History of Rome

​To many, as indeed it was, Appius’ opinion seemed harsh and dreadful; on the other hand, those of Verginius and Larcius were considered unwholesome as a precedent, while that of Larcius, as they thought, was such as to destroy all credit. The plan of Verginius was regarded as the most middle and moderate between both;

​but through faction and regard for private affairs, which always have obstructed and will obstruct public counsels, Appius prevailed, and it was near that he himself should be created dictator;

​which measure would certainly have alienated the plebs at a most dangerous time, when the Volsci, Aequi, and Sabines by chance were all in arms at once.

​But care was taken by the consuls and the elder of the senators that a magistracy vehement in its power should be committed to a gentle disposition. They created Manius Valerius, son of Volesus, dictator.

​The plebs, although they saw that the dictator had been created against themselves, yet, since they possessed the right of appeal by his brother’s law, feared nothing harsh or proud from that family.

​Then an edict published by the dictator confirmed their minds, agreeing for the most part with the edict of the consul Servilius; but thinking it better to trust both the man and the power, they gave their names, laying aside the contest. A larger army than ever before, ​ten legions, was formed; three of these were then given to each of the consuls, and the dictator used four. Nor could the war be deferred any longer.

​The Aequi had invaded the Latin territory. Envoys of the Latins petitioned the senate that they should either send assistance or permit them to take up arms themselves for the sake of defending their borders.

​It seemed safer for the unarmed Latins to be defended than to permit them to handle arms again. The consul Vetusius was sent. This was the end of the pillaging . The Aequi withdrew from the plains, and trusting more to the place than to their arms, they secured themselves on the highest ridges of the mountains.

​The other consul set out against the Volsci, lest he himself also should waste time, and chiefly by devastating the fields, he provoked the enemy to move their camp closer and to fight in a pitched battle.

​In the middle of the plain between the camps, each stood before his own rampart with hostile standards. The Volsci surpassed somewhat in number; and so they entered the battle scattered and contemptuously. The Roman consul neither advanced his line, ​nor permitted a shout to be returned, and ordered his men to stand with their javelins fixed in the ground: when the enemy had come to close quarters, then they should arise and do the business with their swords with all their might.

​The Volsci, fatigued by running and shouting, when they had thrown themselves upon the Romans as if they were stupified with fear, after they felt the charge made from the opposite side and saw the swords flashing before their eyes, were confused and turned their backs, just as if they had fallen into an ambush; and there was not even enough strength for flight, because they had gone into battle at a run.

​The Romans, on the other hand, because they had stood quiet at the beginning of the fight, being vigorous in body, easily overtook the weary ones, captured their camp by storm, and having pursued the enemy, stripped of their camp, to Velitrae, the victors in one body rushed into the city along with the vanquished;

​and more blood was shed there in a promiscuous slaughter of all kinds of people than in the battle itself. Quarter was given to a few who surrendered unarmed.