re tidings to Rome how that the Consul, together with
his army, was besieged. The people were sorely dismayed to hear such
tidings; nor, when they cast about for help, saw they any man that might
be sufficient for such peril, save only Cincinnatus. By common consent,
therefore, he was made Dictator for six months, a thing that may well be
noted by those who hold that nothing is to be accounted of in comparison
of riches, and that no man may win great honour or show forth singular
virtue unless he be well furnished with wealth. For here in this great
peril of the Roman people there was no hope of safety but in one who was
cultivating with his own hand a little plot of scarcely three acres of
ground. For when the messengers of the people came to him they found him
ploughing, or, as some say, digging a ditch. When they had greeted each
the other, the messengers said, "May the Gods prosper this thing to
the Roman people and to thee. Put on thy robe and hear the words of the
people."

[Illustation: Cincinnatus called to be Dictator 180]

Then said Cincinnatus, being not a little astonished, "Is all well?"
and at the same time he called to his wife Racilia that she should bring
forth his robe from the cottage. So she brought it forth, and the man
wiped from him the dust and the sweat, and clad himself in his robe, and
stood before the messengers. These said to him, "The people of Rome make
thee Dictator, and bid thee come forthwith to the city." And at the same
time they told how the Consul and his army were besieged by the AEquians.
So Cincinnatus departed to Rome; and when he came to the other side
of the Tiber there met him first his three sons, and next many of his
kinsfolk and friends, and after them a numerous company of the nobles.
These all conducted him to his house, the lictors, four and twenty
in number, marching before him. There was also assembled a very great
concourse of the people, fearing much how the Dictator might deal with
them, for they knew what manner of man he was, and that there was no
limit to his power, nor any appeal from him.

The next day before dawn the Dictator came into the market-place,
and appointed one Lucius Tarquinius to be Master of the Horse. This
Tarquinius was held by common consent to excel all other men in
exercises of war; only, though, being a noble by birth, he should have
been among the horsemen, he had served, for lack of means, as a foot
soldier. This done he called an assem