might be
happy both to him and to the commonwealth, being astonished, and asking
frequently "whether all was safe," he bids his wife Racilia immediately
to bring his toga from his hut. As soon as he put this on and came
forward, after first wiping off the dust and sweat, the ambassadors,
congratulating him, unite in saluting him as dictator: they call him
into the city; explain to him what terror now exists in the army. A
vessel was prepared for Quintius by order of government, and his three
sons having come out to meet him, receive him on his landing at the
other side; then his other relatives and friends; then the greater part
of the patricians. Accompanied by this numerous attendance, and the
lictors going before him, he was conducted to his residence. There was a
numerous concourse of the commons also; but they by no means looked on
Quintius with equal pleasure, considering both the extent of his
authority as too great, and the man vested with such authority rather
arbitrary. And during that night indeed nothing was done in the city
besides posting guards.

27. On the next day the dictator, after he had come into the forum
before day-light, names a master of the horse, Lucius Tarquitius, a man
of patrician family, but one who, though he had served his campaigns
among the foot by reason of his scanty means, was yet considered by many
degrees the first in military skill among the Roman youth. With his
master of the horse he came into the assembly, proclaims a suspension of
civil business, orders the shops to be closed throughout the city, and
forbids any one to attend to any private affairs. Then he commands that
all, whoever were of the military age, should attend under arms, in the
Campus Martius, before sun-set, with dressed provisions for five days
and twelve palisades, and he commanded that whose age was too far
advanced for military service, should dress their victuals for the
soldiers in their vicinity, whilst the latter were preparing arms, and
procuring the palisade. Accordingly, the young men run in different
directions to procure the palisades; they took them wherever they were
nearest to them; no one was prevented, and they all attended punctually
according to the dictator's order. Then the troops being formed, not
more fitted for the march than for an engagement, should the occasion
require it, the dictator himself marches at the head of the legions, the
master of the horse at the head of his cavalry. In