o the
punishment of the Campanian senators. Claudius was disposed to grant
their prayer for pardon, but Fulvius was more inclined to severity.
Appius, therefore, was for referring the entire disposal of the
question to the Roman senate. He thought it right also, that the
fathers should have the opportunity of asking them whether any of the
Latin confederates, or of the municipal towns, had taken part in these
designs, and whether they had derived any assistance from them in the
war. Fulvius, on the contrary, urged that they ought by no means to
run the hazard of having the minds of faithful allies harassed by
doubtful accusations, and subjected to informers who never cared at
all what they did or what they said. For this reason he said that he
should prevent and put a stop to any such inquiry. After this
conversation they separated; Appius not doubting but that his
colleague, though he expressed himself so warmly, would, nevertheless,
wait for a letter from Rome, in an affair of such magnitude. But
Fulvius, fearing that his designs would be frustrated by that very
means, dismissed his council, and commanded the military tribunes and
the praefects of the allies to give notice to two thousand chosen
horsemen to be in readiness at the third trumpet. Setting out for
Teanum with this body of cavalry, he entered the gate at break of day,
and proceeded direct to the forum; and a number of people having
flocked together at the first entrance of the horsemen, he ordered the
Sidicinian magistrate to be summoned; when he desired him to bring
forth the Campanians whom he had in custody. These were all
accordingly brought forth, scourged, and beheaded. He then proceeded
at full speed to Cales; where, when he had taken his seat on the
tribunal, and while the Campanians, who had been brought forth, were
being bound to the stake, an express arrived from Rome, and delivered
to him a letter from Caius Calpurnius, the praetor, and a decree of
the senate. A murmur immediately pervaded the whole assembly,
beginning at the tribunal, that the entire question respecting the
Campanians was referred to the decision of the fathers, and Fulvius,
suspecting this to be the case, took the letter, and without opening
it put it into his bosom, and then commanded the crier to order the
lictor to do his duty. Thus punishment was inflicted on those also who
were at Cales. The letter was then read, together with the decree of
the senate, when it was too la