gone to besiege Nocera: which being believed by the consuls, led them to
advance within the Caudine Valley, where no sooner were they come than
they were beset by the Samnites. And the victory thus won by a fraud
would have been most glorious for Pontius had he but taken the advice of
his father Herennius, who urged that the Romans should either be set at
liberty unconditionally, or all be put to death; but that a mean course
"_which neither gains friends nor gets rid of foes_" should be avoided.
And this was sound advice, for, as has already been shown, in affairs of
moment a mean course is always hurtful.

CHAPTER XLI.--_That our Country is to be defended by Honour or by
Dishonour; and in either way is well defended._

The consuls together with the whole Roman army fell, as I have related,
into the hands of the Samnites, who imposed on them the most ignominious
terms, insisting that they should be stripped of their arms, and pass
under the yoke before they were allowed to return to Rome. The consuls
being astounded by the harshness of these conditions and the whole army
overwhelmed with dismay, Lucius Lentulus, the Roman lieutenant, stood
forward and said, that in his opinion they ought to decline no course
whereby their country might be saved; and that as the very existence of
Rome depended on the preservation of her army, that army must be saved
at any sacrifice, for whether the means be honourable or ignominious,
all is well done that is done for the defence of our country. And he
said that were her army preserved, Rome, in course of time, might wipe
out the disgrace; but if her army were destroyed, however gloriously it
might perish, Rome and her freedom would perish with it. In the event
his counsel was followed.

Now this incident deserves to be noted and pondered over by every
citizen who is called on to advise his country; for when the entire
safety of our country is at stake, no consideration of what is just or
unjust, merciful or cruel, praiseworthy or shameful, must intervene. On
the contrary, every other consideration being set aside, that course
alone must be taken which preserves the existence of the country and
maintains its liberty. And this course we find followed by the people
of France, both in their words and in their actions, with the view of
supporting the dignity of their king and the integrity of their kingdom;
for there is no remark they listen to with more impatience than that
this or