geese kept in the temple of Juno, which in other times were fed without
stint, but which then, as there was scarcely food enough for the men,
were somewhat neglected. These birds are naturally quick of hearing and
timid, and now being rendered wakeful and wild by hunger, quickly
perceived the Gauls climbing up, and rushing noisily to the place woke
the garrison, while the Gauls feeling that they were discovered no
longer preserved silence, but violently assaulted the place. The Romans,
snatching up whatever arms came first to hand, ran to repulse them: and
first of all Manlius, a man of consular rank, strong of body and full of
courage, fell in with two of the enemy. As one of them lifted up his
battleaxe, Manlius cut off his right hand with his sword, while he
dashed his shield into the other's face, and threw him backwards down
the cliff. After this he stood upon the wall, and with the help of those
who assembled round him, beat off the rest, for not many had reached the
top, or effected anything commensurate with the boldness of the attempt.
Having thus escaped the danger, the Romans threw their sentinel down the
rock; while on Manlius they conferred by vote a reward for his bravery,
intended more for honour than advantage; for each man gave him a day's
rations, which consisted of half a Roman pound of meal, and the fourth
part of a Greek cotyle of wine.

XXVIII. This affair disheartened the Gauls, who were also in want of
provisions, for they could not forage as before for fear of Camillus,
while disease also crept in among them, encamped as they were in the
ruins of Rome among heaps of dead bodies, while the deep layer of ashes
became blown by the wind into the air, making it dry and harsh, and the
vapours of the conflagrations were injurious to breathe. They were
especially distressed by the change from a cloudy country where there
are plenty of shady retreats, to the flat burning plains of Rome in
autumn, and their siege of the Capitol became wearisome, for they had