Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 23
Frank Gardener Moore, Professor Emeritus in Columbia University, Ed.

These men found the consul not yet departed for Canusium, but with a few half-armed men at Venusia,¹ exciting the utmost pity in good allies, but contempt in the haughty and faithless, such as were the Campanians. [2] And the consul increased the contempt for his situation and for himself by needlessly uncovering and laying bare the disaster. [3] For when the delegation had reported that the senate and the Campanian people were distressed that any reverse had befallen the Romans, and were promising everything that might be needed for the war, he said: [4] “You, Campanians, have observed the customary manner of speaking to allies, in bidding me requisition whatever is needed for the war, rather than spoken conformably to the present state of our fortunes. [5] [p. 15]For what has been left to us at Cannae, so that, as if² we had something, we may wish what is lacking to be made up by the allies? Are we to requisition infantry from you, as though we had cavalry? Are we to say that money is lacking, as if that alone were lacking? Nothing has fortune left us, even to supplement. [6] Legions, cavalry, arms, standards, horses and men, money and supplies have vanished either in the battle or in the loss of two camps the next day. [7] And so you, Campanians, have not to help us in war, but almost to undertake the war in our stead. [8] Recall how, when your ancestors were once confined in alarm within their walls, dreading not only the Samnite enemy but also the Sidicinian,³ we took them under our protection and defended them at Saticula. Also how with varying fortunes we endured for almost a hundred years⁴ the war begun with the Samnites on your account. [9] Add to this that upon your submission we gave you a fair treaty and your own laws, and finally —and before the disaster at Cannae this was certainly the greatest privilege —our citizenship to a large number of you and shared it with you. [10] A share, then, Campanians, you should believe you have in this disaster which has befallen us, and should think that you must defend the country in which you have a share. [11] Not with the Samnite or Etruscan is the struggle to have the power which has been wrested from us nevertheless remain in Italy. A Carthaginian enemy, not even of African origin, is dragging after him from the farthest limits of the world, from the strait of Ocean and the Pillars of Hercules, soldiers who [p. 17]are unacquainted with any civilized laws and⁵ organization and, one may almost add, language too.⁶ [12] Ruthless and barbarous by nature and custom, these men have been further barbarized by the general himself, in making bridges and embankments of piled up human bodies, and by teaching them —horrible even to relate —to feed upon the bodies of men.⁷ [13] To see and have as our masters men who fatten upon these unspeakable feasts, men whom it is a crime even to touch, and to get our law from Africa and Carthage, and to allow Italy to be a province of the Numidians and the Mauri —who, if merely born in Italy, would not find that abominable? [14] It will be a glorious thing, Campanians, if the Roman power, brought low by disaster, shall have been maintained and restored by your loyalty and your resources. [15] Thirty thousand foot-soldiers and four thousand horsemen can be enrolled from Campania, I believe. Moreover you have sufficient money and grain. If you have a loyalty to match your prosperity Hannibal will not be aware of his victory, nor the Romans of their defeat.”