And it would have ended in the destruction of the slaves at least, and indeed some of the commons also, had not the consuls adopted precautionary measures, by sending persons in every direction to buy up corn, not only into Etruria on the coast to the right of Ostia, and through the Volscians along the coast on the left as far as Cumas, but into Sicily also, in quest of it.

So far had the hatred of their neighbours obliged them to stand in need of aid from distant countries.

When corn had been bought up at Cumae, the ships were detained in lieu of the property of the Tarquinii by the tyrant Aristodemus, who was their heir.

Among the Volsci and in the Pomptine territory it could not even be purchased.

The corn dealers themselves incurred danger from the violence of the inhabitants.