Brennus

Brennus, the Latinised form of a Celtic royal title.—(1) The leader of the Senonian Gauls who, in 390 B.C., crossed the Apennines and overthrew on the banks of the Allia (q.v.) the Roman army. On their entry into Rome the Gauls found that most of the inhabitants had fled save the senators, who, with pathetic heroism, had resolved not to survive the destruction of their homes. Clothed in their robes of dignity or office, and sitting in their enrule chairs, they waited the approach of their enemies, and received their death in majestic silence. Brennus plundered the city and besieged the capitol for six months, during which time occurred the famous night-attack, which would have been successful had not the cackling of the geese in Juno's temple awakened the garrison. The Romans were at length compelled to treat with the besiegers. They offered a thousand pounds of gold for their ransom, which was agreed to. To counterpoise the gold, Brennus flung his sword into the opposite scale, crying as he did so, Væ victis ('woe to the vanquished'). But Camillus, who had been recalled from banishment and appointed dictator, appeared with his soldiers in the nick of time, at once set on the enemy, and after a desperate struggle cut them off to a man. According to Polybius the Gauls returned home in safety with their booty.—(2) The Gallic chief who invaded Greece, 279 B.C., at the head of 150,000 foot and 20,000 horse. After desolating Macedonia, he forced his way through Thessaly to Thermopylæ, and hurried on to Delphi with a view to plunder. The Delphians bravely resisted, and aided by an earthquake and a terrible storm, besides the supernatural help of Apollo, they utterly routed the Gauls, who fled in dismay. Brennus was taken prisoner, and drank himself to death in his despair.