The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08
space of clear ground which lay between them they spurred on their
horses against each other; and when they were together in fierce
encounter, the spear of Manlius passed over the helmet of his
antagonist, that of Metius across the neck of the other's horse. Then
wheeling round their horses, when Manlius arose to repeat the blow, he
fixed his javelin between the ears of his opponent's horse. When, by the
pain of this wound, the horse, having raised his fore-feet on high,
tossed his head with great violence, he shook off his rider, whom, when
he was raising himself from the severe fall, by leaning on his spear and
buckler, Manlius pierced through the throat, so that the steel passed
out through the ribs, and pinned him to the earth; and having collected
the spoils, he returned to his own party, and with his troop, who were
exulting with joy, he proceeds to the camp, and thence to the general's
tent to his father, ignorant of what awaited him, whether praise or
punishment had been merited. "Father," says he, "that all may truly
represent me as sprung from your blood; when challenged, I slew my
adversary, and have taken from him these equestrian spoils." When the
consul heard this, immediately turning away from his son, he ordered an
assembly to be summoned by sound of trumpet. When these assembled in
great numbers, "Since you, Titus Manlius," says he, "revering neither
the consular power nor a father's majesty, have fought against the enemy
out of your post contrary to our orders, and, as far as in you lay, have
subverted military discipline, by which the Roman power has stood to
this day, and have brought me to this necessity, that I must either
forget the republic, or myself and mine; we shall expiate our own
transgressions rather than the republic should sustain so serious a loss
for our misdeeds. We shall be a melancholy example, but a profitable
one, to the youth of future ages. As for me, both the natural affection
for my children, as well as that instance of bravery which has led you
astray by the false notion of honour, affects me for you. But since
either the authority of consuls is to be established by your death, or
by your forgiveness to be for ever annulled; I do not think that even
you, if you have any of our blood in you, will refuse to restore, by
your punishment, the military discipline which has been subverted by
your misconduct. Go, lictor, bind him to the stake." All became
motionless, more through fear than discipline, astounded by so cruel an
order, each looking on the axe as if drawn against himself. Therefore
when they stood in profound silence, suddenly, when the blood spouted
from his severed neck, their minds recovering, as it were, from a state
of stupefaction, then their voices arose together in free expressions of
complaint, so that they spared neither lamentations nor execrations: and
the body of the youth, being covered with the spoils, was burned on a
pile erected outside the rampart, with all the military zeal with which
any funeral could be celebrated: and Manlian orders were considered with
horror, not only for the present, but of the most austere severity for
future times.
8. The severity of the punishment however rendered the soldiers more
obedient to the general; and besides that the guards and watches and the
regulation of the posts were every where more strictly attended to, such
severity was also profitable in the final struggle when they came into
the field of battle. But the battle was very like to a civil war; so
very similar was every thing among the Romans and Latins, except with
respect to courage. The Romans formerly used targets; afterwards, when
they began to receive pay, they made shields instead of targets; and
what before constituted phalanxes similar to the Macedonian, afterwards
became a line drawn up in distinct companies. At length they were
divided into several centuries. A century contained sixty soldiers, two
centurions, and one standard-bearer. The spearmen (hastati) formed the
first line in fifteen companies, with small intervals between them: a
company had twenty light-armed soldiers, the rest wearing shields; those
were called light who carried only a spear and short iron javelins.
This, which constituted the van in the field of battle, contained the
youth in early bloom advancing towards the age of service. Next followed
men of more robust age, in the same number of companies, who were called
principes, all wearing shields, and distinguished by the completest
armour. This band of thirty companies they called antepilani, because
there were fifteen others placed behind them with the standards; of
which each company consisted of three divisions, and the first division
of each they called a pilus. Each company consisted of three ensigns,
and contained one hundred and eighty-six men. The first ensign was at
the head of the Triarii, veteran soldiers of tried bravery; the second,
at the head of the Rorarii, men whose ability was less by reason of
their age and course of service; the third, at the head of the Accensi,
a body in whom very little confidence was reposed. For this reason also
they were thrown back to the rear. When the army was marshalled
according to this arrangement, the spearmen first commenced the fight.
If the spearmen were unable to repulse the enemy, they retreated
leisurely, and were received by the principes into the intervals of the
ranks. The fight then devolved on the principes; the spearmen followed.
The Triarii continued kneeling behind the ensigns, their left leg
extended forward, holding their shields resting on their shoulders, and
their spears fixed in the ground, with the points erect, so that their
line bristled as if enclosed by a rampart. If the principes also did not
make sufficient impression in the fight, they retreated slowly from the
front to the Triarii. Hence, when a difficulty is felt, "Matters have
come to the Triarii," became a usual proverb. The Triarii rising up,
after receiving the principes and spearmen into the intervals between
their ranks, immediately closing their files, shut up as it were the
openings; and in one compact body fell upon the enemy, no other hope
being now left: that was the most formidable circumstance to the enemy,
when having pursued them as vanquished, they beheld a new line suddenly
starting up, increased also in strength. In general about four legions
were raised, each consisting of five thousand infantry and three hundred
horse. As many more were added from the Latin levy, who were at that
time enemies to the Romans, and drew up their line after the same
manner; and they knew that unless the ranks were disturbed they would
have to engage not only standard with standard, spearmen with spearmen,
principes with principes, but centurion also with centurion. There were
among the veterans two first centurions in either army, the Roman by no
means possessing bodily strength, but a brave man, and experienced in
the service; the Latin powerful in bodily strength, and a first-rate
warrior; they were very well known to each other, because they had
always held equal rank. The Roman, somewhat diffident of his strength,
had at Rome obtained permission from the consuls, to select any one whom
he wished, his own subcenturion, to protect him from the one destined to
be his adversary; and this youth being opposed to him in the battle,
obtained the victory over the Latin centurion. They came to an
engagement not far from the foot of Mount Vesuvius, where the road led
to the Veseris.
9. The Roman consuls, before they marched out their armies to the field,
offered sacrifices. The aruspex is said to have shown to Decius the head
of the liver wounded on the side relating to himself, in other respects
the victim was acceptable to the gods; whilst Manlius obtained highly
favourable omens from his sacrifice. "But all is well," says Decius, "if
my colleague has offered an acceptable sacrifice." The ranks being drawn
up in the order already described, they marched forth to battle. Manlius
commanded the right, Decius the left wing. At first the action was
conducted with equal strength on both sides, and with the same ardent
courage. Afterwards the Roman spearmen on the left wing, not sustaining
the violent assault of the Latins, betook themselves to the principes.
In this state of trepidation the consul Decius cries out with a loud
voice to Marcus Valerius, "Valerius, we have need of the aid of the
gods. Come, as public pontiff of the Roman people, dictate to me the
words in which I may devote myself for the legions." The pontiff
directed him to take the gown called prætexta, and with his head covered
and his hand thrust out under the gown to the chin, standing upon a
spear placed under his feet, to say these words: "Janus, Jupiter, father
Mars, Quirinus, Bellona, ye Lares, ye gods Novensiles,[171] ye gods
Indigetes, ye divinities, under whose power we and our enemies are, and
ye dii Manes, I pray you, I adore you, I ask your favour, that you would
prosperously grant strength and victory to the Roman people, the
Quirites; and that ye may affect the enemies of the Roman people, the
Quirites, with terror, dismay, and death. In such manner as I have
expressed in words, so do I devote the legions and auxiliaries of the
enemy, together with myself, to the dii Manes and to Earth for the
republic of the Quirites, for the army, legions, auxiliaries of the
Roman people, the Quirites." Having uttered this prayer, he orders the
lictors to go to Titus Manlius, and without delay to announce to his
colleague that he had devoted himself for the army. He, girding himself
in a Gabine cincture, and fully armed, mounted his horse, and rushed
into the midst of the enemy. He was observed by both armies to present a
more majestic appearance than human, as one sent from heaven as an
expiation of all the wrath of the gods, to transfer to the enemy
destruction turned away from his own side: accordingly, all the terror
and panic being carried along with him, at first disturbed the
battalions of the Latins, then completely pervaded their entire line.
This was most evident, because, in whatever direction he was carried
with his horse, there they became panic-stricken, as if struck by some
pestilential constellation; but when he fell overwhelmed with darts,
instantly the cohorts of the Latins, thrown into manifest consternation,
took to flight, leaving a void to a considerable extent. At the same
time also the Romans, their minds being freed from religious dread,
exerting themselves as if the signal was then given for the first time,
commenced to fight with renewed ardour. For the Rorarii also pushed
forward among the antepilani, and added strength to the spearmen and
principes, and the Triarii resting on the right knee awaited the
consul's nod to rise up.
[Footnote 171: The Novensiles were nine deities brought to Rome by the
Sabines: Lara, Vesta, Minerva, Feronia, Concord, Faith, Fortune, Chance,
Health. See Niebuhr III. ii. 249.]
10. Afterwards, as the contest proceeded, when the superior numbers of
the Latins had the advantage in some places, the consul, Manlius, on
hearing the circumstance of his colleague's death, after he had, as was
right and just, honoured his so glorious a death with tears, as well as
with praises so well merited, hesitated, for a little time, whether it
was yet time for the Triarii to rise; then judging it better that they
should be kept fresh for the decisive blow, he ordered the Accensi to
advance from the rear before the standards. When they moved forward, the
Latins immediately called up their Triarii, as if their opponents had
done the same thing: who, when they had by desperate fighting for a
considerable time both fatigued themselves, and had either broken or