enemy, however, although there was less loss, yet there
was not greater courage. As soon as day appeared, they wished to
retire without any more fighting; but there was only one road, and
that leading close by the post of their enemy; on their taking which,
they seemed as if advancing directly to attack the camp. The consul,
therefore, ordered his men to take arms, and to follow him outside the
rampart, giving directions to the lieutenants-general, tribunes, and
the praefects of the allies, in what manner he would have each of them
act. They all assured him that "they would do every thing in their
power, but that the soldiers were quite dejected; that, from their own
wounds, and the groans of the dying, they had passed the whole night
without sleep; that if the enemy had approached the camp before day,
so great were the fears of the troops, that they would certainly have
deserted their standards." "Even at present they were restrained from
flight merely by shame; and, in other respects, were little better
than vanquished men." This account made the consul judge it necessary
to go himself among the soldiers, and speak to them; and, as he came
up to each, he rebuked them for their backwardness in taking arms,
asking, "Why they loitered, and declined the fight? If they did not
choose to go out of the camp, the enemy would come into it; and they
must fight in defence of their tents, if they would not in defence of
the rampart. Men who have arms in their hands, and contend with their
foe, have always a chance for victory; but the man who waits naked and
unarmed for his enemy, must suffer either death or slavery." To these
reprimands and rebukes they answered, that "they were exhausted by the
fatigue of the battle of yesterday; and had no strength, nor even
blood remaining; and besides, the enemy appeared more numerous than
they were the day before." The hostile army, in the mean time, drew
near; so that, seeing every thing more distinctly as the distance grew
less, they asserted that the Samnites carried with them pallisades for
a rampart, and evidently intended to draw lines of circumvallation
round the camp. On this the consul exclaimed, with great earnestness,
against submitting to such an ignominious insult, and from so
dastardly a foe. "Shall we even be blockaded," said he, "in our camp,
and die, with ignominy, by famine, rather than bravely by the sword,
if it must be so? May the gods be propitious! and let every one ac