Ab urbe condita

The senators were deeply moved by this instance of the vicissitudes of human fortune, where a people abounding in wealth, famous for their pride and luxuriousness, and from whom, shortly before, their neighbours had sought assistance, were now so broken in spirit that they put themselves and all that belonged to them under the power and authority of others.

It at once became a matter of honour that men who had formally surrendered themselves should not be left to their fate, and it was resolved “that the Samnite nation would commit a wrongful act if they attacked a city and territory which had by surrender become the possession of Rome.”

They determined to lose no time in despatching envoys to the Samnites. Their instructions were to lay before them the request of the Campanians, the reply which the senate, mindful of their friendly relations with the Samnites, had given, and lastly the surrender which had been made.

They were to request the Samnites, in virtue of the friendship and alliance which existed between them, to spare those who had made a surrender of themselves and to take no hostile action against that territory which had become the possession of the Roman people.

If these mild remonstrances proved ineffective, they were to solemnly warn the Samnites in the name of the senate and people of Rome to keep their hands off the city of Capua and the territory of Campania.

The[*](The Samnites Defiant —War Declared.) envoys delivered their instructions in the national council of Samnium. The reply they received was couched in such defiant terms that not only did the Samnites declare their intention of pursuing the war against Capua, but their magistrates went outside the council chamber and, in tones loud

enough for the envoys to bear, ordered the prefects of cohorts to march at once into the Campanian territory and ravage it.

When the result of this mission was reported in Rome, all other matters were at once laid aside and the fetials [*](see note 34 to Book IV. Vol. I.) were sent to demand redress. This was refused and the senate decreed that a formal declaration of war should be submitted for the approval of the people as soon as possible.

The people ratified the action of the senate and ordered the two consuls to start, each with his army; Valerius for Campania, where he fixed his camp at Mount Glaurus, whilst Cornelius advanced into Samnium and encamped at Saticula. [*](Battle of Mount Glaurus). —Valerius was the first to come into touch with the Samnite legions.