English: Illustration of Brennus and Sulpicius, from "Histoire de France en cent tableaux" by Paul Lehugeur, Paris, 1886. "Quintus Sulpicius conferred with the Gallic chieftain Brennus and together they agreed upon the price, one thousand pounds' weight of gold. Insult was added to what was already sufficiently disgraceful, for the weights which the Gauls brought for weighing the metal were heavier than standard, and when the Roman commander objected the insolent barbarian flung his sword into the scale, saying 'Vae Victis — 'Woe to the vanquished!'

According to Plutarchː “All this, however, brought no relief to the besieged, for famine increased upon them, and their ignorance of what Camillus was doing made them dejected. No messenger could come from him because the city was now closely watched by the barbarians. Wherefore, both parties being in such a plight, a compromise was proposed, at first by the outposts as they encountered one another. Then since those in authority thought it best, Sulpicius, the military tribune of the Romans, held a conference with Brennus, and it was agreed that on the delivery of a thousand pounds of gold by the Romans, the Gauls should straightway depart out of the city and the country. Oaths were sworn to these terms, and the gold was brought to be weighed. But the Gauls tampered with the scales, secretly at first, then they openly pulled the balance back out of its poise. The Romans were incensed at this, but Brennus, with a micking laugh, stripped off his sword, and added it, belt and all, to the weights. When Sulpicius asked, ‘What means this?’ ‘What else,’ said Brennus, ‘but woe to the vanquished?’ and the phrase passed at once into a proverb.” Plutarch. Lives, vol. 2: Life of Camillus. Translated by Bernadotte Perrin. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1914. (Loeb Classical Library, no. 1), p. 163-165."