losed
between the Boians and Ligurians, he marched back by the road by which
he came; and, making a long circuit, through an open and therefore
safe country, arrived at the camp of his colleague. After this
junction of their forces, they overran the territory of the Boians,
spreading devastation as far as the city of Felsina. This city, with
the other fortresses, and almost all the Boians, excepting only the
young men who kept arms in their hands for the sake of plunder, and
had at that time withdrawn into remote woods, made submission. The
army was then led away against the Ligurians. The Boians thought that
the Romans, as they were supposed to be at a great distance, would be
the more careless in keeping their army together, and thereby afford
an opportunity of attacking them unawares: with this expectation,
they followed them by secret paths through the forests. They did not
overtake them: and therefore, passing the Po suddenly in ships, they
ravaged all the country of the Laevans and Libuans; whence, as they
were returning with the spoil of the country, they fell in with the
Roman army on the borders of Liguria. A battle was begun with more
speed, and with greater fury, than if the parties had met with their
minds prepared, and at an appointed time and place. On this occasion
it appeared to what degree of violence anger can stimulate men; for
the Romans fought with such a desire of slaughter, rather than of
victory, that they scarcely left one of the enemy to carry the news of
their defeat. On account of these successes, when the letters of
the consuls were brought to Rome, a supplication for three days was
decreed. Soon after, Marcellus came to Rome, and had a triumph decreed
him by an unanimous vote of the senate. He triumphed, while in office,
over the Insubrians and Comans. The prospect of a triumph over
the Boians he left to his colleague, because his own arms had been
unfortunate in that country; those of his colleague, successful.
Large quantities of spoils, taken from the enemy, were carried in the
procession in captured chariots, and many military standards; also,
three hundred and twenty thousand _asses_ of brass,[1] two hundred
and thirty-four thousand of silver denarii,[2] stamped with a chariot.
Eighty _asses_[3] were bestowed on each foot soldier, and thrice that
value on each horseman and centurion.

[Footnote 1: 1033l. 6s. 8d.]

[Footnote 2: 2331l. 2s. 6d.]

[Footnote 3: 5s. 2-1/4d.]

38. Durin