7.24
But the
victory was not yet decided. When the Romans reached the level ground
another mass remained to be dealt with. The number of the Gauls was great
enough to prevent them from feeling the loss already sustained, and as
though a new army had risen from the earth, fresh troops were brought up
against their victorious enemy. The Romans checked their onset and stood
still, for not only had they, wearied as they were, to sustain a second fight,
but the consul, while riding incautiously in the front, had his left shoulder
almost run through by a heavy javelin and had retired. The victory was all
but forfeited by this delay, when the consul, after his wound was bound up,
rode back to the front. "Why are you standing still, soldiers?" he exclaimed.
"You have not to do with Latins or Sabines whom, after you have defeated,
you can make into allies, it is against wild beasts that we have drawn the
sword; we must either drain their blood or give them ours. You have
repulsed them from your camp, you have driven them headlong down into
the valley, you are standing over the prostrate bodies of your foes. Fill the
valley with the same carnage with which you filled the mountain side. Do not
look for them to flee while you are standing here; the standards must go
forward, you must advance against the enemy." Thus encouraged they made
a fresh charge, dislodged the front companies of the Gauls, and closing up
their maniples into a wedge penetrated the enemy's center. Then the
barbarians were broken up, and having no leadership or definite orders they
turned the attack on to their own reserves. They were scattered over the
plain, and their headlong flight carried them past their camp in the direction
of the Alba hills. As the hill on which the old Alban stronghold stood
appeared to be the highest in the range, they made for it. The consul did not
continue the pursuit beyond the camp as his wound was troublesome and he
did not wish to risk an attack upon hills held by the enemy. All the spoil of
the camp was given up to the soldiers, and he led back to Rome an army
flushed with victory and enriched by the plunder of the Gauls, but owing to
his wound his triumph was delayed. As both consuls were on the sick list,
the senate found it necessary to appoint a Dictator to conduct the elections.
L. Furius Camillus was nominated, and P. Cornelius Scipio was associated
with him as Master of the Horse. He restored to the patricians their old
monopoly of the consulship, and for this service he was through their
enthusiastic support elected consul, and he procured the election of Appius
Claudius Crassus as his colleague.