Summary of Book XI
WHEN Fabius Gurges the consul had fought an unsuccessful battle with the Samnites and the senate was
debating his removal from the command, Fabius Maximus
his father begged them to spare his son this ignominy.
what particularly moved the senate was his promise to
go out as his son's lieutenant, which he did. aided by
his advice and services, his son the consul defeated the
Samnites and triumphed. Gaius Pontius, the general of
the Samnites, was led in the triumph and beheaded.
when the state was troubled with a pestilence, the
envoys dispatched to bring over the image of Aesculapius
from Epidaurus to Rome fetched away a serpent, which
had crawled into their ship and in which it was generally
believed that the god himself was present. on the
serpent's going ashore on the island of the Tiber, a temple
was erected there to Aesculapius. The consular Lucius
Postumius was convicted of having used the labour of
soldiers on his own land when in command of the army.
The Samnites sought peace and the treaty with them was
renewed for the fourth time. Curius Dentatus the consul
having slaughtered the Samnites and conquered the
Sabines, who had revolted, and received their submission,
triumphed twice in the same year of office. colonies
were established at Castrum, Sena, and Hadria. a board
of three to deal with capital offences was then chosen for
the first time. The number of citizens was returned as
272,000. Because of their debts, the plebs, after serious
and protracted quarrels, seceded to Janiculum, whence
they were brought back by Quintus Hortensius the
dictator, who died before the expiration of his term.
The book contains also campaigns with the Vulsinienses
and likewise with the Lucanians, against whom the
Romans had voted to assist the people of Thurii.
[p. 549]