(1) Iam Rōmānī potentēs esse coepērunt. Bellum enim in centēsimō et trīcēsimō ferē mīliāriō ab urbe apud Samnītas gerēbātur, quī mediī sunt inter Pīcēnum, Campāniam et Āpuliam.
(2) L. Papīrius Cursor cum honōre dictātōris ad id bellum profectus est. Quī cum Rōmam redīret, Q. Fabiō Māximō, magistrō equitum, quem apud exercitum relīquit, praecēpit nē sē absente pūgnāret.
(3) Ille occāsiōne repertā fēlicissimē dīmicāvit et Samnītas dēlēvit. Ob quam rem ā dictātōre capitis damnātus, quod sē vetante pūgnāsset, ingentī favōre mīlitum et populī līberātus est, tantā Papīriō sēditiōne commōtā ut paene ipse interficerētur.
notes
Second Samnite War, 326–304 BCE
(1) mīliāriō: for more information on Roman milestones, see note in Brev. 2.4
apud Samnītas: a Greek form of the accusative. The Samnites were offshoots of the Sabines, occupying the hilly country between the Nar, the Tiber, and the Anio. Their bravery made them the most formidable rival of Rome in Italy. In 290 BCE they were subjected to Rome (Hazzard).
inter Pīcēnum, Campāniam et Āpuliam: The Samnites lived in between the regions of Picenum, Campania, and Apulia in Italy.
(2) L. Papīrius Cursor: it was in 325 BCE that L. Papirius Cursor was appointed dictator, Q. Fabius Maximus his magister equitum. Their period of office lasted through 324 BCE (Bird).
Quī: connecting relative referring to Papīrius (AG 308.f)
cum Rōmam redīret: cum clause here is circumstantial (AG 549)
Q. Fabiō Māximō: called Rulliānus. This Fabius was five times consul and dictator twice. He triumphed over the Samnites, Marsi, Gauls, and Etruscans. He was the great-grandfather of Q. Fabius Maximus, the hero of the Second Punic War (Hazzard).
sē absente: "in his [Papirius'] absence," ablative absolute with form of the verb esse assumed (AG 419.a)
pūgnāret: with signal word nē, indirect command governed by the main verb praecēpit (AG 563)
(3) Ille: Fabius
occāsiōne repertā: ablative absolute using perfect passive participle (AG 419)
capitis damnātus: "condemned to death," see LS damno II and caput III.a. capitis is genitive of charge (AG 352), referring to Fabius.
sē vetante: ablative absolute with present active participle (AG 419). Note that sē refers to Papirius, even though the subject of this sentence is Fabius.
pūgnāsset: syncopated form of pūgnāvisset, subjunctive in a causal clause (AG 539)
Papīriō: "against Papirus," dative of reference (AG 376)
ut paene ipse interficerētur: ipse refers to Papirius. interficerētur is imperfect subjunctive in the result clause after tantā (AG 537).