y have given way, do you
give reins to your horses and drive them from the field. They will not
stand your charge: even now they rather hesitate than resist." They spur
on their horses, and drive in amongst the enemy who were already thrown
into confusion by the attack of the infantry; and having broken through
the ranks, and pushed on to the rear of their line, a part wheeling
round in the open space, turn most of them away from the camp to which
they were now flying from all sides, and by riding on before they deter
them from that direction. The line of infantry, and the consul himself,
and the main body of the army make for the camp, and having taken it
with considerable slaughter, they get possession of a great quantity of
booty. The fame of this battle was carried not only to the city, but to
the other army also among the Sabines. In the city it was celebrated
only with public rejoicing; in the camp it fired the courage of the
soldiers to emulate such glory. Horatius, by training them in
excursions, and making trial of them in slight skirmishes, had
accustomed them to trust in themselves rather than to remember the
ignominy incurred under the command of the decemvirs, and these little
encounters had now gone so far as to insure to them the consummation of
all their hopes. The Sabines, elated at their success on the preceding
year, ceased not to provoke and urge them (to fight,) constantly asking
them why they wasted time, sallying forth in small numbers and returning
like marauders, and why they parcelled out the grand effort of a single
war on a number of insignificant skirmishes? why did they not engage
them in the field, and consign the result to fortune to be determined at
once?

62. Besides that they had already of themselves recovered a sufficient
degree of courage, the Romans were fired with exasperation "that the
other army would soon return victorious to the city; that the enemy were
now wantonly insulting them by contumelies; when would they be a match
for the enemy, if they were not so then?" When the consul ascertained
that the soldiers gave expression to these sentiments in the camp,
having summoned an assembly: "How matters have gone on in Algidum," says
he, "I suppose that you, soldiers, have already heard. As became the
army of a free people to behave, so have they behaved: through the
judicious conduct of my colleague and the valour of the soldiers, the
victory has been gained. For my part, the pla