gh the
side and slew him. While stripping the body of his enemy, he himself
received a wound with a javelin, and, though brought back to the camp
victorious, died while it was being dressed. Then the dictator hurried
up to the cavalry, entreating them, as the infantry were tired out, to
dismount and take up the fight. They obeyed his orders, dismounted,
flew to the front, and, taking the place of the first line, covered
themselves with their targets. The infantry immediately recovered
their courage when they saw the young nobles sustaining a share of the
danger with them, the mode of fighting being now the same for
all. Then at length the Latins were beaten back, and their line,
disheartened, gave way. The horses were then brought up to the
cavalry, that they might pursue the enemy: the infantry likewise
followed. Thereupon the dictator, disregarding nothing that held out
hope of divine or human aid, is said to have vowed a temple to Castor,
and to have promised rewards to the first and second of the soldiers
who should enter the enemy's camp. Such was the ardour of the Romans
that they took the camp with the same impetuosity wherewith they had
routed the enemy in the field. Such was the engagement at the Lake
Regillus.

The dictator and master of the horse returned to the city in triumph.
For the next three years there was neither settled peace nor open war.
The consuls were Q. Cloelius and T. Larcius. They were succeeded by
A. Sempronius and M. Minucius. During their consulship a temple was
dedicated to Saturn and the festival of the Saturnalia instituted.
The next consuls were A. Postumius and T. Verginius. I find in some
authors this year given as the date of the battle at Lake Regillus,
and that A. Postumius laid down his consulship because the fidelity
of his colleague was suspected, on which a Dictator was appointed. So
many errors as to dates occur, owing to the order in which the consuls
succeeded being variously given, that the remoteness in time of both
the events and the authorities make it impossible to determine either
which consuls succeeded which, or in what year any particular event
occurred. Ap. Claudius and P. Servilius were the next consuls. This
year is memorable for the news of Tarquin's death. His death took
place at Cuma, whither he had retired, to seek the protection of the
tyrant Aristodemus after the power of the Latins was broken. The news
was received with delight by both senate and plebs.