to the forum, driven precipitately through
the panic; the cries, "to arms," and "the enemy are in the city," were
heard alternately. The consuls were both afraid to arm the commons, and
to suffer them to remain unarmed; uncertain what sudden calamity had
assailed the city, whether external or intestine, whether from the
hatred of the commons or the treachery of the slaves: they were for
quieting the tumults, by such endeavours they sometimes exasperated
them; for the populace, panic-stricken and terrified, could not be
directed by authority. They give out arms, however, not
indiscriminately; only so that, the enemy being still uncertain,[121]
there might be a protection sufficient to be relied on for all
emergencies. The remainder of the night they passed in posting guards
through proper places through the entire city, anxious and uncertain, as
to who the persons might be, and how great the number of the enemy was.
Day-light then disclosed the war and the leader of the war. Appius
Herdonius summoned the slaves to liberty from the Capitol: "that he had
espoused the cause of every most unfortunate individual, in order to
bring back to their country those driven out by oppression, and to
remove the grievous yoke from the slaves. That he had rather that were
done under the authority of the Roman people. If there be no hope in
that quarter, that he would rouse the Volscians and AEqui, and would try
all extremities."

[Footnote 121: _Incerto hoste_, it being as yet uncertain who the enemy
was.]

16. The matter began to disclose itself more clearly to the patricians
and the consuls; besides those things, however, which were openly
declared, they dreaded lest this might be a scheme of the Veientes or
Sabines; and, as there were so many of the enemy in the city, lest the
Sabine and Etrurian troops might come on according to a concerted plan;
and then lest their eternal enemies, the Volscians and AEqui, should
come, not to ravage their territories, as before, but to their very
city, already in part taken. Many and various were their fears; among
others, the most prominent was their dread of the slaves, lest each
might harbour an enemy in his own house, one whom it was neither
sufficiently safe to trust, nor to deny[122] confidence to him lest, by
not trusting him, he might become more incensed. And (the evil) seemed
scarcely capable of being resisted by perfect harmony (between the
different orders of the state); only no one a