XXXVII.  Camillus, when appointed military tribune for the sixth time, begged to be excused, as he was growing old, and perhaps feared that such unbroken success and glory would call down upon him the wrath of the gods.[A] His most obvious reason for declining the appointment was the state of his health, for at this time he was sick.  However, the people would not permit him to retire, but loudly urged that they did not want him to ride on horseback or fight in the ranks, but merely to advise and superintend.  Thus they compelled him to accept the office, and with one of his colleagues, Lucius Furius, at once to lead an army against the enemy.  He left the city and encamped near the enemy, where he wished to remain inactive, in order that, if a battle should be necessary, he might recover his health sufficiently to take part in it.  But as his colleague Lucius, who longed to distinguish himself, was so eager for action that he could not be restrained, and excited the subordinate officers, Camillus, fearing that it might be supposed that he grudged younger men an opportunity of gaining laurels, agreed, sorely against his will, to allow his colleague to lead out the army and offer battle, while he with a few troops remained behind in the camp.  But when he heard that Lucius had rashly engaged and that the Romans were defeated, he could not restrain himself, but leaping from his couch met them with his followers at the gate of the camp.  Here he forced his way through the fugitives and attacked the pursuing force, so that those Romans whom he had passed at once turned and followed him, while those who were still outside the camp rallied round him, calling upon one another not to desert their general.  The enemy’s pursuit was thus checked, and on the following day Camillus marched out with his entire force, entirely defeated them, and entering their camp together with the fugitives, put most of them to the sword.  After this, hearing that Satria had been captured by the Etruscans, and all the Roman colonists there put to death, he sent the greater part of his force back to Rome, reserving only the youngest and most vigorous of the soldiers, with whom he assaulted the Etruscans who held the city, and conquered them, killing many, and putting the rest to flight.

[Footnote A:  The punishment of excessive and unbroken prosperity was assigned by the Greeks to the goddess Nemesis.  The idea of too great a career of success exciting the anger of the gods is common throughout the whole of ancient literature.  A well-known instance is the story of Polykrates of Samos, as told by Herodotus.  Amasis the king of Egypt, observing the unbroken good fortune of Polykrates, advised him voluntarily to sacrifice some of his treasures.  Polykrates, following his friend’s advice, cast his signet-ring into the sea.  But the ring was swallowed by a fish, and the fish was caught and presented to the king, who thus recovered his ring.  When Amasis heard of this, he refused to ally himself with Polykrates, thinking that such good fortune presaged a terrible disaster.  Polykrates was put to death shortly afterwards by the Persians, who conquered his kingdom.]