The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08
those of the dictator. No one would then pay any deference to men, no,
nor even to the gods. Neither edicts of generals nor auspices would be
observed. The soldiers, without leave of absence, would straggle at
random through the lands of friends and of foes; and regardless of their
oath would, influenced solely by a wanton humour, quit the service
whenever they might choose. The standards would be unattended and
forsaken: the men would neither assemble in pursuance of orders, nor
would any distinction be made as to fighting by night or by day, on
favourable or unfavourable ground, by order or without the orders of
the general; nor would they observe standards or ranks; the service,
instead of being solemn and sacred, would be confused and the result of
mere chance, like that of freebooters. Render yourselves then, tribunes
of the commons, accountable for all these evils to all future ages.
Expose your own persons to these heavy imputations in defence of the
licentious conduct of Quintus Fabius."
35. The tribunes now confounded, and more anxiously concerned at their
own situation than at his for whom their support was sought, were freed
from this embarrassment by the Roman people unanimously having recourse
to prayers and entreaties, that the dictator would, for their sakes,
remit the punishment of the master of the horse. The tribunes likewise,
following the example set them of employing entreaties, earnestly
beseech the dictator to pardon human error, to consider the immaturity
of the offender's age; that he had suffered sufficiently; and now the
youth himself, now his father, Marcus Fabius, disclaiming further
contest, fell at the dictator's knees and deprecated his wrath. Then the
dictator, after causing silence, said, "Romans, it is well. Military
discipline has prevailed; the majesty of government has prevailed; both
which were in danger of ceasing this day to exist. Quintus Fabius, who
fought contrary to the order of his commander, is not acquitted of
guilt; but after being condemned as guilty, is granted as a boon to the
Roman people; is granted to the college of tribunes, supporting him with
their prayers, not with the regular power of their office. Live, Quintus
Fabius, more happy in this united sympathy of the state for your
preservation, than in the victory in which you lately exulted. Live,
after having ventured on such an act, as your father himself, had he
been in the place of Lucius Papirius, would not have pardoned. With me
you shall be reconciled whenever you wish it. To the Roman people, to
whom you owe your life, you can perform no greater service than to let
this day teach you a sufficient lesson to enable you to submit to lawful
commands, both in war and peace." He then declared, that he no longer
detained the master of the horse, and as he retired from the rostrum,
the senate being greatly rejoiced, and the people still more so,
gathered round him and escorted him, on one hand commending the
dictator, on the other congratulating the master of the horse; while it
was considered that the authority of military command was confirmed no
less effectually by the danger of Quintus Fabius than the lamentable
punishment of young Manlius. It so happened, that, through the course of
that year, as often as the dictator left the army the Samnites were in
motion: but Marcus Valerius, the lieutenant-general who commanded in the
camp, had Quintus Fabius before his eyes for an example, not to fear any
violence of the enemy, so much as the unrelenting anger of the dictator.
So that when a body of his foragers fell into an ambuscade and were cut
to pieces in disadvantageous ground, it was generally believed that the
lieutenant-general could have given them assistance if he had not been
held in dread by his rigorous orders. The resentment for this also
alienated the affections of the soldiery from the dictator, already
incensed against him because he had been implacable towards Quintus
Fabius, and because he had granted him pardon at the intercession of the
Roman people, a thing which he had refused to their entreaties.
36. The dictator, having appointed Lucius Papirius Crassus, as master of
the horse, to the command of the city, and prohibited Quintus Fabius
from acting in any case as magistrate, returned to the camp; where his
arrival brought neither any great joy to his countrymen, nor any degree
of terror to the enemy: for on the day following, either not knowing
that the dictator had arrived, or little regarding whether he were
present or absent, they approached his camp in order of battle. Of such
importance, however, was that single man, Lucius Papirius, that had the
zeal of the soldiers seconded the dispositions of the commander, no
doubt was entertained that an end might have been put that day to the
war with the Samnites; so judiciously did he draw up his army with
respect to situation and reserves, in such a manner did he strengthen
them with every advantage of military skill: but the soldiers exerted no
vigour; and designedly kept from conquering, in order to injure the
reputation of their leader. Of the Samnites, however, very many were
slain; and great numbers of the Romans wounded. The experienced
commander quickly perceived the circumstance which prevented his
success, and that it would be necessary to moderate his temper, and to
mingle mildness with austerity. Accordingly, attended by the
lieutenants-general, going round to the wounded soldiers, thrusting his
head into their tents, and asking them, one by one, how they were in
health; then, mentioning them by name, he gave them in charge to the
officers, tribunes, and præfects. This behaviour, popular in itself, he
maintained with such dexterity, that by his attention to their recovery
he gradually gained their affection; nor did any thing so much
contribute towards their recovery as the circumstance of this attention
being received with gratitude. The army being restored to health, he
came to an engagement with the enemy; and both himself and the troops,
being possessed with full confidence of success, he so entirely defeated
and dispersed the Samnites, that that was the last day they met the
dictator in the field. The victorious army, afterwards, directed its
march wherever a prospect of booty invited, and traversed the enemies'
territories, encountering not a weapon, nor any opposition, either
openly or by stratagem. It added to their alacrity, that the dictator
had, by proclamation, given the whole spoil to the soldiers; so that
they were animated not only by the public quarrel, but by their private
emolument. Reduced by these losses, the Samnites sued to the dictator
for peace, and, after they had engaged to supply each of his soldiers
with a suit of clothes and a year's pay, being ordered to apply to the
senate, they answered, that they would follow the dictator, committing
their cause wholly to his integrity and honour. On this the troops were
withdrawn out of Samnium.
37. The dictator entered the city in triumph; and, though desirous of
resigning his office immediately, yet, by order of the senate, he held
it until the consuls were elected: these were Caius Sulpicius Longus a
second time, and Quintus Æmilius Cerretanus. The Samnites, without
finishing the treaty of peace, the terms being still in negotiation,
brought home with them a truce for a year. Nor was even that faithfully
observed; so strongly was their inclination for war excited, on hearing
that Papirius was gone out of office. In this consulate of Caius
Sulpicius and Quintus Æmilius, (some histories have Aulius,) to the
revolt of the Samnites was added a new war with the Apulians. Armies
were sent against both. The Samnites fell by lot to Sulpicius, the
Apulians to Æmilius. Some writers say, that this war was not waged with
the Apulians, but that the allied states of that nation were defended
against the violence and injustice of the Samnites. But the
circumstances of the Samnites, who could with difficulty, at that
period, support a war in which themselves were engaged, render it more
probable that they did not make war on the Apulians, but that both
nations were in arms against the Romans at the same time. However, no
memorable event occurred. The lands of the Apulians and of Samnium were
utterly laid waste; but in neither quarter were the enemy to be found.
At Rome, an alarm, which happened in the night, suddenly roused the
people from their sleep, in such a fright, that the Capitol and citadel,
the walls and gates, were all filled with men in arms. But after they
had called all to their posts, and run together in bodies, in every
quarter, when day approached, neither the author nor cause of the alarm
could be discovered. This year, in pursuance to the advice of Flavius,
the Tusculans were brought to a trial before the people. Marcus Flavius,
a tribune of the commons, proposed, that punishment should be inflicted
on those of the Tusculans, "by whose advice and assistance the
Veliternians and Privernians had made war on the Roman people." The
Tusculans, with their wives and children, came to Rome. The whole party
in mourning habits, like persons under accusation, went round the
tribes, throwing themselves at the feet of the citizens. The compassion
thus excited operated more effectually towards procuring them pardon,
than all their arguments did towards clearing them of guilt. Every one
of the tribes, except the Pollian, negatived the proposition. The
sentence of the Pollian tribe was, that the grown-up males should be
beaten and put to death, and their wives and children sold by auction,
according to the rules of war. It appears that the resentment which rose
against the advisers of so rigorous a measure, was retained in memory by
the Tusculans down to the age of our fathers; and that hardly any
candidate of the Pollian tribe could, ever since, gain the votes of the
Papirian.
38. On the following year, in the consulate of Quintus Fabius and Lucius
Fulvius, Aulus Cornelius Arvina being made dictator, and Marcus Fabius
Ambustus master of the horse, a levy being held with more than usual
rigour in consequence of their apprehension of a very serious war in
Samnium, (for it was reported that some young men had been hired from
their neighbours,) led forth a very strong army against the Samnites.
Although in a hostile country, their camp was pitched in as careless a
manner as if the foe were at a great distance; when, suddenly, the
legions of the Samnites approached with so much boldness as to advance
their rampart close to an out-post of the Romans. Night was now coming
on; that prevented their assaulting the works; but they did not conceal
their intention of doing so next day, as soon as the light should
appear. The dictator found that there would be a necessity for fighting
sooner than he had expected, and lest the situation should be an
obstruction to the bravery of the troops, he led away the legions in
silence, leaving a great number of fires the better to deceive the
enemy. On account of the proximity of the camps, however, he could not
escape their observation: their cavalry instantly pursued, and pressed
closely on his troops, in such a way as to refrain from attacking them
until the day appeared. Their infantry did not even quit their camp
before daylight. As soon as it was dawn, the cavalry venturing to attack
the enemy by harassing the Roman rear, and pressing them in places of
difficult passage, considerably delayed their march. Meanwhile their
infantry overtook the cavalry; and now the Samnites pursued close with
their entire force. The dictator then, finding that he could no longer
go forward without great inconvenience, ordered the spot where he stood
to be measured out for a camp. But it was impossible, while the enemy's