the capital of Campania,
where the Etruscan influence predominated, was taken by them, and Cumae was
wrested from the Greeks.

But in the year B.C. 343, the Samnites came in collision with Rome, from
an application of Capua to Rome for assistance against them. The victories
of Valerius Corvus, and Cornelius Cossus gave Campania to the Romans.

(M816) In the mean time the Latins had recovered strength, and determined
to shake off the Roman yoke, and the Romans made peace with the Samnites
and formed a close alliance, B.C. 341. The Romans and Samnites were ranged
against the Latins and Campanians. The hostile forces came in sight of
each other before Capua, and the first great battle was fought at the foot
of Mount Vesuvius. It was here that Titus Manlius, the son of the consul,
was beheaded by him for disobedience of orders, for the consuls issued
strict injunctions against all skirmishing, and Manlius, disregarding
them, slew an enemy in single combat. "The consul's cruelty was execrated,
but the discipline of the army was saved."

(M817) This engagement furnishes another legend of the heroic and
patriotic self-devotion of those early Romans. The consuls, before the
battle, dreamed that the general on the one side should fall, and the army
on the other side should be beaten. Decius, the plebeian consul, when he
found his troops wavering, called the chief pontiff, and after invoking
the gods to assist his cause, rushed into the thickest of the Latin
armies, and was slain. The other consul, Torquatus, by a masterly use of
his reserve, gained the battle. Three-fourths of the Latin army were
slain. The Latin cities, after this decisive victory, lost their
independence, and the Latin confederacy was dissolved, and Latin
nationality was fused into one powerful State, and all Latium became
Roman. Roman citizens settled on the forfeited lands of the conquered
cities.

(M818) The subjugation of Latium and the progress of Rome in Campania
filled the Samnites with jealousy, and it is surprising that they should
have formed an alliance with Rome, when Rome was conquering Campania. They
were the most considerable power in Italy, next to Rome, and to them fell
the burden of maintaining the independence of the Italian States against
the encroachments of the Romans.

(M819) The Greek cities of Palaeapolis and Neapolis, the only communities
in Campania not yet reduced by the Romans, gave occasion to the outbreak
of the inevitable w