into the greatest alarm. For many miles above Rome the Tiber could not
be forded, there were no bridges, and boats could not be had to convey
so large an army. The Romans were forced to march back with all speed to
the city, cross the river there, and hasten to meet their foes before
they got too near at hand. But when they came within sight of the Gauls
the latter were already within twelve miles of Rome.

The Roman army was drawn up behind the Alia, a little stream whose deep
bed formed a line of defence. But the Gauls made their attack upon the
weakest section of the Roman army, hewing them down with their great
broadswords, and assailing their ears with frightful yells. The Roman
right wing, formed of new recruits, gave way before this vigorous
charge, and in its flight threw the regular legions of the left wing
into disorder. The Gauls pursued so fiercely that in a short time the
whole army was in total rout, and flying as Roman army had never fled
before.

Many plunged into the river, in hope of escaping by swimming across it.
But of these the Gauls slew multitudes on the banks, and killed most of
those in the stream with their javelins. Others took refuge in a dense
wood near the road, where they lay hidden till nightfall. The remainder
fled back to the city, where they brought the frightful tidings of the
utter ruin of the Roman army.

The news threw Rome into a panic. Of those who escaped from the battle,
the majority had crossed the river and made their way to Veii. No other
army could be raised. Most of the other inhabitants left the city, as
the people of Athens had done when the army of Xerxes approached. It was
resolved to abandon the city to the barbarians, but to maintain the
citadel, the home of the gods of Rome. The holy articles in the temples
were buried or removed, the Vestal Virgins sent away, and the flower of
the patricians took refuge in the Capitol, determined to defend to the
last that abiding-place of the guardian gods of Rome.

But there were aged members of the senate, old patricians who had filled
the highest offices in the state, and venerable ministers of the gods,
who felt that they had a different duty to perform. They could not serve
their country by their deeds; they might by their death. They devoted
themselves and the army of the Gauls, in solemn invocations, to the
spirits of the dead and to the earth, the common grave of man. Then,
attiring themselves in their richest robes of