Excerpt from Universal History, Vol. 3 of 6: From the Creation of the World to the Beginning of the Eighteenth Century

Of the finest and most fertile countries of Italy. This city then was extremely opulent and luxu rions. The Samnites, a poor but warlike people, were allured by the riches of their neighbours, and invaded Campania. The inhabitants of Capua, after some feeble attempts to resist the invaders, implored aid from the Romans. The senate an swered, that their alliance with the Samnites pre vented them from giving anything else than their compassion. If, then, said the Capuans, you will not defend us, you will at least defend your selves; and from this moment we give ourselves, our cities, our fields, and our gods to the Romans, and become their subjects. The senate accepted the donation, and ordered the Samnites imme diately to quit their territories. The necessary consequence was a war, in which the Romans were so successful, that in the third campaign the Samnites were glad to conclude a peace, and renew their treaty of alliance.

In the meantime the Latins had recovered strength, and meditated to shake off the Roman yoke. A war was the consequence, memorable only for a singular instance of the most exalted patriotism in the consul Decius. This great man, together with his colleague Torquatus, headed the Roman legions. It is said that both the consuls had had a dream, or seen a vision, which assured them that the infernal gods required that one of the con tending armies should be devoted to them, and one of the contending generals; and that the general ho should have the heroism voluntarily to devote himself, would thus doom the army of the enemy to certain destruction. The two consuls agreedto make this heroic sacrifice; and it was resolved between them, as they commanded separate divi sions of the army, that he whose division first gave way Should immediately devote himself to death. It was in the meantime strictly enjoined to the troops, that no soldier should, during the engagement, advance beyond his rank, as instances of frantic valour were then extremely common. The battle began; and Titus Manlius, the son of the consul Torquatus, being challenged by a Latin captain, accepted the summons, defeated his anta gonist, and returned with his spoils to the main army. His father, with a true Roman severity, ordered his head to be struck off for disobedience. The division commanded by Decius having begun to give way, be caused the Pontifex Maximus to perform in haste' the ceremony of consecration.

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