This delay cost him dear; for he lost his son within a few days; and lest the cause of this sudden calamity should be doubtful, that same phantom, presenting itself to him sorrowful in mind, seemed to ask him, whether he had received a sufficient requital for his contempt of the deity; that a still heavier one awaited him, unless he went immediately and delivered the message to the consuls.

The matter was now still more pressing.

Hesitating, however, and delaying he was at length overtaken by a severe stroke of disease, a sudden paralysis.

Then indeed the anger of the gods aroused him.

Wearied out therefore by his past sufferings and by those threatening him, having convened a meeting of his friends, after he had detailed to them all he had seen and heard, and Jupiter's having so often presented himself to him in his sleep, the threats and anger of heaven realized[92] in his own calamities, by the unhesitating assent of all who were present he is conveyed in a litter into the forum to the consuls; from thence being conveyed into the senate-house, after he had stated those same particulars to the senators, to the great surprise of all, behold another miracle: he who had been conveyed into the senate-house deprived of the use of all his limbs, is recorded to have returned home on his own feet after he discharged his duty.
[Footnote 91: The same as the Circenses.] [Footnote 92: _Realized_--_repraesentatas_--quasi praesentes factas, oculis subjectas--presented as it were to the sight .-- _Rasch_.] 37.