[14,9] Ταῦτα μαθὼν ὁ τῶν Ῥωμαίων δικτάτωρ Κάμιλλος, συγκαλέσας τοὺς ἀμφ´ αὑτὸν ἐδημηγόρησε πολλὰ παρορμῶντα εἰς τόλμαν, ἐν οἷς καὶ τάδε· ὅπλα κρείττονα τῶν βαρβαρικῶν ἡμῖν μεμηχάνηται, θώρακες καὶ κράνη καὶ κνημῖδες καὶ κραταιοὶ θυρεοί, ὑφ´ ὧν ὅλα τὰ σώματα ἔχομεν ἐν φυλακῇ, ξίφη τε ἀμφίστομα καὶ ἀντὶ λόγχης ὑσσός, ἄφυκτον βέλος· τὰ μὲν σκεπαστήρια, οἷα μὴ ῥαδίως ταῖς πληγαῖς εἴκειν, τὰ δ´ ἀμυντήρια, ὡς διὰ πάσης φέρεσθαι προβολῆς. τῶν δὲ γυμναὶ μὲν αἱ κεφαλαί, γυμνὰ δὲ τὰ στέρνα καὶ αἱ λαγόνες, γυμνοὶ δὲ μηροὶ καὶ σκέλη μέχρι ποδῶν, ἔρυμά τε οὐδὲν ἕτερον, ὅ τι μὴ θυρεοί· ἀμυντήρια δὲ λόγχαι καὶ μάχαιραι κοπίδες ὑπερμήκεις. Τό τε χωρίον, ἐν ᾧ τὸν ἀγῶνα ποιησόμεθα, σύνεργον ἡμῖν τοῖς ἀπὸ μετεώρου κατιοῦσιν ἐπὶ τὸ πρανές, ἐκείνοις δὲ πολέμιον τοῖς ἐκ τοῦ χθαμαλοῦ πρὸς τὰ μετέωρα χωρεῖν ἀναγκαζομένοις. φοβείσθω δὲ μηδεὶς ὑμῶν μήτε τὸ πλῆθος τῶν πολεμίων μήτε τὸ μέγεθος, μηδ´ εἰς ταῦτά τις πλεονεκτήματα αὐτῶν ὁρῶν ἀθυμότερος πρὸς τὸν ἀγῶνα ἔστω, ἀλλ´ ἐνθυμείσθω πρῶτον μέν, ὅτι κρεῖττόν ἐστιν ἔλαττον στράτευμα ἐπιστάμενον, ἃ δεῖ πράττειν, ἢ πολὺ ἀμαθές· ἔπειθ´ ὅτι τοῖς μὲν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἰδίων ἀγωνιζομένοις ἡ φύσις αὐτὴ θάρσος τέ τι πρὸς τοὺς κινδύνους παρίστησι, καὶ πνεῦμα ἐνθουσιῶδες ὥσπερ τοῖς θεοφορήτοις παρέχει, τοῖς δ´ ἁρπάσαι τὰ ἀλλότρια προθυμουμένοις μαλακώτεραι πρὸς τὰ δεινὰ αἱ τόλμαι φιλοῦσι γίνεσθαι. Ἀλλὰ μὴν οὐδ´ οἷς δεδίττονται τοὺς πολεμίους καὶ πρὶν εἰς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν ἐκδειματοῦσιν, ὀρρωδητέα ἡμῖν ἐστιν, ὥσπερ ἀπείροις πολέμου. τί γὰρ ἂν δυνήσονται δεινὸν ἐργάσασθαι τοὺς ὁμόσε χωροῦντας αἱ βαθεῖαι κόμαι καὶ τὸ ἐν τοῖς ὄμμασιν αὐτῶν πικρὸν καὶ ὁ βλοσυρὸς τῆς ὄψεως χαρακτὴρ αἵ τε δὴ πλημμελεῖς αὗται σκιρτήσεις καὶ τὰ διὰ κενῆς ἀνασείσματα τῶν ὅπλων καὶ οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν θυρεῶν κτύποι, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα ὑπὸ βαρβάρου καὶ ἄφρονος ἀλαζονείας κατά τε μορφὰς καὶ φωνὰς ἐν ἀπειλαῖς πολεμίων σπαθᾶται, τίνα παρέχειν πέφυκε τοῖς ἀνοήτως ἐπιοῦσι πλεονεξίαν ἢ τοῖς μετὰ λογισμοῦ παρὰ τὰ δεινὰ ἑστῶσι φόβον; Ταῦτα δὴ διανοηθέντες, ὅσοι τε ὑμῶν ἐν τῷ κατὰ Κελτῶν προτέρῳ πολέμῳ παρεγένεσθε καὶ ὅσοι διὰ νεότητα ἀπελείφθητε αὐτοῦ, οἱ μὲν ἵνα τὴν τότε ἀρετὴν μὴ καταισχύνητε τῇ νῦν δειλίᾳ, οἱ δ´ ἵνα μηδὲν ἐνδεέστεροι γένησθε τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἐν ἐπιδείξει καλῶν ἔργων, ἴτε, ὦ γενναῖοι παῖδες ἀγαθῶν ζηλωταὶ πατέρων, ἴτε ἀκαταπλήκτως ἐπ´ αὐτοὺς θεούς τε ἀρωγοὺς ἔχοντες, οἳ παρέξουσιν ὑμῖν ἐξουσίαν, οἵας ἐβούλεσθε παρὰ τῶν ἐχθίστων ἀναπράξασθαι δίκας, καὶ στρατηγὸν ἐμέ, ᾧ πολλὴν μὲν εὐβουλίαν μαρτυρεῖτε, πολλὴν δ´ εὐποτμίαν· μακάριον μὲν ἕξοντες τὸν ἀπὸ τοῦδε χρόνον, οἷς ἂν ἐγγένηται τὸν ἐπιφανέστατον τῇ πατρίδι στέφανον καταγαγεῖν, καλὴν δὲ καὶ ἀθάνατον εὐκλείαν καταλείψοντες ἀντὶ τοῦ θνητοῦ σώματος νηπίοις παισὶ καὶ γηραιοῖς γονεῦσιν, οἱ ταύτην ἐκπληρώσοντες τὴν τοῦ βίου τελευτήν. οὐκ οἶδ´ ὅ τι δεῖ πλείω λέγειν· κινεῖται γὰρ ἤδη τὸ βάρβαρον στράτευμα χωροῦν ἐφ´ ἡμᾶς. ἀλλ´ ἄπιτε καὶ καθίστασθε εἰς τάξιν.

[14,9] Upon learning of this state of affairs the Roman dictator, Camillus, assembled his men and addressed them, using many arguments that incited them to boldness, among which were the following: "Better arms than the barbarians possess have been fashioned for us — breastplates, helmets, greaves, (p271) mighty shields, with which we keep our entire bodies protected, two-edged swords, and, instead of the spear, the javelin, a missile that cannot be dodged — some of them being protective armour, such as not to yield readily to blows, and others offensive, of a sort to pierce through any defence. But our foes have their heads bare, bare their breasts and flanks, bare their thighs and legs down to their feet, and have no other defence except shields; as weapons of offence they have spears and very long slashing blades. 3 The tern also in which we shall fight will aid us as we move downhill from higher ground, but will be adverse to them as they are forced to advance from the level to higher ground. And let no one of you stand in dread either of the enemies' numbers or of their size, or, from looking at these advantages on their side, become less confident of the contest. On the contrary, let everyone bear in mind, first, that a smaller army which understands what must be done is superior to a large army that is uninstructed; and, second, that to those who are fighting for their own possessions Nature herself lends a certain courage in the face of danger and gives them a spirit of ecstasy like that of men possessed by a god, whereas those who are eager to seize the goods of others are apt to find their boldness weakened in the face of dangers. 4 Nay, not even their attempts to frighten their foes and terrify them before coming to blows should cause us any dread, as if we were inexperienced in warfare. For what harm can be done to men going (p273) into battle by those long locks, the fierceness of their glance, and the grim aspect of their countenances? And these awkward prancings, the useless brandishing of their weapons, the many clashings of their shields, and all the other demonstrations of barbarian and senseless bravado, whether through motions or through sounds, indulged in by way of threats to their foes — what advantage are they calculated to bring to those who attack unintelligently, or what fear to those who with cool calculation stand their ground in the midst of danger? 5 Do you, then, with these thoughts in mind, both those of you who were present in the earlier war against the Gauls and those of you who had no part in it by reason of your youth, the former in order that you may not, by cowardice now, bring shame upon the valour you then displayed, and you others in order that you may not be behind your elders in the display of noble deeds, go, noble sons, emulators of brave fathers, go intrepidly against the foe, having not only the gods as your helpers, who will give you the power to exact from your bitterest foes such vengeance as you have been wishing for, but also me as your general, to whose great prudence and great good fortune you bear witness. 6 A blissful life from this time forth those of you will lead to whom it shall be granted to bring home for your fatherland its most distinguished crown, and a splendid and imperishable renown in place of your mortal bodies those of you will bequeath to your infant children and your aged parents who shall fulfil thus the end of your lives. I know of nothing more that needs to be said; for the barbarian army is already in motion, advancing against us. But be off and take your places in the ranks."