as there any appeal, nor any chance of redress
but in attentive submission. The creation of a dictator at Rome also
terrified the Sabines, and the more so because they thought he was
created on their account. Accordingly, they sent ambassadors to treat
concerning peace. To these, when they earnestly entreated the dictator
and senate to pardon a youthful offence, the answer was given, that
the young men might be forgiven, but not the old, seeing that they
were continually stirring up one war after another. Nevertheless they
continued to treat about peace, which would have been granted, if the
Sabines had brought themselves to make good the expenses incurred
during the war, as was demanded. War was proclaimed; a truce, however,
with the tacit consent of both parties, preserved peace throughout the
year.

Servius Sulpicius and Manius Tullius were consuls the next year:
nothing worth mentioning happened. Titus Aebutius and Gaius Vetusius
succeeded. In their consulship Fideae was besieged, Crustumeria taken,
and Praeneste[23] revolted from the Latins to the Romans. Nor was the
Latin war, which had now been fomenting for several years, any longer
deferred. Aulus Postumius the dictator, and Titus Aebutius his master
of the horse, setting out with a numerous army of horse and foot,
met the enemy's forces at the Lake Regillus,[24] in the territory of
Tusculum, and, because it was rumoured that the Tarquins were in the
army of the Latins, their rage could not be restrained, so that
they immediately came to an engagement. Accordingly, the battle was
considerably more severe and fierce than others. For the generals
were present not only to direct matters by their instructions, but,
exposing their own persons, they met in combat. And there was hardly
one of the principal officers of either army who came off unwounded,
except the Roman dictator. As Postumius was encouraging his men in the
first line, and drawing them up in order, Tarquinius Superbus, though
now advanced in years and enfeebled, urged on his horse to attack him:
and, being wounded in the side, he was carried off by a party of his
men to a place of safety. In like manner, on the other wing, Aebutius,
master of the horse, had charged Octavius Mamilius; nor was his
approach unobserved by the Etruscan general, who in like manner
spurred his horse against him. And such was their impetuosity as they
advanced with lances couched, that Aebutius was pierced through the
arm and