itories of the Sabines with a
hostile army, and when, both by laying waste their country, and
afterward by defeating them in battle, they had so weakened the power
of the enemy that for a long time there was no reason to dread the
renewal of the war in that quarter, they returned to Rome in triumph.
The following year, Agrippa Menenius and Publius Postumius being
consuls, Publius Valerius, by universal consent the ablest man in
Rome, in the arts both of peace and war, died covered with glory, but
in such straitened private circumstances that there was not enough
to defray the expenses of a public funeral: one was given him at
the public charge. The matrons mourned for him as they had done for
Brutus. The same year two Latin colonies, Pometia and Cora,[18]
revolted to the Auruncans.[19] War was commenced against the
Auruncans, and after a large army, which boldly met the consuls
as they were entering their frontiers, had been defeated, all the
operations of the Auruncan war were concentrated at Pometia. Nor,
after the battle was over, did they refrain from slaughter any more
than when it was going on: the number of the slain was considerably
greater than that of the prisoners, and the latter they put to death
indiscriminately. Nor did the wrath of war spare even the hostages,
three hundred in number, whom they had received. This year also the
consuls celebrated a triumph at Rome.

The succeeding consuls, Opiter Verginius and Spurius Cassius, first
endeavoured to take Pometia by storm, and afterward by means of
mantlets [20] and other works. But the Auruncans, stirred up against
them more by an irreconcilable hatred than induced by any hopes of
success, or by a favourable opportunity, having sallied forth, more of
them armed with lighted torches than swords, filled all places with
fire and slaughter. Having fired the mantlets, slain and wounded many
of the enemy, they almost succeeded in slaying one of the consuls, who
had been thrown from his horse and severely wounded: which of them it
was, authorities do not mention. Upon this the Romans returned to the
city unsuccessful: the consul was taken back with many more wounded,
with doubtful hope of his recovery. After a short interval, sufficient
for attending to their wounds and recruiting their army, they attacked
Pometia with greater fury and increased strength. When, after the
mantlets and the other military works had been repaired, the soldiers
were on the point of mou