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Notes Do not display Latin text | Translated by Rev. Canon Roberts Book III Chapter 27: War with the Aequi and Sabines. (Cont.)[458 BC] | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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The following morning the dictator [Note 1] went, before daylight, into the Forum and named as his Master of the Horse, Lucius Tarquitius, a member of a patrician house, but owing to his poverty he had served in the infantry, where he was considered by far the finest of the Roman soldiers. In company with the Master of the Horse the dictator proceeded to the Assembly, proclaimed a suspension of all public business, ordered the shops to be closed throughout the City, and forbade the transaction of any private business whatever. Then he ordered all who were of military age to appear fully armed in the Campus Martius before sunset, each with five days' provisions and twelve palisades. Those who were beyond that age were required to cook the rations for their neighbours, whilst they were getting their arms ready and looking for palisades. So the soldiers dispersed to hunt for palisades; they took them from the nearest places, no one was interfered with, all were eager to carry out the dictator's edict. The formation of the army was equally adapted for marching or, if circumstances required for fighting; the dictator led the legions in person, the Master of the Horse was at the head of his cavalry. To both bodies words of encouragement were addressed suitable to the emergency, exhorting them to march at extra speed, for there was need of haste if they were to reach the enemy at night; a Roman army with its consul had been now invested for three days, it was uncertain what a day or a night might bring forth, tremendous issues often turned on a moment of time. The men shouted to one another, "Hurry on, standard-bearer!" "Follow up, soldiers!" to the great gratification of their leaders. They reached Algidus at midnight, and on finding that they were near the enemy, halted. Note 1: dictator = Cincinnatus Event: War with Aequi and Sabines | Postero die dictator cum ante lucem in forum uenisset, magistrum equitum dicit L. Tarquitium, patriciae gentis, sed qui, cum stipendia pedibus propter paupertatem fecisset, bello tamen primus longe Romanae iuuentutis habitus esset. Cum magistro equitum in contionem uenit, iustitium edicit, claudi tabernas tota urbe iubet, uetat quemquam priuatae quicquam rei agere; tum quicumque aetate militari essent armati cum cibariis in dies quinque coctis uallisque duodenis ante solis occasum Martio in campo adessent; quibus aetas ad militandum grauior esset, uicino militi, dum is arma pararet uallumque peteret, cibaria coquere iussit. Sic iuuentus discurrit ad uallum petendum. Sumpsere unde cuique proximum fuit; prohibitus nemo est; impigreque omnes ad edictum dictatoris praesto fuere. Inde composito agmine non itineri magis apti quam proelio si res ita tulisset, legiones ipse dictator, magister equitum suos equites ducit. In utroque agmine quas tempus ipsum poscebat adhortationes erant: adderent gradum; maturato opus esse, ut nocte ad hostem perueniri posset; consulem exercitumque Romanum obsideri, tertium diem iam clausos esse; quid quaeque nox aut dies ferat incertum esse; puncto saepe temporis maximarum rerum momenta uerti. 'Adcelera, signifer,' 'sequere, miles,' inter se quoque, gratificantes ducibus, clamabant. Media nocte in Algidum perueniunt et ut sensere se iam prope hostes esse, signa constituunt. |