ry of Modena, heard of the defeat and death
of Catiline, straightway he came with his host to the place where the
battle had been, and having seen the slain, through amazement at the
strange and great mortality he was afeared, marvelling within himself
as at a thing impossible. But afterwards he and his followers equally
despoiled the camp of the Romans from the city and that of the enemy,
seizing that which they found there; and this done he came towards
Fiesole to besiege the city. The Fiesolans vigorously took to arms,
and sallied forth from the city to the plain, fighting with Metellus
and with his host, and by force thrust him back, and drove him to the
other side of the Arno with great hurt to his people, who with his
followers encamped upon the hills, or upon the banks of the river; the
Fiesolans with their host drew off from the other bank of the river
Arno towards Fiesole.

Sec. 34.--_How Metellus and Fiorinus discomfited the Fiesolans._

The night following, Metellus ordered and commanded that part of his
host should pass the river Arno, at a distance from the host of the
Fiesolans, and should place themselves in ambush between the city of
Fiesole and the host of the Fiesolans, and of that company he made
captain Fiorinus, a noble citizen of Rome of the race of the Fracchi
or Floracchi, who was his praetor, which is as much as to say marshal
of his host; and Fiorinus, as he was commanded by the consul, so he
did. In the morning, at the break of day, Metellus armed with all his
people passing over the river Arno, began the battle against the
Fiesolans, and the Fiesolans, vigorously defending the ford of the
river, sustained the battle in the river Arno. Fiorinus, who was with
his people in ambush, when he saw the battle begun, sallied forth
boldly in the rear of the Fiesolans, who were fighting in the river
against Metellus. The Fiesolans, surprised by the ambush, seeing
themselves suddenly assailed by Fiorinus in the rear and by Metellus
in front, put to confusion, threw down their arms and fled discomfited
towards the city of Fiesole, wherefore many of them were slain and
taken.

Sec. 35.--_How the Romans besieged Fiesole the first time, and how
Fiorinus was slain._

The Fiesolans being discomfited and driven back from the shores of
Arno, Fiorinus the praetor, with the host of the Romans, encamped
beyond the river Arno towards Fiesole, where were two little villages,
one of which was called Villa Arn