to be gende as their speaker, solicited no more than to have their defection from their duty forgiven and for himself, as e was innocent of their conspiracy, he had no reason to solicit pardon for offences. 14. Thus this defection, which threatened danger to Rome, was repaired by the prudence and moderation of a general, whose ambition it was to be gentle to his friends, and formidable only to enemies. 154A war between the Romans and Latins followed soon after. 16. As their habits, arms, and language were the same, the exactest discipline was necessary to prevent confusion in the engagement. Orders, therefore, were issued, that no soldier should leave his ranks upon pain of death. 17. With these injunctions, both armies were drawn out and ready, when Me'tius,' the general of the enemy's cavalry, pushed forward from his lines, and challenged any knight in the Roman army to single combat. 18. For some time there was a general pause, no soldier daring to disobey his orders, till Ti'tus Man'lius, son of the consul Man'lius, burning with shame to see the whole body of the Romans intimidated, boldly advanced against his adversary. 19. The soldiers, on both sides, for a while suspended the general engagement, to be spectators of this fierce encounter. The two champions drove their horses against each other with great violence Me'tius wounded his adversary's horse in the neck; but Man'lius, with better fortune, killed that of Me'tius.The Latin general, fallen to the ground, for a while attempted to support himself upon his shield; but the Roman followed his blows, and laid him dead, as he was endeavouring to rise; then despoiling him of his armour, returned in triumph to his father's tent, where he was preparing for, and giving orders relative to, the engagement. 20. However he might have been applauded by his fellow-soldiers, being as yet doubtful what reception he should find with his father, he came with hesitation to lay the enemy's spoils at his feet, and with a modest air insinuated, that what he had done was entirely from a spirit of hereditary virtue. 21. Alas! he was soon dreadfully made sensible of his error; when his father, turning away, ordered him to be led publicly forth before his army. Being brought forward, the consul, with a stern countenance, and yet with tears, spoke as follows: "Ti'tus Manlius, as thou hast regarded neither the dignity of the consulship, nor the commands of a father as thou hast destroyed military discipline, and set a pattern of disobedience by thy example, thou hast reduced me to the deplorable extremity of sacrificing my son or my country. But let us not hesitate in this dreadful alternative; a thousand lives were well lost in such a cause; nor do I think that thou thyself wilt refuse to die, when thy country is to reap the advantage of thy sufferings. Lictor, bind him and let his death be our future example." 22. At this un natural mandate the whole army was struck with horror; fear, for a while, kept them in suspense; but when they saw their young champion's head struck off, and his blood streaming upon the ground, they could no longer contain their execrations and their groans. His dead body was carried forth without the camp, and being adorned with the spoils of the vanquished enemy, was buried with all the pomp of military solemnity. 23. In the mean time the battle began with mutual fury; and as the two armies had often fought under the same leaders, they combated with all the animosity of a civil war. The Latins chiefly depended on bodily strength; the Romans on their invincible courage and conduct. 24. Forces so nearly matched, seemed only to want the aid of their deities to turn the scale of victory; and in fact the augurs had foretold, that whatever part of the Roman army should be distressed, the commander of that part should devote himself for his country, and die as a sacrifice to the immortal gods. Man'lius commanded the right wing, and De'cius the left. 25. Both sides fought with doubtful success, as their courage was equal; but, after a time, the left wing of the Roman army began to give ground. 26. It was then that Decius resolved to devote himself for his country, and to offer his own life, as an atonement to save his army. 27. Thus determined, he called out to Man'lius with a loud voice, and demanded his instructions, as he was the chief pontiff, how to devote himself, and what form of words he should use. 28. By his directions, therefore, being clothed in a long robe, his head covered, and his arms stretched forward, standing upon a javelin, he devoted himself to the celestial and infernal gods, for the safety of 1 Livy says (1. 8. c. 6), that the two consuls had a dream the night preceding the battle, in which a man of gigantic stature appeared to them, and assured them, that the victory was decreed to that army whose general should devote himself to the Dii Manes, or Infernal Gods. Rome. H Rome. Then arming himself, and mounting his horse, he drove furiously into the midst of the enemy, striking terror and consternation wherever he came, till he fell covered with wounds. 29. In the mean time the Roman army considered his devoting himself in this manner, as an assurance of success; nor was the superstition of the Latins less powerfully influenced by his resolution; a total rout began to ensue: the Romans pressed them on every side, and so great was the carnage, that scarcely a fourth part of the enemy survived the defeat. Questions for Examination. 1. Against whom did the Romans next turn their arms? 2. Who were appointed commanders in this war? 3. Who was Valerius? 4. What separate commands were entrusted to the consuls? 5. What was the character of Valerius? 6. What was the character of the hostile armies? 7. To whom did the advantage belong? 8. Was not the division under Cornelius led into a difficulty, and how was it extricated? 9. What important event next occurred? 10. How were the senate affected by their approach? 11. What are the peculiar evils attendant on civil wars? 13. What was the consequence of this mildness? 15. What was the next occurrence of note? 16. What precautions were necessary in this war? 17. In what way was the discipline of the Romans put to the proof? 18. Was his challenge disregarded? 19: Relate the particulars of the combat. 20. What reception did he expect from his father? 21. What was the consequence of this rashness? 22. How was this sentence received by the army? 23. Did a battle ensue? 24. What was wanting to ensure the victory? 25. To whom did success incline? 26. What heroic resolution did Decius make? 27. In what way did he do this? 28. What followed? 29. What effect had this sacrifice on the hostile armies? SECTION IT. U.C. 431. Absurd the famed advice to Pyrrhus given, More praised, than ponder'd; specious, but unsound 6. Confederacy, s. a league, an alli ance. 7. Retriev'ing, part. recoveri, g. 12. Predeces'sor, s. an ancestor, one 14. Disper'sed, v. scattered. 22. Ford'able, a. not too deep to be passed on foot. 23. Reinfor'ced, v. strengthened by the addition of fresh troops. You NG. 24. Phalanx, s. a body of men drawn up in a wedge-like form, with their spears protruded, and their shields closely locked together. Le'gion, s. a body of 6100 foot, divided into ten cohorts, and fiftyfive companies, and 726 cavalry generally attached to the in'antry, but sometimes detached on separate service. 30. Nego'tiate, v. to treat for, to manage. 1. BUT a signal disgrace which the Romans sustained about this time, in their contest with the Samnites, made a pause in their usual good fortune, and turned the scale for a while in the enemy's favour './ 2. The senate having denied the Samnites peace, Pon'tius, their general, was resolved to gain by stratagem, what he had frequently lost by force. 3. Accordingly, leading his army into the neighbourhood of a defile, called Cau'dium, and taking possession of all its outlets, he sent ten of his soldiers, habited like shepherds, with directions to throw themselves into the way which the Romans were to march. 4. Exactly to his wishes, the Roman consul, Posthu'mius, met them, and taking them for what they appeared, demanded the route the Samnite army had taken they, with seeming indifference, replied 1 An additional instance of the severity with which military discipline was maintained among the Romans, happened a short time previous to this: L. Papir'ius Cursor, the dictator, having occasion to quit the army, and repair to Rome, strictly forbade Q. Fa'bius Rullianus, his master of the horse, to venture a battle in his absence. This order Fabius disobeyed, and gained a complete victory. Instead, however, of finding success a palliation of his offence, he was immediately condemned by the stern dictator to expiate his breach of discipline by death. In spite of the mutinous disposition of the army; in spite of the intercessions and threats, both of the senate and people, Papir ́ius persisted in his resolution: but what menaces and powerful interposition could not obtain, was granted to the prayers and tears of the criminal's relatives; and Fa'bius lived to fill some of the highest offices of the state, with honour to himself and infinite advantage to his country. (Livy, 1. 8. c. 30. 35.) that they were going to Luce'ria, a town in Apulia, and were then actually besieging it. 5. The Roman general, not suspecting the stratagem that was laid against him, marched directly by the shortest road, which lay through the defile, to relieve that city; and was not undeceived till he saw his army surrounded, and blocked up on every side. 6. Pon'tius, thus having the Romans entirely in his power, first obliged the army to pass under the yoke, after having stript them of all but their under garments. He then stipulated, that they should wholly quit the territories of the Samnites, and that they should continue to live upon the terms of their former confederacy The Romans were constrained to submit to this ignominious treaty, and marched into Cap'ua disarmed, half naked, and burning with a desire of retrieving their lost honour. 8. When the army arrived at Rome, the whole city was most sensibly affected at their shameful return: nothing grief and resentment were to be seen, and the whole city was put into mourning. 9. This was a transitory calamity; the state had suffered a diminution of its glory, but not of its power'./ The war It appears, however, to have suffered a diminution of its honour on this occasion, by breaking every article of the treaty of peace extorted |