Delphi Complete Works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics Book 79)

by Dionysius of Halicarnassus

  [6] But while we have been delaying and watching each other, to see which side should first make friendly overtures, another motive, more compelling than any arguments drawn from human reason, has arisen to draw us together. And since I learned of this while it was yet a secret to you, I felt that I ought no longer to aim at appearances in concluding peace. For dreadful designs are being formed against us, Tullius, and a deadly plot has been woven against both of us, a plot which was bound to overwhelm and destroy us easily and without effort, bursting upon us like a conflagration or a flood.

  [7] πράγματα πυρὸς ἢ ποταμοῦ δίκην ἐμπεσών. δημιουργοὶ δὲ τῶν ἀνοσίων βουλευμάτων εἰσὶν οἱ δυνατώτατοι Φιδηναίων τε καὶ Οὐιεντανῶν συνελθόντες. ὅστις δὲ ὁ τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς αὐτῶν τρόπος ἦν καὶ πόθεν εἰς ἐμὲ ἡ τῶν ἀπορρήτων βουλευμάτων γνῶσις ἐλήλυθεν ἀκούσατε.

  [7] The authors of these wicked designs are the chiefs of the Fidenates and Veientes, who have conspired together. Hear now the nature of their plot and how the knowledge of their secret design came to me.”

  [1] ταῦτ᾽ εἰπὼν δίδωσι τῶν παρόντων τινὶ ἀναγνῶναι τὰς ἐπιστολάς, ἃς αὐτῷ κεκομικώς τις ἐτύγχανε παρὰ τῶν ἐν Φιδήνῃ ξένων καὶ τὸν κομίσαντα αὐτὰς παρήγαγεν. ἀναγνωσθεισῶν δὲ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν καὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐξηγησαμένου πάντα ὅσα παρὰ τῶν ἐπιτιθεμένων αὐτὰς ἀπὸ στόματος ἤκουσεν ἐκπλήξεώς τε μεγάλης κατασχούσης τοὺς ἀκούοντας, οἷα εἰκὸς ἐπὶ τηλικούτῳ κακῷ παρ᾽ ἐλπίδας ἀκουσθέντι, μικρὸν ἐπισχὼν ὁ Φουφέττιος πάλιν ἔλεξεν:

  [8.1] With these words he gave to one of those present the letters which a certain man had brought to him from his friends at Fidenae, and desired him to read them out; and at the same time he produced the man who had brought the letters. After they were read and the man had informed them of everything he had learned by word of mouth from the persons who had despatched the letters, all present were seized with great astonishment, as one would naturally expect upon their hearing of so great and so unexpected a danger. Then Fufetius, after a short pause, continued:

  [2] ἀκηκόατε τὰς αἰτίας, ἄνδρες Ῥωμαῖοι, δι᾽ ἃς ἐγὼ τέως μὲν ἀνεβαλλόμην τοὺς πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀγῶνας, νῦν [p. 282] δὲ καὶ τῶν περὶ φιλίας ἠξίωσα πρότερος ἄρχειν λόγων. ὑμεῖς δὲ τὸ μετὰ τοῦτο ἤδη σκοπεῖσθε, πότερον οἴεσθε δεῖν περὶ βοιδίων καὶ προβατίων ἁρπαγῆς ἄσπειστον πόλεμον φυλάττειν πρὸς τοὺς κτίσαντας καὶ πατέρας, ἐν ᾧ καὶ κρατηθέντες ἀπολεῖσθε καὶ κρατήσαντες, ἢ διαλυσάμενοι τὴν πρὸς τοὺς συγγενεῖς ἔχθραν μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τοὺς κοινοὺς ἐχθροὺς χωρεῖν, οἵ γε οὐ μόνον ἀπόστασιν ἐβούλευσαν ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπανάστασιν, οὔτε πεπονθότες οὐδὲν δεινὸν οὔτε μὴ πάθωσι δεδιότες, καὶ οὐδ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ φανεροῦ ἐπέθεντο ἡμῖν, ὡς ὁ κοινὸς ἀξιοῖ τοῦ πολέμου νόμος, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ σκότους, ὡς ἂν ἥκιστα ὑπίδοιτό τις αὐτῶν τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν καὶ φυλάξαιτο.

  [2] You have now heard, Romans, the reasons why I have thus far been postponing armed conflicts with you and have now thought fit to make the first overtures concerning peace. After this it is for you to consider whether, in order to avenge the seizure of some miserable oxen and sheep, you ought to continue to carry on an implacable war against year founders and fathers, in the course of which, whether conquered or conquerors, you are sure to be destroyed, or, laying aside your enmity toward your kinsmen, to march with us against our common foes, who have plotted not only to revolt from you but also to attack you — although they have neither suffered any harm nor had any reason to fear that they should suffer any — and, what is more, have not attacked us openly, according to the universally recognized laws of war, but under cover of darkness, so that their treachery could least be suspected and guarded against.

  [3] ἀλλὰ γὰρ ὅτι μὲν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀνοσίους ἀνθρώπους ἰτέον ἡμῖν ἁπάσῃ σπουδῇ καταλυσαμένοις τὰ ἔχθη ῾μανίας γὰρ θάτερα ἀξιοῦν᾽ ὡς ἐγνωκόσιν ὑμῖν καὶ ποιήσουσιν οὐδὲν δέομαι πλείω λέγειν καὶ παρακελεύεσθαι. ὃν δὲ τρόπον αἱ διαλύσεις καλαὶ καὶ συμφέρουσαι γένοιντ᾽ ἂν ἀμφοτέραις ταῖς πόλεσι ῾τοῦτο γὰρ ἴσως ποθεῖτε ἀκοῦσαι πάλαἰ νῦν ἤδη πειράσομαι λέγειν.

  [3] But I need say no more to convince you that we ought to lay aside our enmity and march with all speed against these impious men (for it would be madness to think otherwise), since you are already resolved and will pursue that resolution. But in what manner the terms of reconciliation may prove honourable and advantageous to both cities (for probably you have long been eager to hear this) I shall now endeavour to explain.

  [4] ἐγὼ νομίζω κρατίστας μὲν εἶναι διαλλαγὰς καὶ πρεπωδεστάτας συγγενέσι καὶ φίλοις πρὸς ἀλλήλους, ἐν αἷς οὐδέν ἐστιν ἔγκοτον οὐδὲ μνησίκακον ἀφέσεως ἅπασι πρὸς ἅπαντας ὑπὲρ ὧν ἔδρασαν ἢ ἔπαθον ἀδόλου γινομένης, ἧττον δὲ τούτων εὐπρεπεῖς, ἐν αἷς τὸ μὲν πλῆθος ἀπολύεται τῶν ἐγκλημάτων, οἱ δὲ ἀδικήσαντες ἀλλήλους [p. 283] ἀναγκάζονται δίκας ὑπέχειν λόγῳ κρινόμενοι καὶ νόμῳ.

  [4] For my part, I hold that that mutual reconciliation is the best and the most becoming to kinsmen and friends, in which there is no rancour nor remembrance of past injuries, but a general and sincere remission of everything that has been done or suffered on both sides; less honourable than this form of reconciliation is one by which, indeed, the mass of the people are absolved of blame, but those who have injured one another are compelled to undergo such a trial as reason and law direct.

  [5] τούτων δὴ τῶν διαλλαγῶν ἐμοὶ μὲν δοκεῖ χρῆναι τὰς εὐπρεπεστέρας καὶ μεγαλοψυχοτέρας ἡμᾶς ἑλέσθαι καὶ γνώμην θέσθαι περὶ μηδενὸς ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις μνησικακεῖν, σὺ δ᾽ εἰ μὴ βούλει διαλλάττεσθαι τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον, ὦ Τύλλε, ἀλλὰ καὶ διδόναι δίκας καὶ λαμβάνειν ἀξιοῖς τοὺς ἐν ταῖς αἰτίαις παρ᾽ ἀλλήλων, ἕτοιμοι καὶ ταῦτα ποιεῖν εἰσιν Ἀλβανοὶ τὰ κοινὰ ἔχθη προκαταλυσάμενοι. εἰ δέ τινας ἔχεις παρὰ ταύτας λέγειν ἑτέρας εἴτε καλλίους διαλλαγὰς εἴτε δικαιοτέρας, οὐκ ἂν φθάνοις φέρων εἰς μέσον καὶ πολλήν σοι χάριν εἴσομαι.

  [5] Of these two methods of reconciliation, now, it is my opinion that we ought to choose the one which is the more honourable and magnanimous, and we ought to pass a decree of general amnesty. However, if you, Tullius, do not wish a reconciliation of this kind, but prefer that the accusers and the accused should mutually give and rec
eive satisfaction, the Albans are also ready to do this, after first settling our mutual hatreds. And if, besides this, you have any other method to suggest which is either more honourable or more just, you cannot lay it before us too soon, and for doing so I shall be greatly obliged to you.”

  [1] ταῦτ᾽ εἰπόντος τοῦ Φουφεττίου παραλαβὼν τὸν λόγον ὁ τῶν Ῥωμαίων βασιλεὺς ἔλεξε: καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὦ Φουφέττιε, βαρεῖαν ὑπελαμβάνομεν ἡμᾶς καταλήψεσθαι συμφοράν, εἰ δι᾽ αἵματος καὶ φόνων ἀναγκασθείημεν κρῖναι τὸν συγγενῆ πόλεμον, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἱερῶν ὁπότε τὰ προπολέμια θύοιμεν ἐκωλυόμεθα ἄρχειν μάχης: τάς τε ἀπορρήτους Φιδηναίων καὶ Οὐιεντανῶν συνωμοσίας, ἃς ἐπ᾽ ἀμφοτέροις ἡμῖν συνώμοσαν, ὀλίγῳ πρότερον σοῦ πεπύσμεθα παρὰ τῶν ἐκεῖθεν ξένων καὶ οὐκ ἀφύλακτοι πρὸς αὐτάς ἐσμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς παθεῖν τε μηδὲν αὐτοὶ κακὸν κἀκείνους τιμωρήσασθαι τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς ἀξίως παρεσκευάσμεθα, οὐχ ἧττόν τε σοῦ καταλύσασθαι τὸν πόλεμον ἀμαχητὶ μᾶλλον ἢ διὰ τῶν ὅπλων ἐβουλόμεθα.

  [9.1] After Fufetius had thus spoken, the king of the Romans answered him and said:

  “We also, Fufetius, felt that it would be a grave calamity for us if we were forced to decide this war between kinsmen by blood and slaughter, and whenever we performed the sacrifices preparatory to war we were forbidden by them to begin an engagement. As regards the secret conspiracy entered into by the Fidenates and Veientes against us both, we have learned of it, a little ahead of you, through our friends in their midst, and we are not unprepared against their plot, but have taken measures not only to suffer no mischief ourselves but also to punish those foes in such a manner as their treachery deserves. Nor were we less disposed than you to put an end to the war without a battle rather than by the sword;

  [2] πρότεροι δὲ πρεσβεύεσθαι περὶ διαλλαγῶν [p. 284] οὐκ ἠξιοῦμεν, ἐπείπερ οὐδ᾽ ἤρξαμεν αὐτοὶ πρότεροι τοῦ πολέμου, ἄρξαντας δὲ ἠμυνάμεθα. ἀποτιθεμένων δὲ ὑμῶν τὰ ὅπλα δεχόμεθα τὰς προκλήσεις ἄσμενοι καὶ περὶ διαλλαγῶν οὐδὲν ἀκριβολογούμεθα, ἀλλὰ τὰς κρατίστας τε καὶ μεγαλοψυχοτάτας δεχόμεθα πᾶν ἀδίκημα καὶ πᾶν ἁμάρτημα τῆς Ἀλβανῶν πόλεως ἀφιέντες, εἰ δὴ καὶ κοινὰ χρὴ καλεῖν πόλεως ἁμαρτήματα, ὧν ὁ στρατηγὸς ὑμῶν Κλοίλιος αἴτιος ἦν, ὃς ὑπὲρ ἀμφοτέρων ἡμῶν οὐ μεμπτὰς τέτικε δίκας τοῖς θεοῖς.

  [2] yet we did not consider it fitting that we should be the first to send ambassadors to propose an accommodation, since we had not been the first to begin the war, but had merely defended ourselves against those who had begun it. But once you are ready to lay down your arms, we will gladly receive your proposal, and will not scrutinize too closely the terms of the reconciliation, but will accept those that are the best and the most magnanimous, forgiving every injury and offence we have received from the city of Alba — if, indeed, those deserve to be called public offences of the city for which your general Cluilius was responsible, and has paid no mean penalty to the gods for the wrongs he did us both.

  [3] ἀφείσθω δὴ πᾶσα ἐγκλήματος ἰδίου τε καὶ κοινοῦ πρόφασις καὶ μηδενὸς ἔτι μνήμη τῶν παρεληλυθότων ἔστω κακῶν, ὡς καὶ σοί, ὦ Φουφέττιε, δοκεῖ: ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀπόχρη τοῦτο μόνον ἡμᾶς σκοπεῖν, ὅπως ἂν τὴν παροῦσαν ἔχθραν διαλυσαίμεθα πρὸς ἀλλήλους, ἀλλ᾽ ὅπως μηδ᾽ αὖθίς ποτε πολεμήσομεν ἔτι δεῖ παρασκευάσασθαι: οὐ γὰρ ἀναβολὰς ποιησόμενοι τῶν κακῶν συνεληλύθαμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπαλλαγάς. τίς οὖν ἡ βεβαία τοῦ πολέμου κατάλυσις ἔσται καὶ τί παρασχόντες εἰς τὰ πράγματα ἑκάτεροι νῦν τε καὶ εἰς τὸν ἀεὶ χρόνον ἐσόμεθα φίλοι, σὺ μὲν παρέλιπες, ὦ Φουφέττιε, ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἔτι καὶ τοῦτο προσθεῖναι πειράσομαι.

  [3] Let every occasion, therefore, for complaint, whether private or public, be removed and let no memory of past injuries any longer remain — even as you also, Fufetius, think fitting. Yet it is not enough for us to consider merely how we may compose our present enmity toward one another, but we must further take measures to prevent our ever going to war again; for the purpose of our present meeting is not to obtain a postponement but rather an end of our evils. What settlement of the war, therefore, will be enduring and what contribution must each of us make toward the situation, in order that we may be friends both now and for all time? This, Fufetius, you have omitted to tell us; but I shall endeavour to go on and supply this omission also.

  [4] εἰ παύσαιντο μὲν Ἀλβανοὶ φθονοῦντες Ῥωμαίοις ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἔχουσιν ἀγαθοῖς, οὐκ ἄνευ μεγάλων κινδύνων καὶ πόνων πολλῶν αὐτὰ κτησάμενοι, ῾οὐθὲν γοῦν πεπονθότες ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν οὔτε μεῖζον οὔτε ἔλαττον κακὸν διὰ τοῦτο μισεῖτε ἡμᾶς, ὅτι [p. 285] δοκοῦμεν ἄμεινον ὑμῶν πράττειν᾽ παύσαιντο δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι δἰ ὑποψίας ἔχοντες Ἀλβανοὺς ὡς ἐπιβουλεύοντας ἀεί σφισι καὶ φυλαττόμενοι καθάπερ ἐχθρούς: οὐ γὰρ ἂν γένοιτο βεβαίως φίλος τῷ μισοῦντι οὐδείς.

  [4] If, on the one hand, the Albans would cease to envy the Romans the advantages they possess, advantages which were acquired not without great perils and many hardships (in any case you have suffered no injury at our hands, great or slight, but you hate us for this reason alone, that we seem to be better off than you); and if, on the other hand, the Romans would cease to suspect the Albans of always plotting against them and would cease to be on their guard against them as against enemies (for no one can be a firm friend to one who distrusts him).

  [5] πῶς οὖν γενήσεται τούτων ἑκάτερον; οὐκ ἐὰν γράψωμεν αὐτὰ ἐν ταῖς ὁμολογίαις οὐδ᾽ ἐὰν ὀμόσωμεν ἀμφότεροι καθ᾽ ἱερῶν, ῾μικραὶ γὰρ αὗταί γε αἱ φυλακαὶ καὶ ἀσθενεῖσ᾽ ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν κοινὰς ἡγησώμεθα τὰς ἀλλήλων τύχας. ἓν γάρ ἐστι μόνον, ὦ Φουφέττιε, λύπης ἀνθρωπίνης ἐπ᾽ ἀλλοτρίοις ἀγαθοῖς γινομένης ἄκος, τὸ μηκέτι τοὺς φθονοῦντας ἀλλότρια τὰ τῶν φθονουμένων ἀγαθὰ ἡγεῖσθαι.

  [5] How, then, shall each of these results be brought about? Not by inserting them in the treaty, nor by our both swearing to them over the sacrificial victims — for these are small and weak assurances — but by looking upon each other’s fortunes as common to us both. For there is only one cure, Fufetius, for the bitterness which men feel over the advantages of others, and that is for the envious no longer to regard the advantages of the envied as other than their own.

  [6] ἵνα δὴ τοῦτο γένηται, Ῥωμαίους μὲν οἶμαι δεῖν εἰς τὸ κοινὸν Ἀλβανοῖς θεῖναι πάντα ὅσα τε νῦν ἔχουσι καὶ αὖθ
ις ἕξουσιν ἀγαθά, Ἀλβανοὺς δὲ ἀγαπητῶς τὰ διδόμενα δέχεσθαι καὶ γενέσθαι μάλιστα μὲν ἅπαντας ὑμᾶς, εἰ δὲ μή γε τοὺς πλείστους τε καὶ ἀρίστους ὑμῶν τῆς Ῥωμαίων πόλεως οἰκήτορας. οὐ γὰρ δὴ Σαβίνοις μὲν καὶ Τυρρηνοῖς καλῶς εἶχεν ἐκλιποῦσι τὰς ἑαυτῶν πόλεις μεταθέσθαι τοὺς βίους ὡς ἡμᾶς, ὑμῖν δὲ ἄρα τοῖς συγγενεστάτοις τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο γενόμενον οὐχ ἕξει καλῶς;

  [6] In order to accomplish this, I think the Romans ought to place equally at the disposal of the Albans all the advantages they either now or shall hereafter possess; and that the Albans ought cheerfully the accept this offer and all of you, if possible, or at least the most and the best of you, become residents of Rome. Was it not, indeed, a fine thing for the Sabines and Tyrrhenians to leave their own cities and transfer their habitation to Rome? And for you, who are our nearest kinsmen, will it not accordingly be a fine thing if this same step is taken?

  [7] εἰ δ᾽ οὐκ ἀξιώσετε μίαν οἰκεῖν πόλιν τὴν ἡμετέραν μεγάλην τε οὖσαν ἤδη καὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐσομένην, ἀλλὰ φιλοχωρήσετε τοῖς πατρῴοις ἐφεστίοις, ἐκεῖνό γέ τοι ποιήσατε: βουλευτήριον ἓν ἀποδείξατε, ὃ τὰ συμφέροντα ὑπὲρ ἑκατέρας βουλεύσει πόλεως, [p. 286] καὶ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ἀπόδοτε μιᾷ τῇ κρείττονι πόλει καὶ πλείονα δυναμένῃ ποιεῖν ἀγαθὰ τὴν ἥττονα. ἐγὼ μὲν δὴ ταῦτ᾽ ἀξιῶ καὶ τούτων γενομένων τόθ᾽ ἡγοῦμαι βεβαίως ἡμᾶς ἔσεσθαι φίλους, δύο δὲ πόλεις οἰκοῦντας ἰσοκορύφους ὥσπερ νῦν οὐδέποτε ὁμονοήσειν.