Ab urbe condita

Subsequently several incidents created alarm in Rome. Intelligence was received of the renewal of hostilities by the Etruscans, owing to disturbances in Arretium. The powerful house of the Cilnii[*](The house of the Cilnii probably headed the aristocratic opposition to the commons ofArretium, and as in other similar cases sent for assistance to Rome, whose sympathies were always on that side. We learn in chap. v. that a reconciliation was effected. From this was descended Maecenas, the friend of Augustus and the patron of Horace.) had created widespread jealousy through their enormous wealth, and an attempt was made to expel them from the city. The Marsi also were giving trouble, for a body of 4000 colonists had been sent to Carseoli, and they were prevented by force from occupying the place.

In view of this threatening aspect of affairs, M. Valerius Maximus was nominated Dictator, and he named M. Aemilius Paulus Master of the Horse.

I think that this is more probable than that Q. Fabius was made Master of the Horse and, therefore, in a subordinate position to Valerius, in spite of his age and the offices he had held;

but I am quite prepared to admit that the error arose from the cognomen Maximus, common to both men.[*](Livy apparently thought that the epithet Maximus had been transferred from Valerius to Aemilius, and so the latter became confused with Q. Fabius Maximus. But the sentence is obscure. The Fasti Capitolini give both Valerius and Fabius as Dictators this year.) The Dictator took the field and routed the Marsi in one battle. After compelling them to seek shelter in their fortified cities, he took Milionia, Plestina, and Fresilia within a few days.

The Marsi were compelled to surrender a portion of their territory, and then the old treaty with Rome was renewed. The war was now turned against the Etruscans, and an unfor- tunate incident occurred during this campaign.

The Dictator had left the camp for Rome to take the auspices afresh, and the Master of the Horse had gone out to forage. He was surprised and surrounded, and after losing some standards and many of his men, he was driven in disgraceful flight back to his camp.

Such a precipitate flight is contradictory to all that we know of Fabius; for it was his reputation as a soldier that more than anything else justified his epithet of Maximus, and he never forgot the severity of Papirius towards him, and could never have been tempted to fight without the Dictator's orders.

The news of this defeat created a quite unnecessary alarm in Rome. Measures were adopted as though an army had been annihilated;

all legal business was suspended, guards were stationed at the gates, watches were set in the different wards of the City, armour and weapons were stored in readiness on the walls, and every man within the military age was embodied.

When the Dictator returned to the camp he found that, owing to the careful arrangements which the Master of the Horse had made, everything was quieter than he had expected.

The camp had been moved back into a safer position; the cohorts who had lost their standards were punished by being stationed outside the rampart without any tents;

the whole army was eager for battle that they might all the sooner wipe out the stain of their defeat.

Under these circumstances the Dictator at once advanced his camp into the neighbourhood of Rusella. The enemy followed him, and although they felt the utmost confidence in a trial of strength in the open field, they decided to practise stratagem on their enemy, as they had found it so successful before.

At no great distance from the Roman camp were some half-demolished houses belonging to a village which had been burnt when the land was harried.

Some soldiers were concealed in these and cattle were driven past the place in full view of the Roman outposts, who were under the command of a staff-officer, Cnaeus Fulvius. As not a single man left his post to take the bait, one of the drovers, coming up close to the Roman lines, called out to the others who were driving the cattle somewhat slowly away from the ruined cottages to ask them why they were so slow, as they could drive them safely through the middle of the Roman camp.

Some Caerites who were with Fulvius interpreted the words, and all the maniples were extremely indignant at the insult, but they did not dare to move without orders.

He then instructed those who were familiar with the language to notice whether the speech of the herdsmen was more akin to that of rustics or to that of towndwellers. On being told that the accent and personal appearance were too refined for cattle-drovers, he said, “Go and tell them to unmask the ambush they have tried in vain to conceal; the Romans know all, and can now no more be trapped by cunning than they can be vanquished by arms.”

When these words were carried to those who were lying concealed, they suddenly rose from their lurking-place and advanced in order of battle on to the open plain, which afforded a view in all directions.

The advancing line appeared to Fulvius to be too large a body for his men to withstand, and he sent a hasty message to the Dictator to ask for help; in the meantime he met the attack single-handed.

When the message reached the Dictator, he ordered the standards to go forward and the troops to follow.