The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08
nine towns by storm, and Præneste being obtained by surrender, returned
to Rome: and in his triumph brought into the Capitol the statue of
Jupiter Imperator, which he had conveyed from Præneste. It was dedicated
between the recesses of Jupiter and Minerva, and a tablet fixed under
it, as a monument of his exploits, was engraved with nearly these words:
"Jupiter and all the gods granted, that Titus Quinctius, dictator,
should take nine towns." On the twentieth day after the appointment he
abdicated the dictatorship.
30. An election was then held of military tribunes with consular power;
in which the number of patricians and plebeians was equal. From the
patricians were elected Publius and Caius Manlius, with Lucius Julius;
the commons gave Caius Sextilius, Marcus Albinius, and Lucius Antistius.
To the Manlii, because they had the advantage of the plebeians in family
station, and of Julius in interest, the province of the Volscians was
assigned out of the ordinary course, without lots, or mutual
arrangement; of which circumstance both themselves and the patricians
who conferred it afterwards repented. Without any previous reconnoitre
they sent out some cohorts to forage. It having been falsely reported
to them that these were ensnared, whilst they march in great haste, in
order to support them, without even retaining the author [of the report]
who had deceived them, he being a Latin enemy instead of a Roman
soldier, they themselves fell into an ambuscade. There, whilst they
suffer and commit great havoc, making resistance on disadvantageous
ground solely by the valour of the soldiers, the enemy in the mean time
in another quarter attacked the Roman camp which was situate on a plain.
By their temerity and want of skill, matters were brought into jeopardy
in both places by the generals. Whatever portion [of the army] was
saved, the good fortune of the Roman people, and the steady valour of
the soldiers, even without a director, protected. When an account of
these events was brought to Rome, it was at first agreeable to them that
a dictator should be appointed; then when intelligence was received from
the Volscian country that matters were quiet, and it appeared manifest
that they knew not how to take advantage of victory and of opportunity,
the army and generals were recalled from thence also; and there was
quiet from that quarter, as far as regarded the Volscians. The only
disturbance there was towards the end of the year was, that the
Prænestines, having stirred up some of the states of the Latins, renewed
hostilities. During the same year new colonists were enrolled for Setia,
the colony itself complaining of the paucity of men. Domestic
tranquillity, which the influence of the plebeian military tribunes and
the respect shown to them among their own party procured, was a
consolation for the want of success in war.
31. The commencement of the following year blazed forth with violent
sedition, the military tribunes with consular power being Spurius
Furius, Quintus Servilius a second time, Caius Licinius, Publius
Clœlius, Marcus Horatius, Lucius Geganius. The debt was both the
ground-work and cause of the disturbance: for the purpose of
ascertaining which Spurius Servilius Priscus and Quintus Clœlius
Siculus, being appointed censors, were prevented by war from proceeding
in the business. For alarming news at first, then the flight [of the
country people] from the lands, brought intelligence that the legions of
the Volscians had entered the borders, and were laying waste the Roman
land in every direction. In which alarm, so far was the fear of the
foreign enemy from putting a check to the domestic feuds, that on the
contrary the tribunitian power became even more vehement in obstructing
the levy; until these conditions were imposed on the patricians, that no
one was to pay tribute as long as the war lasted, nor issue any judicial
process respecting money due. This relaxation being obtained for the
commons, there was no delay with respect to the levy. New legions being
enlisted, it was resolved that two armies should be led into the
Volscian territory, the legions being divided. Spurius Furius and Marcus
Horatius proceed to the right, towards the sea-coast and Antium; Quintus
Servilius and Lucius Geganius to the left, to Ecetra towards the
mountains. On neither side did the enemy meet them. Devastation was
therefore committed, not similar to that straggling kind which the
Volscian had practised by snatches under the influence of trepidation
after the manner of a banditti, relying on the dissensions among the
enemy and dreading their valour; but committed with the full meed of
their resentment by a regular army, more severe also by reason of their
continuance. For the incursions had been made by the Volscians on the
skirts of the borders, as they were afraid lest an army might in the
mean time come forth from Rome: the Romans, on the contrary, had a
motive for tarrying in the enemy's country, in order to entice them to
an engagement. All the houses therefore on the lands, and some villages
also, being burnt down, not a fruit-tree nor the seed being left for the
hope of a harvest, all the booty both of men and cattle, which was
outside the walls, being driven off, the troops were led back from both
quarters to Rome.
32. A short interval having been granted to the debtors to recover
breath, when matters became perfectly quiet with respect to the enemy,
legal proceedings began to be instituted anew; and so remote was all
hope of relieving the former debt, that a new one was now contracted by
a tax for building a wall of hewn stone bargained for by the censors: to
which burden the commons were obliged to submit, because the tribunes of
the commons had no levy which they could obstruct. Forced by the
influence of the nobles, they elected all the military tribunes from
among the patricians, Lucius Æmilius, Publius Valerius a fourth time,
Caius Veturius, Servius Sulpicius, Lucius and Caius Quinctius
Cincinnatus. By the same influence they succeeded in raising three
armies against the Latins and Volscians, who with combined forces were
encamped at Satricum, all the juniors being bound by the military oath
without any opposition; one army for the protection of the city; the
other to be sent for the sudden emergencies of war, if any disturbance
should arise elsewhere. The third, and by far the most powerful, Publius
Valerius and Lucius Æmilius led to Satricum. Where when they found the
enemy's line of battle drawn up on level ground, they immediately
engaged; and before the victory was sufficiently declared, the battle,
which held out fair hopes of success, was put a stop to by rain
accompanied by a violent storm of wind. On the following day the battle
was renewed; and for a considerable time the Latin troops particularly,
who had learned the Roman discipline during the long confederacy, stood
their ground with equal bravery and success. A charge of cavalry broke
their ranks; when thus confused, the infantry advanced upon them; and as
much as the Roman line advanced, so much were the enemy dislodged from
their ground; and when once the battle gave way, the Roman prowess
became irresistible. When the enemy being routed made for Satricum,
which was two miles distant, not for their camp, they were cut down
chiefly by the cavalry; their camp was taken and plundered. The night
succeeding the battle, they betake themselves to Antium in a march
resembling a flight; and though the Roman army followed them almost in
their steps, fear however possessed more swiftness than anger. Wherefore
the enemy entered the walls before the Roman could annoy or impede their
rear. After that several days were spent in laying waste the country, as
the Romans were neither supplied with military engines to attack walls,
nor the others to hazard the chance of a battle.
33. At this time a dissension arose between the Antians and the Latins;
when the Antians, overcome by misfortunes and reduced by a war, in which
they had both been born and had grown old, began to think of a
surrender; whilst their recent revolt after a long peace, their spirits
being still fresh, rendered the Latins more determined to persevere in
the war. There was an end to the contest, when it became evident to both
parties that neither would stand in the way of the other so as to
prevent them from following out their own views. The Latins by departing
redeemed themselves from a share in what they deemed a dishonourable
peace. The Antians, on the removal of those who by their presence
impeded their salutary counsels, surrender their city and lands to the
Romans. The resentment and rage of the Latins, because they were neither
able to damage the Romans in war, nor to retain the Volscians in arms,
vented itself in setting fire to the city of Satricum, which had been
their first place of retreat after their defeat; nor did any other
building in that city remain, since they cast firebrands
indiscriminately into those sacred and profane, except the temple of
Mother Matuta. From that neither the sanctity of the building itself,
nor respect for the gods, is said to have restrained them, but an awful
voice, emitted from the temple with threats of dismal vengeance, unless
they removed their abominable fires to a distance from the temples.
Fired with this rage, their impetuosity carried them on to Tusculum,
under the influence of resentment, because, having abandoned the general
association of the Latins, they joined themselves not only in alliance
with the Romans, but also as members of their state. As they
unexpectedly rushed in at the gates, which were lying open, the town,
except the citadel, was taken at the first shout. The townsmen with
their wives and children took refuge in the citadel, and sent messengers
to Rome, to inform the senate of their situation. An army was led to
Tusculum with no less expedition than was worthy of the honour of the
Roman people. Lucius Quinctius and Servius Sulpicius, military tribunes,
commanded it. They beheld the gates of Tusculum shut, and the Latins,
with the feelings of besiegers and besieged, on the one side defending
the walls of Tusculum, on the other hand attacking the citadel; they
struck terror and felt it at the same time. The arrival of the Romans
produced a change in the minds of both parties: it turned the Tusculans
from great alarm into the utmost alacrity, and the Latins from almost
assured confidence of soon taking the citadel, as they were masters of
the town, to very slender hope of even their own safety. A shout is
raised by the Tusculans from the citadel; it is answered by a much
louder one from the Roman army. The Latins are hard pressed on both
sides: they neither withstand the force of the Tusculans pouring down on
them from the higher ground; nor are they able to repel the Romans
advancing up to the walls, and forcing the bars of the gates. The walls
were first taken by scalade; the gates were then broken open; and when
the two enemies pressed them both in front and in the rear, nor did
there remain any strength for fight, nor any room for running away,
between both they were all cut to pieces to a man. Tusculum being
recovered from the enemy, the army was led back to Rome.
34. In proportion as all matters were more tranquil abroad in
consequence of their successes in war this year, so much did the
violence of the patricians and the distresses of the commons in the city
increase every day; as the ability to pay was prevented by the very fact
that it was necessary to pay. Accordingly, when nothing could now be
paid out of their property, being cast in suits and assigned over to
custody, they satisfied their creditors by their character and persons,
and punishment was substituted for payment. Wherefore not only the