light of the peasants that the Volscians were at hand; this
circumstance checked the sedition that was now ripe and on the point
of breaking out. The consuls, under the immediate compulsion of the
senate, led forth the youth from the city to war, and thereby rendered
the rest of the commons more quiet. And the enemy indeed, having
merely filled the Romans with fear that proved groundless, departed
in great haste. Numicius marched to Antium against the Volscians,
Verginius against the Aequans. There, after they had nearly met with
a great disaster in an attack from an ambuscade, the bravery of the
soldiers restored their fortunes, which had been endangered through
the carelessness of the consul. Affairs were conducted better in the
case of the Volscians. The enemy were routed in the first engagement,
and driven in flight into the city of Antium, a very wealthy place,
considering the times: the consul, not venturing to attack it, took
from the people of Antium another town, Caeno,[80] which was by no
means so wealthy While the Aequans and Volscians engaged the attention
of the Roman armies, the Sabines advanced in their depredations even
to the gates of the city: then they themselves, a few days later,
sustained from the two armies heavier losses than they had inflicted,
both the consuls having entered their territories under the influence
of exasperation.

At the close of the year to some extent there was peace, but, as
frequently at other times, a peace disturbed by contests between the
patricians and commons. The exasperated commons refused to attend the
consular elections: Titus Quinctius and Quintus Servilius were elected
consuls through the influence of the patricians and their dependents:
the consuls had a year similar to the preceding, disturbed at the
beginning, and afterward tranquil by reason of war abroad. The Sabines
crossing the plains of Crustumerium by forced marches, after carrying
fire and sword along the banks of the Anio, being repulsed when they
had nearly come up to the Colline gate and the walls, drove off,
however, great booty of men and cattle: the consul Servilius, having
pursued them with an army bent on attacking them, was unable to
overtake the main body itself in the level country: he, however,
extended his devastations over such a wide area, that he left nothing
unmolested by war, and returned after having obtained booty many times
greater than that carried off by the enemy. The public cause