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

by Dionysius of Halicarnassus

  [5.1] But the person who was attended with the largest number of followers and had the most influence of all the young men at that time was Caeso Quintius, the son of Lucius Quintius called Cincinnatus, a man of both illustrious birth and of a fortune inferior to none, the handsomest of youths to look upon, distinguished above all others in warfare, and possessing a natural talent for speaking. This he freely indulged at that time against the plebeians; and he neither spared words hard for free men to listen to nor refrained from deeds that matched his words. For these reasons the patricians held him in great esteem and urged him to continue on his dangerous course, promising to afford him impunity; but the plebeians hated him above all men.

  [2] τοῦτον τὸν ἄνδρα ἔγνωσαν οἱ δήμαρχοι πρῶτον ἐκποδὼν ποιήσασθαι, ὡς καταπληξόμενοι τοὺς λοιποὺς τῶν νέων καὶ προσαναγκάσοντες σωφρονεῖν. γνόντες δὲ ταῦτα καὶ παρασκευασάμενοι λόγους τε καὶ μάρτυρας πολλοὺς εἰσάγουσιν αὐτὸν ὑπὸ δίκην ἀδικήματος δημοσίου, θανάτου τιμησάμενοι τὴν δίκην. παραγγείλαντες δ᾽ αὐτῷ παρεῖναι πρὸς τὸν δῆμον, ἐπειδὴ καθῆκεν ὁ χρόνος, ὃν ἔταξαν τῇ δίκῃ, συναγαγόντες ἐκκλησίαν μακροὺς ἐποιήσαντο κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ λόγους, διεξιόντες ὅσα βίᾳ διαπεπραγμένος ἐτύγχανεν εἰς τοὺς δημότας, ὧν τοὺς πεπονθότας αὐτοὺς παρῆγον μάρτυρας.

  [2] This man the tribunes determined to remove out of the way first, expecting to terrify the rest of the youths and compel them to act sensibly. Having come to this decision and got ready their accusations and numerous witnesses, they brought him to trial for a crime against the state, for which they fixed death as the penalty. When they had summoned him to appear before the populace and the day they had appointed for the trial had come, they called an assembly and delivered lengthy speeches against him, enumerating all the acts of violence he had committed against the plebeians and presenting as witnesses the victims of his acts in person.

  [3] ὡς δὲ παρέδωκαν τὸν λόγον, αὐτὸ μὲν τὸ μειράκιον οὐχ ὑπήκουε καλούμενον ἐπὶ τὴν ἀπολογίαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἠξίου τοῖς ἰδιώταις αὐτοῖς ὑπὲρ ὧν ᾐτιῶντο παθεῖν [p. 9] κατὰ τὸν νόμον ὑπέχειν δίκας, ἐπὶ τῶν ὑπάτων τῆς κρίσεως γινομένης: ὁ δὲ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ χαλεπῶς φέροντας τὴν αὐθάδειαν τοῦ μειρακίου τοὺς δημοτικοὺς ὁρῶν ἀπελογεῖτο τὰ μὲν πολλὰ ψευδῆ τε καὶ ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς συγκείμενα κατὰ τοῦ παιδὸς ἀποδεικνύς:

  [3] When they gave him leave to speak, the youth himself, being called upon to make his defence, refused, but asked the right to give satisfaction to the private persons themselves for the injuries of which they accused him, the hearing to take place before the consuls. His father, however, observing that the plebeians were offended by the haughtiness of the youth, endeavoured to excuse him by showing that most of the accusations were false and deliberately invented against his son;

  [4] ὅσα δ᾽ οὐκ ἐνῆν ἀρνήσασθαι μικρὰ καὶ φαῦλα καὶ οὐκ ἄξια δημοσίας ὀργῆς εἶναι λέγων καὶ οὐδὲ ταῦτα ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς ἢ δι᾽ ὕβριν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ φιλοτιμίας μειρακιώδους γεγονότα ἐπιδεικνύμενος, δι᾽ ἣν πολλὰ μὲν αὐτῷ συμβῆναι δρᾶσαι τῶν ἀβουλήτων ἐν ἁψιμαχίαις, πολλὰ δ᾽ ἴσως καὶ παθεῖν, οὔτε ἡλικίας ἐν τῷ κρατίστῳ

  [4] that the instances which he could not deny were slight and trivial and not deserving the resentment of the public, and that not even these had proceeded from design or insolence, but from a youthful ambition which had led him to do many unpremeditated things in scrimmages — perhaps to suffer many too — since he was neither at the prime of life nor at the best age for clear judgement.

  [5] ὄντι οὔτε φρονήσεως ἐν τῷ καθαρωτάτῳ. ἠξίου τε τοὺς δημοτικοὺς μὴ μόνον ὀργὴν μὴ ἔχειν ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἥμαρτεν εἰς ὀλίγους, ἀλλὰ καὶ χάριν εἰδέναι περὶ ὧν ἅπαντας εὖ ποιῶν ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις διετέλεσε, τοῖς μὲν ἰδιώταις ἐλευθερίαν κτώμενος, τῇ δὲ πατρίδι ἡγεμονίαν, ἑαυτῷ δὲ εἴ ποτε ἁμάρτοι τι φιλανθρωπίαν παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν καὶ βοήθειαν. καὶ διεξῄει τάς τε στρατείας πάσας καὶ τοὺς ἀγῶνας ἅπαντας, ἐξ ὧν ἀριστεῖα καὶ στεφάνους παρὰ τῶν στρατηγῶν ἔλαβε, πολιτῶν τε ὁπόσων ἐν ταῖς μάχαις ὑπερήσπισε καὶ

  [5] And he asked the plebeians not only to entertain no resentment for the offences which he had committed against a few, but even to feel grateful for the services he had constantly rendered to them all in the wars while trying to secure liberty for his fellow citizens in private life, supremacy for his country, and for himself, if he should be guilty of any offence, friendly consideration and succour from the people generally. He proceeded to enumerate all the campaigns and all the battles in which he had received from his generals rewards of valour and crowns, how many citizens he had shielded in battle, and how often he had been the first man to scale the enemy’s walls.

  [6] τείχεσι πολεμίων ὁσάκις πρῶτος ἐπέβη. τελευτῶν δ᾽ εἰς οἴκτους κατέβαινε καὶ δεήσεις, ἀντὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ πρὸς ἅπαντας ἐπιεικείας βίου τε, ὃς ἐμαρτυρεῖτο αὐτῷ πάσης καθαρὸς διαβολῆς, μίαν ἀπαιτῶν παρὰ τοῦ δήμου χάριν, φυλάξαι τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῷ. [p. 10]

  [6] And at last he ended with appeals to their compassion and with entreaties; in consideration of his fairness toward all men and of his life in general, which stood approved as free from all reproach, he asked of the people one single favour — to safeguard his son for him.

  [1] ὁ μὲν οὖν δῆμος ἥδετο πάνυ τοῖς λόγοις καὶ χαρίζεσθαι τὸ μειράκιον τῷ πατρὶ πρόθυμος ἦν. ὁ δὲ Οὐεργίνιος ὁρῶν, ὅτι μὴ δόντος ἐκείνου δίκην ἀφόρητον ἔσται τὸ θράσος τῶν αὐθαδῶν μειρακίων, ἀνίσταται καί φησιν:

  [6.1] The people were exceedingly pleased with this speech and were eager to grant the life of the youth to his father. But Verginius, perceiving that if he were not punished the boldness of the headstrong youths would become intolerable, rose up and said:

  [2] σοὶ μέν, ὦ Κοίντιε, ἥ τε ἄλλη μαρτυρεῖται πᾶσα ἀρετὴ καὶ ἡ πρὸς τοὺς δημοτικοὺς εὔνοια, ἀνθ᾽ ὧν τὸ τιμᾶσθαί σοι πάρεστιν. ἡ δὲ τοῦ μειρακίου βαρύτης καὶ ἡ πρὸς ἅπαντας ἡμᾶς ὑπερηφανία παραίτησιν ἢ συγγνώμην οὐδεμίαν ἐπιδέχεται: ὅστις ὑπὸ τοῖς σοῖς ἤθεσι τραφεὶς οὕτως οὖσι δημοτικοῖς καὶ μετρίοις, ὡς ἅπαντες ἴσμεν, τῶν μὲν σῶν ὑπερεῖδεν ἐπιτηδευμάτων, τυραννικὴν δὲ αὐθάδειαν καὶ βαρβάρων ἀνθρώπων ὕβριν ἠγάπησε, καὶ πονηρῶν ἔργων ζῆλον εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν εἰσαγήοχεν.

>   [2] “As for you, Quintius, not only all your other merits, but also your goodwill toward the plebeians is amply attested, and for these you have received honour. But the offensive behaviour of this youth and his haughtiness toward us all admit of no palliation or pardon; for though nurtured in your principles, which are so democratic and moderate, as we are all aware, he despised your ways of life and grew fond of a tyrannical arrogance and a barbarian insolence, and has introduced into our commonwealth an emulation of base deeds.

  [3] εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐλάνθανέ σε τοιοῦτος ὤν, νῦν ὅτ᾽ ἔγνωκας ἀγανακτεῖν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν δίκαιος ἂν εἴης: εἰ δὲ συνῄδεις τε καὶ συνέπραττες οἷς προεπηλάκιζε τὴν τῶν πενήτων πολιτῶν τύχην, πονηρὸς ἄρα καὶ αὐτὸς ἦσθα, καὶ ἡ τῆς καλοκἀγαθίας δόξα οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ δικαίου σοι περιγέγονεν. ἀλλὰ γὰρ ὅτι ἠγνόεις αὐτὸν οὐκ ὄντα τῆς σῆς ἀρετῆς ἄξιον, ἐγώ σοι τοῦτ᾽ ἔχω μαρτυρεῖν. ἀπολύων δέ σε τοῦ τότε συναδικεῖν ἡμᾶς μέμφομαι τοῦ

  [3] If, therefore, you were unaware hitherto of his character, now that you know it, you ought in justice to be indignant on our account; but if you were privy to and took part in the foul abuse he was wont to pour out upon the unhappy lot of the poor citizens, then you too were base and did not deserve the reputation for uprightness that has come to you. But that you did not know him to be unworthy of your excellence I myself can bear you witness. Nevertheless, though I acquit you of joining with him in injuring us at that time, I blame you for not joining with us now in resenting those injuries.

  [4] νῦν ἡμῖν μὴ συναγανακτεῖν. ἵνα δὲ μᾶλλον μάθῃς, ἡλίκον ἄρα τῇ πόλει κακὸν ἐπιτρέφων ἐλάνθανες, ὡς ὠμὸν καὶ τυραννικὸν καὶ οὐδὲ φόνου πολιτικοῦ καθαρόν, ἄκουσον αὐτοῦ φιλότιμον ἔργον καὶ ἀντιπαρεξέτασον [p. 11] αὐτῷ τὰς ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις ἀριστείας: καὶ ὑμῶν ὅσοι συνεπαθεῖτε ἀρτίως οἰκτιζομένῳ τῷ ἀνδρὶ σκοπεῖτε, εἰ ἄρα καλῶς ὑμῖν ἔχει τοιούτου φείσασθαι πολίτου.

  [4] And that you may know better how great a bane you have reared up unwittingly against the commonwealth, how cruel and tyrannical and not even free from the murder of his fellow citizens, listen to an ambitious exploit of his and balance it against the rewards of valour he received in the wars. And as many of you plebeians as were just now affected with the compassion which this man endeavoured to arouse, consider whether it is after all well for you to spare such a citizen.”

  [1] ταῦτ᾽ εἰπὼν ἀνίστησιν ἐκ τῶν συναρχόντων Μάρκον Οὐολούσκιον καὶ λέγειν ἐκέλευσεν, ἃ σύνοιδε τῷ μειρακίῳ. σιωπῆς δὲ γενομένης καὶ πολλῆς ἐξ ἁπάντων προσδοκίας μικρὸν ἐπισχὼν ὁ Οὐολούσκιος εἶπεν:

  [7.1] Having spoken thus, he asked Marcus Volscius, one of his colleagues, to rise up and tell what he knew about the youth. When all had become silent and full of expectation, Volscius, after a short pause, said:

  [2] ἐγὼ μάλιστα ἐβουλόμην ἄν, ὦ πολῖται, δίκην ἰδίαν, ἣν ὁ νόμος δίδωσί μοι, παρὰ τούτου λαβεῖν δεινὰ καὶ πέρα δεινῶν πεπονθώς: κωλυθεὶς δὲ τούτου τυχεῖν διὰ πενίαν καὶ ἀσθένειαν καὶ τὸ τῶν πολλῶν εἷς εἶναι, νῦν γ᾽ ἡνίκα ἔξεστί μοι τὸ τοῦ μάρτυρος σχῆμα, ἐπειδὴ οὐ τὸ τοῦ κατηγόρου, λήψομαι. ἃ δὲ

  [2] “I should have preferred, citizens, to receive from this man private satisfaction, such as the law affords me, for the terrible and worse than terrible wrongs I have suffered; but having been prevented from obtaining this by reason of poverty and lack of influence and because of my being one of the common crowd, now, when it is possible, I shall take the rôle of a witness, since I can not take that of an accuser. Hear from me, then, the things I have suffered, how cruel, how irreparable they were.

  [3] πέπονθα, ὡς ὠμὰ καὶ ἀνήκεστα, ἀκούσατέ μου. ἀδελφὸς ἦν μοι Λεύκιος, ὃν ἐγὼ πάντων ἀνθρώπων μᾶλλον ἠγάπησα. οὗτός μοι συνεδείπνει παρὰ φίλῳ, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτ᾽ ἀναστάντες τῆς ἐχομένης νυκτὸς ᾠχόμεθα. διεληλυθόσι δ᾽ ἡμῖν τὴν ἀγορὰν περιτυγχάνει Καίσων οὑτοσὶ κωμάζων σὺν ἑτέροις ἀγερώχοις μειρακίοις. καὶ οὗτοι τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἔσκωπτόν τε καὶ ὕβριζον εἰς ἡμᾶς, οἷα μεθύοντες ἂν νέοι καὶ αὐθάδεις ὡς ἂν εἰς ταπεινοὺς καὶ πένητας ὑβρίσαιεν, ὡς δ᾽ ἠγανακτοῦμεν πρὸς αὐτούς, ἐλεύθερον ῥῆμα εἰς τοῦτον εἶπε. δεινὸν [p. 12] δ᾽ ἡγησάμενος οὑτοσὶ Καίσων ἀκοῦσαί τι, ὧν οὐκ ἐβούλετο, προσδραμὼν αὐτῷ παίων καὶ λακτίζων καὶ πᾶσαν ἄλλην ὠμότητα καὶ ὕβριν ἐνδεικνύμενος ἀποκτείνει.

  [3] I had a brother, Lucius, whom I loved above all men. He and I supped with a friend and afterwards, as night came on, we rose and departed. When we had passed through the Forum, Caeso here fell in with us as he was revelling with other insolent youths. At first they laughed at us and abused us, as young men when drunk and arrogant are apt to abuse the humble and poor; and when we were vexed at them, Lucius spoke out frankly to this man. But Caeso here, thinking it outrageous to have anything said to him that he did not like, ran up to him, and beating and kicking him and showing every other form of cruelty and abuse, killed him.

  [4] ἐμοῦ δὲ κεκραγότος καὶ ἀμυνομένου τοσαῦτα ὅσα ἐδυνάμην, ἐκεῖνον ἤδη νεκρὸν κείμενον ἀφεὶς ἐμὲ πάλιν ἔπαιε καὶ οὐ πρότερον ἐπαύσατο, πρὶν ἀκίνητόν τε καὶ ἄφωνον εἶδεν ἐρριμμένον, δόξας εἶναι νεκρόν. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα οὗτος μὲν ἀπιὼν ᾤχετο χαίρων ὥσπερ ἐπὶ καλῷ ἔργῳ: ἡμᾶς δὲ οἱ παραγενόμενοι μετὰ ταῦτα αἵματι πεφυρμένους αἴρουσι καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν ἀπεκόμισαν, τὸν μὲν ἀδελφόν μου Λεύκιον νεκρόν, ὥσπερ ἔφην, ἐμὲ δὲ ἡμιθανῆ καὶ ἐλπίδας ἔχοντα τοῦ ζῆν ὀλίγας.

  [4] And when I cried out and was doing all I could to defend him, Caeso, leaving my brother Lucius where he already lay dead, fell to beating me in turn, and ceased not until he saw me cast down upon the ground motionless and speechless, so that he took me to be dead. After that he went away rejoicing, as if over a noble deed. As for us, some persons who came along later took us up, covered with blood, and carried us home, my brother being dead, as I said, and I half dead and having little hope of living.

  [5] ταῦτα δ᾽ ἐγένετο Ποπλίου Σερουιλίου καὶ Λευκίου Αἰβουτίου τὴν ὑπατείαν ἐχόντων, ὅτε ἡ μεγάλη νόσος κατέλαβε τὴν πόλιν, ἧς ἀπελαύσαμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀμφότεροι. τότε μὲν οὖν δίκην οὐχ οἷόν τ᾽ ἦν μοι παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ λαβεῖν τεθνηκότων ἀμφοτέρων τῶν ὑπάτων: Λευκίου δὲ Λοκρητίου καὶ Τίτου Οὐετουρίου παραλαβό
ντων τὴν ἀρχὴν βουλόμενος αὐτὸν ἀγαγεῖν ὑπὸ δίκην ἐκωλύθην διὰ τὸν πόλεμον, ἐκλελοιπότων ἀμφοτέρων τῶν ὑπάτων τὴν πόλιν.

  [5] This happened in the consulship of Publius Servilius and Lucius Aebutius, when the city was attacked by the great pestilence, which both of us caught. At that time, therefore, it was not possible for me to obtain justice against him, since both consuls were dead; then, when Lucius Lucretius and Titus Veturius had succeeded to the office, I wished to bring him to trial, but was prevented by the war, both consuls having left the city.

  [6] ὡς δὲ ἀνέστρεψαν ἀπὸ τῆς στρατείας, πολλάκις αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν καλῶν, ὁσάκις προσέλθοιμι — καὶ ταῦτα δὴ πολλοὶ τῶν πολιτῶν ἴσασι — πληγὰς ἐλάμβανον ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ. ταῦτ᾽ ἐστὶν ἃ πέπονθα, ὦ δημόται, μετὰ πάσης ἀληθείας εἰρημένα πρὸς ὑμᾶς. [p. 13]

  [6] After they returned from the campaign, I often cited him to appear before those magistrates, but as often as I approached them — as many of the citizens know — I received blows from him. These are the things I have suffered, plebeians, and I have related them to you with complete truthfulness.”

  [1] ταῦτ᾽ εἰπόντος αὐτοῦ κραυγή τε ἐκ τῶν παρόντων ἐγένετο καὶ ὁρμὴ πολλῶν ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκ χειρὸς δίκην. ἀλλ᾽ οἵ τε ὕπατοι ἐμποδὼν ἐγένοντο καὶ τῶν δημάρχων οἱ πλείους πονηρὸν ἔθος οὐκ ἀξιοῦντες εἰς τὴν πόλιν εἰσάγειν. ἦν δὲ καὶ τοῦ δήμου τὸ καθαρώτατον οὐ βουλόμενον ἀποστερεῖν λόγου τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῶν μεγίστων ἀγωνιζομένους.