ndauntedly followed Q.
Fabius on the one wing, so did they follow Manlius on this, as he was
driving the enemy now nearly routed, and when he, having received a
severe wound, retired from the battle, they fell back, supposing that he
was slain, and would have given way, had not the other consul, galloping
at full speed to that quarter with some troops of horse, supported their
drooping energies, crying out that his colleague was still alive, that
he himself was now come victorious, having routed the other wing.
Manlius also shows himself to restore the battle. The well-known voices
of the two consuls rekindle the courage of the soldiers; at the same
time too the enemy's line was now weakened, whilst, relying on their
superior numbers, they draw off their reserve and send them to storm the
camp. This being assaulted without much resistance, whilst they lose
time in attending to plunder rather than to fighting, the Roman
triarii,[96] who had not been able to sustain the first shock, having
sent an account to the consuls of the present position of affairs,
return in a compact body to the Praetorium, and of themselves renew the
battle. The consul Manlius also having returned to the camp, and posted
soldiers at all the gates, had blocked up every passage against the
enemy. This desperate situation aroused the fury rather than the bravery
of the Etrurians; for when rushing on wherever hope held out the
prospect of escape, they had frequently advanced with fruitless efforts;
one body of young men makes an attack on the consul himself, conspicuous
from his arms. The first weapons were intercepted by those who stood
around him; afterwards their force could not be sustained. The consul
falls, having received a mortal wound, and all around him are dispersed.
The courage of the Etrurians rises. Terror drives the Romans in dismay
through the entire camp; and matters would have come to extremities, had
not the lieutenant-generals, hastily seizing the body of the consul,
opened a passage for the enemy at one gate. Through this they rush out;
and going away in the utmost disorder, they fall in with the other
consul who had been victorious; there again they are slain and routed in
every direction. A glorious victory was obtained, saddened however by
two so illustrious deaths. The consul, therefore, on the senate voting
him a triumph, replied, that "if the army could triumph without their
general, he would readily accede to it in considera