ying, "The men of Alba have left us."
Then the King knew in his heart that there was treachery, and he vowed
that he would build temples to Paleness and Panic, if he should win the
victory that day. Nevertheless he showed no sign of fear, but cried to
the horsemen with a loud voice, that the enemy might hear, saying, "Go
thou back to the battle, and bid thy comrades be of good courage. Mettus
does my bidding that he may take the men of Fidenae in the rear." Also
he bade the cavalry raise their spears in the air, that so the Romans
might, for the most part, be hindered from seeing that the men of Alba
had deserted them; and they that saw, believing what the King had said,
fought with the more courage. Then there fell a great fear upon the
enemy, for these also had heard the saying, which, being in the Latin
tongue, was understood of the men of Fidenae. They, therefore, fearing
lest Mettus and the army of Alba should come down from the mountains and
shut them off from their town, began to give ground. And when the King
had broken their array, he turned the more fiercely on the men of Veii.
These also fled before him, but were hindered from escape by the river.
And some, throwing away their arms, ran blindly into the water, and some
while they lingered on the bank, and knew not whether they should fight
or fly, so perished. Never before had the Romans so fierce a fight with
their enemies.

After this the army of Alba came down from the mountains, and Mettus
said to the King that he rejoiced that he had won so great a victory,
and the King on his part spake friendly to him, and would have him join
his camp with the camp of the Romans. Also he appointed a sacrifice of
purification for the next day. And when it was day, all things being now
ready after the custom of such sacrifices, the King commanded that both
armies should be called to an assembly. And the heralds summoned the men
of Alba first, so that they might be in the inner place; to which also
they came of their own accord, for they sought to be near the King,
greatly desiring to hear what he should say. And the King so ordered it
to the end that the army of Rome might surround them on all sides. Also
he gave his commands to certain captains of hundreds that they fulfil
without delay whatsoever commands he should give them. After this the
King spoke in this fashion, "Men of Rome, if ever before ye had occasion
to give thanks for victory won, first to the immortal Gods