the nobility had been thus devoted, was called the linen legion.  They were furnished with splendid armour and plumed helmets, to distinguish them above the rest.  They had another body of forces, amounting to somewhat more than twenty thousand, not inferior to the linen legion, either in personal appearance, or renown in war, or their equipment.  This number, composing the main strength of the nation, sat down at Aquilonia.

39.  On the other side, the consuls set out from the city.  First, Spurius Carvilius, to whom had been decreed the veteran legions, which Marcus Atilius, the consul of the preceding year, had left in the territory of Interamna, marched at their head into Samnium; and, while the enemy were busied in their superstitious rites, and holding their secret meeting, he took by storm the town of Amiternum.  Here were slain about two thousand eight hundred men; and four thousand two hundred and seventy were made prisoners.  Papirius, with a new army, which he raised in pursuance of a decree of the senate, made himself master of the city of Duronia.  He took fewer prisoners than his colleague; but slew much greater numbers.  Rich booty was acquired in both places.  The consuls then, overrunning Samnium, and wasting the province of Atinum with particular severity, arrived, Carvilius at Cominium, and Papirius at Aquilonia, where the main force of the Samnites were posted.  Here, for some time, there was neither a cessation of action, nor any vigorous effort.  The day was generally spent in provoking the enemy when quiet, and retiring when they offered resistance; in menacing, rather than making an attack.  By which practice of beginning, and then desisting, even those trifling skirmishes were continually left without a decision.  The other Roman camp was twenty miles distant, and the advice of his absent colleague was appealed to on every thing which he undertook, while Carvilius, on his part, directed a greater share of his attention to Aquilonia, where the state of affairs was more critical and important, than to Cominium, which he himself was besieging.  When Papirius had fully adjusted every measure, preparatory to an engagement, he despatched a message to his colleague, that “he intended, if the auspices permitted, to fight the enemy on the day following; and that it would be necessary that he (Carvilius) should at the same time make an assault on Cominium, with his utmost force, that the Samnites there might have no leisure to send any succour to Aquilonia.”  The messenger had the day for the performance of his journey, and he returned in the night, with an answer to the consul, that his colleague approved of the plan.  Papirius, on sending off the messenger, had instantly called an assembly, where he descanted, at large, on the nature of the war in general, and on the present mode of equipment adopted by the enemy, which served for empty parade, rather than for any thing effectual towards insuring success; for “plumes,” he said,