Page:The Ancient City- A Study on the Religion, Laws, and Institutions of Greece and Rome.djvu/292

 286 THE CITY. BOOK Iir. " the level of the Alban Lake must be lowered, taking good care that the water does not run into the sea." The Romans obey. They dig many canals and ditches, and the water of the lake is lost iu the plain. At this moment Camillus is elected dictator. He repairs to the army at Veil. He is sure of success; for all the oracles have been revealed, all the commands of the gods have been fulfilled. Moreover, before leav- ing Rome, he has promised the protecting gods festi- vals and sacrifices. In order to insure success he does not neglect human means ; he increases the army, im- proves its discipline, and constructs a subterranean gallery, to penetrate into the citadel. The day for the attack arrives ; Camillus leaves his tent ; he takes the auspices and sacrifices victims. The pontiffs and au- gurs surround him; clothed in the paluclamentum, he invokes the gods : " Under thy conduct, O Apollo, and by thy will which inspires me, I march to take and de- stroy the city of Veil : to thee I promise and devote a tenth part of the spoils." But it is not enough to have gods on his side ; the enemy also has a powerful divin- ity that protects him. Camillus invokes this divinity in these words : "Queen Juno, who at present inhabit- est Veii, I pray thee come with us conquerors; follow us into our city; let our city become thine." Then, the sacrifices being finished, the prayers pronounced, the formulas recited, when the Romans are sure that the gods are for them, and no god any longer defends the enemy, the assault is made, and the city is taken. Such was Camillus. A Roman general was a man who understood admirably how to fight, who knew, above all, how to command obedience, but who believed firm- ly in the augurs, who performed religious acts every day, and who was convinced that what was of most.