Ab urbe condita

The news of the unsuccessful action and the investment of the consul and his army was brought by the Hernici, and created such an alarm in the senate that they passed a decree in a form which has never been used except under extreme emergencies. They charged Postumius to “see that the commonwealth suffered no hurt.”

It was thought best that the consul himself should remain in Rome to enrol all who could bear arms, whilst T. Quinctius was sent as his representative[*](representative —He was invested with consular authority to conduct the campaign, the consul himself being detained in Rome. Livy's phrase is “ pro consule ” (in the consul's stead),whence the governors-general of the provinces of the empire were designated proconsuls.) to relieve the camp with an army furnished by the

allies. This force was to be made up of the Latins and the Hernici, whilst the colony at Antium was to supply “subitary” troops —a designation then applied to hastily raised auxiliary troops.

Numerous maneuvers and skirmishes took place during these days, because the enemy with his superior numbers was able to attack the Romans from many points and so wear out their strength, as they were not able to meet them everywhere.

Whilst one part of their army attacked the camp, another was sent to devastate the Roman territory, and, if a favourable opportunity arose, to make an attempt on the City itself.

L. Valerius was left to guard the City, the consul Postumius was sent to repel the raids on the frontier.

No precaution was omitted, no exertion spared; detachments were posted in the City, bodies of troops before the gates, veterans manned the walls, and as a necessary measure in a time of such disturbance, a cessation of public business was ordered for some days.

In the camp, meanwhile, the consul Furius, after remaining inactive during the first days of the siege, made a sortie from the “decuman” [*](decuman gate —See plan of Roman camp in Class. Dict. The decuman gate was always on the rear side of the camp, the praetorian gate on the side fronting the enemy.) gate and surprised the enemy, and though he could have pursued him, he refrained from doing so, fearing lest the camp might be attacked from the other

side. Furius, a staff officer and brother of the consul, was carried too far in the charge, and did not notice, in the excitement of the pursuit, that his own men were returning and that the enemy were coming upon him from behind. Finding himself cut off, after many fruitless attempts to cut his way back to camp, he fell fighting