§5.8.1insequens annus tribunos militum consulari potestate habuit C. Servilium Ahalam tertium, Q. Servilium, L. Verginium, Q. Sulpicium, A. Manlium iterum, M. Sergium iterum.
The following year had as military tribunes with consular power Gaius Servilius Ahala for the third time, Quintus Servilius, Lucius Verginius, Quintus Sulpicius, Aulus Manlius for the second time, and Marcus Sergius for the second time.
§5.8.2his tribunis, dum cura omnium in Veiens bellum intenta est, neglectum Anxuri praesidium vacationibus militum et Volscos mercatores vulgo receptando proditis repente portarum custodibus oppressum est.
Under these tribunes, while the care of all was intent on the Veientine war, the garrison at Anxur, neglected by the furloughs of the soldiers and by receiving Volscian traders commonly, was oppressed, the guards of the gates being suddenly betrayed.
§5.8.3minus militum periit, quia praeter aegros lixarum in modum omnes per agros vicinasque urbes negotiabantur.
Fewer of the soldiers perished, because, except for the sick, they were all trading like sutlers through the fields and neighboring cities.
§5.8.4nec Veis melius gesta res, quod tum caput omnium curarum publicarum erat; nam et duces Romani plus inter se irarum quam adversus hostes animi habuerunt, et auctum est bellum adventu repentino Capenatium atque Faliscorum.
Nor did matters go better at Veii, which was then the head of all public concerns; for the Roman leaders had more of anger among themselves than of spirit against the enemy, and the war was increased by the sudden arrival of the Capenates and the Faliscans.
§5.8.5hi duo Etruriae populi, quia proximi regione erant, devictis Veis bello quoque Romano se proximos fore credentes, Falisci propria etiam causa infesti, §5.8.6quod Fidenati bello se iam antea inmiscuerant, per legatos ultro citroque missos iure iurando inter se obligati cum exercitibus necopinato ad Veios accessere.
These two peoples of Etruria, because they were nearest in region, believing that if Veii were conquered they would also be the nearest to the Roman war, the Faliscans being hostile also for a private cause, because they had already previously mixed themselves in the Fidenate war, bound to each other by an oath through legates sent to and fro, approached Veii unexpectedly with their armies.
§5.8.7forte ea regione, qua M. Sergius tribunus militum praeerat, castra adorti sunt ingentemque terrorem intulere, quia Etruriam omnem excitam sedibus magna mole adesse Romani crediderant.
By chance, in that region where Marcus Sergius, the military tribune, was in command, they attacked the camp and struck huge terror, because the Romans had believed that all Etruria, aroused from its dwellings, was present in great force.
eadem opinio Veientes in urbe concitavit.
The same opinion aroused the Veientes in the city.
ita ancipiti proelio castra Romana oppugnabantur; §5.8.8concursantesque cum huc atque illuc signa transferrent, nec Veientem satis cohibere intra munitiones nec suis munimentis arcere vim ac tueri se ab exteriore poterant hoste.
Thus, the Roman camp was assaulted in a double-sided battle; and as they ran together and transferred the standards hither and thither, they could neither sufficiently restrain the Veientes within the fortifications nor keep off the force from their own defenses and protect themselves from the external enemy.
§5.8.9una spes erat, si ex maioribus castris subveniretur, ut diversae legiones aliae adversus Capenatem ac Faliscum, aliae contra eruptionem oppidanorum pugnarent; sed castris praeerat Verginius privatim Sergio invisus infestusque.
The only hope was if aid should be brought from the larger camp, so that different legions might fight, some against the Capenate and Faliscan, others against the sally of the townsmen; but Verginius was in command of that camp, privately hated by and hostile to Sergius.
§5.8.10is, cum pleraque castella oppugnata, superatas munitiones, utrimque invehi hostem nuntiaretur, in armis milites tenuit, si opus foret auxilio, collegam dictitans ad se missurum.
He, when it was announced that most of the forts were attacked, the fortifications surmounted, and the enemy rushing in from both sides, kept his soldiers under arms, repeatedly saying that his colleague would send to him if there should be need of aid.
huius adrogantiam pertinacia alterius aequabat, §5.8.11qui, ne quam opem ab inimico videretur petisse, vinci ab hoste quam vincere per civem maluit.
The obstinacy of the other equaled his arrogance, who, lest he should seem to have sought any aid from his enemy, preferred to be conquered by the enemy rather than to conquer through his fellow citizen.
§5.8.12diu in medio caesi milites; postremo desertis munitionibus perpauci in maiora castra, pars maxima atque ipse Sergius Romam pertenderunt.
For a long time the soldiers were slaughtered in the middle; at last, having abandoned the fortifications, a very few hastened to the larger camp, and the greatest part, along with Sergius himself, made for Rome.
ubi cum omnem culpam in collegam inclinaret, acciri Verginium ex castris, interea praeesse legatos placuit.
When he threw all the blame on his colleague there, it pleased that Verginius should be summoned from the camp, and in the meantime the legates should command.
§5.8.13acta deinde in senatu res est certatumque inter collegas maledictis.
The matter was then discussed in the senate, and there was a contest of insults between the colleagues.
pauci rei publicae, plerique huic atque illi, ut quosque studium privatim aut gratia occupaverat, adsunt.
Few supported the republic; most supported this one or that one, as private zeal or favor had occupied each.