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

by Dionysius of Halicarnassus

  [1] θεός τις ἔοικεν, ὦ Τύλλε, προνοούμενος τῶν πόλεων ἑκατέρας ἐν ἄλλοις τε πολλοῖς καὶ δὴ καὶ κατὰ τόνδε τὸν ἀγῶνα φανερὰν τὴν εὔνοιαν πεποιῆσθαι. τὸ γὰρ εὑρεθῆναι τοὺς ἀγωνιουμένους ὑπὲρ πάντων γένει τε μηδενὸς χείρονας καὶ τὰ πολέμια ἀγαθοὺς ὀφθῆναί τε καλλίστους, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἐξ ἑνὸς πεφυκότας πατρὸς καὶ ὑπὸ μιᾶς γεγεννημένους μητρὸς καὶ τὸ θαυμασιώτατον ἐν μιᾷ προελθόντας εἰς φῶς γενέσει, παρ᾽ ὑμῖν μὲν Ὁρατίους, παρ᾽ ἡμῖν δὲ Κορατίους, θαυμαστῇ τινι καὶ θείᾳ παντάπασιν ἔοικεν εὐεργεσίᾳ.

  [14.1] “Tullius, some god who keeps watch over both our cities would seem, just as upon many other occasions, so especially in what relates to this combat to have made his goodwill manifest. For that the champions who are to fight on behalf of all their people should be found inferior to none in birth, brave in arms, most comely in appearance, and that they should furthermore have been born of one father and mother, and, most wonderful of all, that they should have come into the world on the same day, the Horatii with you and the Curiatii with us, all this, I say, has every appearance of a remarkable instance of divine favour.

  [2] τί οὖν οὐ δεχόμεθα τὴν τοσαύτην τοῦ δαιμονίου πρόνοιαν καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν ἐπὶ τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡγεμονίας ἀγῶνα τοὺς τριδύμους ἀδελφοὺς ἑκάτεροι; τά τε γὰρ ἄλλ᾽, ὅσα ἐν τοῖς ἄριστα μαχησομένοις βουλοίμεθ᾽ ἂν εἶναι, κἀν τούτοις ἔνεστι τοῖς ἀνδράσι, καὶ τὸ μὴ προλιπεῖν τοὺς παρασπιστὰς κάμνοντας τούτοις μᾶλλον ὑπάρξει ἀδελφοῖς οὖσι παρ᾽ οὕστινας ἄλλους Ῥωμαίων τε καὶ Ἀλβανῶν, ἥ τε φιλοτιμία τῶν ἄλλων νέων χαλεπὴ λυθῆναι δι᾽ ἑτέρου τινὸς οὖσα τρόπου ταχεῖαν ἕξει τὴν κρίσιν.

  [2] Why, therefore, do we not accept this great providence of the god and each of us invite the triplets on his side to engage in the combat for the supremacy? For not only all the other advantages which we could desire in the best-qualified champions are to be found in these men, but, as they are brothers, they will be more unwilling than any others among either the Romans or the Albans to forsake their companions when in distress; and furthermore, the emulation of the other youths, which cannot easily be appeased in any other way, will be promptly settled.

  [3] τεκμαίρομαι γάρ τινα καὶ παρ᾽ ὑμῖν χάριν ἐν πολλοῖς εἶναι τῶν ἀντιποιουμένων ἀρετῆς, [p. 297] ὥσπερ καὶ παρ᾽ Ἀλβανοῖς: οὓς εἰ διδάσκοιμεν ὅτι θεία τις ἔφθακε τύχη τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας σπουδὰς αὐτῆς παρασχούσης τοὺς ἐξ ἴσου τὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν πόλεων ἀγῶνα ποιησομένους, οὐ χαλεπῶς πείσομεν. οὐ γὰρ ἀρετῇ λείπεσθαι δόξουσι τῶν τριδύμων ἀδελφῶν, ἀλλὰ φύσεως εὐκληρίᾳ καὶ τύχης ἰσορρόπου πρὸς τὸ ἀντίπαλον ἐπιτηδειότητι.

  [3] For I surmise that among you also, as well as among the Albans, there is a kind of strife among many of those who lay claim to bravery; but if we inform them that some providential fortune has anticipated all human efforts and has itself furnished us with champions qualified to engage upon equal terms in the cause of the cities, we shall easily persuade them to desist. For they will then look upon themselves as inferior to the triplets, not in point of bravery, but only in respect of a special boon of Nature and of the favour of a Chance that is equally inclined toward both sides.”

  [1] τοσαῦτα τοῦ Φουφεττίου λέξαντος καὶ πάντων τὴν γνώμην ἐπαινεσάντων ῾ἔτυχον δὲ Ῥωμαίων τε καὶ Ἀλβανῶν οἱ κράτιστοι παρόντες ἀμφοτέροισ᾽ μικρὸν ἐπισχὼν ὁ Τύλλος λέγει: τὰ μὲν ἄλλα ὀρθῶς ἐπιλελογίσθαι μοι δοκεῖς, ὦ Φουφέττιε: θαυμαστὴ γάρ τις ἡ τὴν οὐδέποτε συμβᾶσαν ὁμοιογένειαν ἐν ἀμφοτέραις ταῖς πόλεσιν ἐπὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας γενεᾶς ἐξενέγκασα τύχη: ἓν δ᾽ ἀγνοεῖν ἔοικας, ὃ πολὺν παρέξει τοῖς νεανίσκοις ὄκνον, ἐὰν ἀξιῶμεν αὐτοὺς ἀλλήλοις χωρεῖν διὰ μάχης.

  [15.1] After Fufetius had thus spoken and his proposal had been received with general approbation (for the most important both of the Romans and Albans were with the two leaders), Tullius, after a short pause, spoke as follows:

  “In other respects, Fufetius, you seem to me to have reasoned well; for it must be some wonderful fortune that has produced in both our cities in our generation a similarity of birth never known before. But of one consideration you seem to be unaware — a matter which will cause great reluctance in the youths if we ask them to fight with one another.

  [2] ἡ γὰρ Ὁρατίων μήτηρ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἀδελφὴ τῆς Κορατίων μητρός ἐστι τῶν Ἀλβανῶν, καὶ τέθραπται τὰ μειράκια ἐν τοῖς ἀμφοτέρων τῶν γυναικῶν κόλποις ἀσπάζονταί τ᾽ ἀλλήλους καὶ φιλοῦσιν οὐχ ἧττον ἢ πολλοὶ τοὺς ἑαυτῶν ἀδελφούς. ὅρα δὴ μή ποτε οὐδ᾽ ὅσιον ᾖ τούτοις ἀναδιδόναι τὰ ὅπλα καὶ καλεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὸν κατ᾽ ἀλλήλων φόνον ἀνεψιοὺς καὶ συντρόφους ὄντας. τὸ γὰρ ἐμφύλιον ἄγος, ἐὰν ἀναγκασθῶσιν ἀλλήλους μιαιφονεῖν, εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐλεύσεται τοὺς ἀναγκάζοντας.

  [2] For the mother of our Horatii is sister to the mother of the Alban Curiatii, and the young men have been brought up in the arms of both the women and cherish and love one another no less than their own brothers. Consider, therefore, whether, as they are cousins and have been brought up together, it would not be impious in us to put arms in their hands and invite them to mutual slaughter. For the pollution of kindred blood, if they are compelled to stain their hands with one another’s blood, will deservedly fall upon us who compel them.”

  [3] [p. 298] λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Φουφέττιος: οὐδ᾽ ἐμὲ λέληθεν, ὦ Τύλλε, τὸ συγγενὲς τῶν μειρακίων, οὐδ᾽ ὡς ἀναγκάσων αὐτοὺς τοῖς ἀνεψιοῖς διὰ μάχης χωρεῖν εἰ μὴ βουληθεῖεν αὐτοὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα ὑπομεῖναι παρεσκευασάμην, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ τάχιστα ἐπὶ νοῦν ἦλθέ μοι τόδε τὸ βούλευμα τοὺς Ἀλβανοὺς Κορατίους μεταπεμψάμενος αὐτὸς ἐπ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ διάπειραν ἔλαβον εἰ βουλομένοις αὐτοῖς ἐστιν ὁ ἀγών: δεξαμένων δ᾽ αὐτῶν τὸν λόγον ἀπίστῳ τινὶ καὶ θαυμαστῇ προθυμίᾳ, τότε ἀνακαλύπτειν ἔγνων τὸ βούλευμα καὶ φέρειν εἰς μέσον: σοί τε τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ὑποτίθεμαι ποιεῖν καλέσαντι τοὺς παρ᾽ ὑμῖν τριδύμους πεῖραν αὐτῶν τῆς γνώμης ποιήσασθαι.

  [3] To this Fufetius answered: “Neither have I failed, Tullius, to note the kinship of the youths, nor did I purpose to compel them to fight with
their cousins unless they themselves were inclined to undertake the combat. But as soon as this plan came into my mind I sent for the Alban Curiatii and sounded them in private to learn whether they were willing to engage in the combat; and it was only after they had accepted the proposal with incredible and wonderful alacrity that I decided to disclose my plan and bring it forward for consideration. And I advise you to take the same course yourself — to send for the triplets on your side and sound out their disposition.

  [4] ἐὰν μὲν οὖν ἑκόντες συνεπιδιδῶσι κἀκεῖνοι τὰ σώματα προκινδυνεῦσαι τῆς ἑαυτῶν πατρίδος δέχου τὴν χάριν, ἐὰν δὲ ἀναδύωνται μηδεμίαν αὐτοῖς πρόσφερε ἀνάγκην. μαντεύομαι δὲ καὶ περὶ ἐκείνων οἷα καὶ περὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων, εἴπερ οὖν εἰσὶν οἵους ἀκούομεν, ἐν ὀλίγοις τοῖς ἄριστα πεφυκόσιν ὅμοιοι καὶ τὰ πολέμια ἀγαθοί: κλέος γὰρ αὐτῶν καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐλήλυθε τῆς ἀρετῆς.

  [4] And if they, too, agree of their own accord to risk their lives for their country, accept the favour; but if they hesitate, bring no compulsion to bear upon them. I predict, however, the same result with them as with our own youths — that is, if they are such men as we have been informed, like the few most highly endowed by Nature, and are brave in arms; for the reputation of their valour has reached us also.”

  [1] δέχεται δὴ τὴν παραίνεσιν ὁ Τύλλος καὶ δεχημέρους ποιησάμενος ἀνοχάς, ἐν αἷς βουλεύσεταί τε καὶ μαθὼν τὴν διάνοιαν τῶν Ὁρατίων ἀποκρινεῖται παρῆν εἰς τὴν πόλιν. ταῖς δ᾽ ἑξῆς ἡμέραις βουλευσάμενος [p. 299] ἅμα τοῖς ἀρίστοις, ἐπειδὴ τοῖς πλείστοις ἔδοξε δέχεσθαι τὰς τοῦ Φουφεττίου προκλήσεις, μεταπέμπεται τοὺς τριδύμους ἀδελφοὺς καὶ λέγει πρὸς αὐτούς:

  [16.1] Tullius, accordingly, approved of this advice and made a truce for ten days, in order to have time to deliberate and give his answer after learning the disposition of the Horatii; and thereupon he returned to the city. During the following days he consulted with the most important men, and when the greater part of them favoured accepting the proposals of Fufetius, he sent for the three brothers and said to them:

  [2] ἄνδρες Ὁράτιοι, Φουφέττιος ὁ Ἀλβανὸς εἰς λόγους συνελθὼν ἐμοὶ τὴν τελευταίαν ἐπὶ στρατοπέδου σύνοδον ἔφη τοὺς προκινδυνεύσοντας ὑπὲρ ἑκατέρας πόλεως τρεῖς ἄνδρας ἀγαθοὺς κατὰ θείαν γεγενῆσθαι πρόνοιαν, ὧν οὐκ ἂν εὕροιμεν ἑτέρους οὔτε γενναιοτέρους οὔτε ἐπιτηδειοτέρους, Ἀλβανῶν μὲν Κορατίους, Ῥωμαίων δὲ ὑμᾶς: τοῦτό τε καταμαθὼν :αὐτὸς ἐξητακέναι πρῶτον εἰ βουλομένοις εἴη τοῖς ἀνεψιοῖς ὑμῶν ἐπιδοῦναι τὰ σώματα τῇ πατρίδι, μαθὼν δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀναδεχομένους τὸν ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων ἀγῶνα κατὰ πολλὴν προθυμίαν θαρρῶν εἰς μέσον ἐκφέρειν ἤδη τὸν λόγον, ἠξίου τε καὶ ἐμὲ πεῖραν ὑμῶν λαβεῖν, πότερον βουλήσεσθε προκινδυνεῦσαι τῆς πατρίδος ὁμόσε χωρήσαντες Κορατίοις ἢ

  [2] Horatii, Fufetius the Alban informed me at a conference the last time we met at the camp that by divine providence three brave champions were at hand for each city, the noblest and most suitable of any we could hope to find — the Curiatii among the Albans and you among the Romans. He added that upon learning of this he had himself first inquired whether your cousins were willing to give their lives to their country, and that, finding them very eager to undertake the combat on behalf of all their people, he could now bring forward this proposal with confidence; and he asked me also to sound you out, to learn whether you would be willing to risk your lives for your country by engaging with the Curiatii, or whether you choose to yield this honour to others.

  [3] παραχωρεῖτε τῆς φιλοτιμίας ταύτης ἑτέροις. ἐγὼ δὲ ἀρετῆς μὲν ἕνεκα καὶ τῆς κατὰ χεῖρα γενναιότητος, ἣν οὐ λανθάνουσαν ἔχετε, πάντων μάλιστα δεξομένους ὑμᾶς τὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀριστείων κίνδυνον ἄρασθαι, δεδοικὼς μὴ τὸ πρὸς τοὺς Ἀλβανοὺς τριδύμους συγγενὲς ἐμπόδιον ὑμῖν γένηται τῆς προθυμίας, [p. 300] χρόνον ᾐτησάμην εἰς βουλὴν ἀνακωχὰς δεχημέρους ποιησάμενος: ὡς δὲ ἀφικόμην δεῦρο τὴν βουλὴν συνεκάλεσα καὶ προὔθηκα περὶ τοῦ πράγματος ἐν κοινῷ σκοπεῖν: δόξαν δὲ ταῖς πλείοσι γνώμαις, εἰ μὲν ἑκόντες ἀναδέχοισθε τὸν ἀγῶνα καλὸν ὄντα καὶ προσήκοντα ὑμῖν, ὃν ἐγὼ πρόθυμος ἤμην μόνος ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων διαγωνίσασθαι, ἐπαινεῖν τε καὶ δέχεσθαι τὴν χάριν ὑμῶν, εἰ δὲ τὸ συγγενὲς ἐντρεπόμενοι μίασμα, οὐ γὰρ δὴ κακοὶ ψυχὴν ὁμολογοῦντες εἶναι, τοὺς ἔξω τοῦ γένους ἀξιώσαιτε καλεῖν, μηδεμίαν ὑμῖν ἀνάγκην προσφέρειν. ταῦτα τῆς :βουλῆς ψηφισαμένης καὶ οὔτε πρὸς ὀργὴν δεξομένης εἰ δι᾽ ὄκνου τὸ ἔργον λάβοιτε οὔτε μικρὰν χάριν εἰσομένης ὑμῖν εἰ τιμιωτέραν ἡγήσαισθε τῆς συγγενείας τὴν πατρίδα, τυγχάνετε εὖ βουλευσάμενοι.

  [3] I, in view of your valour and your gallantry in action, which are not concealed from public notice, assumed that you of all others would embrace this danger for the sake of winning the prize of valour; but fearing lest your kinship with the three Alban brothers might prove an obstacle to your zeal, I requested time for deliberation and made a truce for ten days. And when I came here I assembled the senate and laid the matter before them for their consideration. It was the opinion of the majority that if you of your own free will accepted the combat, which is a noble one and worthy of you and which I myself was eager to wage alone on behalf of all our people, they should praise your resolution and accept the favour from you; but if, to avoid the pollution of kindred blood — for surely it would be no admission of cowardice on your part — you felt that those who are not related to them ought to be called upon to undertake the combat, they should bring no compulsion to bear upon you. This, then, being the vote of the senate, which will neither be offended with you if you show a reluctance to undertake the task nor feel itself under any slight obligation to you if you rate your country more highly than your kinship, deliberate carefully and well.”

  [1] ὡς δὴ ταῦτ᾽ ἤκουσαν οἱ νεανίαι, μεταστάντες ἑτέρωσε καὶ διαλεχθέντες ὀλίγα πρὸς ἀλλήλους προσέρχονται πάλιν ἀποκρινούμενοι καὶ λέγει ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων ὁ πρεσβύτατος τοιάδε: εἰ μὲν ἐλευθέροις ἡμῖν οὖσι καὶ κυρίοις τῆς ἰδίας γνώμης ἐξουσίαν παρεῖχες, ὦ Τύλλε, βουλεύσασθαι περὶ τοῦ πρὸς τοὺς ἀνεψιοὺς ἀγῶνος, οὐθὲν ἔτι διαμελλήσαντες ἀπεκρινάμεθα ἄν σοι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν διαλογισμούς: ἐπειδὴ δὲ περ�
�εστιν ἡμῖν ὁ πατήρ, οὗ χωρὶς οὐδὲ τἀλάχιστα λέγειν ἢ πράττειν ἀξιοῦμεν, αἰτούμεθά σε [p. 301] ὀλίγον ἀναδέξασθαι χρόνον τὴν ἀπόκρισιν ἡμῶν, ἕως τῷ πατρὶ διαλεχθῶμεν.

  [17.1] The youths upon hearing these words withdrew to one side, and after a short conference together returned to give their answer; and the eldest on behalf of them all spoke as follows: “If we were free and sole masters of our own decisions, Tullius, and you had given us the opportunity to deliberate concerning the combat with our cousins, we should without further delay have given your our thoughts upon it. But since our father is still living, without whose advice we do not think it proper to say or do the least thing, we ask you to wait a short time for our answer till we have talked with him.”

  [2] ἐπαινέσαντος δὲ τοῦ Τύλλου τὴν εὐσέβειαν αὐτῶν καὶ κελεύσαντος οὕτω ποιεῖν ἀπῄεσαν ὡς τὸν πατέρα. δηλώσαντες δὲ αὐτῷ τὰς προκλήσεις τοῦ Φουφεττίου καὶ οὓς ὁ Τύλλος διελέχθη λόγους καὶ τελευταίαν τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀπόκρισιν ἠξίουν εἰπεῖν ἥντινα γνώμην αὐτὸς ἔχει.

  [2] Tullius having commended their filial devotion and told them to do as they proposed, they went home to their father. And acquainting him with the proposals of Fufetius and with what Tullius had said to them and, last of all, with their own answer, they desired his advice.