<GetPassage xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" xmlns="http://chs.harvard.edu/xmlns/cts">
            <request>
                <requestName>GetPassage</requestName>
                <requestUrn>urn:cts:pdlrefwk:viaf88890045.003.perseus-eng1:B.bassus_1</requestUrn>
            </request>
            <reply>
                <urn>urn:cts:pdlrefwk:viaf88890045.003.perseus-eng1:B.bassus_1</urn>
                <passage>
                    <TEI xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><text xml:base="urn:cts:pdlrefwk:viaf88890045.003.perseus-eng1"><body xml:lang="eng" n="urn:cts:pdlrefwk:viaf88890045.003.perseus-eng1"><div type="textpart" subtype="alphabetic_letter" n="B"><div type="textpart" subtype="entry" xml:id="bassus-bio-1" n="bassus_1"><head><persName xml:lang="la"><surname full="yes">Bassus</surname></persName></head><p>We find consuls of this name under Valerian for the years <date when-custom="258">A. D. 258</date>
      and 259. One of these is probably the Pomponius Bassus who under Claudius came forward as a
      national sacrifice, because the Sibylline books had declared that the Goths could not be
      vanquished unless the chief senator of Rome should devote his life for his country; but the
      emperor would not allow him to execute this design, generously insisting, that the person
      pointed out by the Fates must be himself. The whole story, however, is very problematical.
      (Aurel. Vict. <hi rend="ital">Epit.</hi> 100.34; comp. Julian, <hi rend="ital">Caes.</hi> p.
      11, and Tillemont on Claudius II.) </p><byline>[<ref target="author.W.R">W.R</ref>]</byline></div></div></body></text></TEI>
                </passage>
            </reply>
            </GetPassage>