At length the passage was complete, and Camillus led a picked band of soldiers along the tunnel, until they stood beneath the temple of Juno, the goddess of Veii. While the Dictator was stealing underground with his followers, the walls of the city were being once again attacked. The Veians, still ignorant of the mine beneath their feet, rushed to defend their walls against the enemy. As the conflict raged, the King of Veii hastened to the temple of Juno to offer sacrifices, and to beseech the goddess to grant him victory. ‘The victory will be won by him who lays the sacrifice on the altar,’ cried the priest who stood by the side of the king. Camillus, who was just beneath the altar, heard the priest’s words. Instantly he broke through the floor of the temple and entered the sacred building with his followers, who shouted and waved their weapons above their heads. The Veians fled from the temple in dismay, while Camillus hastened to seize the sacrifice and fling it upon the altar. Then, knowing that victory was assured, the band of Roman soldiers rushed to the gates of the city and flung them wide that their comrades might enter. A little later, and the Veians were overwhelmed, and Veii was at length in the hands of the Romans. CHAPTER XXXIII THE STATUE OF THE GODDESS When Veii had fallen into his hands, Camillus allowed not only the soldiers, but the citizens of Rome to plunder the city, for he had agreed with the Senate that all the people should share in the spoil. As he stood on a high tower watching the sack of the city which had resisted Rome for ten years, Camillus wept for pity. Then, covering his face with his toga, he prayed that if his great victory had made him proud, Jupiter would punish, not Rome or the army, but only him, and that ‘with as little hurt as might be.’ Turning then to his right, as was the custom after prayer, the Dictator slipped and fell to the ground. This, he believed, was the ‘little hurt’ sent to him by the god. Many treasures were taken from the conquered city to Rome, but none more sacred than the statue of Juno. Camillus ordered some young men to clothe themselves in white robes, and then to go to the temple to remove the statue. It was a solemn moment when the youths stood before the image, scarce venturing to look upon it, lest they should be punished for their boldness. One of them, half mocking, yet, it may be, half in earnest too, said: ‘O Juno, wilt thou go to Rome?’ Clear through the temple echoed the voice of the goddess: ‘I will.’ Then reverently the young men lifted the image, but to their astonishment it was so light that they felt as though their arms were empty, and the goddess was walking by their side. In safety they reached Rome with the wondrous image, and Camillus built a temple on the Aventine hill, in which henceforth the statue of Juno stood.