[Sidenote:  B.C. 395 (a.u. 359)] 2. ¶ The Romans after fighting many battles against the Falisci, [Footnote:  Perhaps Dio wrote Fidenates or Veientes (Livy, IV, 32), and Falisci is due to the copyist, although, to be sure, there were wars with the last named (Livy, IV, 18).  Whether the transference of Juno from Veii to Rome (Livy, V, 22) or the lectisternia just established about this time (Livy, V, 13) constitutes the topic discussed is a matter respecting which scholars differ.] and after many sufferings and achievements as well, despised their ancestral rites and took up with foreign ones in the idea that the latter would suffice them.  Human nature is for some reason accustomed in trouble to scorn what is usual even though it be divine, and to admire the untried.  Thinking, as men do, that they are not helped by it at the present, they expect no benefit in the future, but from what is strange they hope to accomplish whatever they may wish, by means of its novelty.  (Mai, p. 153.)

3. ¶ The Romans, who were besieging the city of the Falisci would have consumed much time encamped before it, had not an incident of the following nature occurred.  A school teacher of the place who instructed a number of children of good family, either under the influence of anger or through hope of gain led them all outside the wall, supposedly for some different purpose from his real one.  They had so great an abundance of courage that they followed him even then.  And he took them to Camillus, saying that in their persons he surrendered to him the whole city:  for the inhabitants would no longer resist them when those dearest to them were held prisoners.  However, he [Sidenote:  B.C. 393 (a.u. 361)] to accomplish aught; for Camillus, filled with a sense of the conduct proper for Romans and also of the liability to failure of human plans, would not agree to take them by treachery:  instead, he bound the traitor’s hands behind his back and delivered him to the children themselves to lead home again.

After this episode the Falisci held out no longer, but in spite of the fact that they were securely entrenched and had ample resources to continue the war nevertheless came to terms voluntarily.  They felt sure it would be no ordinary friendship that they would enjoy at the hands of one, whom, as an enemy even, they had found so just. (Valesius, p. 578.  Cp.  Zonaras, 7, 22.)

4.  Accordingly Camillus became on this account an object of even greater jealousy to the citizens, and he was indicted by the tribunes on the charge of not having benefited the public treasury with the plunder of the Veii; and before the trial he voluntarily withdrew.  (Valesius, ib.  Cp.  Zonaras, 7, 22.)

5.  In Dio’s 7th Book:  “When he had ended his term of office they indicted him and imposed a money fine, not bringing him into danger of his life.” [Footnote:  Boissevain believes that this fragment does not refer to Camillus, and that the number of the Book is possibly a corruption.  He would locate it earlier.](Bekker, Anecd. p. 146, 21.)