men.
On neither side were the forces drawn up to advantage; for, on the
one, Gellius Egnatius, the Samnite general, had gone out to forage
with a few cohorts, and his men entered on the fight as the violence
of their passions prompted, rather than under any directions or
orders. On the other, the Roman armies neither marched out together,
nor had time sufficient to form: Volumnius began to engage before
Appius came up to the enemy, consequently the engagement commenced,
their front in the battle being uneven; and by some accidental
interchange of their usual opponents, the Etrurians fought against
Volumnius; and the Samnites, after delaying some time on account of
the absence of their general, against Appius. We are told that Appius,
during the heat of the fight, raising his hands toward heaven, so as
to be seen in the foremost ranks, prayed thus, "Bellona, if thou
grantest us the victory this day, I vow to thee a temple." And that
after this vow, as if inspirited by the goddess, he displayed a degree
of courage equal to that of his colleague and of the troops. The
generals performed every duty, and each of their armies exerted, with
emulation, its utmost vigour, lest victory should commence on the
other side. They therefore routed and put to flight the enemy, who
were ill able to withstand a force so much superior to any with which
they had been accustomed to contend: then pressing them as they gave
ground, and pursuing them closely as they fled, they drove them into
their camp. There, by the interposition of Gellius and his Samnite
cohorts, the fight was renewed for a little time. But these being
likewise soon dispersed, the camp was now stormed by the conquerors;
and whilst Volumnius, in person, led his troops against one of the
gates, Appius, frequently invoking Bellona the victorious, inflamed
the courage of his men, they broke in through the rampart and
trenches. The camp was taken and plundered, and an abundance of spoil
was found, and given up to the soldiers. Of the enemy seven thousand
three hundred were slain; and two thousand one hundred and twenty
taken.

20. While both the consuls, with the whole force of the Romans,
pointed their exertions principally against the war in Etruria, a new
army which arose in Samnium, with design to ravage the frontiers of
the Roman empire, passed over through the country of the Vescians,
into the Campanian and Falernian territories, and committed great
depredations. Volumni