21. The Fabii Undertake the War Against Veii
Vēientēs fīnēs Rōmānōrum populābantur. Tum Fabia gēns senātum adit. Cōnsul prō gente loquitur: Assiduō magis quam magnō praesidiō, ut scītis, patrēs cōnscrīptī, bellum Veiēns eget. Vōs alia bella cūrātē. Fabiōs hostēs Vēientibus date. Grātiae ingentēs actae. Cōnsul ē cūriā ēgressus, comitante Fabiōrum agmine, quī in vestibulō cūriae, senātūs cōnsultum exspectantēs steterant, domum redit. Iussī armātī posterō diē ad līmen cōnsulis adesse, domōs inde discēdunt. Mānat tōtā urbe rūmor. Fabiōs ad caelum laudibus ferunt. Fabiī posterō diē arma capiunt; quō iussī erant conveniunt. Cōnsul palūdātus ēgrediēns, in vestibulō gentem omnem suam īnstrūctō agmine videt: acceptus in medium, signa ferrī iubet. Numquam exercitus neque minor numerō, neque clārior fāmā et admīrātiōne hominum per urbem incessit.
assiduo—‘constant.’
patres conscripti—‘Conscript Fathers,’ properly patres et conscripti, the old Senators and the new.
quo--‘to the place whither.’
signa ferri iubet--’gives the order to march.’
numero—abl. of respect.
patres conscripti—‘Conscript Fathers,’ properly patres et conscripti, the old Senators and the new.
quo--‘to the place whither.’
signa ferri iubet--’gives the order to march.’
numero—abl. of respect.
22. The Destruction of the Fabian Clan
Inde ā Fabiīs adversus Vēientēs pugnātum. Nec erant incursiōnēs modo in agrōs, sed aliquotiēs collātīs signīs certātum, gēnsque ūna populī Rōmānī saepe ex opulentissimā Etrūscā cīvitāte victōriam tulit. Iamque Fabiī adeō contempserant hostem, ut sua invicta arma neque locō neque tempore ūllō crēderent sustinērī posse. Itaque accidit ut Fabiōs incautius prōvectōs et in īnsidiās dēlātōs magnae hostium cōpiae circum venīrent. Diū summā virtūte resistitur. Ad extrēmum Fabiī ā multitūdine oppressī interfectī sunt. Trecentōs sex periisse satis cōnstat, ūnum relictum puerum. Is posteā cum Rōmānō exercituī praeesset, magnō perīculō cīvēs līberāvit.
collatis signis—‘in pitched battle.’
ut...venirent—this clause takes the place of the accusative and infinitive, and acts as a subject to accidit. This construction is found after such verbs and expressions as contingit, evenit, sequitur, reliquum est, fieri potest, etc.
ut...venirent—this clause takes the place of the accusative and infinitive, and acts as a subject to accidit. This construction is found after such verbs and expressions as contingit, evenit, sequitur, reliquum est, fieri potest, etc.
23. The Tribunes
Quae cum ita essent, plēbēs annō post exāctōs rēgēs sextō decimō cum sē magnō in aere aliēnō esse vidērent, patrēs simul miseriārum suārum auctōrēs exīstimārent, ubi ex urbe excessēre in monte Sacrō castra posuērunt. Aiēbant etiam sē ibīdem plēbēiam urbem conditūrōs: patribus licēre ut Rōmae habitārent. Patrēs autem valdē commōtī virum quendam sapientem, cui nōmen Menēniō Agrippae erat, quī plēbī suādēret utī in urbem redīrent, mīsērunt. Is in castra intrōmissus ita verba fēcit: Olim artus coniūrātiōne initā cum ventrem ōtiōsum vidērent negārunt sē sua officia praestatūrōs: proinde venter sua negōtia ageret. Sed dum ventrem domāre cōnantur ipsī dēfēcērunt. Quā fābulā flexīs hominum mentibus in urbem rediērunt, eā condiciōne ut tribūnī creārentur quī lībertātem suam adversus patrum iniūriās incolumem praestārent.
aere alieno—‘debt’. Lit. ‘another person’s money’.
monte Sacro--This hill was close to Rome.
ea condicione--‘on condition’ The demonstrative is not to be translated.
qui praestarent--qui has a consecutive force and so takes the subjunctive (qui=tales ut).
monte Sacro--This hill was close to Rome.
ea condicione--‘on condition’ The demonstrative is not to be translated.
qui praestarent--qui has a consecutive force and so takes the subjunctive (qui=tales ut).
24. The First Agrarian Law
Erat inter patrēs vir quīdam cōnsulāris cui nōmen Spuriō Cassiō erat. Eum plēbis aere aliēnō ad extrēmum redāctae miseruit. Itaque lēgem tulit ut ager pūblicus pauperibus dīviderētur. Sed cum agrum pūblicum obtinērent patrēs vehementer eī resistitur. Itaque odiō īnfēnsī patrēs eum accūsāvērunt quod eō cōnsiliō plēbī studēre cōnārētur ut rēx ipse fieret. Fit tumultus: in forum concurritur: vīta extemplō Cassiō ērepta est. Quā lēge quamvīs parum subventum esset plēbī, ūtile exemplum fuit; nam posteā et aliae lēgēs agrāriae lātae quae agrum pūblicum plēbī dīviderent.
legem tulit—‘proposed a law.’ Laws were enacted by the people in their comitia, (20, note). The proposer of the law, which was called a rogatio till it was passed, was said ferre or rogare legem. The term rogatio answers to our ‘bill’ and lex to ‘act of parliament.’
ager publicus--common land belonging to the state.
obtinerent--‘held.’
quod conaretur—virtually sub-oblique; i.e. because they said he attempted : conabatur would mean that he did actually make the attempt. The rule may be put briefly thus: clauses that give the opinion of other people than the writer require the subjunctive.
ager publicus--common land belonging to the state.
obtinerent--‘held.’
quod conaretur—virtually sub-oblique; i.e. because they said he attempted : conabatur would mean that he did actually make the attempt. The rule may be put briefly thus: clauses that give the opinion of other people than the writer require the subjunctive.
25. The Power of the Tribunes
Cum tantae patribus cum plēbe intercēderent simultātēs, neque adhūc inopiae cīvium subventum esset, maiōre in diēs auctōritāte tribūnī fīēbant. Plēbēī enim tribūtim convocātī auctōribus tribūnīs dē suīs iniūriīs, frūstrā repugnantibus patribus, querēbantur. Neque tamen adhūc in suīs comitiīs lēgēs iubēre poterant, sed sī quis ē plēbe lātam in comitiīs centuriātīs, ubi plūrimum poterant patrēs, lēgem violāsset, eum tribūnī tuēbantur nē quā eī ā patribus vīs īnferrētur. Quā ex rē appārēbit duōs in ūnā cīvitāte pōpulōs exstitisse. Posteā vērō, diminūtā patrum auctōritāte, summa potestās penes cīvēs in comitia tribūta convocātōs fuit.
in dies—‘from day to day.’
auctoribus tribunis--‘the tribunes acting as spokesmen.’
iubere--‘to ratify.’
summa potestas—in later times laws passed by the people in the comitia tributa were called plebiscita and had the same force as laws passed in the other comitia.
auctoribus tribunis--‘the tribunes acting as spokesmen.’
iubere--‘to ratify.’
summa potestas—in later times laws passed by the people in the comitia tributa were called plebiscita and had the same force as laws passed in the other comitia.
26. The Decemvirs
Cum ita sē rēs habērent eō miseriae perventum est ut plēbēī prō cōnsulibus tribūnīsque decemvirōs flāgitārent, quī recēnsiōne veterum lēgum factā, novās īnsuper adiicerent, omnēs in tabulīs scrīptās in pūblicō prōpōnerent. Ita modō tūtōs fore cīvēs, sī cōnstitisset cui legī ā quōque pārendum esset. Ecquem nōn poenitēre discordiae tot annōs in rēpūblicā flagrantis? Hīs frūstrā patrēs adversantur: plēbs tandem impetrāvit ut decemvirī creārentur. Tunc prōmulgātae sunt lēgēs magnō cum gaudiō cīvium. Erat autem inter decemvirōs Appius Claudius quīdam, vir aliēnī appetēns suī profūsus, īdem propter superbam indolem minimē cīvibus grātus. Quī cum in servitūtem Virginiam Virginiī ē plēbe cuiusdam fīliam rapere vellet, pater fīliam cultrō interfēcit. Tum cīvēs īrā permōtī decemvirōs sē magistrātū abdicāre coēgērunt, cōnsulēs tribūnōsque restituērunt.
eo miseriae—‘to such a pitch of wretchedness.’ Lit. ‘thither of wretchedness.’
si constitisset--‘if it was definitely settled.’
ecquem non poenitere—Questions in oratio obliqua if of the first or third person are usually in the infinitive. They are practically exclamations, not questions. Questions that require an answer are in the subjunctive.
promulgatae sunt--‘were read.’ A lex or rogatio (24, note) was said promulgari when its provisions were published, like the three readings of a bill in the House of Commons.
idem—‘and also.’ idem is nom. masc.
si constitisset--‘if it was definitely settled.’
ecquem non poenitere—Questions in oratio obliqua if of the first or third person are usually in the infinitive. They are practically exclamations, not questions. Questions that require an answer are in the subjunctive.
promulgatae sunt--‘were read.’ A lex or rogatio (24, note) was said promulgari when its provisions were published, like the three readings of a bill in the House of Commons.
idem—‘and also.’ idem is nom. masc.
27. The Great Reform
Gāius Licinius Stolō, Lūcius Sextius, tribūnī plēbis rogātiōnēs tandem tulērunt ut pauperibus aere aliēnō oppressīs nummī ex agrāriō ērogārentur, pars agrī pūblicī iīsdem dīviderētur, cōnsulum alter ē plēbe creārētur. Quibus rogātiōnibus cum patrēs adversārentur, Liciniō Sextōque quotannīs prōrogāta est tribūnīcia potestās. Quī cum iūre intercessiōnis ūsī impedīrent nē cōnsulēs creārentur, plēbēiōsque tūtārentur nē quis ob violātam lēgem capitis damnārētur, patrēs tandem cēdere coāctī sunt. Itaque annō urbis conditae trecentēsimō octōgēsimō septimō cōnsul plēbēius dēsignātus est. Quibus rēbus gestīs victōria penes plēbēiōs stetit, cum alter ē cōnsulibus plēbēius esset, tribūnī etiam plēbem dēfenderent, neque ūllus magistrātus patrum tūtandōrum negōtium habēret.
prorogata est--‘was renewed.'
iure intercessionis--‘their right of veto.’ The tribunes could stop any proceeding by simply saying Veto, ‘I forbid.’
designatus—a magistrate was said designari, when elected, but before entering upon the duties of office.
iure intercessionis--‘their right of veto.’ The tribunes could stop any proceeding by simply saying Veto, ‘I forbid.’
designatus—a magistrate was said designari, when elected, but before entering upon the duties of office.
28. The Story of Coriolanus
Quibus odiīs domī flagrantibus, nōn semel adversus hostēs pugnandum erat. Erat Gāius quīdam Marcius gente patriciā oriundus quī ā captīs Coriolīs, oppidō Volscōrum, Coriolānus dictus est. Cōnsul posteā factus, cum magna Rōmae inopia esset, patrēsque advectum ē Siciliā frūmentum populō cōnstituissent vēndere, vēndī dēbēre negāvit. Proinde plēbs agrōs, nōn sēditiōnēs coleret. Quod ubi cognitum tribūnīs, diem C. Marciō dīcunt. Is autem fore ut damnārētur ratus ad Volscōs cōnfūgit. Posteā ā Volscīs imperātor factus, cum fīnēs Rōmānōrum populātus esset, haud procul ab urbe castra posuit. Cīvēs metū perculsī ōrātōrēs ad eum dē pāce mīsērunt. Quī cum rē īnfectā rediissent, sacerdōtēs quoque frūstrā pācem petiēre. Tum Veturia eius māter et Volumnia uxor cum līberīs castra hostium adiēre. Quārum precibus victus Coriolānus exercitum abdūxit neque ita multō post ā Volscīs interfectus est.
Volscorum—a people of Latium.
coleret--indirect command, depending on a verb of command understood from negarit.
diem dicunt--‘appointed a day for the trial of.’
re infecta—‘without accomplishing their purpose.’
coleret--indirect command, depending on a verb of command understood from negarit.
diem dicunt--‘appointed a day for the trial of.’
re infecta—‘without accomplishing their purpose.’
29. The Story of Cincinnatus
Aequī cōnsulem Rōmānum cum exercitū in valle angustā circumsedēbant. Quod ubi Rōmae nūntiātum est, tantus terror cīvibus iniectus est ut T. Quīnctius Cincinnātus omnium cōnsēnsū dictātor dictus sit. Missī igitur lēgātī quī opem eius poscerent. Nūdum eum arantem invēnērunt. Audītīs lēgātōrum precibus Quīnctius togam afferre uxōrem iussit, ut togātus obsequium ergā senātum significāret. Tum lēgātī, quantō in discrīmine rēs sit, perīculumque exercitūs docent, inde dictātōrem cōnsalūtant. Cōpiīs quam celerrimē cōnscrīptīs prīmā lūce profectus, fūsīs hostibus fugātīsque exercitum līberāvit. Quibus rēbus gestīs urbem triumphāns ingressus est, neque tamen imperiō diūtius potīrī voluit, sed ad agrum cum dictātūrā sē abdicāsset prīvātus rediit.
Aequi—a race of mountaineers in Latium.
dictus sit--the perfect (aorist) subjunctive is used in consecutive clauses instead of the imperfect when it is desired to lay great stress on the consequence.
nudum—‘in his shirt-sleeves.’
dictus sit--the perfect (aorist) subjunctive is used in consecutive clauses instead of the imperfect when it is desired to lay great stress on the consequence.
nudum—‘in his shirt-sleeves.’
30. Camillus Saves Rome from the Gauls
Annō urbis conditae trecentēsimō quadrāgēsimō nōnō cum Veientēs Rōmānīs bellum indīxissent, dictātor contrā eōs missus est Fūrius Camillus. Variē ad Veiōs pugnātum est. Tandem post obsidiōnem diuturnam Veiī urbs antīquissima atque dītissima in dēditiōnem vēnit, neque ita multō post Faleriīs potītus est Camillus, Indē coortā invidiā et accūsantibus inimīcīs quod praedam male dīvīsisset, ob eam causam damnātus exsulātum abiit. Statim Gallī Sēnōnēs ad urbem vēnērunt et dēvictōs ā Rōmānōs apud flūmen Alliam secūtī urbem occupārunt. Neque dēfendī quidquam praeter Capitōlium potuit, cui cum diū obsessum esset et iam Rōmānī famē labōrārent, ā Camillō subventum est. Fūsīs hostibus fugātīsque dux triumphāns urbem ingressus est.
Faleriis—a city of Etruria
exsulatum--supine.
Galli Senones--they originally lived in the north of Gaul.
Allia--about six miles from Rome.
Capitolium—the citadel of Rome on the Capitoline hill.
exsulatum--supine.
Galli Senones--they originally lived in the north of Gaul.
Allia--about six miles from Rome.
Capitolium—the citadel of Rome on the Capitoline hill.