Ab urbe condita

He then girded himself with the Gabinian cincture, and in full armour leaped upon his horse and dashed into the middle of the enemy. To those who watched him in both armies, he appeared something awful and superhuman, as though sent from heaven to expiate and appease all the anger of the gods and to avert destruction from his people and bring it on their enemies.

All the dread and terror which he carried with him threw the front ranks of the Latins into confusion which soon spread throughout the entire army.