d
into the towns, and kept themselves within the walls: on that account no
battle worth mentioning was fought. But a blow was received from the
Veientian foe through the temerity of the other consul; and the army
would have been all cut off, had not Kaeso Fabius come to their
assistance in time. From that time there was neither peace nor war with
the Veientians; their proceedings had now come very near to the form of
that of brigands. They retired from the Roman troops into the city; when
they perceived that the troops were drawn off, they made incursions into
the country, alternately evading war by quiet, quiet by war. Thus the
matter could neither be dropped altogether, nor brought to a conclusion;
and other wars were impending either at the moment, as from the AEqui and
Volsci, who remained inactive no longer than until the recent smart of
their late disaster should pass away; or it was evident that the
Sabines, ever hostile, and all Etruria would put themselves in motion:
but the Veientians, a constant rather than a formidable enemy, kept
their minds in constant uneasiness by their insults more frequently than
by any danger apprehended from them; a matter which could at no time be
neglected, and which suffered them not to direct their attention to any
other object. Then the Fabian family addressed the senate; the consul
speaks in the name of the family: "Conscript fathers, the Veientian war
requires, as you know, a constant rather than a strong force. Do you
attend to other wars: assign the Fabii as enemies to the Veientians. We
pledge ourselves that the majesty of the Roman name shall be safe in
that quarter. That war, as the property of our family, it is our
determination to conduct at our own private expense. Let the republic be
spared the expense of soldiers and money there." The warmest thanks were
returned to them. The consul, leaving the senate-house, accompanied by
the Fabii in a body, who had been standing in the porch of the
senate-house, returned home. Being ordered to attend on the following
day in arms at the consul's gate, they retire to their homes.

49. The rumour spreads through the entire city; they extol the Fabii to
the skies by their encomiums. "That a single family had taken on them
the burden of the state: that the Veientian war had now become a private
concern, a private quarrel. If there were two families of the same
strength in the city, let them demand, the one the Volsci for itself,
the o