and Brennus, king of the Gauls, by whom it
was agreed that a thousand pounds' weight of gold should be the ransom
of a people that was thereafter to rule the world; a shameful thing,
made yet more shameful by insult. For the Gauls bringing false weights
which the tribune refused, King Brennus threw his sword into the scale
that held the weights, saying at the same time words that no Roman could
endure: "Woe to the vanquished!"

But both gods and men forbad that Rome should be ransomed in this
fashion. For before the payment was made, the whole quantity of gold not
having been weighed by reason of this dispute, the Dictator coming up
commanded that the gold should be taken away, and bade the Gauls depart.
These indeed made opposition, affirming that the covenant had been made
and must be performed; to which Camillus made answer that it had been
made without his permission by a lower magistrate he being at the
time Dictator, and he warned the Gauls to make them ready forthwith
to battle. To his own men he gave command that they should throw their
baggage into a heap and gird on their arms. "Ransom your country,"
said he, "with steel rather than with gold, having before your eyes the
temples of the Gods, your wives, your children, and all which ye most
desire." After this he drew up in line of battle, as well as the place
permitted, being covered with the ruins of the city. The Gauls, troubled
by these things, which had happened beyond all their expectations, took
up their arms and ran upon the Romans with much rage but little skill.
And now (such change was there in fortune) they were put to flight no
less easily than they had put the Romans to flight at Allia. There was
yet another battle between the Gauls and the Romans; and this was fought
at the eighth milestone on the road to Gabii, for to this place they had
fled from Rome. Here there was slaughter without end. The camp of the
Gauls was taken, and all perished, so that not so much as one was left
to carry home the tidings. Then Camillus returned in triumph to Rome,
being greeted by the soldiers in their rude fashion as a second Romulus,
the true father and founder of his country.

Having now saved Rome by war, he saved it beyond all doubt in peace
also, for he forbade the people to depart from the city and take up
their dwelling at Veii, which counsel was urged more diligently by the
tribunes now that the city had been burned by fire, the commons being
not a littl