in anywise worthy of their name. Their souls were wholly possessed with
terror, so that, forgetting everything, they fled to Veii, that had
belonged to their enemies, and this though the Tiber was in their way,
rather than to Rome, to their wives and children. The reserves were
defended for a while by the ground whereon they stood, but the rest of
the army turned their backs forthwith and fled so soon as they heard
the battle shout of the Gauls. For they sought not to come to blows with
them, nor even set up a shout in answer; but without making trial of the
enemy, nor so much as daring to look at him, fled with all haste. In the
battle, indeed, none were slain; but there was great slaughter among the
rereward when these were crowded together in such haste and confusion
that they hindered one another. Many also were slain on the bank of the
Tiber, whither the whole of the left wing of the host had fled, first
throwing away their arms; and many also were swallowed up by the
river, either not knowing how to swim or from lack of strength, being
overburdened by the weight of their coats of mail and other armour.
Nevertheless the greater part of the men escaped safe to Veii; but none
went from this place to the help of Rome, nor did they so much as send
tidings of the battle. As for them that had been set on the right
wing, these all went to Rome; and when they were come thither, delayed
not even to shut the gate of the city, but fled straightway into the
citadel. This battle was fought on the eighteenth day of the month
Quintilis; nor was it ever lawful in Rome thereafter to do any public
business on that day.

The Gauls were beyond measure astonished that they had vanquished their
enemy so easily and in so short a space of time. At the first they stood
still in fear, not knowing what had taken place; afterwards they began
to fear some stratagem; at last they buried the dead bodies of the
slain, and piled together the arms in heaps according to their custom.
And now, not perceiving in any place the sign of an enemy, they began
to march forward, and came to Rome a little before sunset. But when
the horsemen whom they had sent on before brought back tidings that
the gates were open, with none to defend them and no soldiers upon the
walls, they were not less astonished than before, and came to a halt,
fearing lest, in the darkness of the night and in a place whereof they
knew nothing, they might fall into some peril. They took