The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08
defence of their own liberty, rather than for the dominion of others."
The senate becoming uneasy at the defection of their allies, whilst two
foreign wars existed at the same time, when they perceived that those
whom fidelity had not restrained, should be restrained by fear, ordered
the consuls to exert to the utmost the energies of their authority in
holding a levy. For that they should depend on an army of their
countrymen, since their allies were deserting them. Ten legions are said
to have been levied, consisting each of four thousand two hundred
infantry and three hundred horse. Such a newly-raised army, if any
foreign force should assail, the present power of the Roman people,
which is scarcely confined within the whole world, could not easily
raise now, if concentrated upon one point: so true it is, we have
improved in those particulars only about which we are solicitous, riches
and luxury. Among the other distressing events of this year, Appius
Claudius, one of the consuls, dies in the midst of the preparations for
the war; and the whole direction of affairs devolved on Camillus; over
whom, the only consul, it did not appear seemly that a dictator should
be appointed, either in consideration of his high character, which
should not be made subordinate to the dictatorship, or on account of the
auspicious omen of his surname with respect to a Gallic war. The consul,
then, having stationed two legions to protect the city, and divided the
remaining eight with the prætor Lucius Pinarius, mindful of his father's
valour, selects the Gallic war for himself without any appeal to lots:
the prætor he commanded to protect the sea-coast, and to drive the
Greeks from the shore. And after he had marched down into the Pomptine
territory, because he neither wished to engage on the level ground, no
circumstance rendering it necessary, and he considered that the enemy
were sufficiently subdued, by preventing from plunder persons whom
necessity obliged to live on what was so obtained, he selected a
suitable place for a fixed encampment.
26. Where when they were spending the time in quiet in their quarters, a
Gaul, remarkable for his size and the appearance of his arms, came
forward; and striking his shield with his spear, after he had procured
silence, through an interpreter he challenged any one of the Romans to
contend with him with the sword. There was a tribune of the soldiers, a
young man, Marcus Valerius, who considering himself not less worthy of
that distinction than Titus Manlius, having first ascertained the
consul's pleasure, advanced fully armed into the middle space. The human
contest was rendered less remarkable by reason of the interposition of
the divine power. For just as the Roman was commencing the encounter, a
crow settled suddenly on his helmet, facing the enemy, which, as an
augury sent from heaven, the tribune at first received with pleasure.
Then he prayed that whatever god or goddess had sent him the auspicious
bird, would willingly and kindly aid him. Wondrous to relate, the bird
not only kept the place it had once taken, but as often as the encounter
was renewed, raising itself on its wings, it attacked the face and eyes
of the foe with its beak and talons, until Valerius slays him, terrified
at the sight of such a prodigy, and confounded both in his vision and
understanding. The crow soaring out of sight makes towards the east.
Hitherto the advanced guards on both sides remained quiet. When the
tribune began to strip the body of the slain enemy, neither the Gauls
any longer confined themselves to their post, and the Romans began to
run to their successful champion with still greater speed. There a
scuffle taking place around the body of the prostrate Gaul, a desperate
fight is stirred up. And now the contest is carried on not by the
companies of the nearest posts, but by the legions pouring out from both
sides. The soldiers exulting in the victory of the tribune, and also at
such favour and attention from the gods, are commanded by Camillus to
advance against the enemy: and he, pointing to the tribune distinguished
by the spoils, "Soldiers," said he, "imitate this man; and around their
fallen leader strew heaps of Gauls." Gods and men assisted at that
fight; and the struggle was carried on against the Gauls with a fury by
no means equivocal in its result, so thoroughly were both armies
impressed with the respective success of the two soldiers, between whom
the single combat had taken place. Among the first party, whose
encounter had called out the others, there was a desperate encounter:
the rest of the soldiery, before they came within throw of a weapon,
turned their backs. At first they were dispersed through the Volscians
and the Falernian territory; thence they made for Apulia and the upper
sea. The consul, calling an assembly, after heaping praises on the
tribune, bestows on him ten oxen and a golden crown. He himself, being
commanded by the senate to take charge of the maritime war, joined his
camp to that of the prætor. There because matters seemed to be delayed
by the dastardly conduct of the Greeks, who did not venture into the
field, with the approbation of the senate, he nominated Titus Manlius
Torquatus dictator. The dictator, after appointing Aulus Cornelius
Cossus his master of the horse, held the consular elections, and with
the greatest applause of the people he returned Marcus Valerius Corvus
(for that was his surname from thenceforth) as consul, though absent,
the rival of his own glory, then three and twenty years of age. As
colleague to Corvus, Marcus Popillius Lænas, a plebeian, was assigned to
be consul for the fourth time. Nothing memorable occurred between
Camillus and the Greeks; neither the one were warriors by land, nor the
Romans by sea. At length, when they were repelled from the shore, among
other things necessary for use, water also failing, they abandoned
Italy. To what state or what nation that fleet belonged, there is
nothing certain. I would be most inclined to think that they belonged to
the tyrants of Sicily; for the farther Greece, being at that time
wearied by intestine war, was now in dread of the power of the
Macedonians.
27. The armies being disbanded, whilst there was both peace abroad, and
tranquillity at home by reason of the concord of the different orders,
lest matters might be too happy, a pestilence having attacked the state,
compelled the senate to order the decemvirs to inspect the Sibylline
books, and by their suggestion a lectisternium took place. The same year
a colony was led to Satricum by the Antians, and the city, which the
Latins had demolished, was rebuilt. And a treaty was concluded at Rome
with the Carthaginian ambassadors, they having come to request
friendship and an alliance. The same tranquillity continued at home and
abroad, during the consulate of Titus Manlius Torquatus and Caius
Plautius. Only the interest of money from twelve was reduced to six per
cent; and the payment of the debts was adjusted into equal portions of
three years, on condition that the fourth payment should be made at the
present time. And then also, though a portion of the commons were
distressed, still public credit engrossed the attention of the senate in
preference to the difficulties of private individuals. Their
circumstances were relieved most effectually, because a cessation was
introduced of the taxes and levy. On the third year after Satricum was
rebuilt by the Volscians, Marcus Valerius Corvus having been elected
consul for the second time with Caius Poetelius, when news had been
brought from Latium, that ambassadors from Antium were going round the
states of the Latins to excite a war, being ordered to attack the
Volscians, before greater numbers of the enemy should be assembled,
proceeds to Satricum with his army ready for action. And when the
Antians and other Volscians met him, their forces being previously
prepared, in case any movement should be made on the part of Rome, no
delay of engaging took place between the two parties incensed with long
pent-up hate. The Volscians, a nation more spirited to renew hostilities
than to carry on war, being defeated in the fight, make for the walls of
Satricum in a precipitate flight; and their reliance in their walls not
being sufficiently strong, when the city, encompassed by a continuous
line of troops, was now on the point of being taken by scalade, they
surrendered to the number of four thousand soldiers, besides the unarmed
multitude. The town was demolished and burnt; only they kept the fire
from the temple of Mother Matuta. The entire plunder was given up to the
soldiers. The four thousand who had surrendered were considered
exclusive of the spoil; these the consul when triumphing drove before
his chariot in chains; afterwards by selling them he brought a great sum
of money into the treasury. There are some who state that this body of
captives consisted of slaves; and this is more probable than that
persons who had surrendered were exposed to sale.
28. Marcus Fabius Dorso and Servius Sulpicius Camerinus succeeded these
consuls. After this the Auruncan war commenced in consequence of a
sudden attempt at depredation: and through fear lest this act of one
state might be the concerted scheme of the whole Latin nation, Lucius
Furius being created dictator, as if against all Latium already in
arms, nominated Cneius Manlius Capitolinus his master of the horse. And
when, a suspension of public business being proclaimed, (a measure
usually adopted during great alarms,) the levy was held without
exemptions, the legions were led against the Auruncans with all possible
expedition. The spirit of freebooters rather than of enemies was found
there. They were vanquished therefore in the first encounter. However
the dictator, both because they had commenced hostilities without
provocation, and presented themselves to the contest without reluctance,
considering that the aid of the gods should also be engaged, vowed a
temple to Juno Moneta in the heat of the battle, and when he returned
victorious to Rome, obliged by his vow, he resigned his dictatorship.
The senate ordered duumvirs to be appointed to have the temple built
suitably to the grandeur of the Roman people; the site destined for it
was in the citadel, where the ground was on which the house of Marcus
Manlius Capitolinus had stood. The consuls, having employed the
dictator's army for the Volscian war, took Sora from the enemy, having
attacked them by surprise. The temple of Moneta is dedicated the year
after it had been vowed, Caius Marcius Rutilus being consul for the
third time, and Titus Manlius Torquatus for the second time. A prodigy
immediately followed the dedication, similar to the ancient one of the
Alban mount. For it both rained stones, and during the day night seemed
to be spread [over the sky]; and on the books being inspected, the state
being filled with religious scruples, it was resolved by the senate that
a dictator should be nominated for the purpose of regulating the
ceremonies. Publius Valerius Publicola was nominated; Quintus Fabius
Ambustus was assigned to him as master of the horse. It was determined
that not only the tribes, but the neighbouring states also should offer
supplications: and a certain order was appointed for them on what day
each should offer supplication. Severe sentences of the people are said
to have been passed on that year against usurers, for whom a day of
trial had been appointed by the ædiles. Matters came to an interregnum,
there being no particular reason on record. After the interregnum, both
the consuls were elected from the patricians, Marcus Valerius Corvus a
third time, and Aulus Cornelius Cossus, so that it would seem that such
was the end aimed at.