2.11
Repulsed in his first
attempt, Porsena changed his plans from assault to
blockade. After placing a detachment to hold the
Janiculum he fixed his camp on the plain between
that hill and the Tiber, and sent everywhere for
boats, partly to intercept any attempt to get corn
into Rome and partly to carry his troops across to
different spots for plunder, as opportunity might
serve. In a short time he made the whole of the
district round Rome so insecure that not only were
all the crops removed from the fields but even the
cattle were all driven into the City, nor did any
one venture to take them outside the gates. The
impunity with which the Etruscans committed their
depredations was due to strategy on the part of the
Romans more than to fear. For the consul Valerius,
determined to get an opportunity of attacking them
when they were scattered in large numbers over the
fields, allowed small forages to pass unnoticed,
whilst he was reserving himself for vengeance on a
larger scale. So to draw on the pillagers, he gave
orders to a considerable body of his men to drive
cattle out of the Esquiline gate, which was the
furthest from the enemy, in the expectation that
they would gain intelligence of it through the
slaves who were deserting, owing to the scarcity
produced by the blockade. The information was duly
conveyed, and in consequence they crossed the river
in larger numbers than usual in the hope of securing
the whole lot. P. Valerius ordered T. Herminius with
a small body of troops to take up a concealed
position at a distance of two miles on the Gabian
road, whilst Sp. Lartius with some light-armed
infantry was to post himself at the Colline gate
until the enemy had passed him and then to intercept
their retreat to the river. The other consul, T.
Lucretius, with a few maniples made a sortie from
the Naevian gate; Valerius himself led some picked
cohorts from the Caelian hill, and these were the
first to attract the enemy's notice. When Herminius
became aware that fighting was begun, he rose from
ambush and took the enemy who were engaged with
Valerius in rear. Answering cheers arose right and
left, from the Colline and the Naevian gates and the
pillagers, hemmed in, unequal to the fight, and with
every way of escape blocked, were cut to pieces.
That put an end to these irregular and scattered
excursions on the part of the Etruscans.