Page:The Ancient City- A Study on the Religion, Laws, and Institutions of Greece and Rome.djvu/291

 CHAP. XVI. THE KOMAN. 285 to draw the iron from the wound and continue to fight. After several campaigns he was raised to magistracies', as consular tribune he offered the public sacrifices, acted as judge, and commanded the army. A day comes when men think of him for the dictatorship. On that day, the magistrate in ofiice, after having watclied <luring a clear niglit, consults the gods; his thoughts are fixed upon Camillus, whose name ho jironounces in a low voice, and his eyes are fixed upon the heavens, where lie seeks the presages. The gods send only good ones, for Camillus is agreeable to them, and he is named dictator. Now, as chief of the army, he leaves the city, not without having consulted the auspices and slain many victims. He has under his orders many officers and almost as many priests, a pontiff, augurs, aruspices, keepers of the sacred chickens, assistants at sacrifices, and a bearer of the sacred fire. His work is to finish the war against Veil, which for nine years has been besieged without success. Veil is an Etruscan city — that is to say, almost a sacred city ; it is againsi; piety, more than courage, that the Romans have to contend. If the Romans have been unsuccessful for nine years, it is because the Etruscans have a better knowledge of the rites that are agreeable to the gods, and the magic formulas that gain their favor. Rome, on her side, has opened the Sibylline books, and has sought the will of the gods there. It appears that the Latin festival has been vitiated by some neglect of form, and the sacrifice is renewed. Still the Etruscans retain their superiority ; only one resource is left — to seize an Etruscan priest and learn the secret of the gods from him. A Yeientine priest is taken and brought to the senate. "To insure the success of Rome," he says,