10.35
The
other consul, M. Atilius, found his task by no means so easy. He had
received information that the Samnites were besieging Luceria, and he
marched to its relief, but the enemy met him at the frontier of the Lucerine
territory. Exasperation and rage lent them a strength which made them a
match for the Romans. The battle went on with changing fortunes and an
indecisive result, but in the end the Romans were in the sorrier plight, for
they were unaccustomed to defeat, and it was after the two armies had
separated rather than in the battle itself that they realised how much greater
the loss was on their side in both killed and wounded. When they were once
more within their camp they became a prey to fears which, had they felt them
whilst actually fighting, would have brought upon them a signal disaster.
They passed an anxious night expecting that the Samnites would make an
immediate attack on the camp, or that they would have to engage their
victorious foe at daybreak. On the side of the enemy the loss was less, but
certainly the courage displayed was not greater. As soon as it began to grow
light the Romans were anxious to retire without fighting, but there was only
one way and that led past the enemy; if they took that route it would amount
to a challenge, for it would look as though they were directly advancing to
attack the Samnite camp. The consul issued a general order for the soldiers
to arm for battle and follow him outside the rampart. He then gave the
necessary instructions to the officers of his staff, the military tribunes, and
the prefects of the allies. They all assured him that as far as they were
concerned they would do everything that he wished them to do, but the men
had lost heart, they had passed a sleepless night amidst the wounded and the
groans of the dying, and had the enemy attacked the camp while it was still
dark, they were in such a state of fright that they would have deserted their
standards. As it was they were only kept from flight by a feeling of shame, in
every other respect they were practically beaten men.
Under these circumstances the consul thought he ought to go round
and address the soldiers personally. When he came to any who were showing
reluctance to arm themselves he asked them why they were so slow and so
cowardly; the enemy would come up to their camp unless they met him
outside; they would have to fight to defend their tents if they refused to fight
in front of their rampart. Armed and fighting they had a chance of victory,
but the men who awaited the enemy unarmed and defenceless would have to
suffer either death or slavery. To these taunts and reproaches they replied
that they were exhausted with the fighting on the previous day, they had no
strength or blood left, and the enemy seemed to be in greater force than
ever. Whilst this was going on the hostile army approached, and as they were
now closer and could be seen more clearly the men declared that the
Samnites were carrying stakes with them, and there was no doubt they
intended to shut the camp in with a circumvallation. Then the consul loudly
exclaimed that it would indeed be a disgrace if they submitted to such a
galling insult from so dastardly a foe. "Shall we," he cried, "be actually
blockaded in our camp to perish ignominiously by hunger rather than, if we
must die, die bravely at the sword's point? Heaven forbid! Act, every man of
you, as you deem worthy of yourselves! I, the consul, M. Atilius, will go
against the enemy alone if none will follow and fall amongst the standards of
the Samnites sooner than see a Roman camp hedged in by circumvallation."
The consul's words were welcomed by all his officers, and the rank and file,
ashamed to hold back any longer, slowly put themselves in fighting trim and
slowly marched out of camp. They moved in a long irregular column,
dejected and to all appearance thoroughly cowed, but the enemy against
whom they were advancing felt no more confidence and showed no more
spirit than they did. As soon as they caught sight of the Roman standards a
murmur ran through the Samnite army from the foremost to the hindmost
ranks that what they feared was actually happening, the Romans were
coming out to oppose their march, there was no road open even for flight,
they must either fall where they were or make their escape over the bodies of
their prostrate foes.