every way against them that pressed upon them, but set
themselves with all their strength to gain one certain point--a hill
of no great height that stood hard by the road. And to this, by dint of
strength and plying their swords, they won their way, and made there
a stand for a while; nay more, because the higher ground gave them
breathing space and advantage, they drave back them that assailed them
from below. But after a time the men of Veii, climbing the ridge from
behind, took them in the rear, so that the enemy was again above them.
Thus all the Fabii were slain that day; and indeed the whole house had
perished, but that there had been left behind at Rome a youth not fully
grown to manhood. From him there sprang anew a race of Fabii that did
good service to Rome in perilous times, both at home and abroad.

CHAPTER IX. ~~~ THE STORY OF CINCINNATUS.

In the seventy and third year after the driving out of the kings the
strife between the nobles and the Commons grew to be fierce beyond
measure; for on the one hand the Consuls would have levied an army to
make war with the Volscians, and this the tribunes hindered; and on the
other hand the tribunes sought to establish a law that should set bounds
to the power of the Consuls, and this law the nobles hindered that
it should not be passed. Now among the nobles (who were mostly of the
younger sort, for the elders held aloof from the matter) the chief mover
was one Kaeso Quinctius, a youth of singular strength and courage, and
that had won for himself great renown in war. This man was wont to drive
the tribunes from the market-place and scatter the people, and when
Virginius, that was one of the tribunes, named a day on which he should
be brought to judgment for his misdeeds, he was not one whit dismayed,
but bare himself as haughtily as before. Meanwhile Virginius stirred
up the people, saying, "See ye not, men of Rome, that if ye suffer this
Kaeso to dwell in this city, it cannot be that this law which ye desire
should be established? But why speak I of laws? This man is the enemy of
liberty itself; not King Tarquin himself was so haughty and violent. He
is a very king already; what think ye will he be if he be made consul
or dictator?" To these words many gave assent, complaining that Kaeso had
beaten them, and were urgent with the tribune that he should carry the
matter to an end. Then it came to pass that, when the day of trial was
come, the people were of one m