15 tēgulae = tiles, roof-tiles (tĕgo).
23 senescit = abates, lit. grows old, becomes exhausted.
Results of the War. ‘By the Conquest of Veii, Rome’s territory, wealth, and population were largely increased. Rome was now emerging from the position of a federal capital of the Latins to become the mistress of a large country, when she was suddenly and unexpectedly overtaken by a disaster (the Invasion of the Gauls) which threatened not only her growth but her life.’—Ihne.
THE INVASION OF THE GAULS, 390 B.C. (1)
The Battle of the Allia.
Ibi tribuni militum non loco castris ante capto, non praemunito vallo, quo receptus esset, non deorum saltem, si non hominum, memores, nec auspicato nec litato instruunt aciem diductam in cornua, ne circumveniri multitudine hostium possent; 5 nec tamen aequari frontes poterant, cum extenuando infirmam et vix cohaerentem mediam aciem haberent. Paulum erat ab dextera editi loci, quem subsidiariis repleri placuit; eaque res ut initium pavoris ac fugae, sic una salus fugientibus fuit. Nam Brennus, regulus 10 Gallorum, in paucitate hostium artem maxime timens, ratus ad id captum superiorem locum, ut, ubi Galli cum acie legionum recta fronte concurrissent, subsidia in aversos transversosque impetum darent, ad subsidiarios signa convertit, si eos loco depulisset, 15 haud dubius facilem in aequo campi tantum superanti multitudine victoriam fore; adeo non fortuna modo sed ratio etiam cum barbaris stabat. In altera acie nihil simile Romanis, non apud duces, non apud milites erat. Pavor fugaque occupaverat animos et 20 tanta omnium oblivio, ut multo maior pars Veios, in hostium urbem, cum Tiberis arceret, quam recto itinere Romam ad coniuges ac liberos fugerent.
Livy, V. 38.
4 nec litato = without obtaining favourable omens (= καλλιερεῖν).
4-5 diductam in cornua = extended (drawn out) towards the wings.