5.18
The prerogative centuries
elected P. Licinius Calvus consular tribune, though
he was not a candidate. His appointment was not at
all distasteful to the senate, for when in office
before he had shown himself a man of moderate views.
He was, however, advanced in years. As the voting
proceeded it became clear that all who had been
formerly his colleagues in office were being
reappointed one after another. They were L.
Titinius, P. Maenius, Q. Manlius, Cnaeus Genucius,
and L. Atilius. After the tribes had been duly
summoned to hear the declaration of the poll, but
before it was actually published, P. Licinius
Calvus, by permission of the interrex, spoke as
follows: "I see, Quirites, that from what you
remember of our former tenure of office, you are
seeking in these elections an omen of concord for
the coming year, a thing most of all helpful in the
present state of affairs. But, whilst you are
re-electing my old comrades, who have become wiser
and stronger by experience, you see in me not the
man I was, but only a mere shadow and name of P.
Licinius. My bodily powers are worn out, my sight
and hearing are impaired, my memory is failing, my
mental vigour is dulled. Here," he said, holding his
son by the hand, "is a young man, the image and
counterpart of him whom in days gone by you elected
as the first consular tribune taken from the ranks
of the plebs. This young man whom I have trained and
moulded I now hand over and dedicate to the republic
to take my place, and I beg you, Quirites, to confer
this honour which you have bestowed unsought on me,
on him who is seeking it, and whose candidature I
would fain support and further by my prayers." His
request was granted, and his son P. Licinius was
formally announced as consular tribune with those
above mentioned. Titinius and Genucius marched
against the Faliscans and Capenates, but they
proceeded with more courage than caution and fell
into an ambuscade. Genucius atoned for his rashness
by an honourable death, and fell fighting amongst
the foremost. Titinius rallied his men from the
disorder into which they had fallen and gained some
rising ground where he reformed his line, but would
not come down to continue the fight on level terms.
More disgrace was incurred than loss, but it
almost resulted in a terrible disaster, so great was
the alarm it created not only in Rome, where very
exaggerated accounts were received, but also in the
camp before Veii. Here a rumour had gained ground
that after the destruction of the generals and their
army, the victorious Capenates and Faliscans and the
whole military strength of Etruria had proceeded to
Veii and were at no great distance; in consequence
of this the soldiers were with difficulty restrained
from taking to flight. Still more disquieting
rumours were current in Rome; at one moment they
imagined that the camp before Veii had been stormed,
at another that a part of the enemies' forces was in
full march to the City. They hurried to the walls;
the matrons, whom the general alarm had drawn from
their homes, made prayers and supplications in the
temples; solemn petitions were offered up to the
gods that they would ward off destruction from the
houses and temples of the City and from the walls of
Rome, and divert the fears and alarms to Veii if the
sacred rites had been duly restored and the portents
expiated.