Livy's History of Rome - Table of Contents

unarmed Latins than to allow them to re-arm themselves. The consul Vetusius was despatched, and that was the end of the
raids. The Aequi withdrew from the plains, and trusting more to the nature of the country than to their arms, sought safety
on the mountain ridges. The other consul advanced against the Volscians, and to avoid loss of time, he devastated their
fields with the object of forcing them to move their camp nearer to his and so bringing on an engagement. The two armies
stood facing each other, in front of their respective lines, on the level space between the camps. The Volscians had
considerably the advantage in numbers, and accordingly showed their contempt for their foe by coming on in disorder. The
Roman consul kept his army motionless, forbade their raising an answering shout, and ordered them to stand with their
spears fixed in the ground, and when the enemy came to close quarters, to spring forward and make all possible use of
their swords. The Volscians, wearied with their running and shouting, threw themselves upon the Romans as upon men
benumbed with fear, but when they felt the strength of the counter-attack and saw the swords flashing before them, they
retreated in confusion just as if they had been caught in an ambush, and owing to the speed at which they had come into
action, they had not even strength to flee. The Romans, on the other hand, who at the beginning of the battle had remained
quietly standing, were fresh and vigorous, and easily overtook the exhausted Volscians, rushed their camp, drove them out,
and pursued them as far as Velitrae, victors and vanquished bursting pell-mell into the city. A greater slaughter of all ranks
took place there than in the actual battle; a few who threw down their arms and surrendered received quarter.
[2.31]Whilst these events were occurring amongst the Volscians, the Dictator, after entering the Sabine territory, where the
most serious part of the war lay, defeated and routed the enemy and chased them out of their camp. A cavalry charge had
broken the enemy's centre which, owing to the excessive lengthening of the wings, was weakened by an insufficient depth
of files, and while thus disordered the infantry charged them. In the same charge the camp was captured and the war
brought to a close. Since the battle at Lake Regillus no more brilliant action had been fought in those years. The Dictator
rode in triumph into the City. In addition to the customary distinctions, a place was assigned in the Circus Maximus to him
and to his posterity, from which to view the Games, and the sella curulis was placed there. After the subjugation of the
Volscians, the territory of Velitrae was annexed and a body of Roman citizens was sent out to colonise it. Some time later,
an engagement took place with the Aequi. The consul was reluctant to fight as he would have to attack on unfavourable
ground, but his soldiers forced him into action. They accused him of protracting the war in order that the Dictator's term of
office might expire before they returned home, in which case his promises would fall to the ground, as those of the consul
had previously done. They compelled him to march his army up the mountain at all hazards; but owing to the cowardice of
the enemy this unwise step resulted in success. They were so astounded at the daring of the Romans that before they came
within range of their weapons they abandoned their camp, which was in a very strong position, and dashed down into the
valley in the rear. So the victors gained a bloodless victory and ample spoil.
Whilst these three wars were thus brought to a successful issue, the course which domestic affairs were taking continued to
be a source of anxiety to both the patricians and the plebeians. The money-lenders possessed such influence and had taken
such skilful precautions that they rendered the commons and even the Dictator himself powerless. After the consul
Vetusius had returned, Valerius introduced, as the very first business of the senate, the treatment of the men who had been
marching to victory, and moved a resolution as to what decision they ought to come to with regard to the debtors. His
motion was negatived, on which he said, "I am not acceptable as an advocate of concord. Depend upon it, you will very
soon wish that the Roman plebs had champions like me. As far as I am concerned, I will no longer encourage my fellowcitizens
in vain hopes nor will I be Dictator in vain. Internal dissensions and foreign wars have made this office necessary
to the commonwealth; peace has now been secured abroad, at home it is made impossible. I would rather be involved in
the revolution as a private citizen than as Dictator." So saying, he left the House and resigned his dictatorship. The reason
was quite clear to the plebs; he had resigned office because he was indignant at the way they were treated. The nonfulfilment
of his pledge was not due to him, they considered that he had practically kept his word, and on his way home
they followed him with approving cheers.
[2.32]The senate now began to feel apprehensive lest on the disbandment of the army there should be a recurrence of the
secret conclaves and conspiracies. Although the Dictator had actually conducted the enrolment, the soldiers had sworn
obedience to the consuls. Regarding them as still bound by their oath, the senate ordered the legions to be marched out of
the City on the pretext that war had been recommenced by the Aequi. This step brought the revolution to a head. It is said
that the first idea was to put the consuls to death that the men might be discharged from their oath; then, on learning that
no religious obligation could be dissolved by a crime, they decided, at the instigation of a certain Sicinius, to ignore the
consuls and withdraw to the Sacred Mount, which lay on the other side of the Anio, three miles from the City. This is a
more generally accepted tradition than the one adopted by Piso that the secession was made to the Aventine. There,