ducturus erat a Carrhis adversus Parthos exercitum: pullum ei traditum est paludamentum, cum in proelium exeuntibus album aut purpureum dari soleat; maesti et taciti milites ad principia convenerunt, qui vetere instituto cum clamore alacri accurrere debebant; aquilarum altera vix convelli a primo pilo potuit, altera aegerrime extracta in contrariam ac ferebatur partem se ipsa convertit.
As he was about to lead his army from Carrhae against the Parthians, he was handed a black generals cloak, though usually a white or purple cloak is given to those going forth to battle. The soldiers gathered at his headquarters gloomy and silent, who by ancient usage should have run up with cheerful shouts. One eagle was pulled up with difficulty by the Chief Centurion, whereas another, after it was extracted with maximum effort, turned of its own accord in the opposite direction from that in which it was being carried.
final_alignments\Valerius_Memorable_Book1.json