sions being liberally supplied, a renewal of the old
treaty was, this year, granted to the Samnites. The Roman arms were
then turned against the Aequans, their old enemies, but who had, for
many years past, remained quiet, under the guise of a treacherous
peace, because, while the Hernicians were in a state of prosperity,
these had, in conjunction with them, frequently sent aid to the
Samnites; and after the Hernicians were subdued, almost the whole
nation, without dissembling that they acted by public authority, had
revolted to the enemy; and when, after the conclusion of the treaty
with the Samnites at Rome, ambassadors were sent to demand
satisfaction, they said, that "this was only a trial made of them, on
the expectation that they would through fear suffer themselves to be
made Roman citizens. But how much that condition was to be wished for,
they had been taught by the Hernicians; who, when they had the option,
preferred their own laws to the freedom of the Roman state. To people
who wished for liberty to choose what they judged preferable, the
necessity of becoming Roman citizens would have the nature of a
punishment." In resentment of these declarations, uttered publicly in
their assemblies, the Roman people ordered war to be made on the
Aequans; and, in prosecution of this new undertaking, both the consuls
marched from the city, and sat down at the distance of four miles from
the camp of the enemy. The troops of the Aequans, like tumultuary
recruits, in consequence of their having passed such a number of years
without waging war on their own account, were all in disorder and
confusion, without established officers and without command. Some
advised to give battle, others to defend the camp; the greater part
were influenced by concern for the devastation of their lands, likely
to take place, and the consequent destruction of their cities, left
with weak garrisons. Among a variety of propositions, one, however,
was heard which, abandoning all concern for the public interest,
tended to transfer every man's attention to the care of his private
concerns. It recommended that, at the first watch, they should depart
from the camp by different roads, so as to carry all their effects
into the cities, and to secure them by the strength of the
fortifications; this they all approved with universal assent. When the
enemy were now dispersed through the country, the Romans, at the first
dawn, marched out to the field, and drew u