The enemy did not confine themselves any longer to the Hernician territory.
They proceed thence with determined hostility into the Roman territories, which were already devastated without the injuries of war.
Where, when there was no one to meet them, not even an unarmed person, and they passed through every place destitute not only of troops, but even of the cultivation of the husbandman, they reached as far as the third stone on the Gabinian road.

AEbutius, the Roman consul, was dead; his colleague, Servilius, was dragging out life with slender hope of recovery; most of the leading men, the chief part of the patricians, all of the military age, were lying sick, so that strength was wanting not only for the expeditions, which, amid such an alarm the conjuncture required, but scarcely had they sufficient even for quietly mounting guard.

The senators whose age and health permitted them, discharged personally the duty of sentinels.

The going around[111] and attending to these was assigned to the aediles of the people; on them devolved the chief administration of affairs and the majesty of the consular authority.
[Footnote 109: Of the year,--i.e.the consular year, not the civil one, which commenced in January.] [Footnote 110: A similar measure was adopted at Athens.

See Thucyd.