Ab urbe condita

Since personal merit had so far won the day that it no longer failed of recognition in any class of men, their object was now not only to stultify the deliberate decisions of the people as expressed by their votes, but even to turn the judgments which Fortune is ever passing into so many reasons for retaining their power, small as their number was.

All the consuls before his time had drawn lots for their commands, now the senate was giving Fabius his province independently of the lot.