State treasury and widows

The History of Rome, Books 27 to 36 secondary

Lucius Valerius argues laws against female luxury should be repealed because wartime scarcity required them, citing Punic War conditions under Hannibal and later peace.

[Footnote 1: Alluding to a treatise by Cato, upon the antiquities of Italy, entitled "Origines," which is the word used here by Valerius.] 6. "I come now to the question in debate, with respect to which the consul's argument is twofold: for, first, he is displeased at the thought of any law whatever being repealed; and then, particularly, of that law which was made to restrain female luxury. His former argument, in …