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History of Rome

§8.26.1-8.26.7

Surrender of Palaepolis and Publilius's Triumph

While the Samnites were lured to the shore by Nymphius's stratagem, Charilaus admitted the Roman soldiers to seize the city. Livy supports the account of voluntary surrender by the Greeks and notes the unprecedented extension of command and triumph granted to Publilius.

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§8.26.1

​eodem tempore et Nymphius praetorem Samnitium arte adgressus perpulerat, ut, quoniam omnis Romanus exercitus aut circa Palaepolim aut in Samnio esset, sineret se classe circumvehi ad Romanum agrum, non oram modo maris sed ipsi urbi propinqua loca depopulaturum.1

​At the same time, Nymphius also, having tactfully approached the general of the Samnites, persuaded him that, since the entire Roman army was either around Palaepolis or in Samnium, he should allow him to sail around with a fleet to the Roman territory, intending to ravage not only the sea coast but also the places close to the city itself.

§8.26.2

​sed, ut falleret, nocte proficiscendum esse extemploque naves deducendas. quod quo maturius fieret,2 omnis iuventus Samnitium praeter necessarium urbis praesidium ad litus missa. ubi dum Nymphius in tenebris ​et multitudine semet ipsa inpediente,3 sedulo aliis alia imperia turbans, terit tempus, Charilaus ex conposito ab sociis in urbem receptus, cum summa urbis Romano milite inplesset, tolli clamorem iussit; ad quem Graeci signo accepto a principibus quievere, ​Nolani per aversam partem urbis via Nolam ferente effugiunt. Samnitibus exclusis ab urbe ut expeditior in praesentia fuga, ita foedior, ​postquam periculo evaserunt, visa, quippe qui inermes nulla rerum suarum non relicta4 inter hostes, ludibrium non externis modo sed etiam popularibus, spoliati atque egentes domos rediere. haud ignarus opinionis alterius, ​qua haec proditio ab Samnitibus facta traditur, cum auctoribus hoc dedi, quibus dignius credi est, tum5 foedus Neapolitanum — eo enim deinde summa rei Graecorum venit — similius vero facit ipsos in amicitiam redisse.

​But, he argued, in order to deceive the enemy, they had to set out by night and immediately launch the ships. In order that this might be done the more speedily, all the youth of the Samnites, except for the necessary garrison of the city, were sent to the shore. ​There, while Nymphius was wasting time in the darkness and amidst the crowd obstructing itself, intentionally confusing different people with different orders, Charilaus, having been admitted into the city by his accomplices according to the agreement, when he had filled the highest part of the city with Roman soldiers, ordered a shout to be raised; at which the Greeks, having received the signal from their leaders, remained quiet. ​The Nolans fled through the opposite part of the city along the road leading to Nola. The Samnites, shut out from the city, found their flight, though more unimpeded for the moment, all the more shameful ​after they had escaped from danger; for, returning home unarmed, with none of their property not left behind among the enemies, a laughing-stock not only to strangers but also to their own countrymen, they arrived spoiled and destitute. Not unaware of the other opinion, ​by which this betrayal is reported to have been committed by the Samnites, I have both followed those authors whom it is more worthy to believe, and the Neapolitan treaty—for to that the sum of the Greek affairs afterwards came—renders it more probable that they themselves returned to friendship.

§8.26.7

​Publilio triumphus decretus, quod satis credebatur obsidione domitos hostes in fidem venisse. duo singularia haec ei viro primum contigere, prorogatio imperii, non ante in ullo facta, et acto honore triumphus.

​A triumph was decreed to Publilius, because it was sufficiently believed that the enemy, subdued by siege, had come into alliance. Two unprecedented distinctions first befell that man: the prolongation of his command, which had never before been done in the case of anyone, and a triumph celebrated after his term of office had expired.

Syntax notes5 items
  1. 8.26.1depopulaturum

    A future active participle expressing intention or purpose, agreeing in gender, number, and case (masculine singular accusative) with se (Nymphius), the logical subject of the infinitive clause se... circumvehi.

  2. 8.26.2quod quo maturius fieret

    The conjunction quo introducing a purpose clause containing a comparative (maturius) with the subjunctive fieret, equivalent to ut eo maturius (so that it might be done the more speedily). quod is a neuter pronoun referring to the previously mentioned plan (setting out by night and launching the ships).

  3. 8.26.3multitudine semet ipsa inpediente

    An ablative absolute containing a present participle. The combination of the reinforced reflexive pronoun semet and the intensive adjective ipsa (here agreeing as the logical subject of the ablative multitudine) emphasizes the mutual and self-defeating confusion of the crowd obstructing itself.

  4. 8.26.5nulla rerum suarum non relicta

    An ablative absolute utilizing double negation (nulla... non). It functions as a strong affirmation: "with none of their property not left behind," meaning that absolutely all of their belongings were left behind in the hands of the enemy.

  5. 8.26.6cum... tum...

    A correlative construction ("not only... but also..."). The main verb of the main clause, similius vero facit (renders more probable), governs the accusative-with-infinitive clause ipsos in amicitiam redisse as its object.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:8.26.1-8.26.7