[Sidenote:  B.C. 393 (a.u. 361)]6.  To such a degree did not only the populace nor all those who were somewhat jealous of his reputation merely, but his best friends and his relatives, too, feel envy toward him that they did not even attempt to hide it.  When he asked some of them for support in his case, and others to deposit the money for his release, they refused to assist him in regard to the vote but simply promised, if he were convicted, to estimate the proper money value and to help him pay the amount of the fine.  This led him to take an oath in anger that the city should have need of him; and he went over to the Rutuli before accusation was brought against him. [Footnote:  Very likely the copyist erred here.  The sense requires “before sentence was passed upon him.”] (Mai, p. 154.  Cp.  Zonaras, 7, 22.)

[Frag.  XXIV]

[Sidenote:  B.C. 391 (a.u. 363)] 1. ¶ The cause of the Gallic expedition was this.  The Clusini had endured hard treatment in the war from the Gauls and fled for refuge to the Romans, having considerable hope that they could obtain certainly some little help in that quarter, from the fact that they had not taken sides with the people of Veii, though of the same race.  When the Romans failed to vote them aid, but sent ambassadors to the Gauls and negotiated peace for them, they came very near accepting it (it was offered them in return for a part of the land); however, they attacked the barbarians after the conference and took the Roman envoys into battle along with them.  The Gauls, vexed at seeing them on the opposite side, at first sent men to Rome, preferring charges against the envoys.  Since, however, no punishment was visited upon the latter, but they were all, on the contrary, appointed consular tribunes, they were filled with wrath—­being naturally quick to anger—­and, as they held the Clusini in contempt, started for Rome. (Ursinus, p.373.  Cp.  Zonaras, 7, 23.)

[Sidenote:  B.C. 364 (a.u. 390)] 2. ¶ The Romans after withstanding the inroads of the Gauls had no time to recover breath, but went immediately from their march into battle, just as they were, and lost.  Panic-stricken by the unexpectedness of the invaders’ hostile expedition, by their numbers, their physical dimensions, and their voices uttering some foreign and terrifying sound they forgot their training in military science and after that lost possession of their valor.  A good comprehension contributes very largely to bravery, because when present it confirms the strength of a man’s resolution and when lacking destroys the same more thoroughly by far, than if such a thing had never existed at all.  Many persons without experience often carry things through by the violence of their spirit, but those who fail of the discipline which they have learned lose also their strength of purpose.  This caused the defeat of the Romans. (Mai, p.154.  Cp.  Zonaras, 7, 23.)