In the Roman army, though the two consuls were invested with equal authority, the supreme command was, by the concession of Agrippa, resigned to his colleague, an arrangement most salutary in the conduct of matters of great importance; and he who was preferred made a polite return for the ready condescension of the other, who thus lowered himself, by making him his confidant in all his plans and sharing with him his honours, and by putting him on an equality with him although he was by no means as capable.  On the field of battle Quinctius commanded the right, Agrippa the left wing; the command of the centre was intrusted to Spurius Postumius Albus, as lieutenant-general.  Publius Sulpicius, the other lieutenant-general, was placed at the head of the cavalry.  The infantry on the right wing fought with distinguished valour, while the Volscians offered a stout resistance.  Publius Sulpicius with his cavalry broke through the centre of the enemy’s line; and, though he might have returned thence in the same way to his own party, before the enemy restored their broken ranks, it seemed more advisable to attack them in the rear, and in a moment, charging the line in the rear, he would have dispersed the enemy by the double attack, had not the cavalry of the Volscians and AEquans kept him for some time engaged by a mode of fighting like his own.  Then indeed Sulpicius declared that there was no time for delay, crying out that they were surrounded and would be cut off from their own friends, unless they united all their efforts and despatched the engagement with the cavalry.  Nor was it enough to rout the enemy without disabling them; they must slay horses and men, that none might return to the fight or renew the battle; that these could not resist them, before whom a compact body of infantry had given way.  His orders were addressed to no deaf ears; by a single charge they routed the entire cavalry, dismounted great numbers, and killed with their javelins both the riders and the horses.  Thus ended the cavalry engagement.  Then, having attacked the enemy’s infantry, they sent an account to the consuls of what had been done, where the enemy’s line was already giving way.  The news both gave fresh courage to the Romans who were now gaining the day, and dismayed the AEquans who were beginning to give way.  They first began to be beaten in the centre, where the furious charge of the cavalry had broken their ranks.  Then the left wing began to lose ground before the consul Quinctius; the contest was most obstinate on the right.  Then Agrippa, in the vigour of his youth and strength, seeing matters going more favourably in every part of the battle than in his own quarter, snatched some of the standards from the standard-bearers and carried them on himself, some even he began to throw into the thick of the enemy.[71]