command, in its own nature uncontrollable, should be intrusted
to a man of mild disposition. They elected Marcus Valerius son of
Volesus, dictator. The people, though they saw that this magistrate
was appointed against themselves, yet, as they possessed the right of
appeal by his brother's law, had nothing harsh or tyrannical to fear
from that family. Afterward an edict published by the dictator, which
was almost identical in terms with that of the consul Servilius,
further inspirited them. But, thinking reliance could be more safely
placed both in the man and in his authority,[29] they abandoned the
struggle and gave in their names. Ten legions were raised, a larger
army than had ever been raised before.[30] Of these, each of the
consuls had three legions assigned him; the dictator commanded four.

The war could not now be any longer deferred. The Aequans had invaded
the territory of the Latins: the deputies of the latter begged the
senate either to send them assistance, or to allow them to arm
themselves for the purpose of defending their own frontiers. It seemed
safer that the Latins should be defended without their being armed,
than to allow them to handle arms again. Vetusius the consul was sent
to their assistance: thereby a stop was put to the raids. The Aequans
retired from the plains, and depending more on the advantages of
position than on their arms, secured themselves on the heights of the
mountains. The other consul, having set out against the Volscians,
lest he in like manner might waste time,[31] provoked the enemy to
pitch their camp nearer, and to risk a regular engagement, by ravaging
their lands. Both armies stood ready to advance, in front of their
lines, in hostile array, in a plain between the two camps. The
Volscians had considerably the advantage in numbers: accordingly, they
entered into battle in loose order, and in a spirit of contempt. The
Roman consul neither advanced his forces, nor allowed the enemy's
shouts to be returned, but ordered his men to stand with their spears
fixed in the ground, and whenever the enemy came to a hand-to-hand
encounter, to draw their swords, and attacking them with all their
force, to carry on the fight. The Volscians, wearied with running and
shouting attacked the Romans, who appeared to them paralyzed with
fear; but when they perceived the vigorous resistance that was made,
and saw the swords glittering before their eyes, just as if they had
fallen into an ambu