resigned the censorship. After his
election to the consulship, the new war with the Sallentine enemies
being decreed to his colleague, he remained at Rome, with design to
increase his interest by city intrigues, since the means of procuring
honour in war were placed in the hands of others. Volumnius had no
reason to be dissatisfied with his province: he fought many battles
with good success, and took several cities by assault. He was liberal
in his donations of the spoil; and this munificence, engaging in
itself, he enhanced by his courteous demeanour, by which conduct he
inspired his soldiers with ardour to meet both toil and danger.
Quintus Fabius, proconsul, fought a pitched battle with the armies of
the Samnites, near the city of Allifae. The victory was complete. The
enemy were driven from the field, and pursued to their camp; nor would
they have kept possession of that, had not the day been almost spent.
It was invested, however, before night, and guarded until day, lest
any should slip away. Next morning, while it was scarcely clear day,
they proposed to capitulate, and it was agreed, that such as were
natives of Samnium should be dismissed with single garments. All these
were sent under the yoke. No precaution was taken in favour of the
allies of the Samnites: they were sold by auction, to the number of
seven thousand. Those who declared themselves subjects of the
Hernicians, were kept by themselves under a guard. All these Fabius
sent to Rome to the senate; and, after being examined, whether it was
in consequence of a public order, or as volunteers, that they had
carried arms on the side of the Samnites against the Romans, they were
distributed among the states of the Latins to be held in custody; and
it was ordered, that the new consuls, Publius Cornelius Arvina and
Quintus Marcius Tremulus, who by this time had been elected, should
lay that affair entire before the senate: this gave such offence to
the Hernicians, that, at a meeting of all the states, assembled by the
Anagnians, in the circus called the Maritime, the whole nation of the
Hernicians, excepting the Alatrians, Ferentines, and Verulans,
declared war against the Roman people.

43. In Samnium also, in consequence of the departure of Fabius, new
commotions arose. Calatia and Sora, and the Roman garrisons stationed
there, were taken, and extreme cruelty was exercised towards the
captive soldiers: Publius Cornelius was therefore sent thither with an