Great Defeat of the Volscians.--Whether i七was that the godshad耀oud,仁answered prayer or that the unhealthy seasonople gradually threw off the influence of the epidemic1 and the。 public health became more satisfactory.Attention was once more turned to affairs of State, and after one or two interregna had expired, P. Valerius Publicola, who had been interrex for two days, conducted the election of L. Lucretius Tricipitinus and T. Veturius Geminus---or Vetusius ---as consuls. They entered office on August::，and the Mate was now strong enough not only to defend its frontiers, but to take the offensive. Consequently, when the Hernici announced that the enemy had crossed their frontiers, help was promptly sent. Two consular armies were enrolled. Veturius was sent to act against the Volsci, Tricipitinus had to protect the country of the allies from predatory incursions, and did no七advance beyond the Hernican frontier. In the first battle Veturius defeated and routed the enemy. Whilst Lucretius lay encamped amongst the Hernici, a body of plunderers evaded him by marching over the mountains of Praeneste, and descending into the plains devastated the fields of the Praenestines and Gabians, and then turned off to the hills above Tusculum. Great alarm was felt in Rome. more from the surprising rapxaxty of me movement than from znsunxczency of strength to repel. any attack.."I r1. Y, 11_Quintus外bius was prefect of'} Y Y r me City. -By arming the younger men and manning the defences, he restored quiet and security everywhere. The enemy did not venture to attack the City, but returned by a circuitous route with the plunder they had secured from the neighbourhood. The greater their distance from the City the more carelessly they marched, and in this state they fell in with the consul Lucret姚， who had reconnoitred the route they were taking a.n几was in battle formation, eager to engage. As they were on the alert and ready for the enemy, the Romans, though con. siderably fewer in numbers, routed and scattered the vast h .! .0 whom the unexpected attack had thrown into confusion, them into the deep valleys and prevented their escape. The Volscian nation was almost wiped out there. I find in some of the annals that I3,470 men fell in the battle and the and:750 were taken Drisoners，whilst twentv-seven. JL产砂 standards were Although there may be nOugn，珑叮er孕 yOe some exaltgeration, there was a邵eat于laughter.产臀.consul, after securing enormous booty, returnea victorious to nxs camn_ The two consuls then united their camps; the Volscians and Aqui also concentrated their shattered forces. A third battle took place that year;again fortune gave the victory to the Romans, the enemy were routed and their camp taken.