lustrum [Footnote:  The ceremony of purification took place every five years, hence “Justrum” came to be used for a period of five years.] closed by Quinctius:  the number of citizens rated is said to have been one hundred and four thousand seven hundred and fourteen, not counting orphans of both sexes.  Nothing memorable occurred afterward among the AEquans; they retired into their towns, allowing their possessions to be consumed by fire and devastated.  The consul, after he had repeatedly carried devastation with a hostile army through the whole of the enemy’s country, returned to Rome with great glory and booty.

The next consuls were Aulus Postumius Albus and Spurius Furius Fusus.  Furii is by some writers written Fusii; this I mention, to prevent any one thinking that the change, which is only in the names, is in the persons themselves.  There was no doubt that one of the consuls was about tobegin hostilities against the AEquans.  The latter accordingly sought help from the Volscians of Ecetra; this was readily granted (so keenly did these states contend in inveterate hatred against the Romans), and preparations for war were made with the utmost vigour.  The Hernicans came to hear of it, and warned the Romans that the Ecetrans had revolted to the AEquans:  the colony of Antium also was suspected, because, after the town had been taken a great number of the inhabitants had fled thence for refuge to the AEquans:  and these soldiers behaved with the very greatest bravery during the course of the war.  After the AEquans had been driven into the towns, when this rabble returned to Antium, it alienated from the Romans the colonists who were already of their own accord disposed to treachery.  The matter not yet being ripe, when it had been announced to the senate that a revolt was intended, the consuls were charged to inquire what was going on, the leading men of the colony being summoned to Rome.  When they had attended without reluctance, they were conducted before the senate by the consuls, and gave such answers to the questions that were put to them that they were dismissed more suspected than they had come.

After this, war was regarded as inevitable.  Spurius Furius, one of the consuls to whom that sphere of action had fallen, having marched against the Aequans, found the enemy committing depredations in the country of the Hernicans; and being ignorant of their numbers, because they had nowhere been seen all together, he rashly hazarded an engagement with an army which was no match for their forces.  Being driven from his position at the first onset, he retreated to his camp; nor was that the end of his danger; for both on the next night and the following day, his camp was beset and assaulted with such vigour that not even a messenger could be despatched thence to Rome.  The Hernicans brought news both that an unsuccessful battle had been fought, and that the consul and army were besieged; and inspired the senate with such terror,