urged them
not to abandon the homes of their fathers, and they were at length
persuaded to remain. The state granted bricks, and stones were fetched
from Veii. Within a year the city rose from its ashes; but the streets
were narrow and crooked; the houses were frequently built over the
sewers; and the city continued to show, down to the great fire of Nero,
evident traces of the haste and irregularity with which it had been
rebuilt. Rome was now deprived of almost all her subjects, and her
territory was reduced to nearly its original limits. The Latins and
Hernicans dissolved the League with the Romans, and wars broke out on
every side. In these difficulties and dangers Camillus was the soul of
the Republic. Again and again he led the Roman legions against their
enemies, and always with success. The rapidity with which the Romans
recovered their power after so terrible a disaster would seem
unaccountable but for the fact that the other nations had also suffered
greatly from the inroads of the Gauls, who still continued to ravage
Central Italy. Two of their invasions of the Roman territory are
commemorated by celebrated legends, which may be related here, though
they belong to a later period.

In B.C. 361 the Gauls and Romans were encamped on either bank of the
Arno. A gigantic Gaul stepped forth from the ranks and insultingly
challenged a Roman knight. T. Manlius, a Roman youth, obtained
permission from his general to accept the challenge, slew the giant, and
took from the dead body the golden chain (_torques_) which the barbarian
wore around his neck. His comrades gave him the surname of Torquatus,
which he handed down to his descendants.

In B.C. 349 another distinguished Roman family earned its surname from a
single combat with a Gaul. Here again a Gallic warrior of gigantic size
challenged any one of the Romans to single combat. His challenge was
accepted by M. Valerius, upon whose helmet a raven perched; and as they
fought, the bird flew into the face of the Gaul, striking at him with
its beak and flapping his wings. Thus Valerius slew the Gaul, and was
called in consequence "Corvus," or the "Raven."

It is now necessary to revert to the internal history of Rome. Great
suffering and discontent prevailed. Returning to ruined homes and
ravaged lands, the poor citizens had been obliged to borrow money to
rebuild their houses and cultivate their farms. The law of debtor and
creditor at Rome, as we have already seen,