Greek Texts & Translations

ceives this reward, afterwards change and become wicked, he is dishonoured, and the wife who had been given is taken away from him. Beyond are the Hirpini, who are also Samnites: their name they take from the wolf, which conducted their colony; a wolf being called by the Samnites hirpos: these people border on the Leucani in the interior. So much for the Samnites. 13

The fertility of their country has been productive to the Campanians of as much evil as good. Their luxury ran to such a height, that they would invite to supper, in order to exhibit pairs of fighting gladiators, the exact number of pairs being regulated according to the distinction of the guests. When, on their voluntary submission to Hannibal, they received his soldiers into winter quarters, ^note the pleasures [of the place] rendered the men so effeminate, that Hannibal said, although conqueror, that he was in danger of the enemy, since his soldiers were returned to him women, and no longer men. When the Romans obtained the mastery, ^note they inflicted on them numerous ills, and ended by distributing their land by lot. ^note At the present day they are living in prosperity, and on friendly terms with the [Roman] colonists, and preserve their ancient reputation, both in respect to the size of their city and the numbers of their population. Beyond Campania and the Samnites, ^note and upon the Tyrrhenian Sea, dwells the nation of the Picentini. This is a small off-shoot from the Picentini who dwell near the Adriatic, and was transplanted by the Romans to the Posidoniate Gulf, ^note now called the Gulf of Paestum. The city of Posidonia, which is built about the middle of the gulf, is called Paestum. ^note The Sybarites [when they founded the city ^note] built the fortifications close upon the sea, but the inhabitants removed higher up. In after time ^note the Leucani seized upon the city, but in their turn were deprived of it by the Romans. ^note It is rendered unhealthy by a river ^note