ry. And when he
saw them wheel their troops within a narrow compass in fruitless
disorder, and that they could not open a passage to the enemy, riding
back to the van of the legions, after leaping from his horse, he says,
"Soldiers, this is the task for us infantry; come on, as ye shall see me
making way with my sword, in whatever direction I shall advance into the
enemy's line, so let each man, with all his might, beat down those who
oppose him. All those places, where their erected spears now glitter,
you shall see cleared by widely-extended slaughter." He had uttered
these words, when the cavalry by order of the consul turn to the wings,
and open a passage for the legions to the centre of the line. First of
all, the consul attacks the enemy, and slays him whom he happened to
engage. Those on the right and left, fired at this sight, commence a
dreadful fight, each with the foe opposite him. The Samnites obstinately
stand their ground, though they receive more wounds than they inflict.
The battle had now lasted for a considerable time, great slaughter
occurred around the standards of the Samnites; in no part was there a
flight, so firmly had they made up their minds to be vanquished by death
alone. Wherefore the Romans, when they perceived their strength to relax
by fatigue, and but a small part of the day still remained, fired with
fury, rush upon the enemy. Then for the first time it appeared that they
were giving ground, and that the matter was inclining to a flight; then
the Samnites were taken, some slain; nor would many have survived, had
not night terminated the victory rather than the battle. Both the Romans
confessed, that they had never fought with a more determined enemy; and
the Samnites, on being asked what cause first drove them to fly after
being so determined, said, that it was the eyes of the Romans which
seemed to them to flash fire, and their distracted looks, and furious
aspect; that more of terror arose from thence, than from any thing else.
Which terror they confessed not only in the issue of the battle, but in
their departure by night. Next day the Romans take possession of the
deserted camp of the enemy, whither all the Campanians flocked to
congratulate them.

34. But this joy was well nigh alloyed by a great loss sustained in
Samnium. For the consul Cornelius, having set out from Saticula,
incautiously led his army into a mountainous tract, passable through a
deep defile, and beset on all side