The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08
incensed against the fathers, the contest was carried on by various
disturbances to the eleventh interrex. The tribunes held out as their
plea, the protection of the Licinian law. The people had the painful
sense of the increasing weight of interest nearer to their hearts; and
their private troubles became predominant amid the public contests.
Through the wearisome effects of which the patricians ordered Lucius
Cornelius Scipio, the interrex, for peace' sake to observe the Licinian
law in the election of consuls. To Publius Valerius Publicola, Caius
Marcius Rutilus, a plebeian, was assigned as a colleague. Once their
minds were disposed to concord, the new consuls, setting about to
relieve the affair of the interest money also, which seemed to prevent
perfect unanimity, made the payment of the debts a matter of public
concern, five commissioners having been appointed, whom from their
management of the money they called bankers. By their justice and
diligence they deserved to have their names signalized by the records of
every history. They were Caius Duilius, Publius Decius Mus, Marcus
Papirius, Quintus Publilius, and Titus Æmilius; who underwent a task
most difficult to be managed, and dissatisfactory in general to both
parties, certainly always so to one, both with moderation in other
respects, as well as at the public expense, rather than with any loss
[to the creditors]. For the tardy debts and those which were more
troublesome, rather by the inertness of the debtors than by want of
means, either the treasury paid off, tables with money being placed in
the forum, in such a manner that the public was first secured; or a
valuation, at equitable prices, of their property freed them; so that
not only without injury, but even without complaints on either side, an
immense amount of debt was cleared off. After this a groundless alarm of
an Etrurian war, as there was a report that the twelve states had
conspired, rendered it necessary that a dictator should be appointed.
Caius Julius was nominated in the camp, (for the decree of the senate
was sent thither to the consuls,) to whom Lucius Æmilius was attached as
master of the horse. But all things were quiet abroad.
22. An attempt made at home by the dictator, to have the election of two
patrician consuls, brought the government to an interregnum. The two
interreges, Caius Sulpicius and Marcus Fabius, succeeded in that which
the dictator had in vain attempted, scil. in having both the consuls
elected from the patricians, the people being rather more appeased in
consequence of the service done them in lightening their debts. The
persons elected were, Caius Sulpicius Peticus himself, who first
resigned the office of interrex, and Titus Quinctius Pennus. Some attach
the name of Kæso, others that of Caius to Quinctius. They both set out
to the war, Quinctius to the Faliscian, Sulpicius to the Tarquinian; and
the enemy no where meeting them in the field, they waged war more
against the lands than the men, by burning and laying waste every thing,
by the debilitating effects of which, as of a slow consumption, the
pertinacity of both states was so broken, that they solicited a truce,
first from the consuls, then through their permission from the senate.
They obtained a truce for forty years. Thus the concern regarding the
two wars which were hanging over them being laid aside, whilst there was
some repose from arms, it was determined that a census should be
instituted, because the payment of the debt had changed the owners of
much property. But when the assembly was proclaimed for the appointment
of censors, Caius Marcius Rutilus, who had been the first plebeian
dictator, having declared himself a candidate for the censorship,
disturbed the harmony of the different orders. This step he seemed to
have taken at an unseasonable time; because both the consuls then
happened to be patricians, who declared that they would take no account
of him. But he both succeeded in his undertaking by his own
perseverance, and the tribunes aided him by recovering a right lost in
the election of the consuls; and both the worth of the man brought him
to the level of the highest honour, and also the commons were anxious
that the censorship also should be brought within their participation
through the medium of the same person who had opened a way to the
dictatorship. Nor was any dissent [from this feeling] evinced at the
election, so that Marcius was elected censor along with Cneius Manlius.
This year also had Marcus Fabius as dictator, not by reason of any
terror of war, but in order that the Licinian law should not be observed
at the consular elections. Quintus Servilius was attached to the
dictator as master of the horse. Nor yet did the dictatorship render
that combination of the senators more effectual at the consular
elections, than it had proved at that of the censors.
23. Marcus Popillius Lænas was chosen consul on the part of the commons,
Lucius Cornelius Scipio on that of the patricians. Fortune even rendered
the plebeian consul more distinguished; for when news was brought that a
vast army of the Gauls had pitched their camp in the Latin territory,
Scipio being attacked with a serious fit of illness, the Gallic war was
intrusted out of course to Popillius. He having raised an army with
great energy, after he had ordered the younger citizens to assemble in
arms outside the Capuan gate, and the quæstors to carry the standards
from the treasury to the same place, having completed four legions, he
gave the surplus of the men to the prætor Publius Valerius Publicola,
recommending to the senate to raise another army, which might be a
reserve to the state against the sudden contingencies of war. He
himself, after sufficiently preparing and arranging every thing,
proceeds towards the enemy; and in order to ascertain their strength
before he should hazard a decisive action, he commenced drawing an
intrenchment on a hill, the nearest he could select to the camp of the
Gauls. They being a fierce race and of an eager turn for fighting, when,
on descrying the standards of the Romans at a distance, they drew out
their forces, as expecting to commence the battle forthwith, when they
perceived that neither the opposite army descended into the plain, and
that the Romans were protected both by the height of the ground and also
by the entrenchments, supposing that they were dismayed with fear, and
also more exposed to attack, because they were intent on the work, they
advance with a furious shout. On the side of the Romans neither the
works were interrupted, (it was the triarii who were employed at them,)
but the battle was commenced by the hastati and the principes, who stood
in front of the workmen armed and prepared for the fight. Besides their
own valour, the higher ground aided them, so that all the spears and
javelins did not fall ineffectual, as when thrown on the same level, (as
is generally the case,) but being steadied by their own weight they took
effect; and the Gauls weighed down by the weapons, with which they had
their bodies transfixed, or their shields rendered too cumbrous by those
sticking in them. When they advanced almost up the steep at a run,
becoming irresolute, they at first halted; then when the very delay
shook the courage of the one party, and raised that of the enemy, being
then pushed backwards they fell one upon the other, and produced a
carnage among themselves more shocking than the carnage [caused by the
enemy]. For more were crushed by the precipitate rout, than there were
slain by the sword.
24. Nor as yet was the victory decided in favour of the Romans; another
difficulty still was remaining for them after they had descended into
the plain; for the great numbers of the Gauls being such as to prevent
all feeling of such a disaster, raised up fresh troops against the
victorious enemy, as if a new army rose up once more. And the Romans
stood still, suppressing their ardour; both because the struggle had to
be undergone a second time by them wearied as they were, and the consul,
having his left arm well nigh transfixed with a javelin, whilst he
exposed himself incautiously in the van, had retired for a short time
from the field. And now, by the delay, the victory was on the point of
being relinquished, when the consul, having had his wound tied up,
riding back to the van, cries out, "Soldiers, why do you stand? You have
not to do with a Latin or Sabine enemy, whom, when you have vanquished
by your arms, from an enemy you may make an ally; against brutes we have
drawn our swords. Their blood must be drawn or ours given to them. You
have repulsed them from your camp, you have driven them headlong down
the valley, you stand on the prostrated bodies of your foes. Fill the
plains with the same carnage as you have filled the mountains; do not
wait till they fly, you standing still; your standards must be advanced,
you must proceed against the enemy." Roused again by these
exhortations, they drive back from their ground the foremost companies
of the Gauls, and by forming wedges, they break through the centre of
their body. By these means, the enemy being disunited, as being now
without regular command, or subordination of officers, they turn their
violence against their own; and being dispersed through the plains, and
carried beyond their own camp in their precipitate flight, they make for
the citadel of Alba, which met their eyes as the most elevated among
hills of equal altitude. The consul, not pursuing them beyond the camp,
because the wound weakened him, and he was unwilling to expose his
wearied army to hills occupied by the enemy, bestowed the entire plunder
of the camp on the soldiers, and led back his army, victorious and
enriched with the Gallic spoils, to Rome. The consul's wound occasioned
a delay of the triumph, and the same cause made the senate wish for a
dictator, that there might be some one who, the consuls being both sick,
should hold the elections. Lucius Furius Camillus being nominated
dictator, Publius Cornelius Scipio being attached as master of the
horse, restored to the patricians their former possession of the
consulship. He himself being, for that service, elected consul, had
Appius Claudius Crassus named as his colleague.
25. Before the new consuls entered on their office, a triumph was
celebrated by Popillius over the Gauls amid the great applause of the
commons; and they, in a low voice, frequently asked one another, whether
any one was dissatisfied with a plebeian consul. At the same time they
found fault with the dictator, who had obtained the consulship as a
bribe for having infringed the Licinian law, more dishonourable for the
private ambition [evinced] thereby than for the injury inflicted on the
public, so that, when dictator, he might have himself appointed consul.
The year was remarkable for many and various commotions. The Gauls
[descending] from the Alban mountains, because they were unable to
endure the severity of the winter, straggling through the plains and the
parts adjoining the sea, committed devastations. The sea was infested by
fleets of the Greeks; and the borders of the Antian shore, and the mouth
of the Tiber; so that the maritime plunderers, encountering those on
land, fought on one occasion an obstinate fight, and separated, the
Gauls to their camp, the Greeks back to their ships, doubting whether
they should consider themselves as vanquished or victors. Among these
the greatest alarm arose at the circumstance, that assemblies of the
Latin states were held at the grove of Ferentina; and an unequivocal
answer was given to the Romans on their ordering soldiers from them,
"that they should cease to issue their orders to those of whose
assistance they stood in need: that the Latins would take up arms in