§8.2.1cum de postulatis Samnitium T. Aemilius praetor senatum consuluisset reddendumque iis foedus patres censuissent, praetor Samnitibus respondit: §8.2.2nec, quo minus perpetua cum eis amicitia esset, per populum Romanum stetisse, nec contradici, quin, quoniam ipsos belli culpa sua contracti taedium ceperit, amicitia de integro reconcilietur; §8.2.3quod ad Sidicinos attineat, nihil intercedi, quo minus Samniti populo pacis bellique liberum arbitrium sit.
When the praetor Titus Aemilius had consulted the senate concerning the demands of the Samnites, and the senators had decreed that the treaty should be restored to them, the praetor replied to the Samnites: that it had not been the fault of the Roman people that there was not a lasting friendship with them, nor was there any objection to the friendship being restored anew, since a weariness of the war brought on by their own fault had seized them; as far as the Sidicini were concerned, there was nothing to prevent the Samnite people from having free decision of peace and war.
§8.2.4foedere icto cum domum revertissent, extemplo inde exercitus Romanus deductus annuo stipendio et trium mensum frumento accepto, quod pepigerat consul, ut tempus indutiis daret, quoad legati redissent.
When they had returned home after the treaty was struck, the Roman army was immediately withdrawn from there, having received the year's pay and three months' grain which the consul had bargained for, in order to grant time for a truce until the envoys should return.
Samnites copiis iisdem, §8.2.5quibus usi adversus Romanum bellum fuerant, contra Sidicinos profecti haud in dubia spe erant mature urbis hostium potiundae;
The Samnites, setting out against the Sidicini with the same forces which they had used in the war against the Romans, were in no doubtful hope of quickly gaining possession of the enemy's city.
§8.2.6tum ab Sidicinis deditio prius ad Romanos coepta fieri est; dein, postquam patres ut seram eam ultimaque tandem necessitate expressam aspernabantur, ad Latinos iam sua sponte in arma motos facta est.
Then a surrender by the Sidicini was first attempted to the Romans; thereafter, when the senators rejected it as too late and wrung from them only by ultimate necessity, it was made to the Latins, who had already of their own accord been moved to arms.
§8.2.7ne Campani quidem — adeo iniuriae Samnitium quam beneficii Romanorum memoria praesentior erat — his se armis abstinuere.
Not even the Campanians—so much more vivid was the memory of the Samnites' injury than of the Romans' benefit—abstained from these arms.
§8.2.8ex his tot populis unus ingens exercitus duce Latino fines Samnitium ingressus plus populationibus quam proeliis cladium fecit; et quamquam superiores certaminibus Latini erant, haud inviti, ne saepius dimicandum foret, agro hostium excessere.
From all these peoples, one huge army under a Latin leader entered the territory of the Samnites and caused more destruction by plundering than by battles; and although the Latins were superior in the encounters, they departed from the enemy's territory not unwillingly, lest they should have to fight too often.
§8.2.9id spatium Samnitibus datum est Romam legatos mittendi; qui cum adissent senatum, conquesti eadem se foederatos pati, quae hostes essent passi, precibus infimis petiere, §8.2.10ut satis ducerent Romani victoriam Samnitibus ex Campano Sidicinoque hoste eripuisse, ne vinci etiam se ab ignavissimis populis sinerent; §8.2.11Latinos Campanosque, si sub dicione populi Romani essent, pro imperio arcerent Samniti agro, sin imperium abnuerent, armis coercerent.
This interval was given to the Samnites for sending envoys to Rome; who, when they had approached the senate, having complained that they, as allies, were suffering the same things which enemies had suffered, sought with the lowest prayers, that the Romans should consider it enough to have snatched victory from the Samnites over the Campanian and Sidicine enemy, and not allow them to be conquered even by the most cowardly peoples; that they should, by their authority, keep the Latins and Campanians from the Samnite territory if they were under the sway of the Roman people, but if they rejected their authority, they should coerce them with arms.
§8.2.12adversus haec responsum anceps datum, quia fateri pigebat in potestate sua Latinos iam non esse timebantque, ne arcendo abalienarent: §8.2.13Campanorum aliam condicionem esse, qui non foedere, sed per deditionem in fidem venissent; itaque Campanos, seu velint seu nolint, quieturos; in foedere Latino nihil esse, quo bellare, cum quibus ipsi velint, prohibeantur.
Against these things, an ambiguous answer was given, because they were loath to confess that the Latins were no longer in their power, and they feared lest by keeping them back they might alienate them: that the condition of the Campanians was different, who had come into protection not by treaty but through surrender; therefore, the Campanians, whether they wished it or not, would remain quiet; that there was nothing in the Latin treaty by which they were prohibited from waging war with whomsoever they themselves wished.