by Eutropius
10
In prima pugna Brutus consul et Arruns, Tarquinii filius, in vicem se occiderunt, Romani tamen ex ea pugna victores recesserunt. Brutum matronae Romanae, defensorem pudicitiae suae, quasi communem patrem per annum luxerunt. Valerius Publicola Sp. Lucretium Tricipitinum collegam sibi fecit, Lucretiae patrem, quo morbo mortuo iterum Horatium Pulvillum collegam sibi sumpsit. Ita primus annus quinque consules habuit, cum Tarquinius Collatinus propter nomen urbe cessisset, Brutus in proelio perisset, Sp. Lucretius morbo mortuus esset.
X
In the first encounter, Brutus and Aruns, Tarquin’s son, killed each other; but the Romans left the field conquerors. The Roman matrons mourned for Brutus, the guardian of their honour, as if he had been their common father, for the space of a year. Valerius Publicola fixed upon Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus, the father of Lucretia, for his colleague; and he dying of some disease, he next chose Horatius Pulvillus for his fellow consul.
Thus the first year had five consuls; Tarquinius Collatinus having left the city on account of his name, Brutus having fallen in battle, and Spurius Lucretius having died a natural death.
11
Secundo quoque anno iterum Tarquinius ut reciperetur in regnum bellum Romanis intulit, auxilium ei ferente Porsenna, Tusciae rege, et Romam paene cepit. Verum tum quoque victus est. Tertio anno post reges exactos Tarquinius, cum suscipi non posset in regnum neque ei Porsenna, qui pacem cum Romanis fecerat, praestaret auxilium, Tusculum se contulit, quae civitas non longe ab urbe est, atque ibi per quattuordecim annos privatus cum uxore consenuit. Quarto anno post reges exactos, cum Sabini Romanis bellum intulissent, victi sunt et de his triumphatum est. Quinto anno L. Valerius ille, Bruti collega et quater consul, fataliter mortuus est, adeo pauper, ut, collatis a populo nummis, sumptum habuerit sepulturae. Quem matronae sicuti Brutum annum luxerunt.
XI
In the second year also, Tarquin, with a view to being re-established on the throne, again made war on the Romans, and, as Porsena, king of Tuscany, afforded him aid, almost took Rome. But he was also defeated on that occasion.
In the third year after the expulsion of the royal family, Tarquin, as he could not get himself re-admitted into the kingdom, and as Porsena, who had made peace with the Romans, gave him no support, retired to Tusculum, a town which is not far from Rome; where he and his wife lived for fourteen years in a private station, and reached an advanced age.
In the fourth year after the abolition of the kingly power, the Sabines, having made war on the Romans, were conquered; and a triumph was celebrated over them.
In the fifth year, Lucius Valerius, the colleague of Brutus, and consul for the fourth time, died a natural death, and in such extreme poverty, that the expenses of his funeral were defrayed by a public subscription. The matrons mourned for him, as for Brutus, during a year.
12
Nono anno post reges exactos, cum gener Tarquini ad iniuriam soceri vindicandam ingentem collegisset exercitum, nova Romae dignitas est creata, quae dictatura appellatur, maior quam consulatus. Eodem anno etiam magister equitum factus est, qui dictatori obsequeretur. Neque quicquam similius potest dici quam dictatura antiqua huic imperii potestati, quam nunc tranquillitas vestra habet, maxime cum Augustus quoque Octavianus, de quo postea dicemus, et ante eum C. Caesar sub dictaturae nomine atque honore regnaverint. Dictator autem Romae primus fuit T. Larcius, magister equitum primus Sp. Cassius.
XII
In the ninth year after the overthrow of the kingly power, the son-in-law of Tarquin, having assembled a vast army, in order to avenge the wrongs of his father-in-law, a new office was introduced at Rome, which was called the dictatorship, and which was more absolute than the consulate. In the same year also a master of the horse was appointed to be an officer under the dictator. Nor can anything be named more like to the imperial authority, which your Serenity now enjoys, than the ancient dictatorship, especially since Caesar Octavianus, also, of whom we shall speak hereafter, and Caius Caesar before him, ruled with the title and rank of dictator. The first dictator at Rome was Lartius; the first master of the horse, Spurius Cassius.
13
Sexto decimo anno post reges exactos seditionem populus Romae fecit, tamquam a senatu atque consulibus premeretur. Tum et ipse sibi tribunos plebis quasi proprios iudices et defensores creavit, per quos contra senatum et consules tutus esse posset.
XIII
In the sixteenth year after the termination of the regal power, the people at Rome, thinking themselves oppressed by the senate and consuls, broke out into a sedition. On this occasion they created for themselves tribunes of the people, as their own peculiar judges and defenders, by whom they might be protected against the senate and the consuls.
14
Sequenti anno Volsci contra Romanos bellum reparaverunt, et victi acie etiam Coriolos civitatem, quam habebant optimam, perdiderunt.
XIV
In the following year the Volsci recommenced hostilities against the Romans; and being overcome in the field, lost also Corioli, the best city that they had.
15
Octavo decimo anno postquam reges eiecti erant expulsus ex urbe Q. Marcius, dux Romanus, qui Coriolos ceperat, Volscorum civitatem, ad ipsos Volscos contendit iratus et auxilia contra Romanos accepit. Romanos saepe vicit, usque ad quintum miliarium urbis accessit, oppugnaturus etiam patriam suam, legatis qui pacem petebant, repudiatis, nisi ad eum mater Veturia et uxor Volumnia ex urbe venissent, quarum fletu et deprecatione superatus removit exercitum. Atque hic secundus post Tarquinium fuit, qui dux contra patriam suam esset.
XV
In the eighteenth year after the banishment of the royal family, Quintius Marcius, the Roman general who had taken Corioli, the city of the Volsci, being compelled to flee from Rome, directed his course, in resentment, to the Volsci themselves, and received from them support against the Romans. He obtained several victories over the Romans; he made his way even to the fifth mile-stone from the city; and, refusing to hear a deputation that came to sue for peace, would have laid siege even to the place of his birth, had not his mother Veturia and his wife Volumnia gone out from the city to meet him, by whose tears and supplications he was prevailed on to withdraw his army. He was the next after Tarquin that acted as general against his country.
16
C. Fabio et L. Virginio consulibus trecenti nobiles homines, qui ex Fabia familia erant, contra Veientes bellum soli susceperunt, promittentes senatui et populo per se omne certamen implendum. Itaque profecti, omnes nobiles et qui singuli magnorum exercituum duces esse deberent, in proelio conciderunt. Unus omnino superfuit ex tanta familia, qui propter aetatem puerilem duci non potuerat ad pugnam. Post haec census in urbe habitus est et inventa sunt civium capita CXVII milia CCCXIX.
XVI
In the consulate of Caeso Fabius and Titus Virginius, three hundred noblemen, members of the Fabian family, undertook alone a war against the Vejentes, assuring the senate and the people that the whole contest should be brought to an end by themselves. These illustrious men, therefore, each of whom was capable of commanding a large army, setting out on their expedition, all fell in battle. One only remained out of so numerous a family, who, from his extreme youth, could not be taken with them to the field. After these events a census was held in the city, in which the number of the citizens was found to be a hundred and nineteen thousand three hundred and nineteen.
17
Sequenti anno cum in Algido monte ab urbe duodecimo ferme miliario Romanus obsideretur exercitus, L. Quintius Cincinnatus dictator est factus, qui agrum quattuor iugerum possidens manibus suis colebat. Is cum in opere et arans esset inventus, sudore deterso togam praetextam accepit et caesis hostibus liberavit exercitum.
XVII
In the following year, in consequence of the blockade of a Roman army on Mount Algidus, about twelve miles from the city, Lucius Quintius Cincinnatus was appointed dictator; a man who, possessing only four acres of land, cultivated it with his own hands. He, being found at his work, and engaged in ploughi
ng, assumed, after wiping the sweat from his brow, the toga praetexta; and set free the army with great slaughter among the enemy.
18
Anno trecentesimo et altero ab urbe condita imperium consulare cessavit et pro duobus consulibus decem facti sunt, qui summam potestatem haberent, decemviri nominati. Sed cum primo anno bene egissent, secundo unus ex his, Ap. Claudius, Virginii cuiusdam, qui honestis iam stipendiis contra Latinos in monte Algido militarat, filiam virginem corrumpere voluit; quam pater occidit, ne stuprum a decemviro sustineret, et regressus ad milites movit tumultum. Sublata est decemviris potestas ipsique damnati sunt.
XVIII
In the three hundred and second year from the founding of the city, the consular government ceased; and, instead of two consuls, ten magistrates were appointed to hold the supreme authority, under the title of decemviri. These during the first year conducted themselves with honour; but in the second, one of them, Appius Claudius, proceeded to offer violence to the maiden daughter of a certain Virginius, who was at that time filling an honourable post on military service against the Latins on Mount Algidus; but the father slew her with his own hand, that she might not suffer violation from the decemvir, and, returning to the army, raised an insurrection among the soldiers. Their power was in consequence taken from the decemviri, and they themselves received sentences of condemnation.
19
Anno trecentesimo et quinto decimo ab urbe condita Fidenates contra Romanos rebellaverunt. Auxilium his praestabant Veientes et rex Veientium Tolumnius. Quae ambae civitates tam vicinae urbi sunt, ut Fidenae sexto, Vei octavo decimo miliario absint. Coniunxerunt se his et Volsci. Sed Mam. Aemilio dictatore et L. Quintio Cincinnato magistro equitum victi etiam regem perdiderunt. Fidenae captae et excisae.
XIX
In the three hundred and fifteenth year from the founding of the city, the Fidenates rebelled against the Romans. The Vejentes and their king Tolumnius gave them assistance. These two states are so near to Rome, that Fidenae is only seven, Veii only eighteen miles distant. The Volsci also joined them; but they were defeated by Marcus Aemilius the dictator, and Lucius Quintius Cincinnatus the master of the horse, and lost also their king. Fidenae was taken, and utterly destroyed.
20
Post viginti deinde annos Veientani rebellaverunt. Dictator contra ipsos missus est Furius Camillus, qui primum eos vicit acie, mox etiam civitatem diu obsidens cepit, antiquissimam Italiaeque ditissimam. Post eam cepit et Faliscos, non minus nobilem civitatem. Sed commota est ei invidia, quasi praedam male divisisset, damnatusque ob eam causam et expulsus civitate. Statim Galli Senones ad urbem venerunt et victos Romanos undecimo miliario a Roma apud flumen Alliam secuti etiam urbem occupaverunt. Neque defendi quicquam nisi Capitolium potuit; quod cum diu obsedissent et iam Romani fame laborarent, accepto auro ne Capitolium obsiderent, recesserunt. Sed a Camillo, qui in vicina civitate exulabat, Gallis superventum est gravissimeque victi sunt. Postea tamen etiam secutus eos Camillus ita cecidit, ut et aurum, quod his datum fuerat, et omnia, quae ceperant, militaria signa revocaret. Ita tertio triumphans urbem ingressus est et appellatus secundus Romulus, quasi et ipse patriae conditor.
XX
Twenty years afterwards, the people of Veii resumed hostilities. Furius Camillus was sent as dictator against them, who first defeated them in battle, and then, after a long siege, took their city, the oldest and richest in Italy. He next took Falisci, a city of no less note. But popular odium was excited against him, on the ground that he had made an unfair division of the booty, and he was condemned on that charge and banished.
Soon after the Galli Senones marched towards Rome; and, pursuing the Romans, whom they defeated at the river Allia, eleven miles from the city, possessed themselves of the city itself, no part of which could be defended against them, except the Capitol. After they had besieged it a long time, and the Romans were suffering from famine, Camillus, who was in exile in a neighbouring city, attacked the Gauls unexpectedly, and gave them a severe defeat. Afterwards, on receiving a sumin gold, to desist from the siege of the Capitol, they retreated; Camillus, however, pursued them, and routed them with such a slaughter, that he recovered both the gold which had been given to them, and all the military standards which they had taken. Thus he entered the city for the third time in triumph, and received the appellation of a second Romulus, as if he also had been a founder of the city.
BOOK II
Military tribunes created instead of consuls; Camillus overcomes the Volsci, Aequi, and Sutrini, Cincinnatus the Praenestini, I, II — Consular government restored, III. — Death and eulogy of Camillus, IV. — Flight of the Gauls, V — The census, VI. — Combat of Valerius Corvus with a Gaul, VII. — The Latin war, VIII. — Various defeats of the Samnites, IX. — The Gauls, Etrurians, and Samnites defeated, X. — The war with Pyrrhus, XI.-XIV. — Ptolemy, king of Egypt, sends ambassadors to Rome, XV. — The Picenians and SallentinThe original frontispieced, XVI. XVII. — Another census: the first Punic war, XVIII. — XXVIII.
1
Anno trecentesimo sexagesimo quinto ab urbe condita, post captam autem primo, dignitates mutatae sunt, et pro duobus consulibus facti tribuni militares consulari potestate. Hinc iam coepit Romana res crescere. Nam Camillus eo anno Volscorum civitatem, quae per septuaginta annos bellum gesserat, vicit et Aequorum urbem et Sutrinorum atque omnibus deletis earundem exercitibus occupavit et tres simul triumphos egit.
I
In the three hundred and sixty-fifth year after the foundation of the city, and the first after its capture by the Gauls, the form of government was changed; and, instead of two consuls, military tribunes, invested with consular power, were created. From this time the power of Rome began to increase; for that very year Camillus reduced the state of the Volsci, which had persisted to make war for seventy years; also the cities of the Aequi and Sutrini; and, overthrowing their armies, took possession of them all; and thus enjoyed three triumphs at the same time.
2
T. etiam Quintius Cincinnatus Praenestinos, qui usque ad urbis Romae portas cum bello venerant, persecutus ad flumen Alliam vicit, octo civitates, quae sub ipsis agebant, Romanis adiunxit, ipsum Praeneste adgressus in deditionem accepit. Quae omnia ab eo gesta sunt viginti diebus, triumphusque ipsi decretus.
II
Titus Quintius Cincinnatus, also, having pursued the Praenestini, who had advanced in a hostile manner to the very gates of Rome, defeated them on the river Allia, annexing eight cities that were under their dominion to the Roman empire; and, attacking Praeneste itself, forced it to surrender; all which acts were accomplished by him in the space of twenty days; and a triumph was decreed him.
3
Verum dignitas tribunorum militarium non diu perseveravit. Nam post aliquantum nullos placuit fieri et quadriennium in urbe ita fluxit, ut potestates ibi maiores non essent. Praesumpserunt tamen tribuni militares consulari potestate iterum dignitatem et triennio perseveraverunt. Rursus consules facti.
III
But the office of military tribunes did not last long; for, after a short time, it was enacted that no more should be created; and four years passed in the state in such a manner that none of the superior magistrates were appointed. The military tribunes, however, were re-instated in their office with consular authority, and continued for three years, when consuls were again elected.
4
L. Genucio et Q. Servilio consulibus mortuus est Camillus. Honor ei post Romulum secundus delatus est.
IV
In the consulship of Lucius Genucius and Quintus Servilius, Camillus died, and honour next to that of Romulus was paid him.
5
T. Quintius dictator adversus Gallos, qui ad Italiam venerant, missus est. Hi ab urbe quarto miliario trans Anienem fluvium consederant. Ibi nobilissimus de senatoribus iuvenis L. Manlius provocantem Gallum ad singulare certamen progressus occidit, et sublato torque aureo colloque suo inposito in perpetuum Torquati et sibi et posteris cognomen accepit. Galli fugati sunt, mox per C. Sulpicium dictatorem etiam victi. N
on multo post a C. Marcio Tusci victi sunt et octo milia captivorum ex his in triumphum ducta.
V
Titus Quintius was sent out as dictator against the Gauls, who had marched into Italy; and had encamped about four miles from the city, on the other side of the river Anio, Titus Manlius, one of the noblest of the senators, encountering a Gaul who had challenged him to single combat, slew him; and, having taken from his neck a chain of gold, and put it on his own, secured the appellation of Torquatus to himself and his posterity for ever. The Gauls were repulsed, and soon afterwards entirely defeated by Caius Sulpicius the dictator. Shortly after, the Tuscans were defeated by Caius Marcius, and eight thousand of them were taken prisoners and led in triumph.