9.36
The
Ciminian forest was, in those days, more frightful and impassable than the
German forests were recently found to be; not a single trader had, up to that
time, ventured through it. Of those present in the council of war, hardly any
one but the general himself was bold enough to undertake to enter it; they
had not yet forgotten the horrors of Caudium. According to one tradition, it
appears that M. Fabius, the consul's brother -others say Caeso, others again
L. Claudius, the consul's half-brother -declared that he would go and
reconnoitre, and shortly return with accurate information. He had been
brought up in Caere, and was thoroughly conversant with the Etruscan
language and literature. There is authority for asserting that at that time
Roman boys were, as a rule, instructed in Etruscan literature as they now are
in Greek, but I think the probability is that there was something remarkable
about the man who displayed such boldness in disguising himself and
mingling with the enemy. He is said to have been accompanied by only one
servant, and during their journey they only made brief inquiries as to the
nature of the country and the names of its leading men, lest they should
make some startling blunder in conversing with the natives and so be found
out. They went disguised as shepherds, with their rustic weapons, each
carrying two bills and two heavy javelins. But neither their familiarity with
the language nor the fashion of their dress nor their implements afforded
them so much protection as the impossibility of believing that any stranger
would enter the Ciminian forest. It is stated that they penetrated as far as
Camerinum in Umbria, and on their arrival there the Roman ventured to say
who they were. He was introduced into the senate, and, acting in the consul's
name, he established a treaty of friendship with them. After having been most
kindly and hospitably received, he was requested to inform the Romans that
thirty days' provision would be ready for them if they came into that district,
and the Camertine soldiery would be prepared to act under their orders.
When the consul received this report, he sent the baggage on in advance at
the first watch. The legions were ordered to march behind the baggage,
while he himself remained behind with the cavalry. The following day at
dawn he rode up with his cavalry to the enemy's outposts stationed on the
edge of the forest, and after he had engaged their attention for a considerable
time, he returned to the camp and, in the evening, leaving by the rear gate,
he started after the column. By dawn on the following day he was holding
the nearest heights of the Ciminian range, and after surveying the rich fields
of Etruria he sent out parties to forage. A very large quantity of plunder had
already been secured when some cohorts of Etruscan peasantry, hastily got
together by the authorities of the neighbourhood, sought to check the
foragers; they were, however, so badly organised that, instead of rescuing
the prey, they almost fell a prey themselves. After putting them to flight with
heavy loss, the Romans ravaged the country far and wide, and returned to
their camp loaded with plunder of every kind. It happened to be during this
raid that a deputation, consisting of five members of the senate with two
tribunes of the plebs, came to warn Fabius, in the name of the senate, not to
traverse the Ciminian forest. They were very glad to find that they had come
too late to prevent the expedition, and returned to Rome to report victory.