Ab urbe condita

They had already got as far as the centre of the Samnite lines when a soldier striding over the bodies of the sleeping sentinels made a noise by striking his shield against one of them. The sentinel awakened by the sound shook the one next him; they both jumped up and aroused others, not knowing whether friends or foes were amongst them, whether it was Decius' force breaking out or the consul capturing the camp.

As they were no longer unobserved, Decius ordered his men to raise a shout, which paralysed the half-awakened sleepers with terror.

In their confusion they were unable to seize their arms promptly and could neither offer any resistance nor follow up their assailants.