The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08
figuring away at the head of his exiles, fired with the renown of his
family, that the slaying of the princes might belong to the same family
whose glory their expulsion had been, clapped spurs to his horse, and
with his javelin presented made towards Tarquin. Tarquin retired from
his violent enemy into a battalion of his own men. As Valerius rushed
rashly into the line of the exiles, one of them ran him sideways through
the body, and as the horse was in no way retarded by the wound of his
rider, the expiring Roman fell to the ground, his arms falling over him.
Postumius the dictator, on seeing so distinguished a man slain, the
exiles advancing boldly in a body, and his own men disheartened and
giving ground, gives the signal to his own cohort, a chosen body of men
which he kept for the defence of his person, to treat every Roman
soldier whom they should see fly from the battle as an enemy. Upon this
the Romans, by reason of the danger on both sides, turned from their
flight against the enemy, and, the battle being restored, the dictator's
cohort now for the first time engaged in the fight, and with fresh
vigour and undaunted resolution falling on the wearied exiles, cut them
to pieces. Here another engagement took place between the leading
officers. The Latin general, on seeing the cohort of the exiles almost
surrounded by the Roman dictator, advanced in haste to the front with
some companies of the body of reserve. T. Herminius, a
lieutenant-general, having seen them moving in a body, and well knowing
Mamilius, distinguished from the rest by his armour and dress,
encountered the leader of the enemy with a force so much superior to
that wherewith the general of the horse had lately done, that at one
thrust he ran him through the side and slew him; and while stripping
the body of his enemy, he himself received a wound with a javelin; and
though brought back to the camp victorious, yet he died during the first
dressing of it. Then the dictator flies to the cavalry, entreating them
in the most pressing terms, as the foot were tired out with fighting, to
dismount from their horses and join the fight. They obeyed his orders,
dismounted, flew to the front, and taking their post at the first line,
cover themselves with their targets. The infantry immediately recovered
courage, when they saw the young noblemen sustaining a share of the
danger with them, the mode of fighting being now assimilated. Thus at
length were the Latins beaten back, and their line giving way,[82] they
retreated. The horses were then brought up to the cavalry that they
might pursue the enemy, and the infantry likewise followed. On this, the
dictator, omitting nothing (that could conciliate) divine or human aid,
is said to have vowed a temple to Castor, and likewise to have promised
rewards to the first and second of the soldiers who should enter the
enemy's camp. And such was their ardour, that the Romans took the camp
with the same impetuosity wherewith they had routed the enemy in the
field. Such was the engagement at the lake Regillus. The dictator and
master of the horse returned to the city in triumph.
[Footnote 82: By giving up the advantage of their horses, and forgetting
their superiority of rank.]
21. For the next three years there was neither settled peace nor open
war. The consuls were Q. Clælius and T. Lartius. After them A.
Sempronius and M. Minucius. In their consulship, a temple was dedicated
to Saturn, and the Saturnalia appointed to be kept as a festival. Then
A. Postumius and T. Virginius were chosen consuls. In some authors I
find that the battle at the lake Regillus was not fought till this year,
and that A. Postumius, because the fidelity of his colleague was
suspected, laid down his office, and thereupon was created dictator.
Such great mistakes of dates perplex one with the history of these
times, the magistrates being arranged differently in different writers,
that you cannot determine what consuls succeeded certain consuls,[83]
nor in what particular year every remarkable action happened, by reason
of the antiquity, not only of the facts, but also of the historians.
Then Ap. Claudius and P. Servilius were elected consuls. This year was
remarkable for the news of Tarquin's death. He died at Cumæ, whither he
had fled to the tyrant Aristodemus, after the reduction of the power of
the Latins. The senate and people were elated by this news. But with the
senators their satisfaction was too extravagant, for by the chief men
among them oppression began to be practised on the people to whom they
had to that day been attentive to the utmost of their power. The same
year the colony which king Tarquin had sent to Signia was recruited by
filling up the number of the colonists. The tribes at Rome were
increased to twenty-one. And the temple of Mercury was dedicated the
fifteenth of May.
[Footnote 83: Qui consules secundum quosdam, who were the consuls that
came after certain consuls.]
22. During the Latin war, there had been neither peace nor war with the
nation of the Volscians; for both the Volscians had raised auxiliary
troops to send to the Latins had not so much expedition been used by the
Roman dictator, and the Roman employed this expedition that he might not
have to contend in one and the same battle with the Latin and the
Volscian. In resentment of this, the consuls marched their army into the
Volscian territory; the unexpected proceeding alarmed the Volscians, who
dreaded no chastisement of mere intention; unmindful of arms, they gave
three hundred children of the principal men of Cora and Pometia as
hostages. Upon this the legions were withdrawn without coming to any
action. Not long after their natural disposition returned to the
Volscians, now delivered of their fears; they again make secret
preparation for war, having taken the Hernicians into an alliance with
them. They send ambassadors in every direction to stir up Latium. But
the recent defeat received at the lake Regillus, could scarcely restrain
the Latins from offering violence to the ambassadors through resentment
and hatred of any one who would advise them to take up arms. Having
seized the Volscians, they brought them to Rome. They were there
delivered up to the consuls, and information was given that the
Volscians and Hernicians were making preparations for war against the
Romans. The matter being referred to the senate, it was so gratifying to
the senators that they both sent back six thousand prisoners to the
Latins, and referred to the new magistrates the business regarding the
treaty, which had been almost absolutely refused them. Upon this indeed
the Latins were heartily glad at what they had done, the advisers of
peace were in high esteem. They send a crown of gold to the Capitol as
an offering to Jupiter. Along with the ambassadors and the offering
there came a great crowd, consisting of the prisoners who had been sent
back to their friends. They proceed to the houses of those persons with
whom each had been in servitude, and return thanks for their having been
generously kept and treated during their calamity. They then form
connexions of hospitality. And never at any former time was the Latin
name more closely united to the Roman state, either by public or private
ties.
23. But both the Volscian war was threatening, and the state, being
disturbed within itself, glowed with intestine animosity between the
senate and people, chiefly on account of those confined for debt. They
complained loudly, that whilst fighting abroad for liberty and dominion,
they were captured and oppressed at home by their fellow citizens; and
that the liberty of the people was more secure in war than in peace,
among enemies than among their fellow citizens; and this feeling of
discontent, increasing of itself, the striking sufferings of an
individual still further aggravated. A certain person advanced in years
threw himself into the forum with all the badges of his miseries on him.
His clothes were all over squalid, the figure of his body still more
shocking, being pale and emaciated. In addition, a long beard and hair
had impressed a savage wildness on his countenance; in such wretchedness
he was known notwithstanding, and they said that he had been a
centurion, and compassionating him they mentioned openly other
distinctions (obtained) in the service: he himself exhibited scars on
his breast, testimonies of honourable battles in several places. To
persons repeatedly inquiring, whence that garb, whence that ghastly
appearance of body, (the multitude having now assembled around him
almost like a popular assembly,) he says, "that whilst serving in the
Sabine war, because he had not only been deprived of the produce of his
land in consequence of the depredations of the enemy, but also his
residence had been burned down, all his effects pillaged, his cattle
driven off, a tax imposed on him at a time very distressing to him, he
had incurred debt; that this debt, aggravated by usury, had stripped
him first of his father's and grandfather's farm, then of his other
property; lastly that a pestilence, as it were, had reached his person.
That he was taken by his creditor, not into servitude, but into a house
of correction and a place of execution." He then showed his back
disfigured with the marks of stripes still recent. At the hearing and
seeing of this a great uproar takes place. The tumult is now no longer
confined to the forum, but spreads through the entire city. Those who
were confined for debt, and those who were now at their liberty, hurry
into the streets from all quarters and implore the protection of the
people. In no place is there wanting a voluntary associate of sedition.
They run through all the streets in crowds to the forum with loud
shouts. Such of the senators as happened to be in the forum, fell in
with this mob with great peril to themselves; nor would they have
refrained from violence, had not the consuls, P. Servilius and Ap.
Claudius, hastily interfered to quell the disturbance. The multitude
turning towards them, and showing their chains and other marks of
wretchedness, said that they deserved all this, taunting them (the
consuls) each with the military services performed by himself, one in
one place, and another in another. They require them with menaces,
rather than as suppliants, to assemble the senate, and stand round the
senate-house in a body, determined themselves to be witnesses and
directors of the public counsels. Very few of the senators, whom chance
had thrown in the way, were forced to attend the consuls; fear prevented
the rest from coming not only to the house, but even to the forum. Nor
could any thing be done by reason of the thinness of the senate. Then
indeed the people began to think their demand was eluded, and the
redress of their grievances delayed; that such of the senators as had
absented themselves did so not through chance or fear, but on purpose to
obstruct the business. That the consuls themselves trifled with them,
that their miseries were now a mere subject of mockery. By this time the
sedition was come to such a height, that the majesty of the consuls
could hardly restrain the violence of the people. Wherefore, uncertain
whether they incurred greater danger by staying at home, or venturing
abroad, they came at length to the senate; but though the house was at
length full, a want of agreement manifested itself, not only among the
fathers, but even between the consuls themselves. Appius, a man of
violent temper, thought the matter was to be done by the authority of
the consuls, and that if one or two were seized, the rest would be
quiet. Servilius, more inclined to moderate measures, thought that while
their minds were in this ferment, it would be both more safe and more