his wisdom into folly."
For this cause Kaeso was ill content, and was the more willing to take
such occasion as offered of serving his country elsewhere than at Rome.

Now the city of Veii, being ten miles only distant from Rome, was ever
at variance with it. Never was there peace between these two, neither
was there open war. When the Roman legions marched forth, the men of
Veii would flee before them and seek refuge in their city; but so soon
as they perceived that the legions had departed, then they would sally
forth and spoil the land of the Romans. These had other enemies also
with whom to deal; for the AEquians and the Volscians were content to be
quiet only till they should have recovered themselves from the loss they
had of late suffered, and the Sabines were always enemies, and all the
cities of Etruria were manifestly making ready for war.

These things being so, Kaeso Fabius, the Consul, on behalf of the whole
house of the Fabii, spake thus to the Senate: "This war with the men of
Veii, as ye well know, Fathers, needeth not a great army, yet needeth
one that shall be ever at hand. With this, therefore, we that are of the
house of Fabius will deal; the others we leave to you. This will we wage
of our own strength and at our own cost, with some saving, we trust, of
men and money to the State." The Senate receiving these words with much
thankfulness, the Consul departed to his own house; the Fabii, who
had stood in the porch of the senate-house till the matter should
be settled, following him. Straightway the fame of the thing spread
throughout the city, and all men extolled the Fabii. "See now," they
said, "how this one family has undertaken the burden of the State. Had
we but two such houses besides who might undertake, this to do battle
with the AEquians and that with the Volscians, the city might remain at
peace and do its business quietly, while all the nations round about
should be subdued unto it." The next day the Fabii arm themselves for
battle, and assemble as Kaeso had commanded. Then the Consul, coming
from his house with his soldiers cloak, upon his shoulders, saw all his
kindred drawn up in array before the porch. And when these had received
him into their midst, he bade them lift the standards. Never had there
passed through the city a smaller army, or one more renowned and admired
among men. Three hundred and six soldiers there were, nobles all of
them, all of one house, not one but might well h