1The next day the dictator, having come into the Forum before dawn, names as master of the horse Lucius Tarquitius, a man of patrician family, but one who, although he had served on foot because of his poverty, had nonetheless been considered by far the foremost of the Roman young men in war. 2With the master of the horse he comes to an assembly, proclaims a suspension of public business, orders the shops to be closed throughout the city, and forbids anyone to attend to any private affair. 3Then all who were of military age were to be present in the Campus Martius before sunset, armed, with five days' cooked rations and twelve stakes each; 3those whose age was too heavy for soldiering he ordered to cook rations for the soldier next to them, while he got his arms ready and went for stakes.
5So the young men scatter to fetch stakes. 5They took them from wherever was nearest to each; 5no one was prevented; 6and all promptly presented themselves according to the dictator's edict. 6Then, with the column arranged so as to be ready no more for marching than for battle, should the situation require it, the dictator himself leads the legions, the master of the horse his cavalry. 6In both columns there were such exhortations as the moment itself demanded: they should quicken their pace; 7there was need of haste, so that they might reach the enemy in the night. 7The consul and the Roman army were under siege, and had now been shut in for three days; 7what each night or day might bring was uncertain; 7often the turning points of the greatest affairs hung on a moment of time.
8'Hurry, standard-bearer!' 8'Follow, soldier!' 8they shouted to one another too, to please their leaders. 8At midnight they reach Algidus and, when they realised that they were now near the enemy, they halt the standards.