The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08
came to Pedum. Mænius suddenly making an attack, defeated the
Aricinians, and Lanuvians, and Veliternians, at the river Astura, the
Volscians of Antium forming a junction with them. The Tiburtian, far the
strongest body, Camillus engages at Pedum, encountering much greater
difficulty, though with a result equally successful. A sudden sally of
the townsmen during the battle chiefly occasioned confusion: Camillus,
turning on these with a part of his army, not only drove them within
their walls, but on the very same day, after he had discomfited
themselves and their auxiliaries, he took the town by scalade. It was
then resolved to lead round with greater energy and spirit his
victorious army from the storming of a single city to the entire
conquest of Latium. Nor did they stop until they reduced all Latium,
either by storming, or by becoming masters of the cities one after the
other by capitulation. Then, disposing garrisons in the towns which they
had taken, they departed to Rome to a triumph universally admitted to
be due to them. To the triumph was added the honour of having equestrian
statues erected to them in the forum, a compliment very unusual at that
period. Before they commenced holding the meeting for the election of
the consuls for the ensuing year, Camillus moved the senate concerning
the Latin states, and spoke thus: "Conscript fathers, that which was to
be done by war and arms in Latium has now been fully accomplished by the
bounty of the gods and the valour of the soldiers. The armies of the
enemy have been cut down at Pedum and the Astura. All the Latin towns,
and Antium belonging to the Volscians, either taken by storm, or
received into surrender, are occupied by your garrisons. It now remains
to be considered, since they annoy us by their repeated rebellions, how
we may keep them in quiet submission and in the observance of perpetual
peace. The immortal gods have put the determination of this matter so
completely in your power, that they have placed it at your option
whether Latium is to exist henceforward or not. Ye can therefore insure
to yourselves perpetual peace, as far as regards the Latins, either by
adopting severe or lenient measures. Do ye choose to adopt cruel conduct
towards people who have surrendered and have been conquered? Ye may
destroy all Latium, make a vast desert of a place whence, in many and
serious wars, ye have often made use of an excellent army of allies. Do
you wish, according to the example of your ancestors, to augment the
Roman state by admitting the vanquished among your citizens? Materials
for extending your power by the highest glory are at hand. That
government is certainly by far the most secure, which the subjects feel
a pleasure in obeying. But whatever determination ye wish to come to, it
is necessary that it be speedy. So many states have ye in a state of
suspense between hope and fear; and it is necessary that you be
discharged as soon as possible of your solicitude about them, and that
their minds, whilst they are still in a state of insensibility from
uncertainty, be at once impressed either by punishment or clemency. It
was our duty to bring matters to such a pass that you may have full
power to deliberate on every matter; yours to decide what is most
expedient to yourselves and the commonwealth."
14. The principal members of the senate applauded the consul's
statement of the business on the whole; but said that "as the states
were differently circumstanced, that their plan might be readily
adjusted so that it might be determined according to the desert of each,
if they should put the question regarding each state specifically." The
question was therefore so put regarding each separately and a decree
past. To the Lanuvians the right of citizenship was granted, and the
exercise of their religious rights was restored to them with this
provision, that the temple and grove of Juno Sospita should be common
between the Lanuvian burghers and the Roman people. The Aricians,
Nomentans, and Pedans were admitted into the number of citizens on the
same terms as the Lanuvians. To the Tusculans the rights of citizenship
which they already possessed were continued; and the crime of rebellion
was turned from disaffection on public grounds against a few
instigators. On the Veliternians, Roman citizens of long standing,
measures of great severity were inflicted because they had so often
rebelled; their walls were razed, and their senate removed from thence,
and they were ordered to dwell on the other side of the Tiber, so that
the fine of any individual who should be caught on the hither side of
that river should amount to one thousand _asses_; and that the person
who had apprehended him, should not discharge his prisoner from
confinement, until the money was paid down. Into the land of the
senators colonists were sent; from the additions of which Velitræ
recovered its appearance of former populousness. A new colony was also
sent to Antium, with this provision, that if the Antians desired to be
enrolled as colonists, permission to that effect should be granted.
Their ships of war were removed from thence, and the people of Antium
were interdicted the sea, and the rights of citizenship were granted
them. The Tiburtians and Prænestines were amerced in some land, not only
on account of the recent guilt of the rebellion, which was common to
them with the other Latins; but also because, from their dislike to the
Roman government, they had formerly associated in arms with the Gauls, a
nation of savages. From the other Latin states they took away the
privileges of intermarriage, commerce, and of holding meetings. To the
Campanians, in compliment to their horsemen, because they had refused to
join in rebellion with the Latins, and to the Fundans and Formians,
because the passage through their territories had been always secure and
peaceful, the freedom of the state was granted with the right of
suffrage. It was determined that the people of Cumæ and Suessula should
have the same rights and be on the same footing as Capua. Of the ships
of the Antians some were drawn up to the docks at Rome, some were
burned, and with the prows of these a pulpit built in the forum was
ordered to be decorated; and that temple was called Rostra.
15. During the consulship of Caius Sulpicius Longus and Publius Ælius
Pætus, when the Roman power not more than the kindly feeling engendered
by acts of kindness diffused the blessings of peace among all parties, a
war broke out between the Sidicinians and Auruncans. The Auruncans
having been admitted into alliance on the occasion of their
surrendering, had since that period made no disturbance; accordingly
they had a juster pretext for seeking aid from the Romans. But before
the consuls led forth their army from the city, (for the senate had
ordered the Auruncans to be defended,) intelligence is brought that the
Auruncans deserted their town through fear, and flying with their wives
and children, that they fortified Suessa, which is now called Aurunca;
that their ancient walls and city were demolished by the Sidicinians.
The senate being in consequence incensed against the consuls, by whose
delays the allies had been betrayed, ordered a dictator to be created.
Caius Claudius Regillensis was appointed, and he nominated Caius
Claudius Hortator as master of the horse. A scruple afterwards arose
concerning the dictator; and when the augurs declared that he seemed to
have been created under an informality, the dictator and the master of
the horse laid down their office. This year Minucia, a vestal, at first
suspected on account of her dress being more elegant than was becoming,
afterwards being arraigned before the pontiffs on the testimony of a
slave, after she had been ordered by their decree to abstain from
meddling in sacred rites, and to keep her slaves under her own power,
when brought to trial, was buried alive at the Colline gate, on the
right of the causeway, in the field of wickedness. I suppose that name
was given to the place from her crime. On the same year Quintus
Publilius Philo was the first of the plebeians elected prætor, being
opposed by Sulpicius the consul, who refused to take any notice of him
as a candidate; the senate, as they had not succeeded on that ground in
the case of the highest offices, being less earnest with respect to the
prætorship.
16. The following year, Lucius Papirius Crassus and Kæso Duilius being
consuls, was distinguished by a war with the Ausonians, as being new
rather than important. This people inhabited the city Cales; they had
united their arms with their neighbours the Sidicinians; and the army of
the two states being defeated in one battle scarcely worthy of record,
was induced to take to flight the earlier in consequence of the
proximity of the cities, and the more sheltered on their flight. Nor did
the senate, however, discontinue their attention to that war, because
the Sidicinians had now so often taken up arms either as principals, or
had afforded aid to those who did so, or had been the cause of
hostilities. Accordingly they exerted themselves with all their might,
to raise to the consulship for the fourth time, Marcus Valerius Corvus,
the greatest general of that day. To Corvus was added Marcus Atilius
Regulus as colleague; and lest any disappointment might by any chance
occur, a request was made of the consuls, that, without drawing lots,
that province might be assigned to Corvus. Receiving the victorious army
from the former consuls, proceeding to Cales, whence the war had
originated, after he had, at the first shout and onset, routed the
enemy, who were disheartened by the recollection also of the former
engagement, he set about attacking the town itself. And such was the
ardour of the soldiers, that they wished to advance immediately up to
the walls, and strenuously asserted that they would scale them. Corvus,
because that was a hazardous undertaking, wished to accomplish his
object rather by the labour than the risk of his men. Accordingly he
formed a rampart, prepared his vineæ, and advanced towers up to the
walls; but an opportunity which accidentally presented itself, prevented
the occasion for them. For Marcius Fabius, a Roman prisoner, when,
having broken his chains during the inattention of his guards on a
festival day, suspending himself by means of a rope which was fastened
to a battlement of the wall, he let himself down by the hands, persuaded
the general to make an assault on the enemy whilst stupified by wine and
feasting; nor were the Ausonians, together with their city, captured
with greater difficulty than they had been routed in the field. A great
amount of booty was obtained; and a garrison being stationed at Cales,
the legions were marched back to Rome. The consul triumphed in pursuance
of a decree of the senate; and that Atilius might not be without a share
of glory, both the consuls were ordered to lead the army against the
Sidicinians. But first, in conformity with a decree of the senate, they
nominated as dictator for the purpose of holding the elections, Lucius
Æmilius Mamercinus; he named Quintus Publilius Philo his master of the
horse. The dictator presiding at the elections, Titus Veturius and
Spurius Postumius were elected consuls. Though a part of the war with
the Sidicinians still remained; yet that they might anticipate, by an
act of kindness, the wishes of the commons, they proposed about sending
a colony to Cales; and a decree of the senate being passed that two
thousand five hundred men should be enrolled for that purpose, they
appointed Kæso Duilius, Titus Quinctius, and Marcus Fabius commissioners
for conducting the colony and distributing the land.
17. The new consuls then, recovering the army from their predecessors,