ch. 192.19The next consuls were Ser. Sulpicius and Manlius
Tullius. Nothing worth recording took place.
[Note] The consuls of the following
year were T. Aebutius and C. Vetusius. During their
consulship Fidenae was besieged; Crustumeria captured;
Praeneste revolted from the Latins to Rome.
The Latin war which had been threatening for some years now
at last broke out. A. Postumius, the Dictator, and T.
Aebutius, Master of the Horse, advanced with a large force of
infantry and cavalry to the Lake Regillus in the district of
Tusculum and came upon the main army of the enemy. On hearing
that the Tarquins were in the army of the Latins, the
passions of the Romans were so roused that they determined to
engage at once. The battle that followed was more obstinately
and desperately fought than any previous ones had been. For
the commanders not only took their part in directing the
action, they fought personally against each other, and hardly
one of the leaders in either army, with the exception of the
Roman Dictator, left the field unwounded. Tarquinius
Superbus, though now enfeebled by age, spurred his horse
against Postumius, who in the front of the line was
addressing and forming his men. He was struck in the side and
carried off by a body of his followers into a place of
safety. Similarly on the other wing Aebutius, Master of the
Horse, directed his attack against Octavius Mamilius; the
Tusculan leader saw him coming and rode at him full speed. So
terrific was the shock that Aebutius' arm was pierced,:
Mamilius was speared in the breast, and led off by the Latins
into their second line. Aebutius, unable to hold a weapon
with his wounded arm, retired from the fighting. The Latin
leader, in no way deterred by his wound, infused fresh energy
into the combat, for, seeing that his own men were wavering,
he called up
the cohort of Roman exiles, who were led by Lucius
Tarquinius. The loss of country and fortune made them fight
all the more desperately; for a short time they restored the
battle, and the Romans who were opposed to them began to give
ground.
