e in
autumn, and their siege of the Capitol became wearisome, for they had
now beleaguered it for seven months; so that there was much sickness in
their camp, and so many died that they no longer buried the dead. Yet
for all this the besieged fared no better. Hunger pressed them, and
their ignorance of what Camillus was doing disheartened them; for no one
could reach them with news, because the city was strictly watched by
Gauls. As both parties were in these straits, proposals for a
capitulation took place; at first among the outposts on both sides;
afterwards the chief men on each side. Brennus, the Gaulish king, and
Sulpicius the Roman tribune, met, and it was agreed that the Romans
should pay a thousand pounds of gold, and that the Gauls should, on
receiving it, at once leave the country. Both parties swore to observe
these conditions, but when the gold was being weighed, the Gauls at
first tampered with the scales unperceived, and then openly pulled the
beam, so that the Romans became angry. But at this Brennus insolently
took off his sword and belt, and flung them into the scale; and when
Sulpicius asked, "What is this?" "What should it be," replied the Gaul;
"but woe to the vanquished!" At this some of the Romans were angry and
thought that they ought to take back their gold into the Capitol, and
again endure the siege; while others said that they must put up with
insults, provided they were not too outrageous, and not think that there
was any additional disgrace in paying more than they had agreed, because
in paying any ransom at all, they were acting from sheer necessity
rather than feelings of honour.

XXIX. While the Romans were thus disputing with the Gauls, and with one
another, Camillus with his army was at the gates. Learning what was
being done, he ordered the mass of his soldiers to follow him quietly
and in good order, and himself pushed on with the picked troops to join
the Romans, who all made way for him, and received him as dictator with
silence and respect. He then took the gold from the scales and gave it
to his victors, and ordered the Gauls to take the scales and the beam,
and depart, "for," said he, "it is the custom of the Romans to defend
their country not with gold but with iron." At this Brennus became
angry, and said that he was being wronged by the treaty being broken;
and Camillus answered that the negotiations were illegal, because when
they began he was already dictator, and therefore