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By such proceedings as these the citizens were struck with alarm, and the appearance of the city was changed. In place of that extreme gayety and dissipation,XXXI. Dissipation] Lascivia. "Devotion to public amusements and gayety. The word is used in the same sense as in Lucretius, v. 1398: Tum caput atquc humeros plexis redimire coronis. Floribus et foliis, lascivia læta monebat. Then sportive gayety promtped them to deck their heads and shoulders with garlands of flowers and leaves." Bernouf. to which long tranquillityLong tranquillity] Diuturna quies. "Since the victory of Sylla to the time of which Sallust is speaking, that is, for about twenty years, there had been a complete cessation from civil discord and disturbance." Bernouf. had given rise, a sudden gloom spread over all classes; they became anxious and agitated; they felt secure neither in any place, nor with any person; they were not at war, yet enjoyed no peace; each measured the public danger by his own fear. The women, also, to whom, from the extent of the empire, the dread of war was new, gave way to lamentation, raised supplicating hands to heaven, mourned over their infants, made constant inquiries, trembled at every thing, and, forgetting their pride and their pleasures, felt nothing but alarm for themselves and their country.