But Pontius used his power generously. If his terms were hard, yet they were just, and had in them no trace of cruelty.
'Restore to us,' said the Samnite general, 'the towns you have taken from us, and recall the Roman colonists you have unjustly settled on our soil. Then conclude with us a treaty, which shall own each nation to be alike independent of the other. If you will swear to do this I will spare your lives and let you go without ransom, each man of you giving up your arms merely and keeping his clothes untouched, and you shall pass in sight of our army as prisoners, whom we . . . set free of our own will, when we might have killed them, or sold them, or held them to ransom.'
The Consuls and officers of the army vowed to observe this treaty, and six hundred knights were given as hostages to the Samnites.
But Pontius, had he been wise, would have gained the consent of the Senate and people of Rome to his terms, before he was content.
To the Romans, the demands of Pontius seemed severe, but yet deeper was the humiliation they were to endure.
The entire army, along with the Consuls, were forced to pass beneath the yoke, in the presence of, their foe. It was the only way of escape from the pass of the Caudine Forks.
Giving up their arms, and wearing only a kilt which reached from their waist to their knees, the vanquished army filed sullenly out of the gorge beneath the yoke.
This was no unusual humiliation, but was the custom in those days, and equal to our demand that arms should be laid down on the surrender of a garrison.
Pontius was indeed strangely kind to his conquered foes, ordering carriages for the wounded, and giving them food to eat on the march back to Rome.
But nothing could comfort the Romans, whose pride had been gravely wounded by being forced to pass beneath the yoke.
