brought intelligence that the legions of
the Volscians had entered the borders, and were laying waste the Roman
land in every direction. In which alarm, so far was the fear of the
foreign enemy from putting a check to the domestic feuds, that on the
contrary the tribunitian power became even more vehement in obstructing
the levy; until these conditions were imposed on the patricians, that no
one was to pay tribute as long as the war lasted, nor issue any judicial
process respecting money due. This relaxation being obtained for the
commons, there was no delay with respect to the levy. New legions being
enlisted, it was resolved that two armies should be led into the
Volscian territory, the legions being divided. Spurius Furius and Marcus
Horatius proceed to the right, towards the sea-coast and Antium; Quintus
Servilius and Lucius Geganius to the left, to Ecetra towards the
mountains. On neither side did the enemy meet them. Devastation was
therefore committed, not similar to that straggling kind which the
Volscian had practised by snatches under the influence of trepidation
after the manner of a banditti, relying on the dissensions among the
enemy and dreading their valour; but committed with the full meed of
their resentment by a regular army, more severe also by reason of their
continuance. For the incursions had been made by the Volscians on the
skirts of the borders, as they were afraid lest an army might in the
mean time come forth from Rome: the Romans, on the contrary, had a
motive for tarrying in the enemy's country, in order to entice them to
an engagement. All the houses therefore on the lands, and some villages
also, being burnt down, not a fruit-tree nor the seed being left for the
hope of a harvest, all the booty both of men and cattle, which was
outside the walls, being driven off, the troops were led back from both
quarters to Rome.

32. A short interval having been granted to the debtors to recover
breath, when matters became perfectly quiet with respect to the enemy,
legal proceedings began to be instituted anew; and so remote was all
hope of relieving the former debt, that a new one was now contracted by
a tax for building a wall of hewn stone bargained for by the censors: to
which burden the commons were obliged to submit, because the tribunes of
the commons had no levy which they could obstruct. Forced by the
influence of the nobles, they elected all the military tribunes from
among the patricians, L