1. The Early Inhabitants of Italy
Ante Rōmam conditam magna ea plānitiēs, quae Alpibus et Āpennīnīs montibus continētur, Gallia vocābātur. Huius regiōnis incolās, ferōcissimum genus, Italī valdē timēbant. Īnfrā Gallōs regiōnem obtinēbant Etrūscī; īnfrā hōs Italī, ē quibus Latīnī cēterīs Ītaliae gentibus virtūte praestābant. Vērisimile autem vidētur Latīnōs colōniam ad rīpās Tiberis posuisse eō cōnsiliō nē Etrūscī impūne trāns amnem trānsvectī incursiōnēs in sē facerent. Neque tamen hoc ab antīquīs scrīptōribus trāditur. Quae ante conditam urbem poēticīs magis decōra fabulīs quam incorruptīs rērum gestārum monumentīs trāduntur, ea nec affirmāre nec refellere in animō est. Datur haec venia antīquitātī ut miscendō hūmāna dīvīnīs prīmōrdia urbium augustiōra faciat. Quae memoriae prōduntur haec ferē sunt.
ante Romam conditam--English uses many more abstract substantives than Latin. We say, ‘before the foundation (abstract) of Rome;’ the Latins said, ‘before Rome founded.’
Etrusci--the Etrurians, Etruscans, or Tuscans. Hence Tuscany. Their country was immediately to the north of Latium, the Tiber being the frontier.
decōra --‘embellished.’
datur...antiquitati ----‘to antiquity is conceded this privilege.’ The clause introduced by ut explains venia (ut consecutive).
Etrusci--the Etrurians, Etruscans, or Tuscans. Hence Tuscany. Their country was immediately to the north of Latium, the Tiber being the frontier.
decōra --‘embellished.’
datur...antiquitati ----‘to antiquity is conceded this privilege.’ The clause introduced by ut explains venia (ut consecutive).
2. Romulus, the First King
Rōmānum imperium ā Rōmulō exōrdium habet, quī Rheae Silviae, Vestālis virginis fīlius et Mārtis, cum Remō frātre ūnō partū ēditus est. Is cum inter pāstōrēs latrōcinārētur, duodēvīgintī annōs nātus urbem exiguam in Palātīnō monte cōnstituit annō ante Chrīstum nātum septingentēsimō quīnquāgēsimō tertiō. Conditā cīvitāte, quam ex nōmine suō Rōmam vocāvit, haec ferē ēgit. Cum multōs ē fīnitimīs in cīvitātem recēpisset, centum ex seniōribus lēgit, quōs senātōrēs nōmināvit propter senectūtem, quōrum cōnsiliō omnia ageret. Inde, cum uxōrēs ipse et populus nōn habērent, invītātīs ad spectāculum lūdōrum Sabīnīs, virginēs rapuit. Quā iniūriā commōtīs fīnitimīs, Caenīnēnsēs vīcit, Crustumīnōs, Fīdēnātēs, Vēientēs. Posteā cum ortā subitō tempestāte nōn compāruisset ad deōs trānsīsse rēgem aiēbant optimātēs, quōs Rōmulum trucīdāsse satis cōnstat. Deinde Rōmae per quīnōs diēs senātōrēs imperāvērunt, quibus rēgnantibus annus ūnus complētus est.
Vestalis virginis--the Vestal virgins tended the holy fire of Vesta, the goddess of the hearth.
Palatino--one of the seven hills on which Rome stood.
quorum...ageret--the relative takes the subjunctive because it is equal to ut eorum, and therefore has a final force.
Sabinis--the inhabitants of Central Italy.
Caeninenses--the men of Caenina.
Crustuminos--the men of Crustumerium or Crustumium.
Fidenates--the men of Fidenae. These towns were all in Latium, near Rome, inhabited by Sabines.
Veientes--the men of Veli, an Etrurian city near Rome.
quinos--‘five apiece.’
Palatino--one of the seven hills on which Rome stood.
quorum...ageret--the relative takes the subjunctive because it is equal to ut eorum, and therefore has a final force.
Sabinis--the inhabitants of Central Italy.
Caeninenses--the men of Caenina.
Crustuminos--the men of Crustumerium or Crustumium.
Fidenates--the men of Fidenae. These towns were all in Latium, near Rome, inhabited by Sabines.
Veientes--the men of Veli, an Etrurian city near Rome.
quinos--‘five apiece.’
3. Numa Pompilius
Posteā Numa Pompilius rēx creātus est, quī bellum quidem nūllum gessit, sed nōn minus cīvitātī quam Rōmulus prōfuit. Nam et lēgēs Rōmānīs mōrēsque cōnstituit, quī propter crēbrās in fīnitimōs incursiōnēs latrōnēs putābantur, et annum dēscrīpsit, in decem mēnsēs prius incertō diērum numerō cōnfūsum. Quibus rēbus gestīs, cum et īnfīnīta Rōmae sacra ac templa cōnstituisset, morbō dēcessit, magnō cum dolōre cīvium quī per tot annōs pāce fructī sunt.
confusum—‘confusedly divided.’
4. Tullus Hostilius
Huic successit Tullus Hostīlius, quī Albānōs Veientēs Fīdēnātēs bellō superāvit, Albānīsque Rōmam trānsportātīs urbem ampliāvit adiectō Coeliō monte. Cum trīgintā duōs annōs rēgnāsset, fulmine ictūs cum domō suā ārsit.
Albanos--the inbabitants of Alba Longa, the most ancient town of Latium, said to have been founded by Ascanius, the son of the Trojan Aeneas, who fled to Italy after the fall of Troy. Romulus belonged to the royal house of Alba.
Coelio monte--another of the seven hills.
Coelio monte--another of the seven hills.
5. The Horatii and Curiatii
Quō autem modō Rōmānī Albānōs superāverint paucīs referre libet. Forte in duōbus tum exercitibus erant trigeminī frātrēs, nec aetāte nec vīribus disparēs. Horātiōs Cūriātiōsque fuisse satis cōnstat; nec fermē rēs antīqua alia est nōbilior. Cum trigeminīs agunt rēgēs ut prō suā quisque patriā dīmicent ferrō. Nihil recūsātur: tempus et locus convēnit. Priusquam dīmicārent, foedus ictum inter Rōmānōs et Albānōs est hīs lēgibus, ut, cuius populī cīvēs eō certāmine vīcissent, is alterī populō cum bonā pāce imperitāret. Datur signum: īnfēstīsque armīs, velut aciēs, ternī iuvenēs, magnōrum exercituum animōs gerentēs, concurrunt. Cōnsertīs manibus, duo Rōmānī super alium alius, vulnerātīs tribus Albānīs, exspīrantēs corruērunt. Ad quōrum cāsum cum conclāmāsset gaudiō Albānus exercitus, Rōmānās legiōnēs iam spēs tōta, nōndum tamen cūra dēseruerat, exanimēs vice ūnīus quem trēs Cūriātiī circumsteterant. Forte is integer fuit, ut ūniversīs sōlus nēquāquam pār, sīc adversus singulōs ferōx. Ergō ut sēgregāret pugnam eōrum capessit fugam. Iam aliquantum spatiī ex eō locō, ubi pugnātum est, aufūgerat, cum respiciēns videt magnīs intervāllīs sequentēs: ūnum haud procul ab sēsē abesse. In eum magnō impetū rediit. Et dum Albānus exercitus inclāmat Cūriātiīs utī opem ferant frātrī, iam Horātius, caesō hoste victor, secundam pugnam petēbat. Iam clāmōre Rōmānī adiuvant mīlitem suum: et ille dēfungī proeliō festīnat. Prius itaque quam alter, quī nec procul aberat, cōnsequī posset, et alterum Cūriātium cōnficit. Iamque singulī supererant: sed nec spē nec vīribus parēs. Nec illud proelium fuit. Rōmānus hostem obtruncat, iacentem spoliat.
aetate—abl. of respect.
agunt--‘plead.’
priusquam dimicarent—priusquam takes the subjunctive if the action of the verb has not taken place.
cum bona pace--‘on fair terms’.
terni--‘three on each side.’
vice--‘at the peril.’
ut...sic--‘and though--yet.’
pugnam—‘the attack.’
agunt--‘plead.’
priusquam dimicarent—priusquam takes the subjunctive if the action of the verb has not taken place.
cum bona pace--‘on fair terms’.
terni--‘three on each side.’
vice--‘at the peril.’
ut...sic--‘and though--yet.’
pugnam—‘the attack.’
6. The Destruction of Alba
Neque diū pāx Albāna mānsit: nam Albānī imperium Rōmānōrum aegrē ferentēs occāsiōnem nocendī iīs studiōsē quaerēbant. Itaque Fuffetius, dux Albānōrum, Vēientēs adversus Rōmānōs concitāvit. Deinde cōnsertō proeliō cum ā Tullō in auxilium arcessītus esset, suōs in collem vīcīnum subdūxit, ut ēventū proeliī perspectō victōrī auxiliārētur. Quod ubi animadvertit Tullus clārā vōce exclāmāvit ideō in collem suōs subdūxisse Fuffetium quō facilius hostēs ā tergō circumvenīrentur. Quibus dictīs cōnfirmātī Rōmānī hostēs fugāvērunt. Posterō diē Fuffetius cum ad rēgem grātulandī causā vēnisset iussū illīus comprehēnsus est. Tum quadrīgīs religātum in dīversa equī distrāxērunt. Quō factō rēx perfidiae Albānōrum minimē ignārus Albam dīruī iussit, cīvēs Rōmam trānsportandōs cūrāvit.
eventu proelii perspecto—‘when he had clearly seen the issue of the battle.’
quo--when there is a comparative in the clause quo is used instead of ut. (quo = ut eo ; eo is the ablative of measure.)
in diversa--‘in different directions.’
cives transportandos curavit—‘had the citizens transferred.’ This is the usual construction with curo.
quo--when there is a comparative in the clause quo is used instead of ut. (quo = ut eo ; eo is the ablative of measure.)
in diversa--‘in different directions.’
cives transportandos curavit—‘had the citizens transferred.’ This is the usual construction with curo.
7. Ancus Martius
Post hunc Ancus Mārtius, Numae ex fīliā nepōs, suscēpit imperium. Contrā Latīnōs dīmicāvit, Aventīnum montem cīvitātī adiēcit et Iāniculum, apud ōstium Tiberis cīvitātem condidit.
Ianiculum—so called after the god Ianus, who according to an old legend was once a king in Latium, and built his city on this hill.
8. Tarquinius Priscus
Deinde rēgnum Prīscus Tarquinius accēpit. Hic numerum senātōrum duplicāvit, Circum Rōmae aedificāvit, lūdōs Rōmānōs īnstituit. Idem victīs Sabīnīs nōn parum agrōrum Rōmānīs fīnibus adiēcit, prīmusque triumphāns urbem intrāvit. Mūrōs etiam fēcit et cloācās. Trīgēsimō octāvō imperiī annō ab Ancī fīliīs occīsus est, rēgis eius, cui ipse successerat.
9. Servius Tullius
Post hunc Servius Tullius suscēpit imperium, genitus ex nōbilī fēminā, captīvā tamen et ancillā. Hic quoque Sabīnōs subēgit, montēs trēs, Quirīnālem Vīminālem Ēsquilīnum, urbī adiūnxit, fossās circā mūrum dūxit. Prīmus omnium cēnsum īnstituit, quī adhūc per orbem terrārum incognitus erat. Eō rēgnante Rōmā omnibus in cēnsum dēlātīs habuit capitum octōgintā tria mīlia cīvium Rōmānōrum cum iīs quī in agrīs erant. Tandem occīsus est scelere generī suī Tarquiniī, fīlī eius rēgis cui ipse successerat, et fīliae quam Tarquinius in mātrimōnium dūxerat.
in censum delatis—‘brought under the census.’
10. Tarquinius Superbus
Lūcius Tarquinius Superbus, septimus atque ultimus rēgum, dum oppidum Ardeam obsidet, imperium perdidit. Nam cum fīlius eius, cui Sextō nōmen erat, nōbilissimae fēminae Lucrētiae, uxōrī Collātīnī, iniūriam intulisset, eā dē iniūriā marītō et patrī questā in omnium cōnspectū sē occīdit. Propter quam causam Brūtus, parēns et ipse Tarquiniī, concitātīs cīvibus Tarquiniō imperium adēmit. Mox exercitus quoque eum, quī oppidum Ardeam obsīdēbat, relīquit. Inde rēx cum ad urbem rediisset, portīs clausīs exclūsus exsulātum abiit.
Ardea—the chief town of the Rutuli, in Latium.
parens--‘a relation.’
Tarquinio ademit--the Latin idiom is ‘to take away to a person.’ Compare in French, ‘arracher â quelqu’un.’
exsulatum—the supine. It is the accusative of the verb-noun exsulare, and is used after the verb of motion.
parens--‘a relation.’
Tarquinio ademit--the Latin idiom is ‘to take away to a person.’ Compare in French, ‘arracher â quelqu’un.’
exsulatum—the supine. It is the accusative of the verb-noun exsulare, and is used after the verb of motion.