2.9

Romans Defeated at Caudine Forks, 321 BCE

(1) T. Veturiō et Sp. Postumiō cōnsulibus: 321 BCE. Ablative absolute with form of esse assumed (AG 419.a)

ingentī dēdecore: in 321 BCE the Romans suffered one of their worst disasters. An army of 20,000 men marched from near Capua to cross the Apennines into Apulia. Trapped by the Samnites in a narrow defile called the Caudine Forks, it was compelled to capitulate. The Samnites exacted a humiliating treaty. Fregellae and other Roman posts and six hundred Roman equestrians were surrendered, and the Roman soldiers were forced to pass under a yoke of spears wearing only their tunics. The treaty lasted for five years (Bird). The commander of the Samnites was Gavius Pontius (Hazzard). Florus says:

sub iugum: the yoke was formed by sticking two spears in the ground and fastening a third on top. To pass under the yoke was a sign of subjection, and is equivalent to our expression, "laying down arms" (Hazzard). Compare the English word “subjugate,” and LS iugum I.B.4.

Pāx tamen ā senātū et populō solūta est: a Roman general could not make peace with the enemy without the ratification of the senate and the people (Hazzard). For the use of solvo in legal terms, see LS solvō II.B.3.a

ipsīs: Samnitibus

propter necessitātem: the Romans used the following five years to reorganize and augment their army. In 316 BCE they repudiated the treaty and the next year they renewed hostilities. Although the Samnites had won an initial victory at Lautalae, the Romans drove them from Tarracina and recaptured Capua in 315 BCE. That same year the consul L. Papirius Cursor captured Luceria and sent seven thousand Samnite soldiers under the yoke. For this achievement he celebrated a triumph (Bird).

facta fuerat: Eutropius ordinarily uses fueram, etc., for eram in the pluperfect passive indicative (Hazzard).

eōrum: refers to the Samnites

missa: supply sunt

(2) Ap. Claudius: In 312 BCE Appius Claudius Caecus, as censor, built Rome's first aqueduct [Aqua Appia] and the first Italian all-weather highway [Via Appia] between Rome and Capua. The former was nearly 8 miles long and mostly underground, the latter was 132 miles in length and became Rome’s principal road to southern Italy (Bird).

aquam Claudiam: i.e., aquaeductus

strāvit: "paved," see LS sterno II.A.2

reparātō bellō: ablative absolute using perfect passive participle (AG 419)

Q. Fabium Māximum: called Gurges, the son of Q. Fabius Maximus mentioned in Brev. 2.8. In the Third Samnite War (298-290 BCE), the consul of 292, Q. Fabius Maximus Gurges suffered losses and the senate considered relieving him of his command, but his father promised to serve under him and the senate agreed. He was then successful against Gavius Pontius, the Samnite general who had defeated the Romans at the Caudine Forks, and was awarded a triumph (Bird).

tribus mīlibus hominum occīsīs: ablative absolute using perfect passive participle (AG 419)

ipsōrum: Samnitum

(3) P. Cornēlius Rūfīnus M’. Curius Dentātus, ambō cōnsulēs:  Publius Cornelius Rufinus and Manius Curius Dentatus were consuls in 290 BCE.

missī: supply sunt

eōs: Samnites

cōnfēcēre: "Finally defeated," syncopated form of cōnfēcērunt

(4) āctum: "waged," agrees with bellum (Hazzard)

sustulērunt: "brought to an end," < tollō

quī Rōmānam virtūtem magis fatīgāverit: relative clause of characteristic (AG 534)