Ab urbe condita

The senators were deeply moved by this instance of the vicissitudes of human fortune, where a people abounding in wealth, famous for their pride and luxuriousness, and from whom, shortly before, their neighbours had sought assistance, were now so broken in spirit that they put themselves and all that belonged to them under the power and authority of others.

It at once became a matter of honour that men who had formally surrendered themselves should not be left to their fate, and it was resolved “that the Samnite nation would commit a wrongful act if they attacked a city and territory which had by surrender become the possession of Rome.”