Liv. 3.27.1Posterō diē dictātor, cum ante lūcem in forum vēnisset, magistrum equitum dīcit L. Tarquitium, patriciae gentis, sed quī, cum stīpendia pedibus propter paupertātem fēcisset, bellō tamen prīmus longē Rōmānae iuventūtis habitus esset.The 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. Liv. 3.27.2Cum magistrō equitum in contiōnem venit, iūstitium ēdīcit, claudī tabernās tōtā urbe iubet, vetat quemquam prīvātae quicquam reī agere.With 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. Liv. 3.27.3Tum, quīcumque aetāte mīlitārī essent, armātī cum cibāriīs in diēs quīnque coctīs vallīsque duodēnīs ante sōlis occāsum Mārtiō in campō adessent;Then 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; Liv. 3.27.3quibus aetās ad mīlitandum gravior esset, vīcīnō mīlitī, dum is arma parāret vallumque peteret, cibāria coquere iussit.those 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.
Liv. 3.27.5Sīc iuventūs discurrit ad vallum petendum.So the young men scatter to fetch stakes. Liv. 3.27.5Sūmpsēre, unde cuique proximum fuit;They took them from wherever was nearest to each; Liv. 3.27.5prohibitus nēmō est;no one was prevented; Liv. 3.27.6inpigrēque omnēs ad ēdictum dictātōris praestō fuēre.and all promptly presented themselves according to the dictator's edict. Liv. 3.27.6Inde conpositō agmine nōn itinerī magis aptī quam proeliō, sī rēs ita tulisset, legiōnēs ipse dictātor, magister equitum suōs equitēs dūcit.Then, 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. Liv. 3.27.6In utrōque agmine quās tempus ipsum poscēbat adhortātiōnēs erant: adderent gradum;In both columns there were such exhortations as the moment itself demanded: they should quicken their pace; Liv. 3.27.7mātūrātō opus esse, ut nocte ad hostem pervenīrī posset.there was need of haste, so that they might reach the enemy in the night. Liv. 3.27.7Cōnsulem exercitumque Rōmānum obsidērī, tertium diem iam clausōs esse;The consul and the Roman army were under siege, and had now been shut in for three days; Liv. 3.27.7quid quaeque nox aut diēs ferat, incertum esse;what each night or day might bring was uncertain; Liv. 3.27.7punctō saepe temporis maximārum rērum mōmenta vertī.often the turning points of the greatest affairs hung on a moment of time.
Liv. 3.27.8"Accelerā signifer!"'Hurry, standard-bearer!' Liv. 3.27.8"Sequere mīles!"'Follow, soldier!' Liv. 3.27.8Inter sē quoque grātificantēs ducibus clāmābant.they shouted to one another too, to please their leaders. Liv. 3.27.8Mediā nocte in Algidum perveniunt et, ut sēnsēre sē iam prope hostēs esse, signa cōnstituunt.At midnight they reach Algidus and, when they realised that they were now near the enemy, they halt the standards.