Ab urbe condita

As soon as the Dictator saw their line broken in this part of the field he turned the attack on to their left, where he saw them closing up into a crowded mass, and at the same time gave the agreed signal to those on the mountain.

When a fresh battle shout arose and these were seen crossing the mountain slope in the direction of the Gauls' camp, the enemy, afraid of being cut off, gave up the fight and ran in wild disorder to their camp.

They were met by Marcus Valerius, the Master of the Horse, who after putting their right wing to flight was riding up to their lines, and he turned their flight towards the mountain and woods.

A great many were intercepted by the muleteers whom they took for cavalry, and a terrible slaughter took place amongst those whom panic had driven into the woods after the main battle was over. No one since Camillus celebrated a more justly deserved triumph over the Gauls than C. Sulpicius.

A large quantity of gold taken out of the spoil was dedicated by him and stored away in a vault beneath the Capitol. The campaigns in which the consuls for the year were engaged ended in a very different way.

Whilst the Hernici were defeated and reduced to submission by his colleague, Fabius showed a sad want of caution and skill in his operations against the Tarquinians. The humiliation which Rome incurred through his defeat was embittered by the barbarity of the enemy, who sacrificed 307 prisoners of war.

That defeat was followed by a sudden predatory incursion of the Privernates and afterwards by one in which the Veliternians took part.

In this year two additional tribes were formed —the Pomptine and the Publilian. The Games which Camillus had vowed when Dictator were celebrated.[*](There is probably some mistake here. Those mentioned on p. 311, Vol. I. as being vowed before the capture of Veii had been celebrated shortly before the Gaulish invasion (p. 326 ibid.). Livy probably wrote Servilius instead of Camillus, and the error may be due to a copyist. The vow which Servilius made is mentioned in chap. XI.) A measure dealing with improper canvassing was for the first time submitted to the people, after passing the senate, by C. Poetilius, tribune of the plebs.

It was intended to check the canvassing, mainly by rich plebeians, in the markets and promiscuous gatherings.

Another measure, by no means so welcome to the patricians, was brought forward the following year, the consuls being C. Marcius and Cnaeus Manlius. M. Duilius and L. Menenius, tribunes of the plebs, were the proposers of this measure, which fixed the rate of interest at 8 and 1/3 per cent.;