icient evidence against me. The one recompense I received for
all the hardships and perils I have gone through, was the title that
proclaims my enmity to your nation, and this is the only thing which
is still left me. Of all other advantages, I have been stripped
and deprived by the envy of the Roman people, and the cowardice and
treachery of the magistrates and those of my own order. I am driven out
as an exile, and become an humble suppliant at your hearth, not so much
for safety and protection (should I have come hither, had I been afraid
to die?), as to seek vengeance against those that expelled me; which,
methinks, I have already obtained, by putting myself into your hands.
If, therefore, you have really a mind to attack your enemies, make use
of that affliction you see me in to assist the enterprise, and convert
my personal infelicity into a common blessing to the Volscians; as I am
likely to be more serviceable in fighting for than against you, with the
advantage, which I now possess, of knowing all the secrets of the enemy
that I am attacking."

Tullus, on hearing this, was extremely rejoiced, and giving him his
right hand, exclaimed, "rise, Marcius, and be of good courage; it is
a great happiness you bring to Antium, in the present you make us of
yourself; expect everything that is good from the Volscians." he then
proceeded to feast and entertain him with every display of kindness, and
for several days after they were in close deliberation together on the
prospects of a war.

Although the Volscians had sworn to a truce of arms for the space of
two years, the Romans themselves soon furnished them with a pretence,
by making proclamation, out of some jealousy or slanderous report, at
an exhibition of games, that all the Volscians who had come to see them
should depart from the city before sunset. Some affirm that this was a
contrivance of Marcius, who sent a man privately to the consuls, falsely
to accuse the Volscians of intending to fall upon the Romans during the
games, and to set the city on fire. This public affront aroused their
hostility to the Romans; and Tullus, perceiving it, took advantage of
it, aggravating the fact, and working on their indignation, till he
persuaded them, at last, to despatch ambassadors to Rome, requiring the
Romans to restore that part of their country and those towns which they
had taken from the Volscian in the late war. When the Romans heard the
message, they indignantly repli