ABSTRACT
Keeping this general context in mind, let us examine the culminating anecdote. Valerius expatiates on the poverty of Marcus Scaurus140 as well as on the general poverty of Rome’s ancient citizens.141 He goes into detail because to his contemporaries, the details would be revealing. The ancients were poor. Valerius’ contemporaries were rich. Valerius contrasts, however, ancient poverty with ancient accomplishments: “But we observe outstanding consulships, amazing dictatorships, and countless triumphs” (4.4.11). Valerius does more than compare and contrast. He offers a program: “Let us rise up rather in heart, and, with the memory of former times, let us refresh our spirits sickened by visions of wealth” (exurgamus potius animis pecuniaeque aspectu debilitatos spiritus pristini temporis memoria recreemus; 4.4.11). On what grounds does Valerius justify his plea to follow ancient examples? Religion: “By the hut of Romulus and by the humble roofs of the Ancient Capitol and by the ever burning hearth of Vesta even now content with clay dishes I do solemnly swear that no riches can be preferred to the poverty of these great men” (4.4.11). Romulus became a god. Gods once lived on the Capitoline. Vesta is named. Vesta is a goddess. All these gods by whom Valerius swears prefer a special kind of poverty, the poverty of “such men” (talium uirorum), that is, of men with political and military power. This conclusion must also refer to the exemplary wives who introduced the sequence. We may in more banal fashion summarize the sequence: gods want chaste women who bear legitimate children to men who will run the state and fight wars. More significantly, Valerius’ examples demonstrate these “true facts.” Valerius is surely in sympathy with Augustan ideology.142
