Tullus summoned Mettius and his army so they could put down the revolt at Fidenae, and he placed Mettius and his troops across from the soldiers of Fidenae, near the mountains. Slowly and imperceptibly, Mettius and his troops drifted to the mountains, hoping to help whichever side was winning.
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A messenger soon told Tullus that the Albans had deserted, but Tullus replied, in a very loud voice, that the Albans had gone to attack the unprotected rear of the Fidenates (the army of Fidenae). The Fidenates, who spoke Latin, heard and understood the message. They became alarmed and retreated; Tullus then routed the enemy.
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Mettius soon came to congratulate Tullus for the victory. Tullus thanked him, and asked him and his soldiers to join him at dawn for a purification ceremony. At dawn the Albans came and were seated closest to Tullus. The Romans, armed, then came into the meeting-place and surrounded the Albans. Tullus addressed the Romans, saying that he had not ordered the Albans to depart; he had lied about their departure so that the Romans would not lose hope and thus lose the battle. He did not blame the Alban soldiers, who were only following the orders of their commander, but he did blame Mettius, who had given the orders. The Romans then surrounded Mettius, and Tullus addressed him:
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 | | "Mettius Fufetius, if you could learn trustworthiness and how to live up to your treaties, I would let you live to learn the lessons from me. Since your way of thinking is incurable, you must now with your punishment teach the human race to consider sacred the things that you have violated. Since a short time ago you had a mind torn in its loyalty to Fidenae or Rome, you will now offer your body to be torn in two."
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| | After having two four-wheeled chariots brought forward, Tullus had Mettius stretched out and bound to the chariots. Then the horses, facing opposite directions, were lashed, carrying the mutilated corpse on each chariot, where his body parts were still attached to the chains. All turned their eyes from the hideous sight. That was the first and last time a punishment of a type so heedless of human laws occurred among us Romans; otherwise, we can say with pride that no other nation has been more content with gentle punishments. (Livy 1.28)
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