f the Roman people there was no hope of
safety but in one who was cultivating with his own hand a little plot
of scarcely three acres of ground. For when the messengers of the
people came to him they found him plowing, or, as some say, digging a
ditch. When they had greeted each other, the messengers said, "May the
Gods prosper this thing to the Roman people and to thee. Put on thy
robe and hear the words of the people." Then said Cincinnatus, being
not a little astonished, "Is all well?" and at the same time he called
to his wife Racilia that she should bring forth his robe from the
cottage. So she brought it forth, and the man wiped from him the dust
and the sweat, and clad himself in his robe, and stood before the
messengers. These said to him, "The people of Rome make thee Dictator,
and bid thee come forthwith to the city." And at the same time they
told how the Consul and his army were besieged by the AEquians. So
Cincinnatus departed to Rome; and when he came to the other side of
the Tiber there met him first his three sons, and next many of his
kinsfolk and friends, and after them a numerous company of the nobles.
These all conducted him to his house, the lictors, four and twenty
in number, marching before him. There was also assembled a very great
concourse of the people, fearing much how the Dictator might deal with
them, for they knew what manner of man he was, and that there was no
limit to his power, nor any appeal from him.

The next day, before dawn, the Dictator came into the market-place,
and appointed one Lucius Tarquinius to be Master of the Horse. This
Tarquinius was held by common consent to excel all other men in
exercises of war; only, though, being a noble by birth, he should have
been among the horsemen, he had served for lack of means, as a foot
soldier. This done he called an assembly of the people and commanded
that all the shops in the city should be shut; that no man should
concern himself with any private business, but all that were of an age
to go to the war should be present before sunset in the Field of Mars,
each man having with him provisions of cooked food for five days, and
twelve stakes. As for them that were past the age, they should prepare
the food while the young men made ready their arms and sought for
the stakes. These last they took as they found them, no man hindering
them; and when the time appointed by the Dictator was come, all were
assembled, ready, as occasion might ser