CAMILLUS SETS THE CAMP OF THE VOLSCIANS ON FIRE
While Rome was still at work repairing the damage which the Gauls had
inflicted on her city, the Volscians encamped within twenty miles of
her gates. They hoped to attack the city while she was unprepared for
war.
But an army at once set out to meet the enemy. Before the Romans were
aware, however, their camp was surrounded by the Volscians, and they
were unable either to fight or to retire.
Camillus, who had again been appointed Dictator, summoned every Roman
who could bear arms to follow him. He then marched to within a short
distance of the camp of the Volscians. Here he ordered fires to be
lighted, that the imprisoned army might know that help was at hand.
But the Volscians saw the fires as well as the Romans, and at once
began to strengthen their camp with a strong barricade, made out of the
trunks of trees.
Then, knowing that their numbers would soon be reinforced, they were
satisfied that the enemy could do them no harm.
But Camillus did not mean to wait until their allies joined them.
He determined at once to set fire to the wooden barricade that the
Volscians had built around their camp.
Ordering part of his force to attack the camp on one side, the Dictator
withdrew the rest of the army to that side of the camp from which the
wind blew. He then bade the soldiers fling lighted torches in among the
wooden defences.
The flames, blown by the wind, quickly spread from stake to stake until
they reached the camp itself.
There was no water at hand to quench the fire, and the Volscians were
soon driven from their tents, to find themselves in the hands of the
Romans, who cut them down without mercy.
Camillus then ordered the flames to be put out, that the soldiers might
pillage what was still unconsumed by the fire.
Leaving his son to guard the prisoners, the Dictator was soon marching
to Sutrium, which town was besieged by the Etruscans.
But before Camillus reached the city, he met a pitiful band of men,
women and children, who had already been banished from the town by the
victorious enemy.
Their homes were plundered, their treasures were in the enemy’s hands.
With nothing left, save only the clothes they wore, they were wandering
through the country in search of shelter.
Camillus was grieved for the misery of these poor folk. When he saw
that his soldiers also pitied them, he determined still to go to the
city, that he might wrest it once again from the Etruscans, and restore
the Sutrians to their homes.
He foresaw that the victorious soldiers would be feasting, that the
gates would be unguarded.
And so it was. Camillus had no difficulty in seizing the gates and
manning the walls of Sutrium. Then he ordered his soldiers to fall
upon the merrymakers, who were celebrating their victory with song and
feast. Many of the Etruscans surrendered, while others waited like
cowards to be slain. Sutrium was thus taken twice in one day.