ch. 112.11 [Note] Repulsed in his first
attempt, Porsena changed his plans from assault to blockade.
After placing a detachment to hold the Janiculum he fixed his
camp on the plain between that hill and the Tiber, and sent
everywhere for boats, partly to intercept any attempt to get
corn into Rome and partly to carry his troops across to
different spots for plunder, as opportunity might serve. In a
short time he made the whole of the district round Rome so
insecure that not only were all the crops removed from the
fields but even the cattle were all driven into the City, nor
did any one venture to take them outside the gates. The
impunity with which the Etruscans committed their
depredations was due to strategy on the part of the Romans
more than to fear. For the consul Valerius, determined to get
an opportunity of attacking them when they were scattered in
large numbers over the fields, allowed small forages to pass
unnoticed, whilst he was reserving himself for vengeance on a
larger scale. So to draw on the pillagers, he gave orders to
a considerable body of his men to drive cattle out of the
Esquiline gate, which was the furthest from the enemy, in
the expectation that they would gain intelligence of it
through the slaves who were deserting, owing to the scarcity
produced by the blockade. The information was duly conveyed,
and in consequence they crossed the river in larger numbers
than usual in the hope of securing the whole lot. P. Valerius
ordered T. Herminius with a small body of troops to take up
a concealed position at a distance of two miles on the Gabian
road, whilst Sp. Lartius with some light-armed infantry was
to post himself at the Colline gate until the enemy had
passed him and then to intercept their retreat to the river.
The other consul, T. Lucretius, with a few maniples made a
sortie from the Naevian gate; Valerius himself led some
picked cohorts from the Caelian hill, and these were the
first to attract the enemy's notice. When Herminius became
aware that fighting was begun, he rose from ambush and took
the enemy who were engaged with Valerius in rear. Answering
cheers arose right and left, from the Colline and the Naevian
gates, and the pillagers, hemmed in, unequal to the fight,
and with every way of escape blocked, were cut to pieces.
That put
an end to these irregular and scattered excursions on the
part of the Etruscans.
