[4] As for you, this is a sufficient answer, since it is all the same whether one urges many or few just claims against unreasonable adversaries; for mere words naturally cannot bring any argument which will persuade them to be honest.
[1] ὑμῶν δὲ τεθαύμακα, εἴ τινές εἰσιν, ὦ βουλή, τῆς ἀρχῆς με ἀπαλλάξαι βουλόμενοι, καὶ μετὰ τούτου συνεστηκότες ἐπ᾽ ἐμοί: ἡδέως δ᾽ ἂν πυθοίμην παρ᾽ αὐτῶν, τίνος ἀδικήματος ἕνεκα πολεμοῦσί μοι καὶ ἐπὶ τίνι τῶν ἐμῶν ἔργων ἀχθόμενοι: πότερον ὅτι πολλοὺς ἴσασιν ἐπὶ τῆς ἐμῆς ἀρχῆς ἀκρίτους ἀπολωλότας ἢ τῆς [p. 65] πατρίδος στερομένους ἢ τὰς οὐσίας ἀπολωλεκότας ἢ ἄλλῃ τινὶ συμφορᾷ κεχρημένους ἀδίκως; ἢ τούτων μὲν τῶν τυραννικῶν ἀδικημάτων οὐδὲν ἔχουσιν εἰπεῖν ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ γεγονός, ὕβρεις δέ μοί τινας συνοίδασιν εἰς γυναῖκας γαμετὰς ἢ προπηλακισμοὺς εἰς θυγατέρας παρθένους ἢ ἄλλην τινὰ περὶ σῶμα ἐλεύθερον ἀκολασίαν; δικαίως μέντ᾽ ἄν, εἴ τί μοι τοιοῦτον ἡμάρτηται, τῆς ἀρχῆς θ᾽ ἅμα καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς ἀποστερηθείην.
[36.1] “But I have been surprised, senators, that any of you wish to remove me from power and have conspired with this man against me. I should like to learn from them what injury provokes them to attack me and at what action of mine they are offended. Is it because they know that great numbers during my reign have been put to death without a trial, banished from their country, deprived of their possessions, or have met with any other misfortune which they have not merited? Or, though they can accuse most of none of these tyrannical misdeeds, are they acquainted with any outrages I have been guilty of toward married women, or insults to their maiden daughters, or any other wanton attempt upon a person of free condition? If I have been guilty of any such crime I should deserve to be deprived at the same time both of the kingship and of my life.
[2] φέρε ἀλλ᾽ ὑπερήφανός εἰμι καὶ διὰ βαρύτητα ἐπαχθὴς καὶ τὴν αὐθάδειαν, ᾗ κέχρημαι περὶ τὴν ἀρχήν, οὐδεὶς φέρειν δύναταί μου; τίς μέντοι τῶν πρὸ ἐμοῦ βασιλέων οὕτω μέτριος ὢν ἐν ἐξουσίᾳ διετέλεσε καὶ φιλάνθρωπος ἅπασι τοῖς πολίταις ὡς πατὴρ πρᾷος υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ χρώμενος; ὅς γε καὶ τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ἣν ὑμεῖς ἐδώκατέ μοι πατέρων φυλάττοντες παραδοχάς, οὐχ ἅπασαν ἐβουλήθην ἔχειν, ἀλλὰ νόμους θ᾽ ὑπὲρ τῶν κυριωτάτων καταστησάμενος, οὓς ἅπαντες ἐπεκυρώσατε, κατὰ τούτους ὑμῖν ἀπέδωκα διδόναι τὰ δίκαια καὶ λαμβάνειν, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐξηταζόμην πρῶτος οἷς ὥρισα κατὰ τῶν ἄλλων δικαίοις ὥσπερ ἰδιώτης πειθόμενος: τῶν τ᾽ ἀδικημάτων οὐχ ἁπάντων αὐτὸς ἐγινόμην δικαστής, ἀλλὰ τὰς ἰδιωτικὰς δίκας ὑμῖν ἀπέδωκα διαγινώσκειν, ὃ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν οὐδεὶς ἐποίησε βασιλέων.
[2] Well then, am I haughty, am I burdensome by my severity, and can no one bear the arrogance of my administration? And yet which of my predecessors constantly used his power with such moderation and kindliness, treating all the citizens as an indulgent father treats his own children? What, I did not even desire to retain all the power which you, following the traditions of your fathers, gave to me, but after establishing laws, which you all confirmed, relating to the most essential matters, I then granted to you the privilege of giving and receiving justice in accordance with these laws; and to these rules of justice which I prescribed for others I showed myself the first to yield obedience, like any private citizen. Nor did I make myself the judge of all sorts of crimes, but causes of a private nature I restored to your jurisdiction — a thing which none of the former kings ever did.
[3] ἀλλ᾽ ἔοικεν ἀδίκημα μὲν οὐδὲν εἶναι, δι᾽ ὃ [p. 66] δυσχεραίνουσί μοί τινες, αἱ δ᾽ εἰς τὸ δημοτικὸν πλῆθος εὐεργεσίαι λυπεῖν ὑμᾶς δοκοῦσι, περὶ ὧν πολλάκις ἀπολελόγημαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς. ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν δεῖ τούτων νυνὶ τῶν λόγων: εἰ δὲ δοκεῖ κρεῖττον ἐπιμελήσεσθαι τῶν κοινῶν Ταρκύνιος οὑτοσὶ τὰ πράγματα παραλαβών, οὐ φθονῶ τῇ πόλει βελτίονος ἡγεμόνος: ἀποδοὺς δὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῷ δεδωκότι μοι δήμῳ καὶ γενόμενος ἰδιώτης πειράσομαι ποιῆσαι πᾶσι φανερόν, ὅτι καὶ ἄρχειν ἐπίσταμαι καλῶς καὶ ἄρχεσθαι δύναμαι σωφρόνως.
[3] But it appears that it is no wrongdoing on my part that has drawn upon me the ill-will of certain persons, but it is rather the benefits I have conferred on the plebeians that grieve you unjustly — concerning which I have often given you my reasons. But there is no need for such explanations now. If you believe that Tarquinius here by taking over the government will administer affairs better than I, I shall not envy the commonwealth a better ruler; and after I have surrendered the sovereignty to the people, from whom I received it, and have become a private citizen, I shall endeavour to make it plain to all that I not only know how to rule well, but can also obey with equanimity.”
[1] τοιαῦτα διαλεχθεὶς καὶ εἰς πολλὴν αἰδῶ καταστήσας τοὺς συνισταμένους ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ διέλυσε τὸν σύλλογον καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο τοὺς κήρυκας ἀνακαλεσάμενος ἐκέλευσε διὰ πάντων τῶν στενωπῶν διεξιόντας τὸν δῆμον εἰς ἐκκλησίαν συγκαλεῖν.
[37.1] After this speech, which covered the conspirators with shame, Tullius dismissed the meeting and then, summoning the heralds he ordered them to go through all the streets and call the people together to an assembly.
[2] συνδραμόντος δ᾽ εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν τοῦ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν ὄχλου προελθὼν ἐπὶ τὸ βῆμα μακρὰν καὶ συμπαθῆ διεξῆλθε δημηγορίαν τάς τε πολεμικὰς ἑαυτοῦ πράξεις ἐξαριθμούμενος, ἃς Ταρκυνίου τε ζῶντος διεπράξατο καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνου τελευτὴν καὶ τῶν πολιτευμάτων καθ᾽ ἓν ἕκαστον ἐπιλεγόμενος, ἐξ ὧν πολλὰς καὶ μεγάλας ἔδοξεν ἐσχηκέναι τὸ κοινὸν ὠφελείας.
[2] And when the whole populace of the city had flocked to the Forum, he came forward to the tribunal and made a long and moving harangue, enumerating all military achievements he had performed, both during the lifetime of Tarquinius and after his death, and recounting in addition one by one all his administrative measures from which the commonwealth appeared to have reaped many great advantages.
[3] πολλοῦ δ᾽ ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστῳ τῶν λεγομένων ἀπαντῶντος ἐπαίνου καὶ πάντων σπουδὴν ἐχόντων μαθεῖν, τίνων ἕνεκα ταῦτα λέγει, τελευτῶν ἔφησεν, ὅτι Ταρκύνιος αὐτὸν αἰτιᾶται τὴν βασιλείαν οὐ δικαίως κατέχειν ἑαυτῷ προσήκουσαν: καταλιπεῖν γὰρ αὐτῷ τὸν πάππον ἀποθνήσκοντα σὺν το�
�ς χρήμασι καὶ τὴν [p. 67] ἀρχήν, τὸν δὲ δῆμον οὐκ εἶναι κύριον τἀλλότρια ἑτέρῳ
[3] And when everything he said met with great applause and all the people earnestly desired to know for what reasons he mentioned these things, at last he said that Tarquinius accused him of retaining the kingship unjustly, since it belonged to himself; for Tarquinius claimed that his grandfather at his death had left him the sovereignty together with his property, and that the people did not have it in their power to bestow on another what was not their own to give.
[4] διδόναι. κραυγῆς δὲ καὶ ἀγανακτήσεως ἐξ ἁπάντων ἐπὶ τούτῳ γενομένης σιωπῆσαι κελεύσας αὐτοὺς ἠξίου μηδὲν ἄχθεσθαι μηδὲ ἀγανακτεῖν πρὸς τὸν λόγον, ἀλλ᾽ εἴ τι δίκαιον εἰπεῖν ἔχει Ταρκύνιος, καλεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ διδαχθέντας, ἐάν τ᾽ ἀδικούμενον εὕρωσιν ἐάν τ᾽ ἐπιτηδειότερον ἄρχειν, ἐκείνῳ παραδοῦναι τὴν τῆς πόλεως προστασίαν: αὐτὸς δὲ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἔφησεν ἀφίστασθαι καὶ ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς κυρίοις, παρ᾽ ὧν αὐτὴν ἔλαβεν.
[4] This raising a general clamour and indignation among the people, he ordered them to be silent and asked them to feel no displeasure or resentment at his words, but in case Tarquinius had any just claim to advance in support of his pretensions, to summon him and if, after learning what he had to say, they should find that he was being wronged and was the more suitable man to rule, to entrust him with the leadership of the commonwealth. As for himself, he said, he now resigned the sovereignty and restored it to those to whom it belonged and from whom he had received it.
[5] ταῦτα λέξαντος αὐτοῦ καταβαίνειν τ᾽ ἀπὸ τοῦ βήματος βουλομένου κραυγή τ᾽ ἐξ ἁπάντων ἐγίνετο καὶ δεήσεις πολλαὶ σὺν οἰμωγαῖς ὑπὲρ τοῦ μηδενὶ παραχωρεῖν τῆς ἀρχῆς: τινὲς δ᾽ ἐξ αὐτῶν καὶ βάλλειν τὸν Ταρκύνιον ἐβόων. ἐκεῖνος μὲν οὖν δείσας τὴν ἐκ χειρὸς δίκην ὁρμῆς ἤδη γινομένης τῶν ὄχλων ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ᾤχετο φεύγων ἅμα τοῖς ἑταίροις: τὸν δὲ Τύλλιον ἡ πληθὺς ἅπασα μετὰ χαρᾶς καὶ κρότου καὶ πολλῆς εὐφημίας παραπέμπουσα μέχρι τῆς οἰκίας κατέστησεν.
[5] After he had said this and was on the point of descending from the tribunal, there was a general outcry and many begged of him with groans not to surrender the sovereignty to anyone; and some of them even called out to stone Tarquinius. He, however, fearing summary punishment, since the crowds were already making a rush against him, fled, and his companions with him, while the entire populace with joy, applause, and many acclamations conducted Tullius as far as his house and saw him safely established there.
[1] ὡς δὲ καὶ ταύτης διήμαρτε τῆς πείρας ὁ Ταρκύνιος, ἀδημονῶν ἐπὶ τῷ μηδεμίαν αὐτῷ βοήθειαν παρὰ τῆς βουλῆς, ᾗ μάλιστα ἐπεποίθει, γενέσθαι, χρόνον μέν τινα διέτριβε κατ᾽ οἰκίαν τοῖς ἑταίροις μόνοις διαλεγόμενος: ἔπειτα γνώμην ἀποδειξαμένης τῆς γυναικὸς μηδὲν ἔτι μαλακίζεσθαι μηδὲ κατοκνεῖν, ἀλλὰ καταβαλόντα τοὺς λόγους ἐπὶ τὰ ἔργα χωρεῖν διαλλαγὰς πρῶτον εὑρόμενον διὰ φίλων πρὸς τὸν Τύλλιον, [p. 68] ἵνα πιστεύσας ὡς φίλῳ γεγονότι ἧττον αὐτὸν φυλάττοιτο, δόξας δ᾽ αὐτὴν τὰ κράτιστα ὑποθέσθαι μετανοεῖν τε περὶ τῶν γεγονότων ἐσκήπτετο καὶ πολλὰ διὰ φίλων λιπαρῶν τὸν Τύλλιον ἠξίου συγγνώμονα 10 γενέσθαι.
[38.1] When Tarquinius failed in this attempt also, he was dismayed that from the senate, upon which he had chiefly relied, no assistance had come to him, and remaining at home for some time, he conversed only with his friends. Afterwards, when his wife advised him no longer to play the weakling or hesitate, but to have done with words and proceed to deeds, after he should first have obtain a reconciliation with Tullius by the intercession of friends — to the end that the king, trusting him as having become his friend, might be the less upon his guard against him — believing that her advice was most excellent, he began to pretend to repent of his past behaviour and through friends besought Tullius with many entreaties to forgive him.
[2] ῥᾷστα δὲ πείσας τὸν ἄνδρα φύσει τ᾽ εὐδιάλλακτον ὄντα καὶ οὐκ ἀξιοῦντα πόλεμον ἄσπειστον θυγατρὶ καὶ γαμβρῷ πολεμεῖν, ἐπειδὴ τὸν οἰκεῖον καιρὸν ἔλαβε διεσκεδασμένου τοῦ δήμου κατὰ τοὺς ἀγροὺς ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν καρπῶν συγκομιδήν, ἐξῆλθε μετὰ τῶν ἑταίρων ἐχόντων ὑπὸ ταῖς περιβολαῖς ξίφη, τούς τε πελέκεις ὑπηρέταις τισὶν ἀναδοὺς καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν βασιλικὴν ἐσθῆτα λαβὼν καὶ τἆλλα παράσημα τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐπαγόμενος: ἐλθὼν δ᾽ εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν καὶ πρὸ τοῦ βουλευτηρίου στὰς ἐκέλευσε τῷ κήρυκι τοὺς βουλευτὰς καλεῖν εἰς τὸ συνέδριον. ἦσαν δ᾽ ἐκ παρασκευῆς ἕτοιμοι περὶ τὴν ἀγορὰν οἱ συνειδότες αὐτῷ τὴν πρᾶξιν
[2] And he very easily persuaded the man, who was not only by his nature inclined to reconciliation but was also averse to waging an implacable contest with his daughter and his son-in-law; then, as soon as he saw a favourable opportunity, when the people were dispersed about the country for the gathering of the harvest, he appeared in public with his friends, all having swords under their garments, and giving the axes to some of his servants, he himself assumed the royal apparel and all the other insignia of royalty. Then, going to the Forum, he took his stand before the senate-house and ordered the herald to summon the senators thither; indeed, many of the patricians who were privy to his design and were urging him on were by prearrangement ready in the Forum.
[3] καὶ παρορμῶντες ἐκ τῶν πατρικίων συχνοί. οἱ μὲν δὴ συνῄεσαν: τῷ δὲ Τυλλίῳ λέγει τις ἐλθὼν ὄντι κατ᾽ οἰκίαν, ὅτι Ταρκύνιος ἐν ἐσθῆτι βασιλικῇ προελήλυθε καὶ καλεῖ τοὺς βουλευτὰς εἰς τὸ συνέδριον. ὁ δὲ θαυμάσας τὴν τόλμαν αὐτοῦ τάχιον ἢ φρονιμώτερον προῆλθεν ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας οὐ πολλοὺς περὶ ἑαυτὸν ἔχων. ἐλθὼν δ᾽ εἰς τὸ συνέδριον καὶ τὸν Ταρκύνιον ἰδὼν ἐπὶ τῆς βασιλικῆς καθήμενον ἕδρας καὶ τὸν ἄλλον 11 βασίλειον ἔχοντα κόσμον:
[3] And so the senators assembled. In the meantime someone went and informed Tullius, who was at home, that Tarquinius had appeared in public in royal apparel and was calling a meeting of the senate. And he, astonished at the other’s rashness, set out from his house with more haste than prudence, attended by but a few. And going into the senate-house and seeing Tarquinius seated on the throne with all the other insignia of royalty, he exclaim:
[4] τίς, εἶπεν, ὦ μιαρώτατε ἀνθρώπων, τοῦτό σοι τὸ σχῆμα συνεχώρησε λαβεῖν; [p. 69] καὶ ὃς ὑπολαβών: ἡ σὴ τόλμα καὶ ἀν
αίδεια, εἶπεν, ὦ Τύλλιε, ὃς οὐδ᾽ ἐλεύθερος ὤν, ἀλλὰ δοῦλος ἐκ δούλης, ἣν οὑμὸς ἐκτήσατο πάππος ἐκ τῶν αἰχμαλώτων, ἐτόλμησας βασιλέα Ῥωμαίων σεαυτὸν ἀναδεῖξαι. ὡς δὲ ταῦτ᾽ ἤκουσεν ὁ Τύλλιος, ἐκπικρανθεὶς ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ παρὰ τὸ συμφέρον ὥρμησεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ὡς ἐξαναστήσων τῆς ἕδρας.
[4] “Who, most wicked of men, gave you authority to assume this attire?” To which the other replied: “Your boldness and impudence, Tullius; for, though you were not even a free man, but a slave and the son of a slave mother, whom my grandfather got from among the captives, you nevertheless have dared to proclaim yourself king of the Romans.” When Tullius heard this, he was so exasperated at the reproach that, heedless of his own safety, he rushed at him with the intent of forcing him to quit the throne.
[5] καὶ ὁ Ταρκύνιος ἄσμενος τοῦτ᾽ ἰδὼν ἀναπηδᾷ τ᾽ ἀπὸ τοῦ δίφρου, καὶ συναρπάσας τὸν γέροντα κεκραγότα καὶ τοὺς ὑπηρέτας ἐπικαλούμενον ἔφερε. γενόμενος δ᾽ ἔξω τοῦ βουλευτηρίου μετέωρον ἐξαρπάσας αὐτὸν ἀκμάζων τὸ σῶμα καὶ ῥωμαλέος ἀνὴρ ῥιπτεῖ κατὰ τῶν κρηπίδων τοῦ βουλευτηρίου τῶν εἰς τὸ ἐκκλησιαστήριον φερουσῶν.
[5] Tarquinius was pleased to see this, and leaping from his seat, seized and bore off the old man, who cried out and called upon his servants to assist him. When he got outside the senate-house, being a man of great vigour and in his prime, he raised him aloft and hurled him down the steps that lead from the senate-house to the comitium.
Delphi Complete Works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics Book 79) Page 510