The defenders of the citadel were grateful to Manlius for acting so promptly, and although they were all suffering from hunger, each one agreed to give him, from his own slender store, one day’s allowance of food. This consisted of half a pound of corn and a measure holding five ounces of wine.
At length a day came when the brave folk in the Capitol must either die of starvation or surrender. So the senators sent to King Brennus and offered to pay him a large sum of money if he would raise the siege.
As the Gauls too were suffering from famine, the king was willing to accept a ransom, but he demanded the large sum of one thousand pounds of gold.
Only by borrowing treasures from the temple, and receivings gifts of golden ornaments from Roman matrons, could the sum be found.
In bitterness of spirit the Romans went down to the Forum on the day appointed, and began to lay their treasures on the scales.
Suddenly they noticed that the weights which the barbarians were using on their scales, were false.
But when they complained, the king threw his sword into the scale, crying scornfully, ‘Væ Victis,’ ‘Woe to the Conquered.’
At that moment, Rome was saved from the shame of paying a ransom, for Camillus with his army marched into the Forum.
As Dictator, the supreme power was his, and he had the right to forbid even what the Senate had allowed.
He looked at the gold ornaments lying in the scales, and bade the Romans take them back, for, said Camillus proudly, ‘It is usual with Romans to pay their debts, not in gold, but in iron.’ By these words the Dictator meant that the Romans used their weapons to settle their quarrels.