a business, appertaining to the jurisdiction of the people, should be determined by an order of that people, and not complimented away by the senate.  He prayed Jupiter, supremely good and great, and all the immortal gods, not to grant him an equal chance with his colleague, unless they intended to grant him equal ability and success, in the management of the war.  It was certainly in its nature reasonable, in the example salutary, and concerned the reputation of the Roman people, that the consuls should be men of such abilities, that under either of them a war with Etruria could be well managed.”  Fabius, after requesting of the people nothing else than that, before the tribes were called in to give their votes, they would hear the letters of the praetor Appius Claudius, written from Etruria, withdrew from the Comitium, and with no less unanimity of the people than of the senate, the province of Etruria was decreed to him without having recourse to lots.

25.  Immediately almost all the younger citizens flocked together to the consul, and readily gave in their names; so strong was their desire of serving under such a commander.  Seeing so great a multitude collected round him, he said, “My intention is to enlist only four thousand foot and six hundred horse:  such of you as give in your names to-day and to-morrow, I will carry with me.  I am more solicitous to bring home all my soldiers rich, than to employ a great multitude.”  Accordingly, with a competent number of men, who possessed greater hopes and confidence because a numerous army had not been required, he marched to the town of Aharna, from which the enemy were not far distant, and proceeded to the camp of the praetor Appius.  When within a few miles of it, he was met by some soldiers, sent to cut wood, attended by a guard.  Observing the lictors preceding him, and learning that he was Fabius the consul, they were filled with joy and alacrity; they expressed their thanks to the gods, and to the Roman people, for having sent them such a commander.  Then as they gathered round to pay their respects, Fabius inquired whither they were going, and on their answering they were going to provide wood, “What do you tell me,” said he, “have you not a rampart, raised about your camp?” When to this they replied, “they had a double rampart, and a trench, and, notwithstanding, were in great apprehension.”

“Well then,” said he, “you have abundance of wood, go back and level the rampart.”  They accordingly returned to the camp and there levelling the rampart threw the soldiers who had remained in it, and Appius himself, into the greatest fright, until with eager joy each called out to the rest, that, “they acted by order of the consul, Quintus Fabius.”  Next day the camp was moved from thence, and the praetor, Appius, was dismissed to Rome.  From that time the Romans had no fixed post, the consul affirming, that it was prejudicial to an army to lie in one spot, and that by frequent