t
orders, they should punish him as an enemy." When they were thus
dismissed, their eagerness for fighting increases in proportion as they
think that the consuls were less disposed for it; the enemies moreover
come up much more insolently, as soon as it was known that the consuls
had determined not to fight. For they supposed "that they might insult
them with impunity; that their arms were not intrusted to the soldiery.
That the matter would explode in a violent mutiny; that a termination
had come to the Roman empire." Relying on these hopes, they run up to
the gates, heap reproaches on them, with difficulty refrain from
assaulting the camp. Now indeed the Romans could no longer endure these
insults; they crowd from every quarter of the camp to the consuls: they
no longer, as formerly, make their demand with reserve, through the
mediation of the centurions of the first rank; but all proceed
indiscriminately with loud clamours. The affair was now ripe; still they
put it off. Fabius then, his colleague giving way in consequence of his
dread of mutiny being now augmented by the uproar, after he had
commanded silence by sound of trumpet, says, "that these men are able to
conquer, Cneius Manlius, I know; that they are willing they themselves
have prevented me from knowing. It is therefore resolved and determined
not to give the signal, unless they swear that they will return
victorious from this battle. The soldier has once deceived the Roman
consul in the field, the gods he never will deceive." There was a
centurion, Marcus Flavoleius, one of the foremost in demanding battle;
he says, "M. Fabius, I will return victorious from the field." If he
deceived, he invokes the anger of father Jove, Mars Gradivus, and of the
other gods. After him the entire army severally take the same oath. The
signal is given to them when sworn; they take up arms, go into battle,
full of rage and of hope. They bid the Etrurians now to cast their
reproaches; they severally require that the enemy, once so ready with
the tongue, should now stand before them armed as they were. On that day
the bravery of all, both commons and patricians, was extraordinary: the
Fabian name, the Fabian race shone forth most conspicuous: they are
determined to recover in that battle the affections of the commons,
which during many civil contests had been alienated from them. The line
of battle is formed; nor do the Veientian foe and the Etrurian legions
decline the contest