Meanwhile the city was full of weeping and wailing, for none thought
that they who had fled to Veii were yet alive, or that any had been
saved from the battle, save such as were already come back to Rome. But
when tidings were brought that the Gauls were close at hand, sorrow
gave place to fear. And now the Gauls were seen to move backwards and
forwards before the walls, and there was heard the sound of shouting and
of the barbarous music that this people use. And still the inhabitants
expected till an attack should be made upon the city. At first they
thought that this would be done at the first coming of the enemy; but
afterwards believed that it would be delayed until nightfall, that the
terror might be increased by the darkness. Nevertheless all men bore
themselves bravely, and altogether unlike to them who had turned their
backs in such shameful fashion at the river Allia. For since there was
no hope that the city should be defended by the small number that yet
remained, it was resolved that all the young men that could bear arms,
together with such of the Senators as had strength sufficient for
war, should go up with their wives and children to the Citadel and the
Capitol, where stores of arms and corn having been collected, they
might defend the gods of Rome and the honour of the State. Also it was
determined that the priests of Quirinus, and the virgins of Vesta
with him, should carry away far from peril of fire and sword all that
appertained to the gods, that their worship might not be interrupted so
long as any should be left to perform it. For they said, "If the citadel
and the Capitol, wherein are the dwellings of the Gods, and the Senate,
which is the council of the State, and the youth that are of an age to
carry arms, survive the destruction that hangs over the city, it is but
a small matter that the aged should perish." And that the common people
might bear their fate with the more willingness, the old men of
the nobles that had been honoured in former days with triumphs and
consulships affirmed that they would meet death together with the rest;
neither would they burden the scanty stores of the fighting men with
bodies that had no longer the strength to carry arms.
When the old men had thus comforted one another they addressed
themselves to encourage the young. These they accompanied to the
Capitol, commending to their valour and strength all that now was left
of the greatness of Rome. And now when they who were resolved that they
would not survive the capture and destruction of the city had departed,
the women ran to and fro asking of their husbands and of their sons what
they should do. But of these many were suffered to follow their husbands
and kinsfolk into the Capitol, none forbidding, though none called them,
for that which would have profited the besieged, by diminishing the
number of the useless, seemed to be barbarous and cruel. As for the rest
of the people, for whom there was neither room in so small a hill nor
food in so scanty a provision of corn, these went forth from the city,
as it were in a great host, towards the hill Janiculum.
Thence some scattered themselves over the country, and some made their
way to the neighbouring cities; but there was no leader or common
purpose, and each concerned himself with his own affairs only, for
of the State all despaired. Meanwhile the priests of Quirinus and the
virgins of Vesta, taking no thought for their own affairs, took counsel
together which of the sacred things they should carry away with them and
which they should leave behind, for they had not strength sufficient
for the carrying of all; also in what place they might most safely leave
them. It seemed good to them to put such things as it was needful to
leave behind in a cask and to bury them in the ground within the chapel
that was hard by the dwelling-house of the priests of Quirinus. The rest
they, carried, dividing the burden of them among themselves, and went by
the way that leads to the mount Janiculum, over the wooden bridge. And
while they were mounting the hill, one Lucius Albinius, a man of the
Commons, saw them, who was carrying his wife and children in a cart
amongst the crowd that was leaving the city as having no strength for
arms. This Albinius forgot not even in such peril the reverence due to
religion, and thinking it shame that the priests with the holy things
should go afoot while he and his were carried, bade his wife and
children come down from the cart, and putting therein the virgins, with
the sacred things, carried them to Caere, whither it had been their
purpose to go.
Meanwhile at Rome all things had been set in order, as far as might be,
for the defending of the Citadel; and the old men, going back to their
homes, sat awaiting the coming of the Gauls with minds wholly fixed
on death. And such among them as had borne the more honourable
magistracies, because they would die having on them the emblems of their
old glory, put on them the splendid robes which they wear who draw the
ropes of the chariots of the gods, or ride in triumph, and so sat down
in their ivory chairs before their houses. Some say that, following
a form of words which Marcus Folius the chief priest repeated, they
devoted themselves to death for their country and for the citizens of
Rome.
The next day the Gauls entered the city by the Colline Gate without any
anger or fury, for such as had been stirred by the battle had abated
during the night; and indeed they had met with no peril in the field,
nor did they now take the city by storm. So they came to the marketplace
and thence looked about them on the Citadel, which alone in the city
still preserved some semblance of war, and on the temples of the Gods.
Here they left a guard of no great strength, lest haply some attack
should be made upon them from the Capitol, while they were scattered;
and the rest scattered themselves to gather spoil, some seeking it in
the dwellings that were nigh at hand, and some in such as were more
distant, thinking that they would find these rather untouched and
abounding with riches. Thence again, terrified by the silence of the
place, and fearing lest some stratagem of the enemy might be concealed
thereby, they returned to the market-place and to the parts adjacent
thereto. Here finding that the palaces of the nobles were open, and the
houses of the common folk barred, they were slower to enter the open
than the shut, for they beheld with no small reverence the men that sat
each in the porch of his house, noting how great was the splendour
of their apparel and their ornaments, and that the majesty of their
countenances was rather that of gods than of men. So they stood
marvelling at them as though they had been images of the gods, till a
certain Marcus Papirius, one of the priests, smote a Gaul on the head
with his ivory staff, the man having stroked his beard, which it was
then the custom to wear of a great length. The barbarian in a rage
slew him, and all the others also were slain where they sat. The nobles
having thus perished, all others that were found in the city were
slaughtered in like manner, the houses were plundered, and being emptied
of their goods were set on fire.
[Illustration: The Gauls and the Senators 254]
For a while no small part of the city was spared, for the leaders of
the Gauls said, "It may be that the hearts of them that keep the Citadel
will be turned to surrender by the loss of their own homes." These
indeed were full of grief and anger, seeing the streets of the city full
of the enemy, and beholding new destructions every hour. Never indeed
were men besieged in such evil plight, for they were shut out from their
country, and saw all their possessions in the power of the enemy. For
all this their courage failed not for one hour, though all
about them was laid even with the ground by fire and sword, but were
obstinate to keep the hill which was now the sole abiding-place of
freedom. As for their troubles they took no account of them, nor had any
hope save only in the swords which they carried in their hands.
The Gauls having spent their fury on the dwellings in the city,
seeing that the spirit of the Romans was in no wise subdued, but was
steadfastly set against surrender, resolved to make an assault on the
Citadel. Therefore, at dawn of day, after signal had been given, they
drew up their whole army in the marketplace; and then, setting up a
shout and locking shields over their heads in the fashion that is called
the "tortoise," they began to climb the hill. On the other hand the
Romans did nothing rashly or in a hurry; but strengthening the guards at
every point of attack, set their main body where the Gauls were coming;
and these they suffered to climb the slope, judging that the higher they
should have mounted the more easily would they be driven down. But when
they were come to the middle of the hill, then the Romans ran down
upon them, and made a great slaughter among them, driving them over the
steep, so that never again, either with a part of their force or with
the whole thereof, did they make trial of this manner of fighting. They
set themselves, therefore, to take the Citadel by blockade. But for this
they had made no preparation, having burned all the provision of food
that was in the houses of the city, while that which was in the field
had by this time been carried into Veii; wherefore, dividing their
forces, they set some to keep watch on the Citadel, and some they sent
to gather spoil in the country round about.
Now they that were sent to gather spoil came by chance to Ardea, in
which city Camillus dwelt, grieving for his country rather than for
himself, and marvelling what had befallen the men who with him had
conquered Veii and Falerii. And now, hearing that the Gauls were near
at hand, and that the men of Ardea, being in no small fear, were taking
counsel about the matter, he came forward in the assembly and spake
thus: "Men of Ardea, ye have now opportunity to repay the benefits which
ye have received from the Roman people, concerning which benefits, how
many and how great they be, there is no need that I remind you. And ye
have opportunity also to win for yourselves great renown. These
Gauls that are coming against you are great in stature rather than in
strength, and make a terrible show in battle, but yet are not hard to
withstand. For consider what has befallen Rome, They took the city when
all the gates lay open; but now the Citadel, though it is kept by a
small company, they are not able to take. Wearied already of besieging
it, they are scattering themselves over the face of the land to gather
spoil. Their manner is to gorge themselves with meat and great draughts
of wine, and at nightfall to throw themselves on the ground like beasts,
without defence or outposts or guards. And now by reason of their late
victory they are careless even beyond their wont. If then ye would keep
your city safe, and would not have this whole land become a part of
Gaul, take all of you your arms at the first watch of the night. Follow
me, and if I deliver them not in your hands, fast bound with sleep, to
be slaughtered as cattle, then banish me even as the Romans banished
me."
Now all that heard him knew that there was no man so great in war as he.
Therefore, when the assembly was dismissed, they refreshed themselves
and waited eagerly till he should give the signal. And when they heard
it, they hastened to the gate of the city to meet Camillus; nor had
they gone far from the city when they found the camp of Gauls was, as
Camillus foretold, altogether without guards; and setting up a shout
they fell upon it. No fighting was there, but only a great slaughter,
for the men were naked and overpowered with sleep. Some also that were
in the furthest part of the camp, being awakened by the uproar, and not
knowing what had happened, fell into the hands of the enemy; and many
going forth to plunder the lands of the men of Antium fell upon a
company of the townsfolk, and were surrounded and slain.
Meanwhile the Gauls watched the Citadel at Rome, that none should go
forth between the posts. And now there was done by a Roman youth a thing
which both friends and foes greatly admired. The house of the Fabii had
a yearly sacrifice on the Hill of Quirinus. A certain Quintus Fabius
Dorso, therefore, that he might duly perform this sacrifice, came down
from the Capitol, clad in the vestment that is used for such purpose,
and carrying the holy things in his hands, and so came to the Hill of
Quirinus, passing through the midst of the guards of the enemy, and
heeding not their speech or threatening. There he duly performed all the
ceremony, and, coming back by the same way, with look and step composed
as before, returned to his friends in the Capitol, having a good hope
that the gods, whose service he had not neglected for any extremity of
fear, looked upon him with favour. As for the Gauls, they did him no
harm, either for wonder at his boldness, or for religion's sake, for
which indeed this people had no small regard.
Meanwhile they that were at Veii gathered daily both courage and
strength, for not only did the Romans that had escaped from the battle
or fled from the city assemble themselves there, but volunteers also
from Latium flocked thither, hoping to share in the spoil of the enemy.
And now it seemed high time that they should deliver their country out
of the hand of the Gauls; only, though the body was strong, there yet
lacked a head. Then, because the place wherein they were reminded them
of Camillus, and because many of the soldiers had had him for their
captain in time past, they all agreed that he should be sent for from
Ardea. But first they would consult the Senate at Rome, so careful were
they of law, not forgetting for all their extremity of peril that which
was right to be done. Now there was no small danger in passing through
the posts of the enemy. This a certain Cominius, a young man and of
great activity, undertook to do; and he, supporting himself on corks,
was carried down the Tiber as far as the city. There, climbing the side
that was nearest to the river, where the rock was steep, and for that
cause left unguarded by the Gauls, he climbed into the Capitol; and
then, being brought before the magistrates, delivered to them the
message of the army. Then the Senate passed a decree that Camillus,
having been first in due form released from exile, should be Dictator,
so that the soldiers might have him for captain whom they desired. With
this decree the messenger returned to Veii by the same way by which he
came, and messengers went to fetch Camillus from Ardea.
While these things were being done at Veii, the Citadel of Rome had been
in great peril, for the Gauls either had seen the footmarks where the
messenger from Veii had climbed into the Capitol, or had observed for
themselves that there was an easy ascent by the rock of Carmentis. On
a moonlight night, therefore, having first sent a man unarmed to make
trial of the ascent, they set out. Their arms they handed one to the
other, and when there was any hindrance in the way they supported or
drew up each other, and so climbed to the top, and this so silently that
they did not even wake the dogs, though these animals are very watchful
for any noise that may take place in the night. But they escaped not
the notice of the geese, for there were geese in the Capitol, and these,
being sacred to Juno, they had not eaten, though being sorely in need of
food. And this regard for holy things was their salvation. For a certain
Marcus Manlius, being awoke by their cries and by the flapping of their
wings, hasted forth, catching up his arms, and calling all the rest
to do likewise. And they indeed were at first in great confusion, but
Manlius drave the boss of his shield against a Gaul, for one was now
standing on the very top of the hill. And the man fell and overthrew
them that stood close at hand; and when the others in great fear dropped
their arms and laid hold of the rocks, he fell upon them and slew
them. By this time others also had rallied to him, and these, throwing
javelins and stones upon the Gauls, beat them down, so that the whole
company were overthrown and fell headlong down the steep. The rest of
that night they slept, so far as they could for remembrance of the great
peril from which they had been delivered; and at dawn all the soldiers
were summoned to an assembly by sound of the bugle, it being needful to
give due recompense both to that which had been well and that which had
been ill done. First Manlius received both praises and gifts for his
valour, and this not only from the captains, but from the common consent
of the soldiers, every man carrying to his house, which was in the
Capitol, half a pound of corn and half a pint of wine, a gift which
seems indeed very small in the telling, but yet was a great proof of
affection, the great scarcity of all things which prevailed at the time
being considered, since all subtracted something from their necessary
food to give it to this one man. After this the guards that had been
set to watch the place by which the enemy had climbed up the hill were
summoned to the assembly. Of these, though Sulpicius, tribune of the
soldiers, had affirmed that he would deal with all of them according to
military custom, only one was punished, all agreeing to throw the chief
blame on him, and he, being beyond all doubt guilty in the matter, was
by common consent cast down from the rock. After this the watch was kept
more diligently on both sides, for the Gauls knew that messengers had
gone to and fro between Veii and Rome, and the Romans remembered from
how great a peril they had escaped.
Beyond all other evils of war famine troubled both armies. The Gauls
were vexed with pestilence also, having their camp in low ground that
lay among hills, and was scorched with the burning of the houses. If
there was anything of wind also, this brought with it not dust only
but ashes. All these things and the heat of the year the Gauls, who are
accustomed to wet and cold, were little able to endure, so that they
died, as it were, in herds; so that their fellows, wearied of burying
the dead one by one, made great heaps of their carcases and burned them
with fire. And now a truce was made with the Romans, and conferences
held. In this the Gauls spake much of the famine as being good cause of
surrender; whereupon, it is said, the Romans threw loaves of bread among
their posts, as if to show them that there was no scarcity among them.
Nevertheless their hunger was such that now it could neither be hidden
nor endured. Wherefore, while Camillus levied an army at Ardea, the
garrison of the Capitol, worn out with watching, and yet able to endure
all other ills save hunger only, seeing that the help they looked for
came not, and that when the guards went forth to their watch they could
scarce for weakness stand up under their arms, were resolute that they
should either surrender or ransom themselves on such terms as might be
had. And this they did the more readily because the Gauls had made it
plain that they might be persuaded by no great sum of money to give up
the siege. The Senate, therefore, was called together, and the matter
was entrusted to the tribunes of the soldiers. After this a conference
was held between Sulpicius and Brennus, king of the Gauls, by whom it
was agreed that a thousand pounds' weight of gold should be the ransom
of a people that was thereafter to rule the world; a shameful thing,
made yet more shameful by insult. For the Gauls bringing false weights
which the tribune refused, King Brennus threw his sword into the scale
that held the weights, saying at the same time words that no Roman could
endure: "Woe to the vanquished!"
But both gods and men forbad that Rome should be ransomed in this
fashion. For before the payment was made, the whole quantity of gold not
having been weighed by reason of this dispute, the Dictator coming up
commanded that the gold should be taken away, and bade the Gauls depart.
These indeed made opposition, affirming that the covenant had been made
and must be performed; to which Camillus made answer that it had been
made without his permission by a lower magistrate he being at the
time Dictator, and he warned the Gauls to make them ready forthwith
to battle. To his own men he gave command that they should throw their
baggage into a heap and gird on their arms. "Ransom your country,"
said he, "with steel rather than with gold, having before your eyes the
temples of the Gods, your wives, your children, and all which ye most
desire." After this he drew up in line of battle, as well as the place
permitted, being covered with the ruins of the city. The Gauls, troubled
by these things, which had happened beyond all their expectations, took
up their arms and ran upon the Romans with much rage but little skill.
And now (such change was there in fortune) they were put to flight no
less easily than they had put the Romans to flight at Allia. There was
yet another battle between the Gauls and the Romans; and this was fought
at the eighth milestone on the road to Gabii, for to this place they had
fled from Rome. Here there was slaughter without end. The camp of the
Gauls was taken, and all perished, so that not so much as one was left
to carry home the tidings. Then Camillus returned in triumph to Rome,
being greeted by the soldiers in their rude fashion as a second Romulus,
the true father and founder of his country.
Having now saved Rome by war, he saved it beyond all doubt in peace
also, for he forbade the people to depart from the city and take up
their dwelling at Veii, which counsel was urged more diligently by the
tribunes now that the city had been burned by fire, the commons being
not a little inclined thereto. But Camillus, that he might the more
effectually hinder it, resigned not his office of dictator, according to
custom, after his triumph, but still kept it till all these things were
brought to an end.
First, being always careful of things that concerned the gods, he
proposed that all the temples should be duly restored and purified; that
the people of Caere should be admitted to the friendship of the Roman
people, because they had given shelter to the priests and the virgins
and the sacred things, and that games should be held in honour of
Jupiter of the Capitol as having delivered the city from the enemy. The
gold that had been taken from the Gauls, with that which had been
taken from the temples, no one knowing to whom or to what place it
appertained, was to be laid beneath the throne of Jupiter. To the
matrons public thanks were given, with this honour, that they should
be praised with funeral orations in like manner with men. Then he spake
about the counsel of departing to Veii, showing them many causes why
they should refuse it, and this above all others, that it was not lawful
to worship the gods of their country in any other place but only in
Rome. But that which prevailed with them more than all the speech of
Camillus was a word spoken by chance. While the Senate debated the
matter in the Hall of Hostilius, certain cohorts that were returning
from keeping the guards passed through the market-place, whereupon a
centurion cried out, "Standard-bearer, set up thy standard. We shall
best remain in this place." And when the Senate heard these words they
exclaimed with one voice, "We accept the omen;" and the multitude of the
people that stood around approved.