Ab urbe condita

There were two parties in the senate: the leaders of the one were the authors of the revolt from Rome, the other consisted of loyal citizens.

Both, however, were equally anxious that every effort should be made to induce the consul to grant peace. As the Samnite garrison were not in the least prepared to stand a siege, they intended to evacuate the city the following night.

The party who had introduced them thought it would be quite sufficient to let the consul know at what hour and by what gate they would leave; the others who had been all along opposed to their coming actually opened the gate to the consul that very night and admitted his troops into the city.

The Samnites were unexpectedly attacked by a force concealed in the woods through which they were marching whilst the shouts of the Roman were resounding in all parts of the city; by this double act of treachery the Samnites were slain and Satricum captured within the space of one short hour and the consul became complete master of the situation.

He ordered a strict inquiry to be made as to who were responsible for the revolt, and those who were found to be guilty were scourged and beheaded.

The Satricans were deprived of their arms and a strong garrison was placed in the city. The writers who tell us that it was under Papirius that Luceria was recovered and the Samnites sent under the yoke,

go on to inform us that after the capture of Satricum he returned to Rome to celebrate his triumph.

And indeed he was, undoubtedly, a man deserving of all praise for his soldierly qualities, distinguished as he was not only by intellectual force but also by his physical prowess.