atins combined
their forces and invaded the country, while the Etruscans besieged
Sutrium, a city in alliance with Rome. The tribunes in command of the
Roman forces encamped near the Marcian heights, and were there besieged
by the Latins and in danger of having their camp taken. They sent to
Rome for assistance, and the Romans appointed Camillus dictator for the
third time. About this war there are two different accounts, of which I
will mention the legendary one first:--It is said that the Latins,
either merely as a pretext, or really wishing to amalgamate the two
races as before, sent a demand to Rome for free unmarried women to be
delivered up for them to marry. As the Romans were at their wits' ends
what to do, because they feared to go to war, being scarcely recovered
from their late mishap, while they suspected that the women would be
used as hostages if they gave them up, and that the proposal of
intermarriage was merely a feint, a slave girl named Tutula, or, as some
say, Philotis, advised the magistrates to send her and the best-looking
of the female slaves, dressed like brides of noble birth, and that she
would manage the rest. The magistrates approved of her proposal, chose
such girls as she thought suitable, and having dressed them in fine
clothes and jewellery, handed them over to the Latins, who were encamped
at no great distance from the city. At night the girls stole the daggers
of the enemies, and Tutula or Philotis climbed up a wild fig-tree,
stretched out her cloak behind her, and raised a torch as a signal,
which had been agreed upon between her and the magistrates, though no
other citizen knew of it. Wherefore, the soldiers rushed out of the
gates with a great clamour and disturbance, calling to one another and
scarcely able to keep their ranks as their chiefs hurried them along.
When they reached the enemy's camp, they found them asleep and not
expecting an attack, so that they took their camp and slew most of
them. This took place on the nones of the month Quintilis, now called
July, and the festival which then takes place is in memory of the events
of that day. First they march out of the gates in a mass, calling out
the common names of the country, such as Caius, Marcus, or Lucius, in
imitation of their hurried calling for each other on that occasion.
Next, female slaves splendidly dressed walk round laughing and romping
with all whom they meet. These girls also perform a sort of fight among
them