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15 - Stories from the History of Rome by Emily Beesly · Stories from the History of Rome

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  Speaker 1: Chapter fourteen of Stories from the History of Rome by
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  Speaker 1: Emily Beasley. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
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  Speaker 1: Recording by Melissa Jane Melissa Jane Audio at gmail dot com.
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  Speaker 1: The Caaudine Forks, some distance to the south of Rome,
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  Speaker 1: among the Apennine Mountains, lay the country of Samnium, where
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  Speaker 1: lived a brave and warlike people who were for many
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  Speaker 1: years at war with the Romans. The general of the
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  Speaker 1: Samnites at the time I am going to tell you
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  Speaker 1: about was called Caius Pontius. He was a brave and
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  Speaker 1: skillful soldier, the son of a very wise old man
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  Speaker 1: whose name was Herrenius. When Pontius heard that the Romans
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  Speaker 1: were marching against Samnium, he led his army to a
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  Speaker 1: place called Caudium in the mountains between Rome and his
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  Speaker 1: own cut. He made some of his soldiers take off
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  Speaker 1: their armor and dress themselves like shepherds. Then he sent
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  Speaker 1: them towards the Roman camp, driving sheep before them, so
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  Speaker 1: that the Roman sentinels, when they saw them, thought they
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  Speaker 1: were real shepherds. The Romans took the disguised Samnite soldiers
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  Speaker 1: prisoners and led them before their consul, Spurious posthumious. Posthumius
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  Speaker 1: asked the sam Knights, whom he's supposed to be shepherds,
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  Speaker 1: to tell him anything they could about the sam Knight army,
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  Speaker 1: where it was and what it was doing. They answered
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  Speaker 1: him as their general had told them to do, that
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  Speaker 1: the sam Knight army was gone into Apulia in the
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  Speaker 1: south of Italy, and that it was besieging Lucyria, a
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  Speaker 1: town whose people were friends and allies of the Romans. Now,
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  Speaker 1: as these pretended shepherds all told the same story, Posthumius
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  Speaker 1: thought it must be true, and he determined to go
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  Speaker 1: to the help of the Lucyrians. The shortest road to
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  Speaker 1: Lucyria was past Caudium, where as I told you, Pontius
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  Speaker 1: and his army really were Near Caudium is a place
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  Speaker 1: called the Caudine Forks, and I will try to describe
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  Speaker 1: it to you that you may understand what afterwards happened.
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  Speaker 1: The road to Kaudium went through a very narrow pass
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  Speaker 1: or valley between two steep rocky cliffs. On the other
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  Speaker 1: side of the pass, the valley widened out into a
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  Speaker 1: large green meadow or plain, covered with grass and quite
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  Speaker 1: surrounded by steep hills. The road went across this plain,
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  Speaker 1: and then through another little pass between rocks, steeper and
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  Speaker 1: more difficult even than the first. These two passes were
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  Speaker 1: called the Caudine Forks. The Roman army marched through the
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  Speaker 1: first pass and across the plain without any difficulty, but
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  Speaker 1: when they got to the second pass, their surprise was
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  Speaker 1: great to find the road blocked up with piles of
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  Speaker 1: great stones and with trees which had been cut down
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  Speaker 1: and thrown across it, so that neither man nor horse
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  Speaker 1: could get through. At the same time, they saw the
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  Speaker 1: sam Knight army appear on the hills above the pass,
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  Speaker 1: so as to prevent them from going round. As quickly
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  Speaker 1: as they could, the Romans turned and retreated across the
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  Speaker 1: plain to the pass by which they had come. But
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  Speaker 1: when they got there they found that the way out
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  Speaker 1: was blocked in the same manner, and guarded too by
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  Speaker 1: Samnight troops. All along the tops of the hills round them.
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  Speaker 1: They could see their enemies, whom Pontius had placed there,
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  Speaker 1: and they felt that they were shut in hopelessly, and
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  Speaker 1: were so astonished that they stood for a long time
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  Speaker 1: as still as statues, not knowing which way to turn
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  Speaker 1: or what to do. At last, they set to work
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  Speaker 1: to pitch their camp and to fortify it, though they
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  Speaker 1: saw very well how useless the work was, and knew
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  Speaker 1: that the same knights might, if they pleased, keep them
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  Speaker 1: shut up in that deep valley till they were starved
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  Speaker 1: to death. The same knight soldiers looked on and laughed
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  Speaker 1: and mocked at the unhappy Romans, who turned to their
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  Speaker 1: generals and asked from them the comfort and help which
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  Speaker 1: the generals could not give. By and bye, the night
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  Speaker 1: came on, and the soldiers, gathering together, began to talk
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  Speaker 1: over their dreadful position and to make plans as to
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  Speaker 1: what was to be done. Let us break through the blockade,
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  Speaker 1: said one, and force our way along the road. Were
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  Speaker 1: it not better? Cried another, to climb up the mountain
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  Speaker 1: sides and through the woods.
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  Speaker 2: Any way, so that we carry our sword with us,
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  Speaker 2: and that we may come at the enemy.
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  Speaker 1: If we could only get at them, it would be
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  Speaker 1: easy enough to us Romans to fight these pitiful sam Knights,
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  Speaker 1: whom we have beaten so often in the last thirty years.
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  Speaker 1: Pah said a third.
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  Speaker 3: How can we possibly get at the enemy with these
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  Speaker 3: steep hills hanging almost over our heads? What does it
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  Speaker 3: matter whether we are armed or unarmed, whether we are
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  Speaker 3: brave men or cowards, we are caught like rats in
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  Speaker 3: a trap. And the sam Knights need not even trouble
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  Speaker 3: themselves to draw their swords to kill us, but may
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  Speaker 3: sit still and watch us die.
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  Speaker 1: And such talk. They pass the night, caring neither to
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  Speaker 1: take food or sleep. The sam Knights did not know
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  Speaker 1: what to do or what would be the best way
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  Speaker 1: to use their victory. At last, they decided to send
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  Speaker 1: to her he Rennius Pontius, the father of their general, who,
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  Speaker 1: as I said, was a very wise man, and asked
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  Speaker 1: him what they had better do. Herennius was now very
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  Speaker 1: old and was living a quiet life away from the
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  Speaker 1: toils both of war and of government. But though his
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  Speaker 1: body was so weak, his mind was strong, and his
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  Speaker 1: advice was very much respected by all the same Knight people.
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  Speaker 1: When his son's messengers came to him, he sent back
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  Speaker 1: word that the sam Knights had better let the Roman
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  Speaker 1: army go home safe and unhurt. The same Knights did
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  Speaker 1: not like this message at all, and told the messengers
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  Speaker 1: to go a second time to Herenius and ask him
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  Speaker 1: again what they should do. Let them kill every one
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  Speaker 1: of the Romans, said Herennius. When these words were told
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  Speaker 1: to the same knights, they began to think that the
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  Speaker 1: old man's mind must be growing as weak as his body,
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  Speaker 1: and that he could have no meaning. And sending two
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  Speaker 1: such different messages, still they thought Herenius so wise that
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  Speaker 1: they sent the messengers a third time to persuade him
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  Speaker 1: to come to their camp, that they might hear what
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  Speaker 1: he really thought with their own ears. So the old
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  Speaker 1: man was laid in a cart and driven to the
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  Speaker 1: sam Night camp, and when he got there, he spoke
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  Speaker 1: to them in these words. I advised you.
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  Speaker 4: To let the Romans go safely home, because if you
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  Speaker 4: do so great a kindness to this brave people, you
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  Speaker 4: will make them your firm friends forever. But if you
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  Speaker 4: will not do this, you must kill them all so
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  Speaker 4: that they may not return to fight you again, for
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  Speaker 4: the shame of their defeat will make them hate you
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  Speaker 4: more than ever, and they will be more fierce and dreadful.
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  Speaker 1: Enemies than they are now. If you will not do
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  Speaker 1: either of these things, I have no third advice to
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  Speaker 1: give you. Then, Pontius asked him if it would not
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  Speaker 1: be better to spare the lives of the Romans, but
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  Speaker 1: to make them promise that they would not fight against
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  Speaker 1: the same knights again. By doing this, answered Hernius, you
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  Speaker 1: will neither make the Romans your friends nor prevent them
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  Speaker 1: from being your enemies.
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  Speaker 2: They are such a proud and brave people that if
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  Speaker 2: you disgrace them, they will never forgive you, and will
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  Speaker 2: never rest till they have punished you and revenged themselves.
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  Speaker 1: But Pontius and his army would not take the old
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  Speaker 1: man's advice, so he went home again. By this time,
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  Speaker 1: the Romans began to be in great want of food.
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  Speaker 1: They had made several attempts to get out of the valley,
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  Speaker 1: but they were always beaten back. At last, the consul
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  Speaker 1: sent messengers to Pontius to try and make peace, or,
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  Speaker 1: if he would not make peace, to challenge him to battle.
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  Speaker 1: Pontius sent back word that the battle was already won,
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  Speaker 1: that the Romans were his prisoners and must lay down
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  Speaker 1: their arms and all pass under the yoke, and that
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  Speaker 1: the consuls must promise that Rome would be at peace
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  Speaker 1: with Samnium. The yoke was made by planting two spears
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  Speaker 1: upright in the ground and tying a third spear to
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  Speaker 1: their tops, so as to make a sword of arch
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  Speaker 1: through which the army had to pass. It was the
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  Speaker 1: custom at this time in Italy to make a beaten
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  Speaker 1: arm pass under the yoke, and this was considered a
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  Speaker 1: great disgrace because it showed that the army was completely conquered.
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  Speaker 1: The consuls knew that they had no power to promise
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  Speaker 1: that Rome would keep peace with Samnium. But they thought
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  Speaker 1: that if they did not promise, the same knights would
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  Speaker 1: kill all their army, and they wished to save their men,
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  Speaker 1: so they agreed to do all that Pontius wished. When
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  Speaker 1: the Roman soldiers heard that the same knight general had
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  Speaker 1: sent word that they must all pass under the yoke,
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  Speaker 1: there was as much grief and sorrow in the camp
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  Speaker 1: as if he had said they should all be put
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  Speaker 1: to the sword. They cried out against the consuls who
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  Speaker 1: had led them into such danger and disgrace. They thought
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  Speaker 1: how shameful it would be to give up their armor
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  Speaker 1: and weapons. They fancied how their proud enemies would insult
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  Speaker 1: and mock at them, and how sad would be their
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  Speaker 1: return to Rome. Whence they had started with such joyful
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  Speaker 1: hopes of victory.
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  Speaker 5: We criand they are the only army in the world
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  Speaker 5: that ever was beaten without a battle, without a sword
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  Speaker 5: being drawn, Who wore arms only to give them up
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  Speaker 5: to our mortal enemies without striking a blow. A new
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  Speaker 5: strength and courage were good for nothing but to make
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  Speaker 5: us feel our disgrace more bitterly.
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  Speaker 1: While they bemoaned themselves in this way, the word of
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  Speaker 1: command was given that they should march out of the camp,
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  Speaker 1: each man wearing only one garment and leaving his armor
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  Speaker 1: and weapons behind him. First the consuls, having taken off
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  Speaker 1: their splendid robes and rich armor, were obliged to march
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  Speaker 1: under the yoke. Then came the nobles and officers, and
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  Speaker 1: lastly the soldiers. The same knights stood round, jeering and
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  Speaker 1: laughing at the unfortune at Romans, who would almost rather
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  Speaker 1: have been killed than have had to bear such disgrace.
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  Speaker 1: When they had marched out of the Caudine Pass and
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  Speaker 1: had got away from the sam Knights, they might easily
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  Speaker 1: have reached Capua, a town which was friendly to Rome,
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  Speaker 1: before night came on. But they were so miserable and
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  Speaker 1: so dreadfully ashamed of being seen in such a condition,
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  Speaker 1: that they chose to stay away from the town, meaning
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  Speaker 1: to sleep on the bare ground, though they had neither food,
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  Speaker 1: nor clothing, nor tents to shelter them.
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  Speaker 6: But news was.
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  Speaker 1: Brought to the people of Capua that the Roman army
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  Speaker 1: was just outside the town. In this sad state, the
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  Speaker 1: Capuans were very sorry to hear it, and immediately they
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  Speaker 1: sent out plenty of clothes and food for the soldiers,
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  Speaker 1: and to the consuls they sent arms and horses and
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  Speaker 1: splendid garments such as suited their high rank. When the
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  Speaker 1: Romans had eaten and clothed themselves, they marched into Capua.
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  Speaker 1: The people came out to meet them, with their nobles
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  Speaker 1: at their head, and welcomed their visitors with kind words.
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  Speaker 1: They took them into their houses and treated them like
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  Speaker 1: dear friends. But the Romans were so unhappy that all
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  Speaker 1: the kindness of the Capuans could hardly get them to
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  Speaker 1: speak a word, or even to lift up their eyes
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  Speaker 1: from the ground. The next day they went away to Rome,
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  Speaker 1: seeming more ashamed and miserable than ever, and not speaking
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  Speaker 1: a word as they marched along. Now, by this time
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  Speaker 1: news of the great misfortune at Codium had got to Rome,
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  Speaker 1: and the whole city was full of mourning and grief.
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  Speaker 1: The shops were shut up, the courts of law were closed.
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  Speaker 1: The nobles left off the splendid scarlet and purple edged
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  Speaker 1: robes they generally wore. The ladies put away their golden ornaments,
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  Speaker 1: and all the people showed in every way how great
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  Speaker 1: was their sorrow for the disgrace that had fallen on
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  Speaker 1: the name of Rome. At first, the people were very
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  Speaker 1: angry with the soldiers, and said that they ought not
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  Speaker 1: to be allowed to come into the city at all.
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  Speaker 1: But when the army arrived, their anger changed to pity,
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  Speaker 1: for the unhappy men came marching into the town at
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  Speaker 1: night that they might not be seen, And each soldier
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  Speaker 1: went at once silently to his own house and shut
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  Speaker 1: himself up there, so that for days after not one
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  Speaker 1: of them was to be seen out of doors in
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  Speaker 1: the streets. The consuls too shut themselves up in the
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  Speaker 1: same way, and all they would do was to name
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  Speaker 1: a dictator who should govern the city till other consuls
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  Speaker 1: could be chosen. As soon as could be. The new
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  Speaker 1: consuls called Posthumius before them, that he might tell them
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  Speaker 1: about the shameful peace that he had made with the
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  Speaker 1: sam knights at Caudium. Posthumius came into their presence with
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  Speaker 1: looks as sad and unhappy as on the day when
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  Speaker 1: he had to pass under the yoke. I know well enough,
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  Speaker 1: said he, that you have called me here not for honor,
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  Speaker 1: but for shame, and that I am commanded to speak
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  Speaker 1: as one who is guilty of a badly managed war
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  Speaker 1: and a shameful peace. I will only say to defend myself,
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  Speaker 1: that I agreed to that peace to save your army
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  Speaker 1: from being destroyed. But I think that as it was
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  Speaker 1: made without the people of Rome knowing anything about it,
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  Speaker 1: they need not keep the promises that I made. Instead
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  Speaker 1: of keeping.
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  Speaker 2: The agreement, give up to the sam Knights the men
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  Speaker 2: who made these promises.
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  Speaker 1: Were you Romans ever asked if you would agree to
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  Speaker 1: the peace? Who can pretend that you have deceived them?
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  Speaker 1: You never promised anything to the same knights, and you
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  Speaker 1: never ordered us to make any agreements for you.
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  Speaker 2: We are the men who promised, and as we cannot
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  Speaker 2: keep our word, we will give our lives instead give
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  Speaker 2: us up to the same knights. Then let them do
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  Speaker 2: what they please with us, and in the meantime, let
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  Speaker 2: the consuls raise and arm all the soldiers they can
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  Speaker 2: and begin the war over again.
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  Speaker 1: With better success. The Senate and consuls were very sorry
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  Speaker 1: for the brave Posthumous, but they and all the people
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  Speaker 1: could find no better way of freeing themselves from the
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  Speaker 1: treaty of peace to which he had been forced to agree.
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  Speaker 1: Everyone praised him for being ready to give his life
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  Speaker 1: for his country, and the Romans were so filled with
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  Speaker 1: anger and so eager for war, that a great army
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  Speaker 1: was soon raised, and, with the Consols at its head,
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  Speaker 1: marched towards Gaudium. Before the army went the heralds with
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  Speaker 1: Posthumius and the others who were to be given up
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  Speaker 1: to the sam Knights. When they came near to the
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  Speaker 1: gate of Gaudium, the heralds told the soldiers to bind
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  Speaker 1: the hands of these men behind their backs, which was done.
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  Speaker 1: The soldier who tied the hands of Posthumius felt such
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  Speaker 1: sorrow and respect for his old general that he fastened
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  Speaker 1: the cords very gently and loosely. Draw the cord tighter.
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  Speaker 1: Said Posthumius, that the law may be obeyed as is
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  Speaker 1: just and right. Then the heralds led him and the
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  Speaker 1: others before Pontius and the same knight nobles, and said
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  Speaker 1: to them.
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  Speaker 7: These persons without the leave of the Roman people have
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  Speaker 7: promised to make peace with you. The Rovan people will
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  Speaker 7: have no peace with the sam Knights, and they sent
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  Speaker 7: you these men to do with them what you will.
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  Speaker 1: Pontius and all the same knights were extremely angry at this,
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  Speaker 1: for they thought that the Roman people ought to have
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  Speaker 1: kept the promises that their consul had made. And after
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  Speaker 1: a while Pontius.
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  Speaker 6: Said, neither I nor the sam Knights will accept these
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  Speaker 6: men whom you pretend to give up to us. I
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  Speaker 6: do not blame you Posthumius, who, like a brave and
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  Speaker 6: honorable man, have come to give up your life as
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  Speaker 6: you cannot keep your promise. But if the Roman people
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  Speaker 6: do not like the agreement their consul made for them,
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  Speaker 6: let them bring their army back again into the place
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  Speaker 6: where we surrounded them. Let them take their arms again
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  Speaker 6: and shut themselves up in their camp, and let all
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  Speaker 6: be as it was before the consuls made the treaty.
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  Speaker 5: Is this your truth?
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  Speaker 1: Is this how you keep your word?
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  Speaker 6: You have your soldiers safe, as I promised you, But
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  Speaker 6: where is the peace that you promised to me. I
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  Speaker 6: will not accept these men whom you pretend to deliver
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  Speaker 6: up to me. But I call upon the gods to
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  Speaker 6: punish you for breaking your solemn vows. Go Lictor, unbind
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  Speaker 6: these Romans, and let them go wherever they please. This
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  Speaker 6: was soon done, and Posthumius and the other prisoners went back,
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  Speaker 6: unharmed to the Roman camp. The same knights now began
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  Speaker 6: to understand how wise had been the advice of old
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  Speaker 6: Herrenius when he told them either to make friends of
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  Speaker 6: the Romans by setting them free, or to kill them all.
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  Speaker 6: For the war that began again was fiercer and more
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  Speaker 6: cruel than end of chapter fourteen.