she was the mother of the renowned
Scipio, and of Fabius Maximus. No reason for their separation has come
down to us, but there is much truth in that other story about a divorce,
that some Roman put away his wife; and his friends then blamed him,
saying, "Is she not chaste? is she not beautiful? is she not fruitful?"
He, stretching out his shoe, said, "Is it not beautiful? is it not new?
But none of you can tell where it pinches me.
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