THE DOMESTIC GOOSE. 407 



hack as A. u. c. 865, or 388 years before Christ. The passage 

 is worth extracting : 



" Thus they were employed at Veii, whilst, in the mean 

 time, the citadel and capitol at Rome were in the utmost 

 danger. The Gauls either perceived the track of a human 

 foot, where the messenger from Veii had passed, or, from 

 their own observation, had remarked the easy ascent at the 

 rock of Carmentis : on a moonlight night, therefore, having 

 first sent forward a person unarmed, to make trial of the way, 

 handing their arms to those before them, when any difficulty 

 occurred, supporting and supported in turns, and drawing each 

 other up, according as the ground required, they climbed to the 

 summit in such silence, that they not only escaped the notice 

 of the guards, but did not even 'alarm the dogs, animals par- 

 ticularly watchful with regard to any noise at night. They 

 were not unperceived, however, by some Geese, which, being 

 sacred to Juno, the people had spared, even in the present 

 great scarcity of food ; a circumstance to which they owed 

 their preservation ; for by the cackling of these creatures, and 

 the clapping of their wings, Marcus Manlius was roused from 

 sleep, a man of distinguished character in war, who had been 

 consul the third year before ; and snatching up his arms, and 

 at the same time calling to the rest to do the same, he hastened 

 to the spot, where, while some ran about in confusion, he, by 

 a stroke with the boss of his shield, tumbled down a Gaul who 

 had already got footing on the summit ; and this man's weight, 

 as he fell, throwing down those who were next, he slew several 

 others, who, in their consternation, threw away their arms and 

 caught hold of the rocks, to which they clung. By this time 

 many of the garrison had assembled at the place, who, by 

 throwing javelins and stones, beat down the enemy, so that the 

 whole band, unable to keep either their hold or footing, were 

 hurled down the precipice in promiscuous ruin." Livy, lib. 

 v. cap. 47 Baker's Translation. 



