XVI.  They immediately made themselves masters of the country, which reaches from the Alps down to the sea on both sides of Italy, which in ancient times belonged to the Etruscans, as we see by the names, for the upper sea is called the Adriatic from Adria, an Etruscan city, and the lower is called the Etruscan Sea.  It is a thickly wooded country, with plenty of pasturage, and well watered.  At that period it contained eighteen fair and large cities, with a thriving commercial population.  The Gauls took these cities, drove out their inhabitants, and occupied them themselves.  This, however, took place some time previously to our story.

XVII.  The Gauls at this time marched against the Etruscan city of Clusium and besieged it.  The inhabitants appealed to the Romans to send ambassadors and letters to the barbarians, and they sent three of the Fabian family, men of the first importance in Rome.  They were well received, because of the name of Rome, by the Gauls, who desisted from their siege and held a conference with them.  The Romans inquired what wrong the Gauls had suffered from the people of Clusium that they should attack their city.  To this Brennus, the king of the Gauls, answered with a laugh, “The people of Clusium wrong us by holding a large territory, although they can only inhabit and cultivate a small one, while they will not give a share of it to us, who are numerous and poor.  You Romans were wronged in just the same way in old times by the people of Alba, and Fidenae, and Ardea, and at the present day by the Veientines and Capenates, and by many of the Faliscans and Volscians.  You make campaigns against these people if they will not share their good things with you, you sell them for slaves and plunder their territory, and destroy their cities; and in this you do nothing wrong, but merely obey the most ancient of all laws, that the property of the weak belongs to the strong, a law which prevails among the gods on the one hand, and even among wild beasts, amongst whom the stronger always encroach upon the weaker ones.  So now cease to pity the besieged men of Clusium, for fear you should teach the Gauls to become good-natured and pitiful towards the nations that have been wronged by the Romans.”

This speech showed the Romans that Brennus had no thought of coming to terms, and they in consequence went into Clusium and encouraged the inhabitants to attack the barbarians under their guidance, either because they wished to make trial of the valour of the Gauls, or to make a display of their own.  The people of Clusium made a sally, and a battle took place near their wall.  In this one of the Fabii, Quintus Ambustus by name, was on horseback, and rode to attack a fine powerful Gaul who was riding far in advance of the rest.  At first the Roman was not recognised because the fight was sharp, and the flashing of his arms prevented his face being clearly seen.  But when he slew his antagonist and jumped down from his horse to strip his body of its spoils,