But the soldiers, who had expected to have the pillage of the city,
when they came to Rome empty-handed railed against Camillus among their
fellow-citizens, as a hater of the people, and one that grudged
all advantage to the poor. The People were exasperated against him.
Gathering, therefore, together his friends and fellow-soldiers, and such
as had borne command with him, a considerable number in all, he besought
them that they would not suffer him to be unjustly overborne by shameful
accusations, and left the mock and scorn of his enemies. His friends,
having advised and consulted among themselves, made answer, that, as to
the sentence, they did not see how they could help him, but that they
would contribute to whatsoever fine should be set upon him. Not able to
endure so great an indignity, he resolved in his anger to leave the city
and go into exile; and so, having taken leave of his wife and son, he
went silently to the gate of the city, and, there stopping and turning
round, stretched out his hands to the Capitol, and prayed to the gods,
that if, without any fault of his own, but merely through the malice and
violence of the people, he was driven out into banishment, the Romans
might quickly repent of it; and that all mankind might witness their
need for the assistance, and desire for the return, of Camillus.
And there is not a Roman but believes that immediately upon the prayers
of Camillus a sudden judgment followed, and that he received a revenge
for the injustice done unto him, which was very remarkable, and noised
over the whole world: such a punishment visited the city of Rome, an era
of such loss and danger and disgrace so quickly succeeded; whether it
thus fell out by fortune, or it be the office of god not to see injured
virtue go unavenged.
The first token that seemed to threaten some mischief to ensure was the
death of the censor Julius; for the Romans have a religious reverence
for the office of a censor, and esteem it sacred. The second was, that,
just before Camillus went into exile, Marcus Caedicius, a person of no
great distinction, nor of the rank of senator, but esteemed a good and
respectable man, reported to the military tribunes a thing worthy their
consideration: that, going along the night before in the street called
the New Way, and being called by somebody in a loud voice, he turned
about, but could see no one, but heard a voice greater than human, which
said these words, "Go, Marcus Caedicius, and early in the morning tell
the military tribunes that they are shortly to expect the Gauls." But
the tribunes made a mock and sport with the story, and a little after
came Camillus's banishment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account