tion of their
distinguished behaviour in that war: that for his own part, his family
being plunged in grief in consequence of the death of his brother Q.
Fabius, and the commonwealth being in some degree bereaved by the loss
of one of her consuls, he would not accept the laurel blasted by public
and private grief." The triumph thus resigned was more distinguished
than any triumph actually enjoyed; so true it is, that glory refused in
due season sometimes returns with accumulated lustre. He next celebrates
the two funerals of his colleague and brother, one after the other, he
himself acting as panegyrist in the case of both, when by ascribing to
them his own deserts, he himself obtained the greatest share of them.
And not unmindful of that which he had conceived at the commencement of
his consulate, namely, the regaining the affection of the people, he
distributes the wounded soldiers among the patricians to be cured. Most
of them were given to the Fabii: nor were they treated with greater
attention in any other place. From this time the Fabii began to be
popular, and that not by any practices except such as were beneficial to
the state.

[Footnote 96: The triarii were veteran soldiers of approved valour: they
formed the third line, whence their name.]

48. Accordingly Kaeso Fabius, having been elected consul with T.
Virginius not more with the zealous wishes of the senators than of the
commons, attended neither to wars, nor levies, nor any other object,
until the hope of concord being now in some measure commenced, the
feelings of the commons might be consolidated with those of the senators
as soon as possible. Wherefore at the commencement of the year he
proposed: "that before any tribune should stand forth as an abettor of
the agrarian law, the patricians themselves should be beforehand with
them in performing their duty; that they should distribute among the
commons the land taken from the enemy in as equal a proportion as
possible; that it was but just that those should obtain it, by whose
blood and sweat it was obtained." The patricians rejected the proposal
with scorn; some even complained that the once brilliant talents of Kaeso
were now becoming wanton, and were waning through excess of glory. There
were afterwards no factions in the city. The Latins were harassed by the
incursions of the AEqui. Kaeso being sent thither with an army, passes
into the very territory of the AEqui to depopulate it. The AEqui retire