Those that were added
were called "the younger," but by the same names with the former; which,
now that they have been doubled, they call six centuries.
37. This part of his forces being augmented, a second battle is fought
with the Sabines. But, besides that the Roman army was thus reinforced,
a stratagem also is secretly resorted to, persons having been sent to
throw into the river a great quantity of timber that lay on the banks of
the Anio, it being first set on fire; and the wood being further kindled
by favour of the wind, and the greater[49] part of it (being placed) on
rafts, when it stuck firmly impacted against the piers, sets the bridge
on fire. This accident struck terror into the Sabines during the battle,
and, after they were routed, impeded their flight; so that many, who had
escaped the enemy, perished in the river. Their arms floating down the
Tiber, and being recognised at the city, made known the victory, almost
before any account of it could be carried there. In that action the
glory of the cavalry was prominent: they say that, being posted in the
two wings, when the centre of their own infantry was being beaten, they
charged so briskly in flank, that they not only checked the Sabine
legions who pressed hard on those who retired, but quickly put them to
flight. The Sabines made for the mountains with great precipitation, yet
few reached them; for, as we said before, the greatest part were driven
by the cavalry into the river. Tarquin, thinking it advisable to pursue
the enemy closely while in this consternation, after sending the booty
and the prisoners to Rome, piling up and burning the spoils which he had
vowed to Vulcan, proceeds to lead his army onward into the Sabine
territory. And though matters had turned out adversely, nor could they
hope for better success; yet, because the occasion did not allow time
for deliberation, the Sabines came out to meet him with a hastily raised
army; and being again defeated there, and matters having now become
desperate, they sued for peace.
[Footnote 49: In my version of this passage I have followed the reading,
_et pleraque in ratibus, impacta sublicis quum hærerent_, p. i. The
burning logs were not sent down the river one by one, but were placed on
rafts, so that being incapable of passing on between the piers of the
bridge, they firmly stuck there, and burnt the bridge. This mode of
interpretation is confirmed by Dion. iii. 5, 6. The bridge here meant is
the one built by the Sabines at the confluence of the Anio and the
Tiber----Another reading is, _pleraque in ratibus impacta subliciis quam
hærerent_, "most of them being driven against the boats, resting on
piles, stuck there," &c.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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