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reproaching　those　of　the　commonalty　with　their　late　injustice　to
Marcius；　while　the　plebeians；　on　their　side　did　not　hesitate　to　accuse
them　of　having；　out　of　spite　and　revenge；　solicited　him　to　this
enterprise；　and　thus；　when　others　were　involved　in　the　miseries　of　a
war　by　their　means；　they　sat　like　unconcerned　spectators；　as　being
furnished　with　a　guardian　and　protector　abroad　of　their　wealth　and
fortunes；　in　the　very　person　of　the　public　enemy。　After　this　incursion
and　exploit；　which　was　of　great　advantage　to　the　Volscians；　as　they
learned　by　it　to　grow　more　hardy　and　to　contemn　their　enemy；　Marcius
drew　them　off；　and　returned　in　safety。
　　But　when　the　whole　strength　of　the　Volscians　was　brought　together　in
the　field；　with　great　expedition　and　alacrity；　it　appeared　so
considerable　a　body；　that　they　agreed　to　leave　part　in　garrison；　for
the　security　of　their　towns；　and　with　the　other　part　to　march
against　the　Romans。　Marcius　now　desired　Tullus　to　choose　which　of
the　two　charges　would　be　most　agreeable　to　him。　Tullus　answered　that
since　he　knew　Marcius　to　be　equally　valiant　with　himself；　and　far　more
fortunate；　he　would　have　him　take　the　command　of　those　that　were　going
out　to　the　war；　while　he　made　it　his　care　to　defend　their　cities　at
home　and　provide　all　conveniences　for　the　army　abroad。　Marcius；　thus
reinforced；　and　much　stronger　than　before；　moved　first　towards　the
city　called　Circaeum；　a　Roman　colony。　He　received　its　surrender　and
did　the　inhabitants　no　injury；　passing　thence；　he　entered　and　laid
waste　the　country　of　the　Latins；　where　he　expected　the　Romans　would
meet　him；　as　the　Latins　were　their　confederates　and　allies；　and　had
often　sent　to　demand　succours　from　them。　The　people；　however；　on　their
part；　showing　little　inclination　for　the　service；　and　the　consuls
themselves　being　unwilling　to　run　the　hazard　of　a　battle；　when　the
time　of　their　office　was　almost　ready　to　expire；　they　dismissed　the
Latin　ambassadors　without　any　effect；　so　that　Marcius；　finding　no　army
to　oppose　him；　marched　up　to　their　cities；　and　having　taken　by　force
Toleria；　Lavici；　Peda；　and　Bola；　all　of　which　offered　resistance；
not　only　plundered　their　houses；　but　made　a　prey　likewise　of　their
persons。　Meantime　he　showed　particular　regard　for　all　such　as　came
over　to　his　party；　and；　for　fear　they　might　sustain　any　damage　against
his　will；　encamped　at　the　greatest　distance　he　could；　and　wholly
abstained　from　the　lands　of　their　property。
　　After；　however；　that　he　had　made　himself　master　of　Bola；　a　town
not　above　ten　miles　from　Rome；　where　he　found　great　treasure；　and
put　almost　all　the　adults　to　the　sword；　and　when　on　this；　the　other
Volscians　that　were　ordered　to　stay　behind　and　protect　their　cities；
hearing　of　his　achievements　and　success；　had　not　patience　to　remain
any　longer　at　home；　but　came　hastening　in　their　arms　to　Marcius；
saying　that　he　alone　was　their　general　and　the　sole　commander　they
would　own；　with　all　this；　his　name　and　renown　spread　throughout　all
Italy；　and　universal　wonder　prevailed　at　the　sudden　and　mighty
revolution　in　the　fortunes　of　two　nations　which　the　loss　and　the
accession　of　a　single　man　had　effected。
　　All　at　Rome　was　in　great　disorder；　they　were　utterly　averse　from
fighting；　and　spent　their　whole　time　in　cabals　and　disputes　and
reproaches　against　each　other；　until　news　was　brought　that　the　enemy
had　laid　close　siege　to　Lavinium；　where　were　the　images　and　sacred
things　of　their　tutelar　gods；　and　from　whence　they　derived　the
origin　of　their　nation；　that　being　the　first　city　which　Aeneas　built
in　Italy。　These　tidings　produced　a　change　as　universal　as　it　was
extraordinary　in　the　thoughts　and　inclinations　of　the　people；　but
occasioned　a　yet　stranger　revulsion　of　feelings　among　the
patricians。　The　people　now　were　for　repealing　the　sentence　against
Marcius；　and　calling　him　back　into　the　city；　whereas　the　senate；　being
assembled　to　preconsider　the　decree；　opposed　and　finally　rejected
the　proposal；　either　out　of　the　mere　humour　of　contradicting　and
withstanding　the　people　in　whatever　they　should　desire；　or　because
they　were　unwilling；　perhaps；　that　he　should　owe　his　restoration　to
their　kindness；　or　having　now　conceived　a　displeasure　against
Marcius　himself；　who　was　bringing　distress　upon　all　alike；　though　he
had　not　been　ill…treated　by　all；　and　was　become　a　declared　enemy　to
his　whole　country；　though　he　knew　well　enough　that　the　principal　and
all　the　better　men　condoled　with　him　and　suffered　in　his　injuries。
　　This　resolution　of　theirs　being　made　public；　the　people　could
proceed　no　further；　having　no　authority　to　pass　anything　by
suffrage；　and　enact　it　for　a　law；　without　a　previous　decree　from　the
senate。　When　Marcius　heard　of　this；　he　was　more　exasperated　than　ever；
and；　quitting　the　siege　of　Lavinium；　marched　furiously　towards　Rome；
and　encamped　at　a　place　called　the　Cluilian　ditches；　about　five
miles　from　the　city。　The　nearness　of　his　approach　did；　indeed；
create　much　terror　and　disturbance；　yet　it　also　ended　their
dissensions　for　the　present；　as　nobody　now；　whether　consul　or　senator；
durst　any　longer　contradict　the　people　in　their　design　of　recalling
Marcius；　but；　seeing　their　women　running　affrighted　up　and　down　the
streets；　and　the　old　men　at　prayer　in　every　temple　with　tears　and
supplications；　and　that；　in　short；　there　was　a　general　absence　among
them　both　of　courage　and　wisdom　to　provide　for　their　own　safety；
they　came　at　last　to　be　all　of　one　mind；　that　the　people　had　been　in
the　right　to　propose　as　they　did　a　reconciliation　with　Marcius；　and
that　the　senate　was　guilty　of　a　fatal　error　to　begin　a　quarrel　with
him　when　it　was　a　time　to　forget　offences；　and　they　should　have
studied　rather　to　appease　him。　It　was；　therefore；　unanimously　agreed
by　all　parties；　that　ambassadors　should　be　despatched；　offering　him
return　to　his　country；　and　desiring　he　would　free　them　from　the
terrors　and　distresses　of　the　war。　The　persons　sent　by　the　senate　with
this　message　were　chosen　out　of　his　kindred　and　acquaintance；　who
naturally　expected　a　very　kind　reception　at　their　first　interview；
upon　the　score　of　that　relation　and　their　old　familiarity　and
friendship　with　him；　in　which；　however；　they　were　much　mistaken。　Being
led　through　the　enemy's　camp；　they　found　him　sitting　in　state　amidst
the　chief　men　of　the　Volscians；　looking　insupportably　proud　and
arrogant。　He　bade　them　declare　the　cause　of　their　coming；　which　they
did　in　the　most　gentle　and　tender　terms；　and　with　a　behaviour　suitable
to　their　language。　When　they　had　made　an　end　of　speaking；　he
returned　them　a　sharp　answer；　full　of　bitterness　and　angry　resentment；
as　to　what　concerned　himself　and　the　ill…usage　he　had　received　from
them；　but　as　general　of　the　Volscians；　he　demanded　restitution　of
the　cities　and　the　lands　which　had　been　seized　upon　during　the　late
war；　and　that　the　same　rights　and　franchises　should　be　granted　them　at
Rome；　which　had　been　before　accorded　to　the　Latins；　since　there
could　be　no　assurance　that　a　peace　would　be　firm　and　lasting　without
fair　and　just　conditions　on　both　sides。　He　allowed　them　thirty　days　to
consider　and　resolve。
　　The　ambassadors　being　departed；　he　withdrew　his　forces　out　of　the
Roman　territory。　This；　those　of　the　Volscians　who　had　long　envied
his　reputation；　and　could　not　endure　to　see　the　influence　he　had
with　the　people；　laid　hold　of；　as　the　first　matter　of　complaint
against　him。　Among　them　was　also　Tullus　himself；　not　for　any　wrong
done　him　personally　by　Marcius；　but　through　the　weakness　incident　to
human　nature；　He　could　not　help　feeling　mortified　to　find　his　own
glory　thus　totally　obscured；　and　himself　overlooked　and　neglected
now　by　the　Volscians；　who　had　so　great　an　opinion　of　their　new　leader；
that　he　alone　was　all　to　them；　while　other　captains；　they　thought；
should　be　content　with　that　share　of　power　which　he　might　think　fit　to
accord。　From　hence　the　first　seeds　of　complaint　and　accusation　were
scattered　about　in　secret；　and　the　malcontents　met　and　heightened　each
other's　indignation；　saying；　that　to　retreat　as　he　did　was　in　effect
to　betray　and　deliver　up　though　not　their　cities　and　their　arms；　yet
what　was　as　bad；　the　critical　times　and　opportunities　for　action；　on
which　depend　the　preservation　or　the　loss　of　everything　else；　since　in
less　than　thirty　days'　space；　for　which　he　had　given　a　respite　for　the
war；　there　might　happen　the　greatest　changes　in　the　world。　Yet　Marcius
spent　not　any　part　of　the　time　idly；　but　attacked　the　confederates
of　the　enemy；　ravaged　their　land；　and　took　from　them　seven　great　and
populous　cities　in　that　interval。　The　Romans；　in　the　meanwhile；
durst　not　venture　out　to　their　relief；　but　were　utterly　fearful；　and
showed　no　more　disposition　or　capacity　for　action　than　if　their　bodies
had　been　struck　with　a　palsy；　and　became　destitute　of　sense　and
motion。　But　when　the　thirty　days　were　expired；　and　Marcius　appeared
again　with　his　whole　army；　they　sent　another　embassy；　to　beseech　him
that　he　would　moderate　his　displeasure　and　would　withdraw　the　Volscian
army；　and　then　make　any　proposals　he　thought　best　for　both　parties；
the　Romans　would　make　no　concessions　to　menaces；　but　if　it　were　his
opinion　that　the　Volscians　ought　to　have　any　favour　shown　them；　upon
laying　down　their　arms　they　might　obtain　all　they　could　in　reason
desire。
　　The　reply　of　Marcius　was；　that　he　should　make　no　answer　to　this　as
general　of　the　Volscians；　but；　in　the　quality　still　of　a　Roman
citizen；　he　would　advise　and　exhort　them；　as　the　case　stood；　not　to
carry　it　so　high；　but　think　rather　of　just　compliance；　and　return　to
him；　before　three　days　were　at　an　end；　with　a　ratification　of　his
previous　demands；　otherwise；　they　must　understand　that　they　could
not　have　any　further　freedom　of　passing　through　his　camp　upon　idle
errands。
　　When　the　ambassadors　were　come　back；　and　had　acquainted　the　senate
with　the　answer；　seeing　the　whole　state　now　threatened　as　it　were　by　a
tempest；　and　the　waves　ready　to　overwhelm　them；　they　were　forced；　as
we　say　in　extreme　perils；　to　let　down　the　sacred　anchor。　A　decree
was　made；　that　the　whole　order　of　their　priests；　those　who　initiated
in　the　mysteries　or　had　the　custody　of　them；　an