Meanwhile, whilst these things were going on at Veii, the citadel and Capitol of Rome were in great danger. For the Gauls had either perceived the track of a human foot where the messenger from Veii had passed, or had of themselves remarked the rock with its easy ascent at the temple of Carmentis. So on a starlight night, after they had first sent forward an unarmed man to make trial of the way, they attempted the ascent. Handing over their arms whenever any difficult passage occurred, alternately supported by and supporting each other and drawing each other up according as the ground required, they reached the summit in such silence that they not only escaped the notice of the sentinels, but of the dogs also, an animal extremely vigilant with respect to noises by night. They did not escape the notice of the geese. These, as being sacred to Juno, were spared, though there was the greatest scarcity of food. This circumstance was the cause of their preservation. For Marcus Manlius, who three years before had been consul, a man of great military distinction, being aroused from sleep by their cackling and the clapping of their wings, snatched up his arms, and at the same time calling the others to do the same, proceeds to the spot. Whilst the others were thrown into confusion, he struck with the boss of his shield a Gaul who had already got footing on the summit, and tumbled him down; and since the fall of this man as he tumbled threw down those who were next, Manlius slew others, who in their consternation had thrown away their arms, and were grasping tight the rocks to which they clung. And now the others also having assembled beat down the enemy with javelins and stones, and the whole line of men fell and were hurled down headlong with a crash. The alarm then subsiding, the remainder of the night was given up to repose, as far as could be done considering the disturbed state of their minds, since the danger, even though past, still kept them in a state of anxiety.