ir leader,
marched into the land of Tusculum; and when they had plundered the
country there-abouts, and had gathered together much booty, they
pitched their camp on Mount AEgidus. To them the Romans sent three
ambassadors, who should complain of the wrong done and seek redress.
But when they would have fulfilled their errand, Gracchus the AEquin
spake, saying, "If ye have any message from the Senate of Rome, tell
it to this oak, for I have other business to do;" for it chanced that
there was a great oak that stood hard by, and made a shadow over the
general's tent. Then one of the ambassadors, as he turned to depart,
made reply, "Yes, let this sacred oak and all the gods that are in
heaven hear how ye have wrongfully broken the treaty of peace; and let
them that hear help us also in the day of battle, when we shall avenge
on you the laws both of gods and of men that ye set at nought."

When the ambassadors had returned to Rome the Senate commanded that
there should be levied two armies; and that Minucius the Consul should
march with the one against the AEquians on Mount AEgidus, and that the
other should hinder the enemy from their plundering. This levying the
tribunes of the Commons sought to hinder; and perchance had done so,
but there also came well-nigh to the walls of the city a great host of
the Sabines plundering all the country. Thereupon the people willingly
offered themselves and there were levied forthwith two great armies.
Nevertheless when the Consul Minucius had marched to Mount AEgidus, and
had pitched his camp not far from the AEquians, he did nought for fear
of the enemy, but kept himself within his entrenchments. And when the
enemy perceived that he was afraid, growing the bolder for his lack of
courage, they drew lines about him, keeping him in on every side. Yet
before that he was altogether shut up there escaped from his camp five
horsemen, that bare tidings to Rome how that the Consul, together with
his army, was besieged. The people were sorely dismayed to hear such
tidings; nor, when they cast about for help, saw they any man that
might be sufficient for such peril, save only Cincinnatus. By common
consent, therefore, he was made Dictator for six months, a thing that
may well be noted by those who hold that nothing is to be accounted of
in comparison of riches, and that no man may win great honor or show
forth singular virtue unless he be well furnished with wealth. For
here in this great peril o