History of Rome

​The Albans reported these things home. And war was prepared on both sides with the greatest effort, very like a civil war, almost between parents and children, both descendants of Troy, since Lavinium was from Troy, Alba from Lavinium, and the Romans were sprung from the stock of the Alban kings.

​Yet the outcome of the war made the conflict less miserable, because it was not fought in a pitched battle, and with only the buildings of one city demolished, the two peoples were merged into one.

​The Albans were the first to make an incursion into Roman territory with a huge army. They pitched camp not more than five miles from the city, and surrounded it with a trench; this was called the Cluilian Trench after the name of the leader for several centuries, until along with the thing itself, the name also was wiped out by antiquity.

​In this camp Cluilius, the Alban king, died; the Albans appointed Mettius Fufetius dictator. Meanwhile Tullus, fierce, especially because of the king’s death, and repeatedly declaring that the great power of the gods, starting from the head itself, would exact punishment upon the entire Alban name for the unholy war, advanced by night into the Alban territory with a hostile army, having bypassed the enemy’s camp. This action brought Mettius out from his permanent camp .

​He led his forces as close to the enemy as possible. From there, having sent an envoy ahead, he ordered him to announce to Tullus that before they fought, there was need for a conference; if he should meet with him, he knew well enough that he would bring forward matters that concerned the Roman interest no less than the Alban. Tullus did not reject this, ​yet, in case empty proposals should be brought forward, he led his men out into line of battle. The Albans also came out to meet them. After they stood drawn up on both sides, the leaders, with a few of their nobles, stepped forward into the middle.

​There the Alban began: “I too seem to have heard our king Cluilius say that grievances and the unreturned property demanded according to the treaty were the cause of this war, and I do not doubt, Tullus, that you allege the same; but if truth rather than what is specious to say must be spoken, the lust for power stimulates two related and neighboring peoples to arms.

​I shall not judge whether this is right or wrong; let that have been the deliberation of him who undertook the war; the Albans have made me leader for conducting the war. I would wish you, Tullus, to be warned of this: how great the Etruscan power is around us and especially you, the closer you are to the Tuscans, the more you know. They are very powerful on land, and most powerful by sea.

​Be mindful, when you give the signal for battle, that these two armies will be a spectacle to them, so that they may attack the weary and exhausted, victor and vanquished alike at the same time. Therefore, if the gods love us, since not content with certain liberty we go into the doubtful hazard of empire and slavery, let us enter upon some way by which it can be decided which shall rule the other, without great disaster, without much blood of either people.”

​The proposal was not displeasing to Tullus, although he was more warlike both by his natural disposition and by hope of victory. As they sought, a plan was agreed upon by both sides, for which fortune itself provided the material.