at, the ranks behind the first line being
unbroken. The consul, when they came to the uneven ground, halts his
army; the soldiers were kept back with difficulty; they cried out and
demanded to be allowed to pursue the enemy now discomfited. The cavalry,
crowding around the general, proceed more violently: they cry out that
they would proceed before the first line. Whilst the consul hesitates,
relying on the valour of his men, yet having little confidence in the
place, they all cry out that they would proceed; and execution followed
the shout. Fixing their spears in the ground, in order that they may be
lighter to ascend the steeps, they run upwards. The Volscians, having
discharged their missile weapons at the first onset, fling the stones
lying at their feet on them as they advanced upwards, and having thrown
them into confusion by incessant blows, they drove them from the higher
ground: thus the left wing of the Romans was nearly overborne, had not
the consul dispelled their fear by exciting a sense of shame as they
were just retreating, chiding at the same time their temerity and their
cowardice. At first they stood their ground with determined firmness;
then, according as their strength carried them against those in
possession of the ground, they venture to advance themselves; and by
renewing the shout they encourage the whole body to move on; then again
making a new effort, they force their way up and surmount the
disadvantage of the ground. They were on the point of gaining the summit
of the eminence, when the enemy turned their backs, and the pursued and
pursuers with precipitate speed rushed into the camp almost in a body.
In this consternation the camp is taken; such of the Volscians as were
able to make their escape, take the road to Antium. The Roman army also
was led to Antium; after being invested for a few days it surrenders
without any additional force of the besiegers,[104] but because their
spirits had sunk ever since the unsuccessful battle and the loss of
their camp.

[Footnote 104: _Additional force of the_, &c. Crovier understands this
to signify that the Romans did not employ a greater force for besieging
Antium, than they had employed the preceding year, and which at that
time seemed insufficient for the purpose. Others understand the words to
signify that they surrendered without waiting for the Romans to make any
additional efforts to take the town.]

BOOK III

_Disturbances abou