Of the chief houses in Rome there was none greater than the house of
the Fabii; nor in this house any man of more valour and renown than a
certain Kæso. Good service had he done, more particularly against the
Etrurians, and thrice was he chosen consul. Now the third time that he
was so chosen he was urgent with the Fathers that they divide the land
that had been taken from the enemy as fairly as might be among the
Commons. For the tribunes of the Commons were wont, year after year, to
demand such division, and the counsel of Kæso was that the nobles should
be beforehand with them, giving them this boon of their own accord.
"Verily," he said, "it is well that they should have the land who
have won it by their own toil and by the shedding of their blood."
Nevertheless this counsel pleased not the nobles. "This Kæso," they
said, "was wise, but too great glory has turned his wisdom into folly."
For this cause Kæso was ill content, and was the more willing to take
such occasion as offered of serving his country elsewhere than at Rome.
Now the city of Veii, being ten miles only distant from Rome, was ever
at variance with it. Never was there peace between these two, neither
was there open war. When the Roman legions marched forth, the men of
Veii would flee before them and seek refuge in their city; but so soon
as they perceived that the legions had departed, then they would sally
forth and spoil the land of the Romans. These had other enemies also
with whom to deal; for the Æquians and the Volscians were content to be
quiet only till they should have recovered themselves from the loss they
had of late suffered, and the Sabines were always enemies, and all the
cities of Etruria were manifestly making ready for war.
These things being so, Kæso Fabius, the Consul, on behalf of the whole
house of the Fabii, spake thus to the Senate: "This war with the men of
Veii, as ye well know, Fathers, needeth not a great army, yet needeth
one that shall be ever at hand. With this, therefore, we that are of the
house of Fabius will deal; the others we leave to you. This will we wage
of our own strength and at our own cost, with some saving, we trust, of
men and money to the State." The Senate receiving these words with much
thankfulness, the Consul departed to his own house; the Fabii, who
had stood in the porch of the senate-house till the matter should
be settled, following him. Straightway the fame of the thing spread
throughout the city, and all men extolled the Fabii. "See now," they
said, "how this one family has undertaken the burden of the State. Had
we but two such houses besides who might undertake, this to do battle
with the Æquians and that with the Volscians, the city might remain at
peace and do its business quietly, while all the nations round about
should be subdued unto it." The next day the Fabii arm themselves for
battle, and assemble as Kæso had commanded. Then the Consul, coming
from his house with his soldiers cloak, upon his shoulders, saw all his
kindred drawn up in array before the porch. And when these had received
him into their midst, he bade them lift the standards. Never had there
passed through the city a smaller army, or one more renowned and admired
among men. Three hundred and six soldiers there were, nobles all of
them, all of one house, not one but might well have been a leader
of men. And after them followed a great crowd, first of kinsfolk and
friends, then of the other citizens, bidding them God speed in this
their enterprise. "Be bold." they cried, "and fortunate. Let the issue
of this undertaking be even as the beginning, and ye shall have from us
consulships and triumph, yea, and all honours that ye can desire." And
as the army passed by the Capitol they prayed to all the Gods that they
would guide it safely on its way and bring it back safely home. They
prayed to no purpose. Passing by that which men call the Unlucky Way,
through the right archway of the Gate of Carmenta, the Fabii went on
their way till they came to the river Cremera, thinking that to be a fit
place for building a fort.
For a while all things prospered with the Fabii in their dealings with
the men of Veii. And not only did they make incursions upon their lands
and carry off much booty, but fought set battles, not once or twice, but
many times; a single Roman house so winning victory over that which was
the wealthiest of all the cities of Etruria. Now this seemed to the men
of Veii a shameful thing, and one that was not to be endured. So they
began to take counsel how they might take this enemy by subtlety, and
perceived, not without joy, that the Fabii grew daily bolder by success.
So when the men went to gather booty they would cause that herds of
cattle came in their way, as though it had been by chance, and that
companies of soldiers, sent to hinder them from their plundering,
fled before them, making pretence of fear. And now the Fabii had such
contempt for the enemy that they thought themselves such as could never
be conquered at any place or time. In which confidence, seeing on a
certain day herds of cattle on the plain, they ran forth to drive them,
heeding not that they were distant from the fort a great space of plain.
And so, scattering themselves in thoughtless fashion, they passed a
place where the enemy had set an ambush, and busied themselves with the
cattle. Then all of a sudden the Etrurians rose up from the ambush, and
lo! there were enemies both before them and on all sides. These set up
a great shout and threw their javelins, still closing in upon them, so
that the Fabii also were compelled to gather themselves more and more
closely together, so making it the more evident how few they were in
comparison of them that were against them. After this they fought not as
before, turning every way against them that pressed upon them, but set
themselves with all their strength to gain one certain point--a hill
of no great height that stood hard by the road. And to this, by dint of
strength and plying their swords, they won their way, and made there
a stand for a while; nay more, because the higher ground gave them
breathing space and advantage, they drave back them that assailed them
from below. But after a time the men of Veii, climbing the ridge from
behind, took them in the rear, so that the enemy was again above them.
Thus all the Fabii were slain that day; and indeed the whole house had
perished, but that there had been left behind at Rome a youth not fully
grown to manhood. From him there sprang anew a race of Fabii that did
good service to Rome in perilous times, both at home and abroad.