Ab urbe condita

surrendered. The Auruncans, however, were treated with no less rigour after they had surrendered the city than if it had been taken by assault; the principal men were beheaded, the rest of the townsfolk sold as slaves. The town was razed, the land put up for

sale. The consuls celebrated a triumph more because of the terrible vengeance they had inflicted than on account of the importance of the war now terminated.

The[*](The Dictatorship.) following year had as consuls Postumius Cominius and T. Lartius.

During this year an incident occurred which, though small in itself, threatened to lead to the renewal of a war more formidable than the Latin war which was dreaded. During the games at Rome some courtesans were carried off by Sabine youths in sheer wantonness.

A crowd gathered, and a quarrel arose which became almost a pitched battle. The alarm was increased by the authentic report that at the instigation of Octavius Mamilius[*](Mamilius Octavius —Tarquin's son-in-law, mentioned at the end of chap. xv.) the thirty Latin towns had formed a

league. The apprehensions felt by the State at such a serious crisis led to suggestions being made for the first time for the appointment of a dictator. It is not, however, clearly ascertained in what year this office was created, or who the consuls were who had forfeited the confidence of the people owing to their being adherents of the Tarquins —for this, too, is part of the tradition —or who was the first

dictator. In the most ancient authorities I find that it was T. Lartius, and that Sp. Cassius was his master of the