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

by Dionysius of Halicarnassus

  [1] τοῦτο καταμαθόντες οἱ πρεσβύτατοι τῶν Ῥωμαίων συστραφέντες ἔπειθον ἰδίᾳ τε καὶ ἐν κοινῷ τοὺς στασιωδεστάτους τῶν δημοτικῶν παύσασθαι τῶν εἰς τοὺς πατρικίους ὑποψιῶν τε καὶ κατηγοριῶν: διδάσκοντες ὡς εἰ δι᾽ ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς ἐπιφανοῦς φυγὴν τοσοῦτος κίνδυνος κατέσχε τὴν πόλιν, τί χρὴ προσδοκᾶν, ἐὰν ἀναγκασθῶσιν οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν πατρικίων προπηλακισθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου ταὐτὸ φρονῆσαι: καὶ κατέσχον οὗτοι τὴν ἀκοσμίαν τοῦ πλήθους.

  [15.1] This being observed by the oldest of the Romans, they joined together and sought to persuade the most seditious of the plebeians both in public and in private to put a stop to their suspicions and accusations against the patricians. If, they argued, by the banishment of one man of distinction the commonwealth had been brought into so great danger, what were they to expect if by their abusive treatment they forced the greater part of the patricians to entertain the same sentiments? Thus these men appeased the disorderliness of the populace.

  [2] παυσαμένου δὲ τοῦ πολλοῦ θορύβου συνελθοῦσα ἡ βουλὴ τοῖς μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ κοινοῦ τῶν Λατίνων παροῦσι ἐπὶ συμμαχίας αἴτησιν ἀπεκρίνατο, μὴ ῥᾴδιον εἶναι σφίσι βοήθειαν ἀποστέλλειν κατὰ τὸ παρόν: αὐτοῖς δ᾽ ἐκείνοις ἐπιτρέπειν τὴν ἑαυτῶν στρατιὰν καταγράφειν καὶ ἡγεμόνας τῆς δυνάμεως ἰδίους ἐκπέμπειν τε, ὅταν αὐτοὶ ἐκπέμψωσι δύναμιν. ἐν γὰρ ταῖς συνθήκαις, αἷς ἐποιήσαντο πρὸς αὐτοὺς περὶ φιλίας, ἀπόρρητον ἦν τούτων ἑκάτερον.

  [2] After the great tumult had been suppressed, the senate met and gave the following answer to the ambassadors who had come from the Latin League to ask for armed assistance: That it was not easy for them to send assistance for the time being; but that they gave the Latins leave to enrol their own army themselves and to send out their own generals in command of their forces until the Romans should send out a force; for by the treaty of friendship they had made with the Latins both these things were forbidden.

  [3] τοῖς δ᾽ ὑπάτοις ἐφῆκαν στρατόν τε [p. 144] συναγαγεῖν ἐκ καταλόγου καὶ τὴν πόλιν διὰ φυλακῆς ἔχειν καὶ τοὺς συμμάχους παρακαλεῖν, εἰς ὕπαιθρον δὲ μήπω τὰς δυνάμεις ἐξάγειν, ἕως ἂν ἅπαντα εὐτρεπῆ γένηται. καὶ ὁ δῆμος ταῦτ᾽ ἐπεκύρωσεν. ἦν δὲ βραχὺς ὁ λειπόμενος τῆς ἀρχῆς τοῖς ὑπάτοις χρόνος, ὥστ᾽ οὐδὲν ἔφθασαν τῶν ἐψηφισμένων ἐπὶ τέλος ἀγαγεῖν, ἀλλὰ παρέδοσαν ἡμιτελῆ πάντα τοῖς μεθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς ὑπάτοις.

  [3] The senate also ordered the consuls to raise an army by levy, to guard the city, and to summon the allies, but not to take the field with their forces till everything was in readiness. These resolutions were ratified by the people. Only a short time now remained of the consuls’ term of office, so that they were unable to carry to completion any of the measures that had been voted, but handed over everything half finished to their successors.

  [1] οἱ δὲ παρὰ τούτων τὴν ἀρχὴν παραλαβόντες, Σπόριος Ναύτιος καὶ Σέξτος Φούριος, στρατιάν θ᾽ ὅσην ἐδύναντο πλείστην ἐκ τοῦ πολιτικοῦ κατεστήσαντο καταλόγου, καὶ φρυκτωρίας καὶ σκοποὺς ἐν τοῖς ἐπικαιροτάτοις φρουρίοις ἔταξαν, ἵνα μηδὲν ἀγνοήσωσι τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς χώρας πραττομένων: χρήματά τε καὶ σῖτον καὶ ὅπλα ἐν ὀλίγῳ χρόνῳ πολλὰ ἡτοιμάσαντο.

  [16.1] Those who assumed office after them, Spurius Nautius and Sextus Furius, raised as large an army as they could from the register of citizens, and placed beacons and lookouts in the most convenient fortresses, in order that they might not be unaware of anything that passed in the country. They also got ready a great quantity of money, corn and arms in a short time.

  [2] τὰ μὲν οὖν οἰκεῖα παρεσκεύαστο αὐτοῖς ὡς ἐνῆν ἄριστα, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτῶν ἔτι δεῖν ἐδόκει: τὰ δὲ συμμαχικὰ οὐχ ἅπαντα ὑπήκουε προθύμως ἑκούσιά τ᾽ οὐκ ἦν, οἷα συνάρασθαι τοῦ πολέμου, ὥστ᾽ οὐδὲ προσαναγκάζειν αὐτὰ ἠξίουν φοβούμενοι προδοσίαν. ἤδη δέ τινα καὶ ἀφίστατο αὐτῶν ἐκ τοῦ φανεροῦ καὶ τοῖς Οὐολούσκοις συνελάμβανε.

  [2] These preparations at home, then, were made in the best manner possible, and nothing now seemed to be wanting; but the allies did not all obey their summons with alacrity nor were they disposed to assist them voluntarily in the war, so that the consuls did not think fit to use compulsion either with them, for fear of treachery. Indeed, some of the allies were already openly revolting from them and aiding the Volscians.

  [3] πρῶτοι δ᾽ ἦρξαν Αἰκανοὶ τῆς ἀποστάσεως, ἅμα τῷ συστῆναι τὸν πόλεμον εὐθὺς ἐλθόντες ὡς τοὺς Οὐολούσκους καὶ συμμαχίαν μεθ᾽ ὅρκων συνθέμενοι, στρατιάν τ᾽ ἀπέστειλαν οὗτοι τῷ Μαρκίῳ πλείστην τε καὶ προθυμοτάτην. ἀρξαμένων δὲ τούτων [p. 145] πολλοὶ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων συμμάχων κρύφα συνελάμβανον τοῖς Οὐολούσκοις οὐκ ἀπὸ ψηφισμάτων οὐδ᾽ ἀπὸ κοινοῦ δόγματος ἀποστέλλοντες αὐτοῖς τὰς συμμαχίας, εἰ δέ τισιν ἦν βουλομένοις μετέχειν τῆς στρατείας τῶν σφετέρων, οὐχ ὅπως ἀποτρέποντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρορμῶντες.

  [3] The Aequians had begun the revolt by going at once to the Volscians as soon as the war arose and entering into an alliance with them under oath; and these sent to Marcius a very numerous and zealous army. After these had taken the lead, many of the other allies also secretly assisted the Volscians and sent them reinforcements, though not in pursuance of any votes or general decree, but if any of their people desired to take part in the campaign of Marcius, they not only did not attempt to dissuade them, but even encouraged them.

  [4] ἐγεγόνει τ᾽ ἐν οὐ πολλῷ χρόνῳ τοσαύτη δύναμις περὶ τοὺς Οὐολούσκους, ὅσην οὐ πώποτ᾽ ἔσχον, ὅτε μάλιστ᾽ ἤκμαζον ταῖς πόλεσιν: ἣν ἐπαγόμενος ὁ Μάρκιος ἐνέβαλεν αὖθις εἰς τὴν Ῥωμαίων γῆν, καὶ ἐγκαθεζόμενος ἡμέρας συχνὰς ἐδῄου τῆς γῆς, ὅσην ἐν τῇ πρότερον εἰσβολῇ παρέλιπε.

  [4] Thus in a short time the Volscians had got so large an army as they had never possessed when their cities had been in the most flourishing state. At the head of this army Marcius made another irruption into the territory of the Romans, and encamping there for many days, laid waste all the country which he had spared in his former incursion.

  [5] σωμάτων μὲν οὖν ἐλευθέρων οὐκέτι πολλῶν ἐγκρατὴς ἐγένετο κατὰ ταύτην τὴν στρατείαν: οἱ γὰρ ἄνθρωποι τὰ πλείστου ἄξια συσκευασάμενοι παλ�
�ίτερον ἔτι κατεπεφεύγεσαν, οἱ μὲν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, οἱ δ᾽ εἰς τὰ πλησίον φρούρια, εἴ τινα ἦν ἐχυρώτατα: τὰ δὲ βοσκήματα αὐτῶν, ὅσα οὐχ οἷοί τ᾽ ἦσαν ἀπελάσαι, καὶ τοὺς νέμοντας θεράποντας λαμβάνει τόν τε σῖτον τὸν ἐπὶ ταῖς ἅλωσιν ἔτι κείμενον καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους καρπούς, τοὺς μὲν ἐν χερσὶν ὄντας,

  [5] He did not, it is true, capture many persons of free condition on this expedition; for the inhabitants had long since fled, after getting together everything that was most valuable, some to Rome and others to such of the neighbouring fortresses as were most capable of defence; but he took all the cattle they had not been able to driven away, together with the slaves who tended them, and carried off the corn, that still lay upon the threshing-floors, and all the other fruits of the earth, whether then gathering or already gathered.

  [6] τοὺς δὲ καὶ συγκεκομισμένους ἀναιρεῖται. προνομεύσας δὲ καὶ διαπορθήσας ἅπαντα οὐθενὸς ὁμόσε χωρῆσαι τολμήσαντος ἀπῆγεν ἐπ᾽ οἴκου τὴν στρατιὰν βαρεῖαν οὖσαν ἤδη τῷ πλήθει τῶν ὠφελειῶν καὶ σχολῇ πορευομένην.

  [6] Having ravaged and laid everything waste, as none dared to come to grips with him, he led homeward his army, which was now heavily burdened with the great amount of its spoils and was proceeding in leisurely fashion.

  [1] οἱ δὲ Οὐολοῦσκοι τὸ μέγεθος τῆς κομιζομένης [p. 146] λείας ὁρῶντες καὶ περὶ τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀτολμίας ἀκούοντες, οἳ δὴ τέως τὴν ἀλλοτρίαν λεηλατοῦντες ἀδεῶς τότε τὴν αὑτῶν γῆν ἠνείχοντο δῃουμένην ὁρῶντες, αὐχήματός τε μεγάλου ἐνεπίμπλαντο καὶ ἐν ἐλπίδι ἦσαν ἡγεμονίας, ὡς δὴ ῥᾴδιον καὶ ἐν ἑτοίμῳ σφίσιν ὂν καταλῦσαι τὴν τῶν ἀντιπάλων ἰσχύν, θυσίας τε χαριστηρίους τοῖς θεοῖς ἐποιοῦντο καὶ σκύλων ἀναθέσει τοὺς νεὼς καὶ τὰς ἀγορὰς ἐκόσμουν καὶ ἦσαν ἅπαντες ἐν ἑορταῖς καὶ εὐπαθείαις τόν τε Μάρκιον ἀγάμενοι καὶ ὑμνοῦντες διετέλουν, ὡς εἴη τά τε πολέμια δεινότατος ἀνθρώπων καὶ στρατηγός, οἷος οὔτε Ῥωμαῖος οὔτε ἄλλος στρατηγὸς Ἑλλήνων ἢ βαρβάρων οὐδείς.

  [17.1] The Volscians, seeing the vast quantity of booty that was being brought home and hearing reports of the craven spirit of the Romans who, though they had hitherto been wont to ravage their neighbours’ country, could now bear to see their own laid waste with impunity, were filled with great boastfulness and entertained hopes of the supremacy, looking upon it as an easy undertaking, lying ready to their hands, to overthrow the power of their adversaries. They offered sacrifices of thanksgiving to the gods for their success and adorned their temples and market-places with dedications of spoils, and all passed their time in festivals and rejoicings; while as for Marcius, they continued to admire and celebrate him as the ablest of all men in warfare and a general without an equal either at Rome or in the Greek or barbarian world.

  [2] μάλιστα δὲ τῆς τύχης αὐτὸν ἐμακάριζον ἅπαντα, ὅσοις ἐπιχειρήσειε, κατὰ γνώμην αὐτῷ προχωροῦντα ὁρῶντες δίχα πόνου: ὥστ᾽ οὐδεὶς ἦν τῶν ἐχόντων τὴν στρατεύσιμον ἡλικίαν, ὃς ἀπολείπεσθαι τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἠξίου, ἀλλὰ πάντες ὥρμηντο μετέχειν τῶν πράξεων καὶ συνῄεσαν ὡς αὐτὸν ἐξ ἁπάσης πόλεως.

  [2] But above all they admired him for his good fortune, observing that everything he undertook easily succeeded according to his desire; so that there was no one of military age who was willing to be left behind by him, but all were eager to share in his exploits and flocked to him from every city.

  [3] ὁ δὲ στρατηγός, ἐπειδὴ τὴν προθυμίαν τῶν Οὐολούσκων ἐπέρρωσε καὶ τὸ τῶν πολεμίων ἀνδρεῖον εἰς ταπεινὴν καὶ ἄνανδρον κατέκλεισεν ἀμηχανίαν, ἐπὶ τὰς συμμαχίδας αὐτῶν πόλεις, ὅσαι τὸ πιστὸν διεφύλαττον, ἦγε τὴν δύναμιν: καὶ αὐτίκα ἑτοιμασάμενος, ὅσα εἰς πολιορκίαν χρήσιμα ἦν, ἐπὶ Τολερίνους ἐλαύνει τοῦ Λατίνων ὄντας ἔθνους.

  [3] The general, after he had strengthened the zeal of the Volscians and reduced the manly fortitude of the enemy to a helplessness that was abject and anything but manly, led his army against the cities of their allies that still remained faithful to them; and having promptly prepared everything that was necessary for a siege, he marched against the Tolerienses, who belonged to the Latin nation.

  [4] οἱ δὲ Τολερῖνοι πρὸ πολλοῦ παρασκευασάμενοι τὰ εἰς τὸν πόλεμον καὶ τὰ ἐκ τῆς χώρας εἰς τὴν πόλιν συγκεκομικότες ἐδέχοντο αὐτὸν ἐπιόντα καὶ χρόνον μέν [p. 147] τιν᾽ ἀντεῖχον ἀπὸ τῶν τειχῶν μαχόμενοι καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν πολεμίων κατέτρωσαν: ἔπειθ᾽ ὑπὸ τῶν σφενδονητῶν ἀναστελλόμενοι καὶ μέχρι δείλης ὀψίας ταλαιπωροῦντες πολλὰ μέρη τοῦ τείχους ἐξέλιπον. τοῦτο

  [4] These, having long before made the necessary preparations for war and transported all the effects they had in the country into the city, withstood his attack and held out for some time, fighting from their walls and wounding many of the enemy; then, after being driven back by the slingers and enduring hardships till the late afternoon, they abandoned many parts of the wall.

  [5] καταμαθὼν ὁ Μάρκιος τοῖς μὲν ἄλλοις στρατιώταις παρήγγειλε κλίμακας προσφέρειν κατὰ τὰ γυμνούμενα μέρη τοῦ περιβόλου, αὐτὸς δὲ τοὺς κρατίστους τῆς στρατιᾶς ἀναλαβὼν ἐπὶ τὰς πύλας ἵεται βαλλόμενος ἀπὸ τῶν πύργων, καὶ διαρρήξας τοὺς μοχλοὺς παρέρχεται πρῶτος εἰς τὴν πόλιν. ἦν δ᾽ ὑφεστηκὸς ταῖς πύλαις πολὺ καὶ καρτερὸν στῖφος τῶν πολεμίων, οἳ δέχονταί τ᾽ αὐτὸν ἐρρωμένως καὶ μέχρι πολλοῦ διεκαρτέρουν ἀγωνιζόμενοι: πολλῶν δ᾽ ἀναιρεθέντων τρέπονται οἱ λοιποὶ καὶ σκεδασθέντες ἔφευγον ἀνὰ τοὺς στενωπούς.

  [5] When Marcius was informed of this, he ordered some of the soldiers to plant ladders against those parts of the wall that were left unprotected, while he himself with the flower of his army hastened to the gates amid a shower of spears that were hurled at him from the towers; and breaking the bars asunder, he was the first to enter the city. Close to the gates stood a large and strong body of the enemy’s troops, who stoutly withstood his attack and continued to fight for a long time; but when many of them had been killed, the rest gave way and, dispersing themselves, fled through the streets.

  [6] ὁ δ᾽ ἠκολούθει κτείνων τοὺς καταλαμβανομένους, ὅσοι μὴ τὰ ὅπλα ῥίψαντες εἰς ἱκεσίας ἐτράποντο: ἐν δὲ τούτῳ καὶ οἱ διὰ τῶν κλιμάκων ἀναβαίνοντες ἐκράτουν τοῦ τ
είχους. τοῦτον δὴ τὸν τρόπον ἁλούσης τῆς πόλεως ἐξελόμενος ὁ Μάρκιος ἐκ τῶν λαφύρων ὅσα θεοῖς τ᾽ ἀναθήματα καὶ κόσμος ταῖς Οὐολούσκων πόλεσιν ἔμελλε γενέσθαι, τὰ λοιπὰ τοῖς στρατιώταις ἐφῆκε διαρπάσαι.

  [6] Marcius followed, putting to death all whom he overtook except those who threw away their arms and had recourse to supplications. In the meantime the men who had ascended by the ladders were making themselves masters of the wall. The town being taken in this manner, Marcius set aside such of the spoils as were to be consecrated to the gods and to adorn the cities of the Volscians, and the rest he permitted the soldiers to plunder.

  [7] ἦν δὲ πολλὰ μὲν αὐτόθι σώματα, πολλὰ δὲ χρήματα, πολὺς δὲ σῖτος, ὥστε μὴ ῥᾴδιον εἶναι μιᾷ πάντα ἐκκομίσαι τοὺς κρατήσαντας ἡμέρᾳ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ διαδοχῆς ἄγοντες καὶ φέροντες τὰ μὲν [p. 148] αὐτοί, τὰ δ᾽ ἐπὶ τῶν ὑποζυγίων πολὺν ἠναγκάσθησαν διατρῖψαι χρόνον.

  [7] Many prisoners were taken there, also a great deal of money and much corn, so that it was not easy for the victors to remove everything in one day, but they were forced to consume much time while, working in relays, they drove or carried away the booty, either on their own backs or using beasts of burden.

  [1] ὁ δὲ στρατηγός, ἐπειδὴ τὰ σώματα καὶ τὰ χρήματα πάντα ἐξεκεκόμιστο, τὴν πόλιν ἔρημον καταλιπὼν ἀπῆγε τὴν δύναμιν ἐπὶ Βῶλαν Λατίνων ἑτέραν πόλιν. ἔτυχον δὲ καὶ οἱ Βωλανοὶ προεγνωκότες αὐτοῦ τὴν ἔφοδον καὶ παρεσκευασμένοι πάντα τὰ πρὸς τὸν ἀγῶνα ἐπιτήδεια. ὁ μὲν οὖν Μάρκιος ὡς ἐξ ἐφόδου τὴν πόλιν αἱρήσων κατὰ πολλὰ μέρη τοῦ τείχους ἐποιεῖτο τὰς προσβολάς: οἱ δὲ Βωλανοὶ περιμείναντες καιρὸν ἐπιτήδειον ἀνοίγουσι τὰς πύλας, καὶ φερόμενοι κατὰ πλῆθος ἐν τάξει τε καὶ κόσμῳ συρράττουσι τοῖς κατὰ μέτωπον, καὶ πολλοὺς αὐτῶν ἀποκτείναντες, ἔτι δὲ πλείους κατατραυματίσαντες τούς τε λοιποὺς αἰσχρῶς ἀναγκάσαντες φυγεῖν ἀνέστρεψαν εἰς τὴν πόλιν.