+The Cause of the War.+ The actual _casus belli_ was a dispute between Rome and the Samnites for the possession of Palaeopolis (= _old city_) near Neapolis (= _new city_). Cf. the First Punic War, 241 B.C., due to the struggle for the possession of Messana, and the war with Pyrrhus, 281 B.C., for the possession of Tarentum.
+Historic Parallel.+ Fabius Cunctator and Minucius. --Livy, xxii. 24-30.
D36
SECOND SAMNITE WAR, 326-304 B.C. (2)
_The Caudine Forks, 321 B.C._
Duae ad Luceriam ferebant viae, altera praeter oram superi maris, patens apertaque, sed quanto tutior, tanto fere longior, altera per Furculas Caudinas, brevior; sed ita natus locus est. Saltus duo alti, angusti silvosique sunt, montibus circa perpetuis {5} inter se iuncti. Iacet inter eos satis patens, clausus in medio, campus herbidus aquosusque, per quem medium iter est; sed antequam venias ad eum, intrandae primae angustiae sunt, et aut eadem, qua te insinuaveris, retro via repetenda, aut, si ire {10} porro pergas, per alium saltum, artiorem impeditioremque, evadendum. In eum campum via alia per cavam rupem Romani demisso agmine cum ad alias angustias protinus pergerent, saeptas deiectu arborum saxorumque ingentium obiacente mole {15} invenere. Cum fraus hostilis apparuisset, praesidium etiam in summo saltu conspicitur.
Citati inde retro, qua venerant, pergunt repetere viam; eam quoque clausam sua obice armisque inveniunt. Sistunt inde gradum sine ullius imperio, intuentesque alii alios {20} diu immobiles silent.
LIVY, ix. 2.
[Linenotes: 1. +ad Luceriam+ = _in the direction of Luceria_, a town in Apulia on the borders of Samnium, and now threatened by the Samnites.
1-2. +praeter ... maris+ = _along the coast of the upper sea_, i.e.
the Adriatic. Taking this route, they would go N. of Samnium, through the Peligni, and S. through the Frentani into Apulia.
3. +fere+ = _just_.
3-4. +Furculas Caudinas+, two _fork-shaped_ defiles near Caudium, the capital of the Caudine Samnites, between Beneventum and Capua on what was afterwards the _Via Appia_.
5-6. +montibus ... iuncti+ = _united by a continuous ring_ (+perpetuis circa+) _of mountains_.
10. +insinuaveris+ = lit. _have wound your way_.
11-12. +artiorem impeditioremque+ = _more narrow and more difficult_ (i.e. _steeper_).
13. +per cavam rupem+ = _through an overhanging rocky defile_.
+demisso agmine+ = _with their troops led down_ (the descent).
14. +protinus+ = _straightforward_.
14-15. +deiectu ... mole+ = lit. '_a barrier lying in the way (formed) by the throwing down of trees and large pieces of rock_.'
+mole+ = an _abattis_ (a _knocking down_, _felling_).--Rawlins.
16. +cum fraus ...+ = _no sooner had ... when ..._ 17. +citati+ = _hurriedly_ (in hot haste). Partic. used adverbially.
--Stephenson.
19. +sua obice+ = _with a barrier of its own_ (i.e. specially prepared).]
D37
SECOND SAMNITE WAR, 326-304 B.C. (3)
_The Caudine Forks. The Yoke._
Alii alios intueri, contemplari arma mox tradenda et inermes futuras dextras obnoxiaque corpora hosti; proponere sibimet ipsi ante oculos iugum hostile et ludibria victoris et vultus superbos et per armatos inermium iter, inde foedi agminis miserabilem viam {5} per sociorum urbes, reditum in patriam ad parentes, quo saepe ipsi maioresque eorum triumphantes venissent: se solos sine vulnere, sine ferro, sine acie victos: sibi non stringere licuisse gladios, non manum cum hoste conferre; sibi nequicquam animos datos. {10} Haec frementibus hora fatalis ignominiae advenit, omnia tristiora experiundo factura, quam quae praeceperant animis. Iam primum cum singulis vestimentis inermes extra vallum exire iussi, et primi traditi obsides atque in custodiam abducti. Primi {15} consules prope seminudi sub iugum missi; tum ut quisque gradu proximus erat, ita ignominiae obiectus; tum deinceps singulae legiones. Ita traducti sub iugum et, quod paene gravius erat, per hostium oculos, cum e saltu evasissent, etsi velut ab inferis {20} extracti tum primum lucem aspicere visi sunt, tamen ipsa lux ita deforme intuentibus agmen omni morte tristior fuit.
LIVY, ix. 5, 6.
[Linenotes: 1-10. +intueri; contemplari ...+ = _There they are looking one on another_. . . . By a string of infinitives the picture of a series of actions is put before the reader without the actions being thought of singly. --Lee Warner.
2. +obnoxia+ = _at the mercy of_ ...--Rawlins.
6. +per sociorum urbes+, e.g. _Capua_.
11. +fatalis ignominiae+ = _destined for their disgrace_.
12. +experiundo+ = _by experience_; +praeceperant+ = _they had anticipated_.
16. +seminudi+ = _with only their tunics on_.
17. +gradu+ = _in rank_.
18. +traducti+, 'always used in this sense of _disgraceful_ exhibition or parade.' --Stephenson.
22-23. +ipsa lux ... fuit+ = _the very light was to them as they gazed on so hideous a line of march more gloomy than any form of death_.]
+The Caudine Forks.+ Other writers state that the Romans were entrapped only after a severe defeat.
'By the side of those names (the Allia and Cannae) there was yet a third in the list of evil days--the name of the Caudine Pass.' --Ihne. Cf.
p. 82, B. [[Selection D23 B]]
+Historic Parallels.+ Livy's account of Trasimene. The Kyber Pass, 1842.
The Capitulation of Metz, 1870.
D38
SECOND SAMNITE WAR, 326-304 B.C. (4)
_Rome repudiates the Treaty._
At vero T. Veturius et Sp. Postumius, cum iterum consules assent, quia, cum male pugnatum apud Caudium esset, legionibus nostris sub iugum missis pacem cum Samnitibus fecerant, dediti sunt eis; iniussu enim populi senatusque fecerant. Eodemque {5} tempore Ti. Numicius, Q.
Maelius, qui tum tribuni plebis erant, quod eorum auctoritate pax erat facta, dediti sunt, ut pax Samnitium repudiaretur. Atque huius deditionis ipse Postumius, qui dedebatur, suasor et auctor fuit. Quod idem multis annis post {10} C. Mancinus, qui ut Numantinis, quibuscum sine senatus auctoritate foedus fecerat, dederetur, rogationem suasit eam, quam L. Furius, Sex. Atilius ex senatus consulto ferebant: qua accepta est hostibus deditus. Honestius hic quam Q. Pompeius, quo, {15} cum in eadem causa esset, deprecante accepta lex non est. Hic ea, quae videbatur utilitas, plus valuit quam honestas, apud superiores utilitatis species falsa ab honestatis auctoritate superata est.
CICERO, _De Officiis_, iii. 109.
[Linenotes: 4. +pacem ... fecerant+, i.e. _a military convention_, by which Rome and Samnium were to acknowledge each other as free peoples with equal rights and privileges, and Rome was to give up her conquests and colonies on Samnite territory.
5. +iniussu ... senatusque.+ 'The Senate considered it in the light of a _sponsio_, a convention made on personal responsibility, rather than a _pactio_ or _foedus_, a public treaty.' --Holden.
6. +tribuni plebis+, prob. only tribunes-elect (= _designati_), for the tribunes could not leave Rome even for one night.
11. +C. Mancinus+ commanded against Numantia in Spain, 137 B.C.
15. +Q. Pompeius+ commanded against Numantia, 140 B.C.
16. +cum in eadem causa esset+ = _though he was in the same case_, as Mancinus, i.e. had made a degrading peace with the Numantines.
--H.
15-17. +quo ... deprecante ... non est+ = _through his begging to be let off, the law_ (i.e. for delivering him up to the enemy) _was not passed_.
17. +Hic+ = _in this case_, i.e. that of Pompeius.
18. +apud superiores+, i.e. Veturius, Postumius, and Mancinus.
18-19. +utilitatis species falsa+ = _the false semblance of expediency_.]
+The Repudiation of the Treaty.+ 'It is clear that Postumius and his brother officers could not bind the Roman Senate and people by the promise they had made in Caudium; but it is equally clear that they were bound by their promise to do what was in their power to cause the treaty to be ratified.' --Ihne.
D39
SECOND SAMNITE WAR, 326-304 B.C. (5)
_Battle of Bovianum, 305 B.C. Peace made, 304 B.C._
Eodem anno in campum Stellatem agri Campani Samnitium incursiones factae. Itaque ambo consules in Samnium missi cum diversas regiones, Tifernum Postumius, Bovianum Minucius petisset, Postumii prius ductu ad Tifernum pugnatum. Alii {5} haud dubie Samnites victos ac viginti milia hominum capta tradunt, alii Marte aequo discessum, et Postumium, metum simulantem, nocturno itinere clam in montes copias abduxisse, hostes secutos duo milia inde locis munitis et ipsos consedisse. Consul ut {10} stativa tuta copiosaque petisse videretur, postquam et munimentis castra firmavit et omni apparatu rerum utilium instruxit, relicto firmo praesidio de vigilia tertia, qua[23] proxime potest, expeditas legiones ad collegam, et ipsum adversus alios sedentem, ducit. {15} Ibi auctore Postumio Minucius cum hostibus signa confert, et, cum anceps proelium in multum diei processisset, tum Postumius integris legionibus defessam iam aciem hostium improviso invadit. Itaque cum lassitudo ac vulnera fugam quoque praepedissent, {20} occidione occisi hostes, signa unum et viginti capta.
LIVY, ix. 44.