To many the opinion of Appius appeared, as in fact it was, harsh and severe.  On the other hand, the proposals of Verginius and Larcius appeared injurious, from the precedent they established:  that of Larcius they considered especially so, as one that would destroy all credit.  The advice of Verginius, was reckoned to be most moderate, and a happy medium between the other two.  But through party spirit and men’s regard for their private interest, which always has and always will stand in the way of public councils, Appius prevailed, and was himself near being created dictator—­a step which would certainly have alienated the commons at a most dangerous juncture, when the Volscians, the Aequans, and the Sabines all happened to be in arms at the same time.  But the consuls and elders of the senate took care that this command, in its own nature uncontrollable, should be intrusted to a man of mild disposition.  They elected Marcus Valerius son of Volesus, dictator.  The people, though they saw that this magistrate was appointed against themselves, yet, as they possessed the right of appeal by his brother’s law, had nothing harsh or tyrannical to fear from that family.  Afterward an edict published by the dictator, which was almost identical in terms with that of the consul Servilius, further inspirited them.  But, thinking reliance could be more safely placed both in the man and in his authority,[29] they abandoned the struggle and gave in their names.  Ten legions were raised, a larger army than had ever been raised before.[30] Of these, each of the consuls had three legions assigned him; the dictator commanded four.

The war could not now be any longer deferred.  The Aequans had invaded the territory of the Latins:  the deputies of the latter begged the senate either to send them assistance, or to allow them to arm themselves for the purpose of defending their own frontiers.  It seemed safer that the Latins should be defended without their being armed, than to allow them to handle arms again.  Vetusius the consul was sent to their assistance:  thereby a stop was put to the raids.  The Aequans retired from the plains, and depending more on the advantages of position than on their arms, secured themselves on the heights of the mountains.  The other consul, having set out against the Volscians, lest he in like manner might waste time,[31] provoked the enemy to pitch their camp nearer, and to risk a regular engagement, by ravaging their lands.  Both armies stood ready to advance, in front of their lines, in hostile array, in a plain between the two camps.  The Volscians had considerably the advantage in numbers:  accordingly, they entered into battle in loose order, and in a spirit of contempt.  The Roman consul neither advanced his forces, nor allowed the enemy’s shouts to be returned, but ordered his men to stand with their spears fixed in the ground, and whenever the enemy came to a hand-to-hand encounter, to draw their swords, and attacking them with all their