The War with the Gauls, and the Taking of Rome

Summary

That legend related that Aruns, a citizen of Clusium, had been the faithful guardian of a Lucumo, who, when he grew up, abused his intimacy with the family of Aruns to seduce his wife. The tribunals and magistrates refused to give the wronged husband legal satisfaction; whereupon despair drove him, like count Julian, to call in an irresistible foe. He loaded a number of mules with skins of wine and oil, and with rush-mats full of dried figs: with these he went over the Alps to the Gauls, and told them that, if they would follow him, the land which produced all these good things would be theirs; for it was inhabited by an unwarlike race. Forthwith the whole people arose with its women and children, and marcht across the Alps straight to Clusium.

The Clusines called upon the Romans for aid: the senate imagined that the very name of Rome would be enough to make the barbarians withdraw. Three of the Fabii, sons of the chief pontiff, M. Ambustus, were despatcht to tell them in the name of the senate that they must not touch the allies of Rome. The Gauls made answer that their own country was too small for them, that however they did not want to destroy the Clusines, provided the latter would share their territory with them.