office, each took his seat
on his ivory chair of magistracy in the gate-way of his house.

Meanwhile the Gauls had delayed for a day their attack on the city,
fearing that the silence portended some snare. When they did enter, the
people had escaped with such valuables as they could carry. The Capitol
was provisioned and garrisoned, and the aged senators awaited death in
solemn calm.

On seeing these venerable men, sitting in motionless silence amid the
confusion of the sack of the city, the Gauls viewed them with awe,
regarding them at first as more than human. One of the soldiers
approached M. Papirius, and began reverently to stroke his long white
beard. Papirius was a minister of the gods, and looked on this touch of
a barbarian hand as profanation. With an impulse of anger he struck the
Gaul on the head with his ivory sceptre. Instantly the barbarian,
breaking into rage, cut him down with his sword. This put an end to the
feeling of awe. All the old men were attacked and slain, their vow being
thus fulfilled.

Rome, except its Capitol, was now in the hands of the Gauls. The sack
and ruin of the city went mercilessly on. But the Capitol defied their
efforts. It stood on a hill which, except at a single point, presented
precipitous sides. The Gauls tried to storm it by this single approach,
but were driven back with loss. They then blockaded the hill, and spent
their time in devastating the city and neighboring country.

While this was going on the fugitives from Rome had gathered at Veii,
where they daily became more reorganized. And now they turned in their
distress to a man whom they had injured in their prosperity. Camillus,
the conqueror of Veii, had been exiled from Rome on a charge of having
been dishonest in distributing the spoils of the conquered city. He was
now living at Ardea, whither messengers were sent, begging him to come
to the aid of Rome. He sent word back that he had been condemned for an
offence of which he was not guilty, and would not return unless
requested to do so by the senate.

But the senate was shut up in the Capitol. How could it be reached? In
this dilemma a young man, Pontius Cominius, volunteered for the
adventure. He swam the Tiber at night, climbed the hill by the aid of
shrubs and projecting stones, obtained for Camillus the appointment as
dictator, and returned by the same route.

The feat of Cominius, whatever its real purpose, came near being a fatal
one to Rome. He ha