The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08
entered the enemy's territories and carried their depredations up to the
walls and the city. There because the Sidicinians, who had raised a
numerous army, seemed determined to fight vigorously for their last
hope, and a report existed that Samnium also was preparing for
hostilities, Publius Cornelius Rufinus was created dictator by the
consuls in pursuance of a decree of the senate; Marcus Antonius was
nominated master of the horse. A scruple afterwards arose that they were
elected under an informality: and they laid down their office; and
because a pestilence followed, recourse was had to an interregnum, as if
all the auspices had been infected by that irregularity. By Marcus
Valerius Corvus, the fifth interrex from the commencement of the
interregnum, Aulus Cornelius a second time, and Cneius Domitius were
elected consuls. Things being now tranquil, the rumour of a Gallic war
had the effect of a real outbreak, so that they were determined that a
dictator should be nominated. Marcus Papirius Crassus was nominated, and
Publius Valerius Publicola master of the horse. And when the levy was
conducted by them with more activity than was deemed necessary in the
case of neighbouring wars, scouts were sent out and brought word, that
there was perfect quiet with the Gauls in every direction. It was
suspected that Samnium also was now for the second year in a state of
disturbance in consequence of their entertaining new designs: hence the
Roman troops were not withdrawn from the Sidicinian territory. But a
hostile attack made by Alexander of Epirus on the Lucanians drew away
the attention of the Samnites to another quarter; these two nations
fought a pitched battle against the king, as he was making a descent on
the district adjoining Pæstum. Alexander, having come off victorious in
that contest, concluded a peace with the Romans; with what fidelity he
would have kept it, if his other projects had been equally successful,
is uncertain. The same year the census was performed, and the new
citizens were rated; on their account the Mæscian and Scaptian tribes
were added: the censors who added them were Quintus Publilius Philo and
Spurius Postumius. The Acerrans were enrolled as Romans, in conformity
with a law introduced by the prætor, Lucius Papirius, by which the right
of citizenship with the privilege of suffrage was conferred. These were
the transactions at home and abroad during that year.
18. The following year was disastrous, whether by the intemperature of
the air, or by human guilt, Marcus Claudius Marcellus and Caius Valerius
being consuls. I find in the annals Flaccus and Potitus variously given
as the surname of the consul; but in this it is of little consequence
which is the true one. I would heartily wish that this other account
were a false one, (nor indeed do all writers mention it,) viz. that
those persons, whose death rendered the year signal for the pestilence,
were carried off by poison. The circumstance however must be stated as
it is handed down to us, that I may not detract from the credit of any
writer. When the principal persons of the state were dying of similar
diseases, and all generally with the same result, a certain maid-servant
undertook, before Quintius Fabius Maximus, curule ædile, to discover the
cause of the public malady, provided the public faith would be given to
her by him, that the discovery should not be made detrimental to her.
Fabius immediately lays the matter before the consuls, and the consuls
before the senate, and with the concurrence of that order the public
faith was pledged to the informer. It was then disclosed that the state
was afflicted by the wickedness of certain women, and that certain
matrons were preparing those poisonous drugs; and if they wished to
follow her forthwith, they might be detected in the very fact. Having
followed the informer, they found women preparing certain drugs, and
others of the same kind laid up. These being brought into the forum, and
several matrons, to the number of twenty, in whose possession they had
been detected, being summoned by the beadle, two of them, Cornelia and
Sergia, both of patrician rank, maintaining that these drugs were
wholesome, were directed by the informer who confronted them to drink
some, that they might convict her of having stated what was false;
having taken time to confer together, when, the crowd being removed,
they referred the matter to the other matrons in the open view of all;
they also not refusing to drink, they all drank of the preparation, and
perished by their own wicked device. Their attendants being instantly
seized, informed against a great number of matrons, of whom to the
number of one hundred and seventy were condemned. Nor up to that day was
there ever an inquiry made at Rome concerning poisoning. The
circumstance was considered a prodigy; and seemed the act rather of
insane persons than of persons depraved by guilt. Wherefore mention
having been found in the annals, that formerly in the secessions of the
commons the nail had been driven by the dictator, and that the minds of
the people, distracted by discord, had been restored to a sane state, it
was determined that a dictator should be nominated for the purpose of
driving the nail. Cneius Quinctilius being nominated, appointed Lucius
Valerius master of the horse, who, as soon as the nail was driven,
abdicated their offices.
19. Lucius Papirius Crassus a second time, and Lucius Plautius Venno
were elected consuls; at the commencement of which year ambassadors came
to Rome from the Fabraternians, a Volscian people, and from the
Lucanians, soliciting to be admitted into alliance: [promising] that if
they were defended from the arms of the Samnites, they would continue in
fidelity and obedience under the government of the Roman people.
Ambassadors were then sent by the senate; and the Samnites were directed
to withhold all violence from the territories of those states; and this
embassy proved effectual not so much because the Samnites were desirous
of peace, as because they were not prepared for war. The same year a war
broke out with the people of Privernum; in which the people of Fundi
were their supporters, their leader also being a Fundanian, Vitruvius
Vaccus; a man of distinction not only at home, but in Rome also. He had
a house on the Palatine hill, which, after the building was razed and
the ground thrown open, was called the Vacciprata. Lucius Papirius
having set out to oppose him whilst devastating extensively the
districts of Setia, Norba, and Cora, posted himself at no great distance
from his camp. Vitruvius neither adopted the prudent resolution to
enclose himself with his trenches against an enemy his superior in
strength, nor had he sufficient courage to engage at any great distance
from his camp. When his army had scarcely got out of the gate of the
camp, and his soldiers were looking backwards to flight rather than to
battle or the enemy, he enters on an engagement without judgment or
boldness; and as he was conquered by a very slight effort and
unequivocally, so did he by the very shortness of the distance, and by
the facility of his retreat into the camp so near at hand, protect his
soldiers without difficulty from much loss; and scarcely were any slain
in the engagement itself, and but few in the confusion of the flight in
the rear, whilst they were making their way into the camp; and as soon
as it was dark they repaired to Privernum in trepidation, so that they
might protect themselves rather by walls than by a rampart. Plautius,
the other consul, after laying waste the lands in every direction and
driving off the spoil, leads his army into the Fundanian territory. The
senate of the Fundanians met him as he was entering their borders; they
declare that "they had not come to intercede in behalf of Vitruvius or
those who followed his faction, but in behalf of the people of Fundi,
whose exemption from any blame in the war had been proved by Vitruvius
himself, when he made Privernum his place of retreat, and not his native
country, Fundi. At Privernum, therefore, the enemies of the Roman people
were to be looked for, and punished, who revolted at the same time from
the Fundanians and the Romans, unmindful of both countries. That the
Fundanians were at peace, that they had Roman feelings and a grateful
recollection of the political rights received. They entreated the consul
to withhold war from an inoffensive people; their lands, city, their own
bodies and those of their wives and children, were, and ever should be,
at the disposal of the Roman people." The consul, having commended the
Fundanians, and despatched letters to Rome that the Fundanians had
preserved their allegiance, turned his march to Privernum. Claudius
states, that the consul first punished those who were at the head of the
conspiracy; that three hundred and fifty of the conspirators were sent
in chains to Rome; and that such submission was not received by the
senate, because they considered that the people of Fundi wished to come
off with impunity by the punishment of needy and humble persons.
20. While the siege of Privernum was being conducted by the two consular
armies, one of the consuls was recalled to Rome, on account of the
elections. This year gaols were first erected in the circus. While the
attention of the public was still occupied by the Privernian war, an
alarming report of the Gauls being in arms, a matter scarcely ever
slighted by the senate, suddenly came on them. The new consuls,
therefore, Lucius Æmilius Mamercinus and Caius Plautius, on the calends
of July, the very day on which they entered into office, received orders
to settle the provinces immediately between themselves; and Mamercinus,
to whom the Gallic war fell, was directed to levy troops, without
admitting any plea of immunity: nay, it is said, that even the rabble of
handicrafts, and those of sedentary trades, of all the worst qualified
for military service, were called out; and a vast army was collected at
Veii, in readiness to meet the Gauls. It was thought proper not to
proceed to a greater distance, lest the enemy might by some other route
arrive at the city without being observed. In the course of a few days
it being ascertained, on a careful inquiry, that every thing on that
side was quiet at the time; the whole force, which was to have opposed
the Gauls, was then turned against Privernum. Of the issue of the
business, there are two different accounts: some say, that the city was
taken by storm; and that Vitruvius fell alive into the hands [of the
conquerors]: others maintain that the townsmen, to avoid the extremities
of a storm, presenting the rod of peace, surrendered to the consul; and
that Vitruvius was delivered up by his troops. The senate, being
consulted with respect to Vitruvius and the Privernians, sent
directions, that the consul Plautius should demolish the walls of
Privernum, and, leaving a strong garrison there, come home to enjoy the
honour of a triumph; at the same time ordering that Vitruvius should be
kept in prison, until the return of the consul, and that he should then
be beaten with rods, and put to death. His house, which stood on the
Palatine hill, they commanded to be razed to the ground, and his effects
to be devoted to Semo Sancus. With the money produced by the sale of
them, brazen globes were formed, and placed in the chapel of Sancus,
opposite to the temple of Quirinus. As to the senate of Privernum, it
was decreed, that every person who had continued to act as a senator of
Privernum, after the revolt from the Romans, should reside on the
farther side of the Tiber, under the same restrictions as those of
Velitræ. After the passing of these decrees, there was no further
mention of the Privernians, until Plautius had triumphed. After the