1The consuls, having settled affairs in the city and established the position of the plebs, departed in different directions to their provinces. 1Valerius, against the armies of the Aequi and Volsci, now united on Algidus, held off the war by strategy; 2for if he had committed the issue to fortune at once, I am inclined to think, such were the feelings of Romans and enemies at that time after the ill-starred auspices of the decemvirs, that the contest would have come at a heavy cost. 2Pitching his camp a mile from the enemy, he kept his forces within it. 3The enemy filled the space between the two camps with their line drawn up, and when they challenged them to battle, no Roman gave any answer.
4At last, wearied with standing and waiting in vain for a fight, the Aequi and Volsci, believing that the victory had all but been conceded to them, went off to plunder, some against the Hernici, some against the Latins; 4there was left in the camp more of a garrison than strength enough for a battle. 5When the consul perceived this, he turned back on them the terror they had earlier inflicted, and, drawing up his line, provoked the enemy himself. 5When they, conscious of how much strength they lacked, declined battle, the Romans' courage at once rose, and they regarded as beaten men who were cowering inside their rampart. 7Having stood all day intent on battle, they gave way to night.
7And the Romans, full of hope, refreshed their bodies; 7the enemy, in a far different frame of mind, anxiously sent messengers in all directions to recall the plunderers. 7Men hurried back from the nearest places; 7those further off were not found. 8When day broke, the Romans marched out of camp, ready to assault the rampart if no opportunity for battle were offered. 8And when the day was now well advanced and the enemy made no move, the consul ordered the standards to advance; 8and as the line moved, indignation came upon the Aequi and Volsci at the thought that victorious armies should be protected by a rampart rather than by courage and arms.
8So they too demanded the signal for battle from their leaders and received it. 9And now part had gone out of the gates, and the rest were keeping their order, each going down to his own place, when the Roman consul, before the enemy's line could stand firm, supported by its whole strength, advanced to the attack; 10and falling upon them when not all had yet been led out, and those who had were not in properly deployed ranks, he charged into what was almost a heaving mob of men rushing this way and that and looking round at themselves and their comrades, adding a shout and an onset to their already confused minds.
11At first the enemy fell back; 11then, when they had collected their spirits and their leaders on every side reproached them, asking whether they meant to yield to beaten men, the battle was restored.