y; and now the
youth himself, now his father, Marcus Fabius, disclaiming further
contest, fell at the dictator's knees and deprecated his wrath. Then the
dictator, after causing silence, said, "Romans, it is well. Military
discipline has prevailed; the majesty of government has prevailed; both
which were in danger of ceasing this day to exist. Quintus Fabius, who
fought contrary to the order of his commander, is not acquitted of
guilt; but after being condemned as guilty, is granted as a boon to the
Roman people; is granted to the college of tribunes, supporting him with
their prayers, not with the regular power of their office. Live, Quintus
Fabius, more happy in this united sympathy of the state for your
preservation, than in the victory in which you lately exulted. Live,
after having ventured on such an act, as your father himself, had he
been in the place of Lucius Papirius, would not have pardoned. With me
you shall be reconciled whenever you wish it. To the Roman people, to
whom you owe your life, you can perform no greater service than to let
this day teach you a sufficient lesson to enable you to submit to lawful
commands, both in war and peace." He then declared, that he no longer
detained the master of the horse, and as he retired from the rostrum,
the senate being greatly rejoiced, and the people still more so,
gathered round him and escorted him, on one hand commending the
dictator, on the other congratulating the master of the horse; while it
was considered that the authority of military command was confirmed no
less effectually by the danger of Quintus Fabius that the lamentable
punishment of young Manlius. It so happened, that, through the course of
that year, as often as the dictator left the army the Samnites were in
motion: but Marcus Valerius, the lieutenant-general who commanded in the
camp, had Quintus Fabius before his eyes for an example, not to fear any
violence of the enemy, so much as the unrelenting anger of the dictator.
So that when a body of his foragers fell into an ambuscade and were cut
to pieces in disadvantageous ground, it was generally believed that the
lieutenant-general could have given them assistance if he had not been
held in dread by his rigorous orders. The resentment for this also
alienated the affections of the soldiery from the dictator, already
incensed against him because he had been implacable towards Quintus
Fabius, and because he had granted him pardon at the intercessio