s
met to divide into decuries or centuries, the cavalry being formed
into decuries and the infantry into centuries, all swore together,
amongst themselves, of their own accord, that they would not depart or
quit their ranks for flight or fear, except for the purpose of taking
up or fetching a weapon, and either striking an enemy or saving a
countryman. This, from being a voluntary compact among the soldiers
themselves, was converted into the legal compulsion of an oath by the
tribunes. Before the standards were moved from the city, the harangues
of Varro were frequent and furious, protesting that the war had been
invited into Italy by the nobles, and that it would continue fixed in
the bowels of the state if it employed any more such generals as
Fabius; that he would bring the war to conclusion on the very day he
got sight of the enemy. His colleague Paulus made but one speech, on
the day before they set out from the city, which was more true than
gratifying to the people, in which nothing was said severely against
Varro, except this only. "That he wondered how any general, before he
knew any thing of his own army, or that of the enemy, the situation of
the places, or the nature of the country, even now while in the city,
and with the gown on, could tell what he must do when in arms, and
could even foretell the day on which he would fight standard to
standard with the enemy. That, for his own part, he would not, before
the time arrived, prematurely anticipate those measures which
circumstances imposed on men, rather than men on circumstances. He
could only wish that those measures which were taken with due caution
and deliberation might turn out prosperously. That temerity, setting
aside its folly, had hitherto been also unsuccessful." This obviously
appeared, that he would prefer safe to precipitate counsels; but that
he might persevere the more constantly in this, Quintus Fabius Maximus
is reported to have thus addressed him on his departure.

39. "If you either had a colleague like yourself, Lucius Aemilius,
which is what I should prefer, or you were like your colleague, an
address from me would be superfluous. For were you both good consuls,
you would do every thing for the good of the state from your own sense
of honour, even without my saying a word: and were you both bad
consuls, you would neither receive my words into your ears, nor my
counsels into your minds. As the case now is, looking at your
colleague and