hand, but now armed, which he
had formerly given to them in amity; that the gods were now witnesses,
and would presently take vengeance on those by whose perfidy and
perjury that had come to pass. That he, however, be matters as they
might, even now preferred that the Aequans should repent of their own
accord rather than suffer the vengeance of an enemy. If they repented,
they would have a safe retreat in the clemency they had already
experienced; but if they still took pleasure in perjury, they would
wage war with the gods enraged against them rather than their enemies.
These words had so little effect on any of them that the ambassadors
were near being ill-treated, and an army was sent to Algidum[3]
against the Romans. When news of this was brought to Rome, the
indignity of the affair, rather than the danger, caused the other
consul to be summoned from the city; thus two consular armies advanced
against the enemy in order of battle, intending to come to an
engagement at once. But as it happened that not much of the day
remained, one of the advance guard of the enemy cried out: "This is
making a show of war, Romans, not waging it: you draw up your army
in line of battle, when night is at hand; we need a longer period of
daylight for the contest which is to come. Tomorrow at sunrise return
to the field: you shall have an opportunity of fighting, never fear."
The soldiers, stung by these taunts, were marched back into camp till
the following day, thinking that a long night was approaching, which
would cause the contest to be delayed. Then indeed they refreshed
their bodies with food and sleep: on the following day, when it was
light, the Roman army took up their position some considerable time
before. At length the Aequans also advanced. The battle was hotly
contested on both sides, because the Romans fought under the influence
of resentment and hatred, while the Aequans were compelled by a
consciousness of danger incurred by misconduct, and despair of any
confidence being reposed in them hereafter, to venture and to have
recourse to the most desperate efforts. The Aequans, however, did
not withstand the attack of the Roman troops, and when, having been
defeated, they had retired to their own territories, the savage
multitude, with feelings not at all more disposed to peace, began to
rebuke their leaders: that their fortunes had been intrusted to the
hazard of a pitched battle, in which mode of fighting the Romans were
s