force, to carry on the fight.  The Volscians, wearied with running and shouting attacked the Romans, who appeared to them paralyzed with fear; but when they perceived the vigorous resistance that was made, and saw the swords glittering before their eyes, just as if they had fallen into an ambuscade, they turned and fled in confusion.  Nor had they sufficient strength even to flee as they had entered into action at full speed.  The Romans, on the other hand, as they had quietly stood their ground at the beginning of the action, with physical vigour unimpaired, easily overtook the weary foe, took their camp by assault, and, having driven them from it, pursued them to Velitrae, [32] into which city conquered and conquerors together rushed in one body.  By the promiscuous slaughter of all ranks, which there ensued, more blood was shed than in the battle itself.  Quarter was given to a few, who threw down their arms and surrendered.

While these operations were going on among the Volscians, the dictator routed the Sabines, among whom by far the most important operations of the war were carried on, put them to flight, and stripped them of their camp.  By a charge of cavalry he had thrown the centre of the enemy’s line into confusion, in the part where, owing to the wings being extended too widely, they had not properly strengthened their line with companies in the centre.  The infantry fell upon them in their confusion:  by one and the same charge the camp was taken and the war concluded.  There was no other battle in those times more memorable than this since the action at the Lake Regillus.  The dictator rode into the city in triumph.  Besides the usual honours, a place in the circus was assigned to him and his descendants, to see the public games:  a curule chair.[33] was fixed in that place.  The territory of Velitrae was taken from the conquered Volscians:  colonists were sent from Rome to Velitrae, and a colony led out thither.  Some considerable time afterward an engagement with the Aequans took place, but against the wish of the consul, because they had to approach the enemy on unfavourable ground:  the soldiers, however, complaining that the affair was being purposely protracted, in order that the dictator might resign his office before they themselves returned to the city, and so his promises might come to nothing, like those of the consul before, forced him at all hazards to march his army up the hills.  This imprudent step, through the cowardice of the enemy, turned out successful:  for, before the Romans came within range, the Aequans, amazed at their boldness, abandoned their camp, which they had pitched in a very strong position, and ran down into the valleys that lay behind them.  There abundant plunder was found:  the victory was a bloodless one.  While military operations had thus proved successful in three quarters, neither senators nor people had dismissed their anxiety in regard to the issue of domestic questions.  With such powerful influence