History of Rome

​When the indignation of the senators followed the voice of the consul, it is recorded in memory that, against the frequent imploration of the gods, whom the consuls called upon rather often as witnesses of treaties, the voice of Annius was heard, scorning the divine power of Roman Jupiter.

​At all events, when, moved by anger, he was flinging himself away from the vestibule of the temple with a rapid step, he slipped on the steps and, his head being severely struck, hit the stone at the bottom so hard that he was stunned.

​Since not all authors agree that he was killed, let this also be left by me in uncertainty, just as the story that, amidst the calling to witness of the broken treaties, a tempest poured down from heaven with a great crash; for these things can both be true and have been aptly invented to represent the anger of the gods.

​Torquatus, having been sent by the senate to dismiss the ambassadors, when he saw Annius lying there, cried out, so that his voice was heard equally by both the people and the senators: “All is well; the gods have begun a righteous war.

​There is a heavenly power; you exist, great Jupiter; not in vain have we consecrated you as the father of gods and men in this temple.

​Why do you hesitate, Quirites, and you, conscript fathers, to take up arms with the gods as leaders? I will give the legions of the Latins laid prostrate in such a way as you see their ambassador lying here.”

​The consul’s voice, received with the assent of the people, produced so much enthusiasm in their minds that, as the ambassadors were departing, the care of the magistrates, who were escorting them by command of the consul, protected them from the anger and attack of the men rather more than did the law of nations. The senate also consented to war;

​and the consuls, having set out with two enlisted armies through the territory of the Marsi and Paeligni, and having joined the army of the Samnites, pitched their camp near Capua, where the Latins and their allies had already assembled.

​There, during their rest, the same vision of a man, larger than human stature and more majestic, is said to have appeared to both consuls, saying that from one line of battle the commander, and from the other the army, was owed to the Manes and to Mother Earth.

​Whichever army’s commander should devote the legions of the enemies and himself upon them, victory would belong to that people and party.

​When the consuls compared these nightly visions with each other, it was decided that victims should be slain to avert the anger of the gods, and at the same time that, if the same things as had been seen in the dream should be portended by the entrails, one of the two consuls should fulfill his fate.

​When the responses of the haruspices agreed with the silent religious awe already residing in their minds, then, having summoned the ambassadors and tribunes, and having openly explained the commands of the gods, so that the voluntary death of a consul might not terrify the army in the line of battle, ​they agreed between themselves that, from whichever side the Roman army should begin to give way, from that side the consul should devote himself for the Roman people and the Quirites.

​It was also discussed in council that, if ever at any time any war had been conducted with severe command, then indeed military discipline should be brought back to ancient customs.

​The fact that they had to fight against the Latins sharpened their anxiety, as they were similar in language, manners, type of arms, and above all in military institutions: soldiers had been mixed with soldiers, centurions with centurions, tribunes with tribunes, as companions and colleagues in the same garrisons, and often in the same maniples.

​Because of these things, lest the soldiers should be seized by any error, the consuls published an edict that no one should fight against the enemy outside the ranks.