[Sidenote:  Marcus Papirius] In the meane time it chanced, that Marcus Papirius stroke one of the Galles on the head with his staffe, because he presumed to stroke his beard:  with which iniurie the Gall being prouoked, slue Papirius (as he sat) with his sword, and therewith the slaughter being begun with one, all the residue of those ancient fatherlie men as they sat in their chaires were slaine and cruellie murthered.  After this all the people found in the citie without respect or difference at [Sidenote:  Rome sacked. 365.] all, were put to the sword, and their houses sacked.  And thus was Rome taken by the two brethren, Beline and Brenne, 365 yeares after the first building thereof.  Besides this, the Galles attempted in the night season to haue entred the capitoll:  and in deed ordered their enterprise so secretlie, that they had atchieued their purpose, if a [Sidenote:  The capitoll defended.] sort of ganders had not with their crie and noise disclosed them, in wakening the Romans that were asleepe:  & so by that meanes were the Galles beaten backe and repelled.

* * * * *

Camillus reuoked from exile, made dictator, and receiueth peremptorie authoritie, he ouerthroweth the Galles in a pitcht field, controuersie betweene writers touching Brennus and Belinus left vndetermined; of diuers foundations, erections and reparations doone and atchiued by Belinus, the burning of his bodie in stead of his burieng.

THE FOURTH CHAPTER.

The Romans being thus put to their extreame shift, deuised among themselues how to reuoke Furius Camillus from exile, whom not long before they had vniustlie banished out of the citie.  In the end they did not onelie send for him home, but also created him dictator, committing into his handes (so long as his office lasted) an absolute power ouer all men, both of life and death.  Camillus forgetfull of the iniurie done to him, and mindfull of his dutie towards his countrie, and lamenting the state thereof, without delay gathered such an armie as the present time permitted.

In the meane time those that kept the capitoll (being almost famished [Sidenote:  A composition.] for lacke of vittels) compounded with Brenne and Beline, that for a thousand pounds weight in gold, the Romans should redeeme their liberties, and the said Brenne and Beline depart with their armie out of the citie and all the territories of Rome.  But at the deliuerie of the monie, and by a certeine kind of hap, the Romans name was preserued at that time from such dishonor and ignominie as was likelie to haue insued.  For some of the couetous sort of the Galles, not contented with the iust weight of the gold, did cast their swords also into the balance where the weights lay, thereby to haue ouer weight:  wherevpon the Romans refused to make paiment after that weight.