ch. 223.22The consuls elected were Q. Fabius Vibulanus, for
the third time, and L. Cornelius Maluginensis. In that year
the census was taken, and owing to the seizure of the Capitol
and the death of the consul, the lustrum was closed on
religious grounds.
During their consulship matters became disturbed at the very
beginning of the year. The tribunes began to instigate the
plebs.
[Note]The Latins and Hernici
reported that war on an immense scale was commenced by the
Volscians and Aequi, the Volscian legions were already at
Antium, and there were grave fears of the colony itself
revolting. With great difficulty the tribunes were induced
to allow the war to take precedence of their Law. Then their
respective spheres of operation were allotted to the
consuls: Fabius was commissioned to take the legions to
Antium; Cornelius was to protect Rome and prevent detachments
of the enemy from coming on marauding expeditions, as was the
custom with the Aequi. The Hernici and Latins were ordered to
furnish troops, in accordance with the treaty; two-thirds of
the army consisted of allies, the rest of Roman citizens. The
allies came in on the appointed day, and the consul encamped
outside the Capene gate. When the lustration of the army was
completed, he marched to Antium and halted at a short
distance from the city and from the enemies' standing camp.
As the army of the Aequi had not arrived, the Volscians did
not venture on an engagement, and prepared to act on the
defensive and protect their camp. The next day Fabius formed
his troops round the enemies' lines, not in one mixed army of
allies and citizens, but
each nation in a separate division, he himself being in the
centre with the Roman legions. He gave orders to carefully
observe his signals, that all might commence the action and
retire—should the signal for retirement be sounded—at the
same moment. The cavalry were stationed behind their
respective divisions. In this triple formation he assaulted
three sides of the camp, and the Volscians, unable to meet
the simultaneous attack, were dislodged from the breastworks.
Getting inside their lines he drove the panic-struck crowd,
who were all pressing in one direction, out of their camp.
The cavalry, unable to surmount the breastworks, had so far
been merely spectators of the fight, now they overtook the
enemy and cut them down as they fled in disorder over the
plain, and so enjoyed a share of the victory. There was a
great slaughter both in the camp and in the pursuit, but a
still greater amount of spoil, as the enemy had hardly been
able to carry away even their arms. Their army would have
been annihilated had not the fugitives found shelter in the
forest.
