And now Camillus, being called to his sixth tribuneship, desired
to be excused, as being aged, and perhaps not unfearful of the
malice of fortune, and those reverses which seem to ensue upon
great prosperity. But the most apparent pretence was the weakness
of his body, for he happened at that time to be sick; the people,
however, would admit of no excuses, but, crying that they wanted
not his strength for horse or for foot service, but only his
counsel and conduct, constrained him to undertake the command, and
with one of his fellow-tribunes to lead the army immediately
against the enemy. These were the Praenestines and Volscians, who,
with large forces, were laying waste the territory of the Roman
confederates. Having marched out with his army, he sat down and
encamped near the enemy, meaning himself to protract the war, or
if there should come any necessity or occasion of fighting, in the
meantime to regain his strength. but Lucius Furius, his colleague,
carried away with the desire of glory, was not to e held in, but,
impatient to give battle, inflamed the inferior officers of the
army with the same eagerness; so that Camillus, fearing he might
seem out of envy to be wishing to rob the young man of the glory
of a noble exploit, consented, though unwillingly, that he should
draw out the forces, whilst himself, by reason of weakness, stayed
behind with a few in the camp.
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