The agreement being
confirmed by oath on both sides, and the gold brought forth, the
Gauls used false dealing in the weights, secretly at first, but
afterwards openly pulled back and disturbed the balance; at which
the Romans indignantly complaining, Brennus in a scoffing and
insulting manner pulled off his sword and belt, and threw them
both into the scales; and when Sulpicius asked what that meant,
"What should it mean," says he, "but woe to the conquered?" which
afterwards became a proverbial saying.
Whilst this difference remained still unsettled, both amongst
themselves and with the Gauls, Camillus was at the gates with his
army; and, having learned what was going on, commanded the main
body of his forces to follow slowly after him in good order, and
himself with the choicest of his men hastening on, went at once to
the Romans; where all giving way to him, and receiving him as
their sole magistrate, with profound silence and order, he took
the gold out of the scales, and delivered it to his officers, and
commanded the Gauls to take their weights and scales and depart;
saying that is was customary with the Romans to deliver their
country with iron, not with gold. And when Brennus began to rage,
and say that he was unjustly dealt with in such a breach of
contract, Camillus answered that it was never legally made, and
the agreement of no force or obligation; for that himself being
declared dictator, and there being no other magistrate by law, the
engagement had been made with men who had no power to enter into
it; but now they might say anything they had to urge, for he had
come with full power by law to grant pardon to such as should ask
it, or inflict punishment on the guilty, if they did not repent.
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