4.28
It was now growing light
and everything lay open to view. Fabius had
delivered his attack with the cavalry and the consul
had made a sortie against the enemy, who were now
wavering. The Dictator from the other side had
attacked the second line of reserves, and whilst the
enemy faced about to meet the sudden charges and
confused shouts, he had thrown his victorious horse
and foot across their front. They were now hemmed
in, and would, to a man, have paid the penalty for
renewing the war, had not a Volscian, Vettius
Messius, a man more distinguished by his exploits
than by his pedigree, remonstrated loudly with his
comrades, who were being rolled up into a helpless
mass. "Are you going," he shouted, "to make
yourselves a mark for the enemies' javelins,
unresisting, defenceless? Why then have you got
arms, why did you begin an unprovoked war; you who
are ever turbulent in peace and laggards in war?
What do you expect to gain by standing here? Do you
suppose that some deity will protect you and snatch
you out of danger? A path must be made by the sword.
Come on in the way you see me go. You who are hoping
to visit your homes and parents and wives and
children, come with me. It is not a wall or a
stockade which is in your way; arms are met by arms.
Their equals in courage, you are their superiors by
force of necessity, which is the last and greatest
weapon." He then rushed forward and his men followed
him, raising again their battle-shout, and flung the
weight of their charge where Postumius Albus had
interposed his cohorts. They forced the victors
back, until the Dictator came up to his retreating
men, and all the battle rolled to this part of the
field. The fortunes of the enemy rested solely on
Messius. Many were wounded, many killed in all
directions. By this time even the Roman generals
were not unhurt. Postumius, whose skull was
fractured by a stone, was the only one who left the
field. The Dictator was wounded in the shoulder,
Fabius had his thigh almost pinned to his horse, the
consul had his arm cut off, but they refused to
retire while the battle was undecided.