10.25
When
this decision was come to, all the men of military age flocked to the consul,
and every one began to give in his name, so eager were they to serve under
him as their general. Seeing himself surrounded by this crowd, he called out:
"I do not intend to enlist more than 4000 infantry and 600 cavalry, and will
take with me those of you who give in your names today and tomorrow. I
am more concerned to bring you all back wealthy men than to have a large
number of men for my fighting force." With this compact army full of
confidence and hope -all the more so because he felt no need of a great host
-he marched to the town of Aharna, which was not far from the enemy, and
from there went on to Appius' camp. He was still some miles distant from it
when he was met by some soldiers sent to cut wood who were accompanied
by an armed escort. When they saw the lictors marching in front of him, and
heard that it was Fabius their consul, they were overjoyed and thanked the
gods and the people of Rome for having sent him to them as their
commander. As they pressed round the consul to salute him, Fabius asked
them where they were going, and on their replying that they were going to
cut wood, "What do you say?" he inquired; "surely you have a ramparted
camp?" They informed him that they had a double rampart and fosse round
the camp, and yet they were in a state of mortal fear. "Well, then," he
replied, "go back and pull down your stockade, and you will have quite
enough wood." They returned into camp and began to demolish the rampart,
to the great terror of those who had remained in camp, and especially of
Appius himself, until the news spread from one to another that they were
acting under the orders of Q. Fabius, the consul. On the following day the
camp was shifted, and Appius was sent back to Rome to take up his duties
as praetor.
From that time the Romans had no standing camp. Fabius said that
it was bad for the army to remain fixed in one spot; it became more healthy
and active by frequent marches and change of position. They made as long
and frequent marches as the season allowed, for the winter was not yet over.
As soon as spring set in, he left the second legion at Clusium, formerly called
Camars, and placed L. Scipio in charge of the camp as propraetor. He then
returned to Rome to consult the senate as to future operations. He may have
taken this step on his own initiative after finding from personal observation
that the war was a bigger thing than he had believed it to be from the reports
received, or he may have been summoned home by the senate; both reasons
are assigned by our authorities. Some want to make it appear that he was
compelled to return, owing to the action of Appius Claudius, who had sent
alarming despatches about the state of things in Etruria, and was now adding
to the alarm by his speeches in the senate and before the Assembly. He
considered one general with only one army quite insufficient to cope with
four nations; whether they combined their forces against him or acted
separately, there was the danger of his being unable, single-handed, to meet
all emergencies. He had left only two legions there, and less than 5000
infantry and cavalry had arrived with Fabius, and he advised that P. Decius
should join his colleague in Etruria as soon as possible. Samnium could be
handed over to L. Volumnius, or, if the consul preferred to keep to his own
province, Volumnius should go to the support of Fabius with a full consular
army. As the praetor's representations were producing a considerable
impression, we are told that Decius gave it as his opinion that Fabius ought
not to be interfered with, but left free to act as he thought best until he had
either himself come to Rome, if he could do so with safety to the State, or
had sent some member of his staff from whom the senate could learn the
actual state of things in Etruria, what force would be necessary, and how
many generals would be required.