Diodorus Siculus

BOOK XIV - The Library of History



Page 407 that were slain; the other two Days they lay quiet in their Camp, now close to the City. For when they discern'd that the Walls were left bare and undefended, and yet heard a confus'd Noise (occasion'd by the bringing in of Houshold-Goods and other Things useful into the Capitol) they suspected some Stratagem was designing against them. But the fourth Day, when they came to understand the Truth, they broke down the Gates, and laid all the City in rubbish, except a few Houses upon Mount Pallatine: And tho' afterwards they press'd upon them in the Capitol with continual Assaults, yet they within suffer'd little by it, but many of the Gauls perish'd. However, they stuck close to the Siege, hoping tho' they could not gain the Place by force, yet at least in time, when all the Provision and Victuals was spent, they might possess themselves of the Fort.

While the Roman Affairs were thus perplex'd, the Tuscans their Neighbours made an Incursion with a great Army into their Territories, and wasted and destroy'd all before them. But when they had got many Prisoners and much Spoil and Plunder into their hands, the Romans that had fled to Veii set upon them on the sudden, and put them to flight, and not only recover'd all the Spoil, but likewise possess'd themselves of all their Tents: And by this means being furnish'd with a great number of Arms, they arm'd their Fellow-Soldiers, who hitherto were unarm'd since the late Defeat, and got together a Company of Country-Fellows from several Parts, and likewise arm'd them: For they had a design to raise the Siege of the Capitol, but were most perplex'd and concern'd how to give notice of their Purpose to the Besieg'd, in regard the Gauls so straitly block'd it up. Upon this, one Pontius Caminius undertook to get into the Capitol; to which end he pass'd on himself alone, and privately in the night swam over the River, and ascending a steep Rock of the Capitol with great difficulty, drew himself up, and so came to the Besieg'd, and acquainted them that they of Veii were in a Body, and that they intended to fall upon the Gauls upon the first Opportunity; and having deliver'd his Message, he return'd to Veii the same way he came. But when the Gauls perceiv'd, by the Impressions of a Man's Feet, that some Person had lately pass'd that way into the Castle, they determin'd to attempt to make an Entry by climbing the Rock in that part: And to that end, about midnight (the Guards being careless, trusting to the Strength of the Place) some of the Gauls got up to the top, but were not taken notice of by the Watch, but the Geese, dedicated to Juno, that fed there (seeing them appear above the Walls) presently made a great gagling and noise, which so alarm'd the Watch, that they all ran to the Place; upon which, the Gauls now betray'd and afrighted, durst not proceed any further.

In the mean time, that famous Man Marcus Manlius hasting to the Defence of the Place, cut off the Hand of a Gaul, as he was raising himself to recover the Wall, and by a thrust in his Breast with the Boss of his Buckler, cast him down headlong from the top of the Rock; and another being destroy'd after the same manner, the rest in all haste retir'd; and because the Rock was very steep (being in a great terror and amazement) they all miserably perish'd. The Romans hereupon sending Ambassadors to 'em to treat upon Terms of Peace, obtain'd it upon these Conditions: That upon receiving a Thousand pound weight of Gold, they would leave the City, and depart out of the Roman Territories.

After this, because the Houses were destroy'd, and many of the Citizens kill'd, the Romans gave leave to every one that would to build, and roof'd and cover'd all the Houses at the Publick Charge, which were therefore ever after to this day call'd the Publick Houses. And because every Man built according to his own Humour where he pleas'd, the Streets were made very narrow and crooked, which (notwithstanding the Riches of the City) in succeeding Times could never be reform'd. Some have reported, that the Roman Matrons gave all their golden Ornaments for the redeeming of their Country; for which they have this Honour allow'd them, That they may at any time be carry'd in Chariots through the City.

The Romans being thus impoverish'd and brought low by the late Calamity, the Volsci took the advantage, and rais'd Arms against them. Upon which, the Consular Tribunes got their Forces together, and march'd out into the Campus Martius (as 'tis call'd) and encamp'd about Two hundred Stages from the City. The Volsci far exceeded the Romans in number, and set upon their Camp: Upon which, the Senate, much concern'd for them in the Field, made Marcus Furius Dictator, who ordered the young Men in the City to take up Arms, with whom he march'd out in the night, and came upon the backs of the Volsci (when they were very busie and intent in assaulting the Romans) and easily put them to flight: Upon which, they within the Camp sallying out, the Volsci by this means


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