History of Rome

​Appius was now equal to the tribunes of the plebs even in the assemblies, when suddenly, from a source where one would least believe it, a disaster received at Veii both made Appius superior in his cause and produced greater harmony of the orders and ardor for besieging Veii more tenaciously.

​For when the rampart had been advanced to the city and the mantlets were all but joined to the walls, while the works were being constructed during the day more intensely than they were guarded at night, a gate was suddenly opened and a huge multitude, armed chiefly with torches, threw fire on them, ​and in the space of an hour the fire consumed both the rampart and the mantlets, the work of so long a time; and many men there, bringing aid in vain, were consumed by sword and fire. When this was announced at Rome, ​it struck sadness into all, and anxiety and fear into the senate, lest then indeed sedition could be sustained neither in the city nor in the camp, and the tribunes of the plebs should insult the state as if conquered by themselves, ​when suddenly, those who had the equestrian census but had not been assigned public horses, having first held a meeting among themselves, went to the senate, and having obtained permission to speak, promised that they would serve with their own horses.

​When thanks had been returned to them by the senate in the most ample terms, and that rumor had pervaded the forum and the city, suddenly a rush of the plebeians was made to the curia;

​they said that it was now the turn of the pedestrian order to give their names and promise their service to the state outside the regular order, whether they wished to lead them to Veii or anywhere else. If they were led to Veii, they declared they would not return from there before the city of the enemy was captured.

​Then indeed, they could scarcely restrain themselves from the overflowing joy;

​for they were not, as in the case of the knights, ordered to be praised by a task given to the magistrates, nor were they called into the curia to be given an answer, nor was the senate contained within the threshold of the curia, but each one on his own behalf, from the higher place, signified the public joy by voice and hands to the multitude standing in the comitium, ​saying that the Roman city was blessed and invincible and eternal by that harmony, praising the knights, praising the plebeians, extolling the day itself with praises, and confessing that the kindness and benignity of the senate had been overcome.

​Tears of joy flowed from the patricians and the plebeians in emulation, until the patricians being recalled into the curia, a decree of the senate was made, ​that the military tribunes, having called an assembly, should return thanks to the infantry and the knights, and say that the senate would be mindful of their piety toward the fatherland; and that it was pleasing that pay should proceed for all those who had volunteered for service outside the regular order; and a certain amount of pay was also assigned to the horseman.

​Then for the first time the knights began to serve with their own horses. This volunteer army, led to Veii, not only restored the lost works but also constructed new ones. Provisions were carried up from the city with more intense care than before, lest anything should be lacking for the use of an army that had deserved so well.