Ab urbe condita

The victory, however, rested with that party in the senate who seemed at the time to possess more daring than prudence, but the result showed that Fortune favours the bold.

The people, with the sanction of the senate, resolved on war with the Vestinians.

The conduct of that war fell by lot to Brutus, the war in Samnium to Camillus.

Armies were marched into both countries, and by carefully watching the frontiers the enemy were prevented from effecting a junction. The consul who had the heavier task, L. Furius, was overtaken by a serious illness and was obliged to resign his command.

He was ordered to nominate a Dictator to carry on the campaign, and he nominated L. Papirius Cursor, the foremost soldier of his day, Q. Fabius Maximus Rullianus being appointed Master of the Horse.

The two distinguished themselves by their conduct in the field, but they made themselves still more famous by the conflict which broke out between them, and which almost led to fatal consequences.

The other consul, Brutus, carried on an active campaign amongst the Vestinians without meeting with a single reverse. He ravaged the fields and burnt the farm buildings and crops of enemy, and at last drove him reluctantly into action.

A pitched battle was fought, and he inflicted such a defeat on the Vestinians, though with heavy loss on his own side also, that they fled to their camp, but not feeling sufficiently protected by fosse and rampart they dispersed in scattered parties to their towns, trusting to their strong positions and stone walls for their defence. Brutus now commenced an attack upon their towns.

The first to be taken was Cutina, which he carried by escalade, after a hot assault by his men, who were eager to avenge the heavy losses they had sustained in the previous battle. This was followed by the capture of Cingilia.

He gave the spoil of both cities to his troops as a reward for their having surmounted the walls and gates of the enemy.

[*](The Samnite War-Conflict between the Dictator and his Master of the Horse.) The advance into Samnium was made under doubtful auspices. This circumstance did not portend the result of the campaign, for that was quite favourable,

but it did foreshadow the insane passion which the commanders displayed. Papirius was warned by the pullarius [*](See note 16 to Book X.) that it would be necessary to take the auspices afresh. On his departure for Rome for this purpose, he strictly charged the Master of the Horse