[9,10] Ἔτι δ´ αὐτοῦ λέγοντος τὰ εἰς τὸ γενναῖον ἐπαγωγὰ καὶ πολλὰ μεταξὺ τῶν λόγων ἐκχέοντος δάκρυα, λοχαγῶν τε καὶ ταξιάρχων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων στρατιωτῶν ἕκαστον, ᾧ συνῄδει τι λαμπρὸν ἔργον ἐν μάχαις ἀποδειξαμένῳ, κατ´ ὄνομα ἀνακαλοῦντος, καὶ πολλὰ καὶ μεγάλα τοῖς ἀριστεύσασι κατὰ τὴν μάχην φιλάνθρωπα δώσειν ὑπισχνουμένου πρὸς τὸ τῶν πράξεων μέγεθος, τιμάς τε καὶ πλούτους καὶ τὰς ἄλλας βοηθείας, ἀναβοήσεις ἐξ ἁπάντων ἐγίνοντο θαρρεῖν τε παρακελευομένων καὶ ἄγειν ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα ἀξιούντων. ἐπειδὴ δ´ ἐπαύσατο, προέρχεταί τις ἐκ τοῦ πλήθους, Μάρκος Φλαβολήιος ὄνομα, ἀνὴρ δημοτικὸς μὲν καὶ αὐτουργός, οὐ μὴν τῶν ἀπερριμμένων τις, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐπαινουμένων δι´ ἀρετὴν καὶ τὰ πολέμια ἄλκιμος, καὶ δι´ ἄμφω ταῦτα ἑνὸς τῶν ταγμάτων τῇ λαμπροτάτῃ ἀρχῇ κεκοσμημένος, ᾗ τὰς ἑξήκοντα ἑκατονταρχίας ἕπεσθαί τε καὶ τὸ κελευόμενον ὑπηρετεῖν κελεύει ὁ νόμος. τούτους Ῥωμαῖοι τοὺς ἡγεμόνας τῇ πατρίῳ γλώττῃ πριμοπίλους καλοῦσιν. οὗτος ὁ ἀνήρ - ἦν δὲ πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις μέγας τε καὶ καλὸς ἰδεῖν - στάς, ὅθεν ἅπασιν ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι φανερός, Ἐπεὶ τοῦτ´, ἔφησεν, ὦ ὕπατοι, δεδοίκατε, μὴ τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν οὐχ ὅμοια γένηται τοῖς λόγοις, ἐγὼ πρῶτος ὑμῖν ὑπὲρ ἐμαυτοῦ τὰ βέβαιον τῆς ὑποσχέσεως ἐκ τῆς μεγίστης πίστεως παρέξομαι· καὶ ὑμεῖς δ´, ὦ πολῖται τε καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς κοινωνοὶ τύχης, ὅσοι διεγνώκατε εἰς ἴσον καταστῆσαι τὰ ἔργα τοῖς λόγοις, οὐκ ἂν ἁμαρτάνοιτε ταὐτὸ ποιοῦντες ἐμοί. Ταῦτ´ εἰπὼν καὶ τὸ ξίφος ἀνατείνας ὤμοσε τὸν ἐπιχώριόν τε Ῥωμαίοις καὶ κράτιστον ὅρκον, τὴν ἀγαθὴν ἑαυτοῦ πίστιν, νικήσας τοὺς πολεμίους ἥξειν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, ἄλλως δ´ οὔ. τοῦτον ὀμόσαντος τοῦ Φλαβοληίου τὸν ὅρκον πολὺς ἐξ ἁπάντων ἔπαινος ἐγένετο· καὶ αὐτίκα οἵ τε ὕπατοι ἀμφότεροι ταὐτὸν ἔδρων καὶ οἱ τὰς ἐλάττους ἔχοντες στρατηγίας χιλίαρχοί τε καὶ λοχαγοί, τελευτῶσα δ´ ἡ πληθύς. ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῦτ´ ἐγένετο, πολλὴ μὲν εὐθυμία πᾶσιν ἐνέπεσε, πολλὴ δὲ φιλότης ἀλλήλων, θάρσος τ´ αὖ καὶ μένος· καὶ ἀπελθόντες ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, οἱ μὲν ἵπποις χαλινοὺς ἐνέβαλλον, οἱ δὲ ξίφη καὶ λόγχας ἔθηγον, οἱ δὲ τὰ σκεπαστήρια τῶν ὅπλων ἐξέματτον· καὶ ὀλίγου πᾶσα ἦν ἕτοιμος εἰς τὸν ἀγῶνα ἡ στρατιά. οἱ δ´ ὕπατοι τοὺς θεοὺς εὐχαῖς τε καὶ θυσίαις καὶ λιταῖς ἐπικαλεσάμενοι τῆς ἐξόδου σφίσι γενέσθαι ἡγεμόνας, ἐξῆγον ἐκ τοῦ χάρακος ἐν τάξει καὶ κόσμῳ τὸν στρατόν. καὶ οἱ Τυρρηνοὶ κατιόντας αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῶν ἐρυμάτων ἰδόντες ἐθαύμασάν τε καὶ ἀντεπεξῄεσαν ἁπάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει.

[9,10] (p317) While he was yet uttering these encouragements to bravery and accompanying his words with many tears, calling by name each one of the centurions, tribunes, and common soldiers whom he knew to have performed some gallant action in battle, and promising to those who should distinguish themselves in this engagement many great rewards in proportion to the magnitude of their deeds, such as honours, riches, and all the other advantages, shouts arose from all of them as they bade him be of good cheer and demanded that he lead them to battle.As soon as he had done speaking, there came forward from the throng a man named Marcus Flavoleius, a plebeian and a small farmer, though not one of the rabble but one celebrated for his merits and valiant in war and on both these accounts honoured with the most conspicuous command in one of the legions — a command which the sixty centuries are enjoined by the law to follow and obey. These officers the Romans call in their own tongue primipili.This man, who, besides his other recommendations, was tall and fair to look upon, taking his stand where he would be in full view of all, said: "Since this is what you fear, consuls, that our actions will not agree with our words, I will be the first to give you in my own name the greatest pledge I can give. And you too, fellow citizens and sharers of the same fortune, as many of you as are resolved to make your actions match your words, will make no mistake in following my example."Having said this, he held up his sword and (p319) took the oath traditional among the Romans and regarded by them as the mightiest of all, swearing by his own good faith that he would return to Rome victorious over the enemy, or not at all. After Flavoleius had taken this oath there was great applause from all; and immediately both the consuls did the same, as did also the subordinate officers, both tars and centurions, and last of all the rank and file.When this had been done, great cheerfulness came upon them all and great affection for one another and also confidence and ardour. And going from the assembly, some bridled their horses, others sharpened their swords and spears, and still others cleaned their defensive arms; and in a short time the whole army was ready for the combat.The consuls, after invoking the gods by vows, sacrifices, and prayers to be their guides as they marched out, led the army out of the camp in regular order and formation. The Tyrrhenians, seeing them come down from their entrenchments, were surprised and marched out with their whole force to meet them.