ect to the
praetorship.

16. The following year, Lucius Papirius Crassus and Kaeso Duilius being
consuls, was distinguished by a war with the Ausonians, as being new
rather than important. This people inhabited the city Cales; they had
united their arms with their neighbours the Sidicinians; and the army of
the two states being defeated in one battle scarcely worthy of record,
was induced to take to flight the earlier in consequence of the
proximity of the cities, and the more sheltered on their flight. Nor did
the senate, however, discontinue their attention to that war, because
the Sidicinians had now so often taken up arms either as principals, or
had afforded aid to those who did so, or had been the cause of
hostilities. Accordingly they exerted themselves with all their might,
to raise to the consulship for the fourth time, Marcus Valerius Corvus,
the greatest general of that day. To Corvus was added Marcus Atilius
Regulus as colleague; and lest any disappointment might by any chance
occur, a request was made of the consuls, that, without drawing lots,
that province might be assigned to Corvus. Receiving the victorious army
from the former consuls, proceeding to Cales, whence the war had
originated, after he had, at the first shout and onset, routed the
enemy, who were disheartened by the recollection also of the former
engagement, he set about attacking the town itself. And such was the
ardour of the soldiers, that they wished to advance immediately up to
the walls, and strenuously asserted that they would scale them. Corvus,
because that was a hazardous undertaking, wished to accomplish his
object rather by the labour than the risk of his men. Accordingly he
formed a rampart, prepared his vineae, and advanced towers up to the
walls; but an opportunity which accidentally presented itself, prevented
the occasion for them. For Marcius Fabius, a Roman prisoner, when,
having broken his chains during the inattention of his guards on a
festival day, suspending himself by means of a rope which was fastened
to a battlement of the wall, he let himself down by the hands, persuaded
the general to make an assault on the enemy whilst stupified by wine and
feasting; nor were the Ausonians, together with their city, captured
with greater difficulty than they had been routed in the field. A great
amount of booty was obtained; and a garrison being stationed at Cales,
the legions were marched back to Rome. The consul triumphed in p