uperior. That the Aequans were better adapted for depredations and
incursions, and that several parties, acting in different directions,
conducted wars with greater success than the unwieldy mass of a single
army.

Accordingly, having left a guard over the camp, they marched out and
attacked the Roman frontiers with such fury that they carried terror
even to the city: the fact that this was unexpected also caused
more alarm, because it was least of all to be feared that an enemy,
vanquished and almost besieged in their camp, should entertain
thoughts of depredation: and the peasants, rushing through the gates
in a state of panic, cried out that it was not a mere raid, nor
small parties of plunderers, but, exaggerating everything in their
groundless fear, whole armies and legions of the enemy that were close
at hand, and that they were hastening toward the city in hostile
array. Those who were nearest carried to others the reports heard from
these, reports vague and on that account more groundless: and the
hurry and clamour of those calling to arms bore no distant resemblance
to the panic that arises when a city has been taken by storm. It so
happened that the consul Quinctius had returned to Rome from Algidum:
this brought some relief to their terror; and, the tumult being
calmed, after chiding them for their dread of a vanquished enemy, he
set a guard on the gates. Then a meeting of the senate was summoned,
and a suspension of business proclaimed by their authority: he
himself, having set out to defend the frontiers, leaving behind
Quintus Servilius as prefect of the city, found no enemy in the
country. Affairs were conducted with distinguished success by the
other consul; who, having attacked the enemy, where he knew that they
would arrive, laden with booty, and therefore marching with their
army the more encumbered, caused their depredation to prove their
destruction. Few of the enemy escaped from the ambuscade; all the
booty was recovered. Thus the return of the consul Quinctius to the
city put an end to the suspension of business, which lasted four days.
A census[4] was then held, and the lustrum [Footnote: The ceremony of
purification took place every five years, hence "Justrum" came to be
used for a period of five years.] closed by Quinctius: the number of
citizens rated is said to have been one hundred and four thousand
seven hundred and fourteen, not counting orphans of both sexes.
Nothing memorable occurred a