eave Romulus, your founder, a god
and the son of a god, and follow Sicinius?" (This Sicinius was tribune of
the Commons and had brought this matter forward.)

None was more urgent against this counsel than Camillus. "Verily," he
would say, "there is nothing at which to marvel in these troubles. The
whole state is mad, for, though it is bound by a vow, it careth for
every matter rather than how this vow may best be paid. Of that which
was paid for the tenth, verily a small part in place of the whole, I say
nothing. This toucheth the consciences of all, but the state is free.
But there is another matter of which I dare not be silent any more. We
have set apart a tenth of those things which were moveable. Of the city
and of the lands ye make no mention, yet were these comprehended in the
vow." This matter the Senate referred to the priests, and the priests,
having called Camillus into council, gave this sentence: "There is due
to Apollo a tenth of all that before the uttering of the vow belonged
to the men of Veii, and afterwards came into the power of the Roman
people." Thus the city and the lands thereof were included. The money,
therefore, was paid out of the public treasury; and the magistrates were
commanded to purchase gold therewith. And when there was not found a
sufficient quantity of this metal, the matrons, having first met and
deliberated on the matter, promised that they would themselves supply
the magistrates with gold, and carried all their ornaments to the
treasury.

[Illustration: Roman ladies bringing their ornaments 228]

Never was anything done that more pleased the Senate than this
liberality of the women; and, by way of recompense, it was ordered
that they should thereafter enjoy this privilege, that they should use
covered chariots whensoever they went to public worship or to the
games, and other carriages on any day, whether festival or common.
Notwithstanding, the tribunes of the Commons were still bitter against
Camillus. "Verily," they said, "by his confiscations and consecrations
he hath brought the spoil of Veii to nothing."

The next year there was war with the men of Falerii. These at the
first, for fear of the Romans, kept themselves within their walls; but
afterwards, not enduring to see the plundering of their lands, came
forth, and pitched their camp about the space of a mile from the town,
in a steep and difficult place. But Camillus, for he was the captain of
the host, taking for hi