Camillus   

all expectation, escaping. For near the isles of Aeolus the wind slacking,
galleys of the Lipareans came upon them, taking them for pirates;
and, when they held up their hands as suppliants, forbore indeed from
violence, but took their ship in tow, and carried her into the harbour,
where they exposed to sale their goods and persons as lawful prize,
they being pirates; and scarcely, at last, by the virtue and interest
of one man, Timasitheus by name, who was in office as general, and
used his utmost persuasion, they were, with much ado, dismissed. He,
however, himself sent out some of his own vessels with them, to accompany
them in their voyage and assist them at the dedication; for which
he received honours at Rome, as he had deserved.
And now the tribunes of the people again resuming their motion for
the division of the city, the war against the Faliscans luckily broke
out, giving liberty to the chief citizens to choose what magistrates
they pleased, and to appoint Camillus military tribune, with five
colleagues; affairs then requiring a commander of authority and reputation,
as well as experience. And when the people had ratified the election,
he marched with his forces into the territories of the Faliscans,
and laid siege to Falerii, a well-fortified city, and plentifully
stored with all necessaries of war. And although he perceived it would
be no small work to take it, and no little time would be required
for it, yet he was willing to exercise the citizens and keep them
abroad, that they might have no leisure, idling at home, to follow
the tribunes in factions and seditions; a very common remedy, indeed,
with the Romans, who thus carried off, like good physicians, the ill
humours of their commonwealth. The Falerians, trusting in the strength
of their city, which was well fortified on all sides, made so little
account of the siege, that all, with the exception of those that guarded
the walls, as in times of peace, walked about the streets in their
common dress; the boys went to school, and were led by their master
to play and exercise about the town walls; for the Falerians, like
the Greeks, used to have a single teacher for many pupils, wishing
their children to live and be brought up from the beginning in each
other's company.
This schoolmaster, designing to betray the Falerians by their children,
led them out every day under the town wall, at first but a little
way, and, when they had exercised, brought them home again. Afterwards
by degrees he drew them farther and farther, till by practice he had
made them bold and fearless, as if no danger was about them; and at
last, having got them all together, he brought them to the outposts
of the Romans, and delivered them up, demanding to be led to Camillus.
Where being come, and standing in the middle, he said that he was
the master and teacher of these children, but preferring his favour
before all other obligations, he was come to deliver up his charge
to him, and, in that, the whole city. When Camillus had heard him
out, he was astounded at the treachery of the act, and, turning to
the standers-by, observed that "war, indeed, is of necessity attended
with much injustice and violence! Certain laws, however, all good
men observe even in war itself, nor is victory so great an object
as to induce us to incur for its sake obligations for base and impious
acts. A great general should rely on his own virtue, and not on other
men's vices." Which said, he commanded the officers to tear off the
man's clothes, and bind his hands behind him, and give the boys rods
and scourges, to punish the traitor and drive him back to the city.
By this time the Falerians had discovered the treachery of the schoolmaster,
and the city, as was likely, was full of lamentations and cries for
their calamity, men and women of worth running in distraction about
the walls and gates; when, behold, the boys came whipping their master
on naked and bound, calling Camillus their preserver and god and father.
Insomuch that it struck not only into the parents, but the rest of
the citizens that saw what was done, such admiration and love of Camillus's
justice, that, immediately meeting in assembly, they sent ambassadors
to him, to resign whatever they had to his disposal. Camillus sent
them to Rome, where, being brought into the senate, they spoke to