fate by concluding an alliance with the Romans.
Meanwhile the Romans had declared war against the Samnites.

SECOND OR GREAT SAMNITE WAR, B.C. 326-304.--The Second Samnite War
lasted 22 years, and was by far the most important of the three wars
which this people waged with Rome. During the first five years (B.C.
326-322) the Roman arms were generally successful. The Samnites became
so disheartened that they sued for peace, but obtained only a truce for
a year. It was during this period that the well-known quarrel took place
between L. Papirius Cursor and Q. Fabius Maximus, the two most
celebrated Roman generals of the time, who constantly led the armies of
the Republic to victory. In B.C. 325 L. Papirius was Dictator, and Q.
Fabius his Master of the Horse. Recalled to Rome by some defect in the
auspices, the Dictator left the army in charge of Fabius, but with
strict orders not to venture upon an engagement. Compelled or provoked
by the growing boldness of the enemy, Fabius attacked and defeated them
with great loss. But this victory was no extenuation for his offense in
the eyes of the Dictator. Papirius hastened back to the camp, burning
with indignation that his commands had been disobeyed, and ordered his
lictors to seize Fabius and put him to death. The soldiers, whom Fabius
had led to victory, rose in his defense; and in the night he escaped to
Rome, to implore the protection of the Senate. He was stating the case
to the Fathers, when Papirius entered the senate-house, followed by his
lictors, and demanded that the offender should be given up for
execution. But the Senate, the people, and the aged father of Maximus
interceded so strongly for his life, that the Dictator was obliged to
give way and to grant an ungracious pardon.

The year's truce had not expired when the Samnites again took up arms,
and for the next seven years (B.C. 321-315) the balance of success
inclined to their side. This appears to have been mainly owing to the
military abilities of their general C. Pontius, who deserves to be
ranked among the chief men of antiquity. In the first year of his
command he inflicted upon the Romans one of the severest blows they ever
sustained in the whole course of their history.

In B.C. 321 the two Consuls, T. Veturius and Sp. Postumius, marched into
Samnium by the road from Capua to Beneventum. Near the town of Caudium
they entered the celebrated pass called the CAUDINE FORKS (Furculae
Caudinae). It consiste