8.2
The
praetor, T. Aemilius, put these demands to the senate, and they decided that
the former treaty should be renewed with them. The reply given then by the
praetor was to the effect that it was no fault of the Roman people that the
friendship with them had not remained unbroken, and there was no objection
to its being re-established since they themselves were weary of a war
brought on them by their own fault. As to the Sidicines there was nothing to
prevent the Samnites from being free to make either peace or war. After the
treaty was made the Roman army was at once withdrawn. The men had
received a year's pay and three months' rations, for which the consul had
stipulated, that he might allow time for an armistice until the envoys
returned. The Samnites advanced against the Sidicines with the same troops
that they had employed in the war with Rome, and they were very hopeful of
effecting an early capture of the city. Then at last the Sidicines took steps to
make a surrender of themselves to Rome. The senate rejected it as being
made too late and forced from them by extreme necessity. They then made it
to the Latins who were already in arms on their own account. Even the
Campanians did not refuse to take part in the hostile movement, so much
keener was their sense of the injuries inflicted by the Samnites than of the
kindness shown them by Rome. One immense army, composed of these
many nationalities and under Latin leadership, invaded the Samnite country
and inflicted more disasters by ravages than by actual fighting. Although the
Latins proved superior in the various encounters, they were not loath to
retire from the enemy's territory lest they might have to fight too often. This
allowed the Samnites time to send envoys to Rome. When they were
admitted to an audience they complained to the senate that they were
suffering more now that they were in treaty with them than they had before,
when they were enemies; they very humbly requested them to be satisfied
with having snatched from them the victory they had won over the
Campanians and the Sidicines, and not permit them, in addition, to be
conquered by these most cowardly people. If the Latins and Campanians
were really under the suzerainty of Rome they should exert their authority to
keep them off the Samnite land, if they renounced that suzerainty they
should coerce them by force. They received an ambiguous reply, for the
senate shrank from acknowledging that the Latins no longer recognised their
authority, and on the other hand they were afraid, if they reprimanded them,
that they might alienate them altogether. The circumstances of the
Campanians were quite different; they were bound not by treaty but by the
terms of surrender, and they must keep quiet whether they would or no.
There was nothing in their treaty with the Latins which prevented them from
making war with whom they pleased.