The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08
Faliscians. That every thing was done that the young men should grow old
before Veii, and that the tribunes should not be able to consult the
people either regarding the lands or the other interests of the commons,
and to give weight to their measures by a numerous attendance [of
citizens], and to make head against the conspiracy of the patricians.
That a previous judgment had been already passed on the accused both by
the senate and the Roman people and by their own colleagues. For that by
a decree of the senate they had been removed from the administration of
affairs, and when they refused to resign their office they had been
forced into it by their colleagues; and that the Roman people had
elected tribunes, who were to enter on their office not on the ides of
December, the usual day, but instantly on the calends of October,
because the republic could no longer subsist, these persons remaining in
office. And yet these individuals, overwhelmed and already condemned by
so many decisions against them, presented themselves for trial before
the people; and thought that they were done with the matter, and had
suffered sufficient punishment, because they were reduced to the state
of private citizens two months sooner [than ordinary]: and did not
consider that the power of doing mischief any longer was then taken from
them, that punishment was not inflicted; for that the official power of
their colleagues also had been taken from them who certainly had
committed no fault. That the Roman citizens should resume those
sentiments which they had when the recent disaster was sustained, when
they beheld the army flying in consternation, covered with wounds, and
in dismay pouring into the gates, accusing not fortune nor any of the
gods, but these their commanders. They were certain, that there was not
a man present in the assembly who did not execrate and detest the
persons, families, and fortunes of Lucius Virginius and Manius Sergius.
That it was by no means consistent that now, when it was lawful and
their duty, they should not exert their power against persons, on whom
they had severally imprecated the vengeance of the gods. That the gods
themselves never laid hands on the guilty; it was enough if they armed
the injured with the means of taking revenge."
12. Urged on by these discourses the commons condemn the accused [in a
fine] of ten thousand _asses_ in weight, Sergius in vain throwing the
blame on fortune and the common chance of war, Virginius entreating that
he might not be more unfortunate at home than he had been in the field.
The resentment of the people being turned against them, obliterated the
remembrance of the assumption of the tribunes and of the fraud committed
against the Trebonian law. The victorious tribunes, in order that the
people might reap an immediate benefit from the trial, publish a form of
an agrarian law, and prevent the tax from being contributed, since there
was need of pay for so great a number of troops, and the enterprises of
the service were conducted with success in such a manner, that in none
of the wars did they reach the consummation of their hope. At Veii the
camp which had been lost was recovered and strengthened with forts and a
garrison. Here M. Æmilius and Kæso Fabius, military tribunes, commanded.
None of the enemy were found outside the walls by Marcus Furius in the
Falisean territory, and Cneius Cornelius in the Capenatian district:
spoil was driven off, and the country laid waste by burning of the
houses and the fruits of the earth: the towns were neither assaulted
nor besieged. But among the Volscians, their territory being
depopulated, Anxur, which was situate on an eminence, was assaulted, but
to no purpose; and when force was ineffectual, they commenced to
surround it with a rampart and a trench. The province of the Volscians
had fallen [to the lot of] Valerius Potitus. In this state of military
affairs an intestine disturbance broke out with greater violence than
the wars were proceeded with. And when it was rendered impossible by the
tribunes to have the tax paid, and the payment [of the army] was not
remitted to the generals, and the soldiers became importunate for their
pay, the camp also was well nigh being involved in the contagion of the
sedition in the city. Amid this resentment of the commons against the
patricians, though the tribunes asserted that now was the time for
establishing liberty, and transferring the sovereign dignity from the
Sergii and Virginii to plebeians, men of fortitude and energy, still
they proceeded no further than the election of one of the commons,
Publius Licinius Calvus, military tribune with consular power for the
purpose of establishing their right by precedent: the others elected
were patricians, Publius Mænius, Lucius Titinius, Publius Mælius, Lucius
Furius Medullinus, Lucius Publius Volscus. The commons themselves were
surprised at having gained so important a point, and not merely he who
had been elected, being a person who had filled no post of honour
before, being only a senator of long standing, and now weighed down with
years. Nor does it sufficiently appear, why he was elected first and in
preference to any one else to taste the sweets of the new dignity. Some
think that he was raised to so high a dignity through the influence of
his brother, Cneius Cornelius, who had been military tribune on the
preceding year, and had given triple pay to the cavalry. Others [say]
that he had himself delivered a seasonable address equally acceptable to
the patricians and commons, concerning the harmony of the several orders
[of the state]. The tribunes of the commons, exulting in this victory at
the election, relaxed in their opposition regarding the tax, a matter
which very much impeded the progress of public business. It was paid in
with submission, and sent to the army.
13. In the country of the Volscians Anxur was soon retaken, the guarding
of the city having been neglected during a festival day. This year was
remarkable for a cold and snowy winter, so that the roads were
impassable, and the Tiber not navigable. The price of provisions
underwent no change, in consequence of the abundance previously laid in.
And because Publius Licinius, as he obtained his office without any
rioting, to the greater joy of the commons than annoyance of the
patricians, so also did he administer it; a rapturous desire of electing
plebeians at the next election took possession of them. Of the
patricians Marcus Veturius alone obtained a place: almost all the
centuries appointed the other plebeian candidates as military tribunes
with consular authority. Marcus Pomponius, Caius Duilius, Volero
Publilius, Cneius Genucius, Lucius Atilius. The severe winter, whether
from the ill temperature of the air [arising] from the abrupt transition
to the contrary state, or from whatsoever other cause, was followed by
an unhealthy summer, destructive to all species of animals; and when
neither the cause nor termination of this intractable pestilence could
be discovered, the Sibylline books were consulted according to a decree
of the senate. The duumvirs for the direction of religious matters, the
lectisternium being then for the first time introduced into the city of
Rome, for eight days implored the favour of Apollo and Latona, Diana and
Hercules, Mercury and Neptune, three couches being laid out with the
greatest magnificence that was then possible. The same solemn rite was
observed also by private individuals. The doors lying open throughout
the entire city, and the use of every thing lying out in common, they
say that all passengers, both those known and those unknown
indiscriminately, were invited to lodgings, and that conversation was
adopted between persons at variance with complaisance and kindness, and
that they refrained from disputes and quarrels; their chains were also
taken off those who were in confinement during those days; that
afterward a scruple was felt in imprisoning those to whom the gods had
brought such aid. In the mean while the alarm was multiplied at Veii,
three wars being concentred in the one place. For as the Capenatians and
Faliscians had suddenly come with succour [to the Veientians], they had
to fight against three armies on different sides in the same manner as
formerly, through the whole extent of their works. The recollection of
the sentence passed on Sergius and Virginius aided them above every
thing else. Accordingly some forces being led around in a short time
from the principal camp, where some delay had been made on the former
occasion, attack the Capenatians on their rear, whilst they were engaged
in front against the Roman rampart. The fight commencing in this quarter
struck terror into the Faliscians also, and a sally from the camp
opportunely made put them to flight, thrown into disorder as they now
were. The victors, having then pursued them in their retreat, made great
slaughter amongst them. And soon after those who had been devastating
the territory of Capena, having met them as it were by chance, entirely
cut off the survivors of the fight as they were straggling through the
country: and many of the Veientians in their retreat to the city were
slain before the gates; whilst, through fear lest the Romans should
force in along with them, they excluded the hindmost of their men by
closing the gates.
14. These were the transactions of that year. And now the election of
military tribunes approached; about which the patricians felt more
intense solicitude than about the war, inasmuch as they saw that the
supreme authority was not only shared with the commons, but almost lost
to themselves. Wherefore the most distinguished individuals being, by
concert, prepared to stand candidates, whom they thought [the people]
would feel ashamed to pass by, they themselves, nevertheless, as if they
were all candidates, trying every expedient, strove to gain over not
only men, but the gods also, raising religious scruples about the
elections held the two preceding years; that, in the former of those
years, a winter set in intolerably severe, and like to a prodigy from
the gods; on the next year [they had] not prodigies, but events, a
pestilence inflicted on both city and country through the manifest
resentment of the gods: whom, as was discovered in the books of the
fates, it was necessary to appease, for the purpose of warding off that
plague. That it seemed to the gods an affront that honours should be
prostituted, and the distinctions of birth confounded, in an election
which was held under proper auspices. The people, overawed as well by
the dignity of the candidates as by a sense of religion, elected all the
military tribunes with consular power from among the patricians, the
greater part being men who had been most highly distinguished by honour;
Lucius Valerius Potitus a fifth time, Marcus Valerius Maximus, Marcus
Furius Camillus a third time, Lucius Furius Medullinus a third time,
Quintus Servilius Fidenas a second time, Quintus Sulpicius Camerinus a
second time. During this tribunate, nothing very memorable was performed
at Veii. All their force was employed in depopulating the country. Two
consummate commanders, Potitus from Falerii, Camillus from Capena,
carried off great booty, nothing being left undestroyed which could be
injured by sword or by fire.
15. In the mean time many prodigies were announced; the greater part of
which were little credited or even slighted, because individuals were
the reporters of them, and also because, the Etrurians being now at war
with them, they had no aruspices through whom they might attend to them.
The attention of all was turned to a particular one: the lake in the
Alban grove swelled to an unusual height without any rain, or any other