XXVII. Marcius was called before the assembly, and having addressed the
people, was thought by them to know how to speak as well as how to
fight, and was considered to be a man of great ability and courage. He,
together with Tullus, was nominated general with unlimited powers. As he
feared the Volscians would take a long time to prepare for the war, and
that meanwhile the opportunity for attack might pass away, he ordered
the leading men in the city to make all necessary preparations, and
himself taking the boldest and most forward as volunteers, without
levying any troops by compulsory conscription, made a sudden and
unexpected inroad into the Roman territory. Here he obtained so much
plunder that the Volscians were wearied with carrying it off and
consuming it in their camp. However, his least object was to obtain
plunder and lay waste the country; his main desire was to render the
patricians suspected by the people. While all else was ravaged and
destroyed, he carefully protected their farms, and would not allow any
damage to be done or anything to be carried off from them. This
increased the disorders at Rome, the patricians reproaching the people
for having unjustly banished so able a man, while the plebeians accused
them of having invited Marcius to attack in order to obtain their
revenge, and said that, while others fought, they sat as idle
spectators, having in the war itself a sure safeguard of their wealth
and estates.
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