Curiosities & wonders > Titus Livius' Roman history

Chap. 39.
ROMAN HISTORY.
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made too on the banks'of the Tiber, whither the whole
left wing had retreated, after they had thrown down their
arms: many who knew not how to swim, or could not,
being weighed down by their coats of mail and other ac¬
coutrements, were swallowed up by the waves. The
greatest part, however, got safe to Veii, from whence,
they wete so far. from sending relief to Rome, that they
never once thought of dispatching a courier with the
news of their misfortune. The right wing, which was
posted nearer the hill, and at a great distance from the
river, marched all to Rome, and took refuge in the cita¬
del, without staying to shut the gates of the city behind
them.
CHAP. XXXIX.
The Gauls enter Home. TIte flower of the Romans fly to
the Citadel and Capitol.
J&. VICTORY so suddenly ghtained, astonished the
Gauls so much, that they considered it as something mi¬
raculous. At first, awed by fear, they stood motionless,
as if they had known nothing of what had happened.
They still dreaded some ambuscade, but at last began to
strip the slain, and pile up the arms, according to their
custom. After all, when they saw nothing like an ene¬
my appear, they set out for Rome, which they reached
a little before sun-set. When the horse that were de¬
tached before them, brought back word that the gates
were open, no guards posted before them, nor any sol¬
diers on the walls, they considered it as a continuation
of the same miracle; and not knowing what the night
might bring forth, at the same time that they were utter
strangers to the situation of the city, they encamped be¬
tween the Anio and the city, and sent out scouts round
the walls and the gates of the city, to bring intelligence
of the enemy’s designs, now that their situation was ex¬
tremely critical.
At Rome, as the greatest part of the army had fled to
Veii, nobody imagining that one of them bad escaped
but those who had made good their retreat to Rome, and
the whole city lamenting the loss of the living, as well
as the dead, there was nothing to be seen but tears and