of supplies and assembling forces. Meanwhile both sent
embassies and despatched soldiers and officers in every direction, and
each managed to seize some places beforehand and was repulsed from
others. The most of these transactions, and those connected with no great
or important occurrence, I shall pass over, and briefly relate the points
which are of chief value.

Caesar made an expedition against Nursia, among the Sabini, and routed the
garrison encamped before it but was repulsed from the city by Tisienus
Gallus. Accordingly, he went over into Umbria and laid siege to Sentinum,
but failed to capture it. Lucius had meanwhile been sending on one excuse
and another soldiers to his friends in Rome, and then coming suddenly on
the scene himself conquered the cavalry force that met him, hurled the
infantry back to the wall, and after that took the city, since those that
had been there for some days helped the defenders within by attacking the
besiegers. Lepidus, to whom had been entrusted the guarding of the place,
made no resistance by reason of his inherent slothfulness, nor did
Servilius the consul, who was too easy-going. On ascertaining this Caesar
left Quintus Salvidienus Rufus to look after the people of Sentinum, and
himself set out for Rome. Hearing of this movement Lucius withdrew in
advance, having had voted to him the privilege of going out on some war.
Indeed, he delivered an address in soldier's costume, which no one else
had done. Thus Caesar was received into the capital without striking a
blow, and when he did not capture the other by pursuit, he returned and
kept a more careful watch over the city. Meantime, as soon as Caesar had
left Sentinum, Gaius Furnius the guarder of the fortifications had issued
forth and pursued him a long distance, and Rufus unexpectedly attacked
the citizens within, captured the town, plundered, and burned it. The
inhabitants of Nursia came to terms--and suffered no ill treatment; when,
however, after burying those that had fallen in the battle which had
taken place between themselves and Caesar, they inscribed on their tombs
that they had died contending for liberty, an enormous fine was imposed
upon the people, so that they abandoned their city and entire country
together.

[-14-] While they were so engaged, Lucius on setting out from Rome after
his occupancy had proceeded toward Gaul: his road was blocked, however,
and so he turned aside to Perusia, an Etruscan city. There h