He
had given the enemy a breathing time, they said, of thirty days, being
no less than they required to put themselves in a posture of defence.
Marcius during this time was not idle, for he attacked and defeated the
allies of the Romans, and captured seven large and populous towns. The
Romans did not venture to come to help their allies, but hung back from
taking the field, and seemed as if paralysed and benumbed. When the term
had expired, Marcius presented himself a second time before Rome, with
his entire army. The Romans now sent a second embassy, begging him to
lay aside his anger, withdraw the Volscians from the country, and then
to make such terms as would be for the advantage of both nations. The
Romans, they said, would yield nothing to fear; but if he thought that
special concessions ought to be made to the Volscians, they would be
duly considered if they laid down their arms. To this Marcius answered
that, as general of the Volscians, he could give them no answer; but
that as one who was still a citizen of Rome he would advise them to
adopt a humbler frame of mind, and come to him in three days with a
ratification of his proposals. If they should come to any other
determination, he warned them that it would not be safe for them to come
to his camp again with empty words.
XXXII. When the ambassadors returned, and the Senate heard their report,
they determined in this dreadful extremity to let go their sheet anchor.
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