Wait till your mothers and wives come out to meet you from the
city with dishevelled hair, as they did formerly to Coriolanus. At that
time the legions of the Volscians, because they had a Roman for their
leader, ceased from hostilities; will not ye, a Roman army, desist from
an unnatural war? Titus Quinctius, under whatever circumstances you
stand on that side, whether voluntarily or reluctantly, if there must be
fighting, do you then retire to the rear. With more honour even will you
fly, and turn your back to your countryman, than fight against your
country. Now you will stand with propriety and honour among the foremost
to promote peace; and may you be a salutary agent in this conference.
Require and offer that which is just; though we should admit even unjust
terms, rather than engage in an impious combat with each other." Titus
Quinctius, turning to his party with his eyes full of tears, said, "In
me too, soldiers, if there is any use of me, ye have a better leader for
peace than for war. For that speech just now delivered, not a Volscian,
nor a Samnite expressed, but a Roman: your own consul, your own general,
soldiers: whose auspices having already experienced for you, do not wish
to experience them against you. The senate had other generals also, who
would engage you with more animosity; they have selected the one who
would be most indulgent to you, his own soldiers, in whom as your
general you would have most confidence. Even those who can conquer,
desire peace: what ought we to desire? Why do we not, renouncing
resentment and hope, those fallacious advisers, resign ourselves and all
our interests to his tried honour?"

41. All approving with a shout, Titus Quinctius, advancing before the
standards, declared that "the soldiers would be obedient to the
dictator; he entreated that he would espouse the cause of his
unfortunate countrymen, and having espoused it, he would maintain it
with the same fidelity with which he had wont to administer public
affairs. That for himself individually he made no terms: that he would
found his hope in nothing else but in his innocence. That provision
should be made for the soldiers, as provision had been made by the
senate, once for the commons, a second time for the legions, so that the
secession should not be visited with punishment." The dictator, having
lauded Quinctius, and having bid the others to hope for the best,
returned back to the city with all speed, and, with the ap