This is the story of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, a man who led the Roman victory over the Aequians, and was from then on upheld as a model for civic virtue.
Long ago, when Rome was young, and its conquests were not yet great, there was a people in the mountains of Latium, east of Rome. A primitive people called the Aequians, who the Romans had been fighting for a while, in effort to expand their territory. But at this time, about four hundred and fifty years before Christ, they had been in a time of peace. This was broken, however, when the Aequians started attacking the Roman farms. Messengers were sent to the Aequian king to complain of this injustice, but the king brushed them off. This incited anger for the Romans, so they engaged in battle.
This battle, which happened about four hundred and fifty-eight years before Christ, was fought on Algidus Mons, a place between the Roman Republic and Aequi. The Battle of Mons Algidus was the battle in which Cincinnatus would win for Rome, and gain his legacy.
At the beginning of this battle, Rome was led by consul Minucius, and was easily pulling ahead. So the Aequians retreated. The Roman’s followed them not realizing their deceit, and ended up in a valley, barricaded on all sides and trapped by the Aequian armies. It was only a matter of time until all of their resources would be spent, as would be they. But very fortunately, a few men managed to escape and ride as fast as they could back to Rome to inform of the emergency. They then proposed to the Senate that the man Cincinnatus be made dictator. In the republic, dictators were elected in times of emergency.
Cincinnatus was a man who lived on a small, humble farm, but was also born into a noble family. He was known for being a great warrior since he had won many battles for Rome. He served as consul for a time, and was made dictator in this emergency. On top of that he was also famous for his beautiful curly tresses, which did give him his name.
When he was called to this duty, he gathered a new army, of all of the capable men and boys he could get and warned them to be armed and ready to help Minucius and his army. He then led the army into the place of battle. They reached it at the time of dawn, to the Alban Hills, where the army was trapped, and formed a line around the Aequians. They fought and gained the Aequians’ surrender. Cincinnatus did grant mercy to the Aequians and spared them, but instead had them walk under the yolk. He set up the two spears with a third resting on the top, and had each and every man of the Aequian army surrender their arms, and bend under the yolk as the Romans jeered at them and humiliated them. This was a great violation of the Aequians’ honor, and many preferred to die rather than be so humiliated. By these means, Cincinnatus conquered the Aequians, and they were made humble in front of Rome.
When the victory was won, he was praised by his army and by the Roman people, and they wished to grant him the crown. But he humbly declined the throne and did not accept the glory, and after all things went back to his home on the little farm and resided there. Cincinnatus was lauded for his civic virtue; his loyalty to his country, his readiness to do anything for Rome, but also his humility, not lusting for power or even accepting it.
The End.
THE EDUCATION OF A MILLENNIAL 