inued to rule without controul, being constantly guarded, not by
the lictors alone, but by a numerous crowd of dependents, clients, and
even patricians, whom their vices had confederated round them.

14. In this gloomy situation of the state, the AE'qui and Vol'sci,
those constant enemies of the Romans, renewed their incursions, and,
resolving to profit by the intestine divisions of the people, advanced
within about ten miles of Rome.

15. The decemviri, being in possession of all the military as well as
of the civil power, divided their army into three parts; whereof one
continued with Ap'pius in the city, to keep it in awe; the other two
were commanded by his colleagues, and were led, one against the AE'qui,
and the other against the Vol'sci. 16. The Roman soldiers had now
adopted a method of punishing the generals whom they disliked, by
suffering themselves to be vanquished in the field. They put it
in practice upon this occasion, and shamefully abandoned their camp
upon the approach of the enemy, 17. Never was victorious news more
joyfully received at Rome, than the tidings of this defeat; the
generals, as is always the case, were blamed for the treachery of
their men; some demanded that they should be deposed, others cried out
for a dictator to lead the troops to conquest. 18. Among the rest, old
Sic'cius Denta'tus, the tribune, spoke his sentiments with his usual
openness; and, treating the generals with contempt, pointed out the
faults of their discipline in the camp, and their conduct in the
field. 19. Ap'pius, in the mean time, was not remiss in observing the
dispositions of the people. Denta'tus, in particular, was marked out
for vengeance; and, under pretence of doing him particular honour, he
was appointed legate, and put at the head of the supplies which were
sent from Rome, to reinforce the army. 20. The office of legate was
held sacred among the Romans, as in it was united the authority of a
general, with the reverence due to the priesthood. 21. Denta'tus, no
way suspecting the design, went to the camp with alacrity, where he
was received with all the external marks of respect. But the generals
soon found means of indulging their desire of revenge. 22. He was
appointed at the head of a hundred men to go and examine a more
commodious place for encampment, as he had very candidly assured the
commanders, that their present situation was wrong. 23. The soldiers,
however, who were given as his attendants, wer