Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 10
Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D., Ed.

16. The election over, the old consuls were bidden to carry on the war in Samnium, having received an extension of their command for six months. [2] so in the following year likewise —the consulship of Lucius Volumnius and Appius Claudius —Publius Decius, who had been left behind in Samnium, when consul, by his colleague, ceased not as proconsul to lay waste the farms, until finally he forced the army of the Samnites —which would nowhere risk a battle —to withdraw from the country.

[3] they retreated into Etruria, and thinking that what they had often tried in vain to bring about by means of embassies they might with so great [p. 417]a body of armed men and the menace which would¹ be added to their entreaties accomplish more effectually, called for a council of the Etruscan leaders. [4] on its assembling, they pointed out for how many years they had been fighting with the Romans for their liberty. [5] they had made every effort, they said, if haply they might of their own strength bear up under so great a war; and had also —but to little purpose —made trial of the help of neighbouring nations. unable to sustain the war, they had sought peace of the Roman People; but had renewed hostilities, because peace with servitude was harder to endure than war with liberty. [6] their sole remaining hope lay in the Etruscans, whom they knew for the richest nation of Italy, in arms, in men, and in money; a nation, too, that marched with the Gauls, men born amid the clash of arms and possessing not only an instinctive love of fighting but a feeling of enmity to the Roman People, whose defeat at their hands and ransom for gold they were wont to relate with no idle boast. [7] if the Etruscans had the spirit that once had animated Porsinna² and their forefathers, there was no reason why they should not expel the Romans from all the country north of the Tiber, and compel them to fight, not for an intolerable sovereignty over Italy, but for their own existence. [8] here was a Samnite army, provided with arms and pay, and ready to follow on the instant, though they should lead it to the assault of Rome itself.