suls. The commons
appeared determined no longer to brook a delay of the agrarian law, and
extreme violence was on the eve of being resorted to, when it was
ascertained from the burning of the country-houses and the flight of the
peasants that the Volscians were at hand: this circumstance checked the
sedition that was now ripe and almost breaking out. The consuls, having
been instantly forced to the war by the senate,[103] after leading forth
the youth from the city, rendered the rest of the commons more quiet.
And the enemy indeed, having done nothing else except alarming the
Romans by groundless fear, depart with great precipitation. Numicius
marched to Antium against the Volscians, Virginius against the AEquans.
Here a signal overthrow being well nigh received from an ambuscade, the
bravery of the soldiers restored (the Roman) superiority, which had been
endangered through the carelessness of the consul. The general conducted
affairs better against the Volscians. The enemy were routed in the first
engagement, and forced to fly into the city of Antium, a very wealthy
place considering those times; the consul, not venturing to attack it,
took from the people of Antium another town, Ceno, which was by no means
so wealthy. Whilst the AEquans and Volscians engage the attention of the
Roman armies, the Sabines advanced in their devastations even to the
gates of the city: then they themselves, a few days after, received from
the two armies heavier losses than they had occasioned, the two consuls
having entered their territories under exasperated feelings.

[Footnote 103: In the original we read _coacti extemplo ab senatu_.
Niebuhr considers this reading to be corrupt, and is satisfied that the
correct reading is _coacto extemplo senatu_. See ii. n. 555.]

64. Towards the close of the year there was some peace, but, as
frequently at other times, disturbed by contests between the patricians
and commons. The exasperated commons refused to attend the consular
elections: Titus Quintius, Quintus Servilius, were elected consuls by
the patricians and their dependents: the consuls have a year similar to
the preceding, the commencement embroiled, and afterwards tranquil by
external war. The Sabines marching across the plains of Crustuminum with
great rapidity, after carrying fire and sword along the banks of the
Anio, being repulsed when they had come up nearly to the Colline gate
and the walls, drove off however great booty of men an