during
that year; it was a matter of religious scruple that the lustrum
should be closed, on account of the seizure of the Capitol and the
death of the consul. In the consulship of Quintus Fabius and Lucius
Cornelius, disturbances woke out immediately at the beginning of
the year. The tribunes were urging on the commons. The Latins and
Hernicans brought word that a formidable war was threatening on the
part of the Volscians and AEquans; that the troops of the Volscians
were now in the neighbourhood of Antium. Great apprehension was also
entertained, that the colony itself would revolt: and with difficulty
the tribunes were prevailed upon to allow the war to be attended to
first. The consuls divided their respective spheres of action. Fabius
was commissioned to march the legions to Antium: to Cornelius was
assigned the duty of keeping guard at Rome, lest any portion of the
enemy's troops, as was the practice of the Aequans, should advance to
commit depredations. The Hernicans and Latins were ordered to supply
soldiers in accordance with the treaty; and of the army two thirds
consisted of allies, the remainder of Roman citizens. When the allies
arrived on the appointed day, the consul pitched his camp outside the
porta Capena.[30] Then, after the army had been reviewed, he set out
for Antium, and encamped not far from the town and fixed quarters
of the enemy. There, when the Volscians, not venturing to risk an
engagement, because the contingent from the Aequans had not yet
arrived, were making preparations to see how they might protect
themselves quietly within their ramparts, on the following day Fabius
drew up not one mixed army of allies and citizens, but three bodies
of the three states separately around the enemy's works. He himself
occupied the centre with the Roman legions. He ordered them to watch
for the signal for action, so that at the same time both the allies
might begin the action together, and retire together if he should give
orders to sound a retreat. He also posted the proper cavalry of each
division behind the front line. Having thus assailed the camp at three
different points, he surrounded it: and, pressing on from every side,
he dislodged the Volscians, who were unable to withstand his attack,
from the rampart. Having then crossed the fortifications, he drove out
from the camp the crowd who were panic-stricken and inclining to make
for one direction. Upon this the cavalry, who could not have easily