[4] Then, during the following days, they announced the third market-day from that one as the day when they would assemble the populace and impose a monetary fine upon the consuls; after which they dismissed the assembly. But when the time drew near, they refrained from imposing even this fine, alleging that they granted the favour at the intercession of men who were the oldest and most honoured.
[5] καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα συναγαγόντες τὸν δῆμον ἔλεγον, ὅτι τὰς μὲν εἰς ἑαυτοὺς ὕβρεις ἀφείκασι χαρισάμενοι πολλοῖς καὶ ἀγαθοῖς ἀνδράσι δεομένοις, οἷς οὐκ ἦν ὅσιον ἀντιλέγειν, ὧν δὲ ὁ δῆμος ἠδικεῖτο κωλυταί τε καὶ τιμωροὶ ἔσεσθαι. προθήσειν γὰρ αὖθις τόν τε περὶ τῆς κληρουχίας νόμον ἔτη τριάκοντα παρειλκυσμένον καὶ τὸν περὶ τῆς ἰσονομίας, ὃν οἱ πρὸ αὐτῶν δήμαρχοι προθέντες οὐκ ἐπεψήφισαν.
[5] After that they assembled the populace and told them that they had pardoned the insults to themselves, doing this at the request of many worthy men whom it was not right to refuse, but that as for the wrongs done to the populace, they would both avenge them and prevent their recurrence. For they would again propose not only the law concerning the allotment of land, the enactment of which had been postponed for thirty years, but also the one concerning an equality of laws, which their predecessors had proposed but had not put to vote.
[1] ταῦθ᾽ ὑποσχόμενοι καὶ ὀμόσαντες ἀπέδειξαν ἡμέρας, ἐν αἷς ἀγορὰν ποιήσονται τοῦ δήμου [p. 67] καὶ τὰς ψήφους ἀναδώσουσι περὶ τῶν νόμων: ἐπιστάντος δὲ τοῦ χρόνου πρῶτον εἰσέφερον τὸν χωρονομικὸν νόμον καὶ πολλοὺς διελθόντες λόγους ἐκάλουν, εἴ τις τῷ νόμῳ συναγορεύειν βούλεται τῶν δημοτικῶν.
[36.1] Having made these promises and confirmed them by oaths, they appointed days on which they would hold an assembly of the populace and take their votes concerning the laws. When the time came, they first proposed the agrarian law, and after discussing it at great length, called upon any of the plebeians who so desired to speak in favour of the law.
[2] πολλῶν δὲ παριόντων καὶ τὰς ἑαυτῶν πράξεις, ἃς ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις ἀπεδείξαντο, προφερομένων καὶ ἀγανακτούντων, ὅτι πολλὴν ἀφελόμενοι γῆν τοὺς πολεμίους αὐτοὶ μὲν οὐδεμίαν εἰλήφασι μοῖραν, τοὺς δὲ χρήμασι καὶ φίλοις δυνατοὺς ἐσφετερισμένους ὁρῶσι τὰ κοινὰ καὶ καρπουμένους ἐκ τοῦ βιαιοτάτου, ἀξιούντων τε μὴ μόνον τοὺς κινδύνους εἶναι τῷ δήμῳ τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῶν κοινῶν ἀγαθῶν κοινούς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν ἡδονάς τε καὶ ὠφελείας, καὶ τοῦ πλήθους ἀσμένως ἀκούοντος τοὺς λόγους, ὁ μάλιστα ἐπιρρώσας τὸν δῆμον καὶ μηδὲ φωνὴν ὑπομένειν τῶν ἀντιλεγόντων διαπραξάμενος ἦν Λεύκιος Σίκκιος, Δεντάτος ἐπικαλούμενος, πολλὰς πάνυ καὶ μεγάλας ἑαυτοῦ πράξεις διεξελθών.
[2] Many came forward, and enumerating the exploits they had performed in the wars, expressed their indignation that they who had taken so much land from their enemies had received no part of it themselves, while they saw that those who were powerful by reason of their riches and their friends had appropriated and now enjoyed, by the most violent means, the possessions that belonged to all; and they demanded that the populace should share, not only in the dangers that were undertaken for the common good, but also in the pleasures and profits that resulted from those dangers. And the multitude listened to them with pleasure. But the one who encouraged them the most and refused to tolerate even a word from the opponents of the law was Lucius Siccius, surnamed Dentatus, who related very many great exploits of his own.
[3] ἦν δ᾽ ὀφθῆναί τε θαυμαστὸς ὁ ἀνὴρ καὶ ἡλικίας ἐν τῷ κρατίστῳ δυεῖν δέοντα ἑξήκοντα γεγονὼς ἔτη καὶ φρονῆσαι τὰ δέοντα ἱκανὸς εἰπεῖν τε ὡς στρατιώτης οὐκ ἀδύνατος. ἔφη δ᾽ οὖν παρελθών: ἐγώ, ὦ δημόται, καθ᾽ ἕκαστον ἔργον τῶν ἐμοὶ πεπραγμένων εἰ βουλοίμην λέγειν, ἐπιλίποι ἄν με ὁ τῆς ἡμέρας χρόνος. αὐτὰ δὲ τὰ κεφάλαια δι᾽ ἐλαχίστων ὡς ἐμὴ
[3] He was a man of remarkable appearance, was in the very prime of life, being fifty-eight years old, capable of conceiving practical measures and also, for a soldier, eloquent in expressing them. This man, then, came forward and said:
“If I, plebeians, should choose to relate my exploits one by one, a day’s time would not suffice me; hence I shall give a mere summary, in the fewest words I can.
[4] δύναμις ἐρῶ. τετταρακοστὸν μὲν ἔτος ἐστί μοι τοῦτο, ἐξ οὗ στρατεύομαι περὶ τῆς πατρίδος, τριακοστὸν δ᾽ [p. 68] ἐξ οὗ στρατιωτικῆς ἀεί τινος ἡγεμονίας τυγχάνων, τοτὲ μὲν σπείρας ἡγούμενος, τοτὲ δ᾽ ὅλου τάγματος, ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ τῶν ὑπάτων Γαίου Ἀκυλλίου καὶ Τίτου Σικκίου, οἷς ἐψηφίσατο ἡ βουλὴ τὸν κατὰ Οὐολούσκων πόλεμον. ἤμην γὰρ τότε ἑπτακαιεικοσέτης, ἐταττόμην δ᾽ ἔτι ὑπὸ λοχαγῷ.
[4] This is the fortieth year that I have been making campaigns for my country, and the thirtieth that I have continued to hold some military command, sometimes over a cohort and sometimes over a whole legion, beginning with the consulship of Gaius Aquillius and Titus Siccius, to whom the senate committed the conduct of the war against the Volscians. I was then twenty-seven years of age and in rank I was still under a centurion.
[5] γενομένης δὲ μάχης καρτερᾶς καὶ τροπῆς, καὶ τοῦ μὲν ἡγεμόνος τῆς σπείρας πεπτωκότος, τῶν δὲ σημείων κρατουμένων ὑπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν, μόνος ἐγὼ τὸν ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων κίνδυνον ἀράμενος τά τε σημεῖα διέσωσα τῇ σπείρᾳ καὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἀνέστειλα καὶ τοῦ μὴ περιπεσεῖν αἰσχύνῃ τοὺς λοχαγοὺς αἰωνίῳ, δι᾽ ἣν θανάτου κακίων ὁ λοιπὸς ἂν αὐτοῖς βίος ἦν, αἴτιος ἐγενόμην φανερῶς, ὡς αὐτοί τε ὡμολόγουν χρυσῷ με ἀναδήσαντες στεφάνῳ, καὶ ὁ ὕπατος Σίκκιος ἐμαρτύρησεν ἡγεμόνα τῆς σπείρας ἀποδείξας.
[5] When a severe battle occurred and a rout, the commander of the cohort had fallen, and the standards were in the hands of the enemy, I alone, exposing myself in behalf of all, recovered the standards for the cohort, repulsed the enemy, and was clearly the one who saved the centurions from incurring everlasting disgrace — which would have rendered the rest of their lives more bitter than death — as both they themselves acknowledged, by crowning me with a golden crown, and Siccius the consul bore witness, by appointing me commander of the cohort.
[6] ἑτέρου τε πάλιν ἡμῖν ἀγῶνος ἐνστάντος, ἐν ᾧ τόν τε στρατοπεδάρχην τοῦ τάγματος ἡμῶν συνέβη πεσεῖν καὶ τὸν ἀετὸν ὑπὸ τοῖς πολεμ�
�οις γενέσθαι, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ὑπὲρ ὅλου τοῦ τάγματος ἀγωνισάμενος τόν τ᾽ ἀετὸν ἀνεκομισάμην καὶ τὸν στρατοπεδάρχην ἔσωσα: ὃς ἐμοὶ τῆς τότε βοηθείας χάριν ἀποδιδοὺς τῆς ἡγεμονίας τοῦ τάγματος ἀφίστατό μοι καὶ τὸν ἀετὸν ἐδίδου, ἐγὼ δ᾽ οὐκ ἔλαβον, οὐκ ἀξιῶν ᾧ τὸν βίον ἐχαρισάμην τούτου παρελέσθαι [p. 69] τὰς τιμὰς ἃς εἶχε καὶ τὰς ἐπὶ ταύταις εὐφροσύνας. ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἀγασθείς με ὁ ὕπατος τοῦ πρώτου τάγματος ἀπέδωκε τὴν στρατοπεδαρχίαν ἀπολωλεκότος ἐν τῇ μάχῃ τὸν ἡγεμόνα.
[6] And in another battle that we had, in which it happened that the primipilus of the legion was thrown to the ground and the eagle fell into the enemy’s hands, I fought in the same manner in defence of the whole legion, recovered the eagle and saved the primipilus. In return for the assistance I then gave him he wished to resign his command of the legion in my favour and to give me the eagle; but I refused both, being unwilling to deprive the man whose life I had saved of the honours he enjoyed and of the satisfaction resulting from them. The consul was pleased with my behaviour and gave me the post of primipilus in the first legion, which had lost its commander in the battle.
[1] ταῦτ᾽ ἐστίν, ὦ δημόται, τὰ φανερώσαντά με καὶ εἰς ἡγεμονίας προαγαγόντα γενναῖα ἔργα. ἐπεὶ δ᾽ ὀνόματος ἤδη λαμπροῦ τυγχάνων φανερὸς ἤμην, ἅπαντας ὑπέμενον τοὺς λοιποὺς ἀγῶνας αἰδούμενος τὰς ἐπὶ τοῖς προτέροις ἔργοις τιμὰς καὶ χάριτας ἀφανίσαι. καὶ διετέλεσα πάντα τὸν μεταξὺ χρόνον στρατευόμενος καὶ ταλαιπωρῶν καὶ οὐδένα κίνδυνον δεδιὼς οὐδὲ ὑπολογιζόμενος: ἐξ ὧν ἁπάντων ἀριστεῖα καὶ σκῦλα καὶ στεφάνους καὶ τὰς ἄλλας τιμὰς παρὰ
[37.1] “These, plebeians, are the noble actions which brought me distinction and preferment. After I had already gained an illustrious name and was famous, I submitted to the hardships of all the other engagements, being ashamed to blot out the memory of the honours and favours I had received for my former actions. And all the time since then I have continued to take part in campaigns and undergo their hardships without fearing or even considering my danger. From all these campaigns I received prizes for valour, spoils, crowns, and the other honours from the consuls.
[2] τῶν ὑπάτων ἔλαβον: ἵνα δὲ συνελὼν εἴπω, μάχας μὲν ἐν τοῖς τετταράκοντα ἔτεσιν, ἐν οἷς διατελῶ στρατευόμενος, ἀμφὶ τὰς ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι μεμάχημαι, τραύματα δὲ πέντε καὶ τετταράκοντα εἴληφα καὶ πάντα ἐμπρόσθια, κατὰ νώτου δ᾽ οὐθέν. καὶ τούτων δώδεκά ἐστιν, ἃ συνέβη μοι λαβεῖν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ, ὅτε Σαβῖνος Ἑρδώνιος τὴν ἄκραν καὶ τὸ Καπιτώλιον κατελάβετο.
[2] In a word, during the forty years I have continued to serve I have fought about one hundred and twenty battles and received forty-five wounds, all in front and not one behind; twelve of these I happened to receive in one day, when Herdonius the Sabine seized the citadel and the Capitol.
[3] ἀριστεῖα δ᾽ ἐκ τῶν ἀγώνων ἐξενήνεγμαι τεσσαρεσκαίδεκα μὲν στεφάνους πολιτικούς, οἷς ἀνέδησάν με οἱ σωθέντες ἐν ταῖς μάχαις ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ, τρεῖς δὲ πολιορκητικοὺς πρῶτος ἐπιβὰς πολεμίων τείχεσι καὶ κατασχών, ὀκτὼ δὲ τοὺς ἐκ παρατάξεως, οἷς ὑπὸ τῶν αὐτοκρατόρων ἐτιμήθην: πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ὀγδοήκοντα μὲν καὶ τρεῖς χρυσοῦς στρεπτοὺς περιαυχενίους, ἑξήκοντα δὲ καὶ ἑκατὸν περιβραχιόνια χρύσεα, δόρατα δ᾽ ὀκτωκαίδεκα, [p. 70] φάλαρα δ᾽ ἐπίσημα πέντε πρὸς τοῖς εἴκοσιν, % ὧν ἐννέα ἦσαν, οὓς μονομαχῆσαί τινα ἡμῶν προκαλεσαμένους ἑκούσιος ὑποστὰς ἐνίκησα.
[3] As to rewards for valour, I have brought out of those contests fourteen civic crowns, bestowed upon me by those I saved in battle, three mural crowns for having been the first to mount the enemy’s walls and hold them, and eight others for my exploits on the battlefield, with which I was honoured by the generals; and, in addition to these, eighty-three gold collars, one hundred and sixty gold bracelets, eighteen spears, twenty-five splendid decorations, . . . nine of whom I voluntarily encountered and overcame when they challenged someone of our men to fight in single combat.
[4] οὗτος μέντοι Σίκκιος, ὦ πολῖται, ὁ τοσαῦτα μὲν ἔτη στρατευσάμενος ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, τοσαύτας δὲ μάχας ἀγωνισάμενος, τοσούτοις δὲ τετιμημένος ἀριστείοις, ὁ μηδένα κίνδυνον ὀκνήσας πώποτε μηδ᾽ ἀπειπάμενος ἄλλῃ ἐν παρατάξεσι καὶ ἐν τειχομαχίαις καὶ ἐν πεζοῖς καὶ ἐν ἱππεῦσι καὶ μετὰ πάντων καὶ σὺν ὀλίγοις καὶ μόνος, καὶ κατατετρωμένος ὅλον τὸ σῶμα, ὁ συγκατακτησάμενος τῇ πατρίδι πολλὴν καὶ ἀγαθὴν γῆν, τοῦτο μὲν ἣν Τυρρηνούς τε παὶ Σαβίνους ἀφείλεσθε, τοῦτο δὲ ἣν Αἰκανῶν καὶ Οὐολούσκων καὶ Πωμεντίνων κρατήσαντες ἔχετε, οὐδὲ τὴν ἐλαχίστην ἔχω μοῖραν ἐξ αὐτῆς λαβών, οὐδ᾽ ὑμῶν, ὦ δημόται, τῶν τὰ ὅμοια ταλαιπωρησάντων οὐδείς: οἱ δὲ βιαιότατοι τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει καὶ ἀναιδέστατοι τὴν καλλίστην κατέχουσιν ἐξ αὐτῆς καὶ πολλὰ ἔτη κεκάρπωνται οὔτε δωρεὰν παρ᾽ ὑμῶν λαβόντες οὔτε χρημάτων πριάμενοι οὔτε ἄλλην δικαίαν κτῆσιν οὐδεμίαν αὐτῆς ἀποδεῖξαι δυνάμενοι.
[4] Nevertheless, citizens, this Siccius, who has served so many years in your defence, fought so many battles, been honoured with so many prizes for valour, who never shirked or declined any danger, but . . . in pitched battles and assaults upon walled towns, among the foot and among the horse, with all, with a few, and alone, whose body is covered be with wounds, and who has had a share in winning this country much fertile land, both that which you have taken from the Tyrrhenians and the substitutes and that which you possess after conquering the Aequians, the Volscians and the Pometini — this Siccius, I say, has not received even the least portion of this land as his to possess, nor has any one of you plebeians who have shared in the same hardships. But the most violent and shameless men of the city hold the finest part of it and have had the enjoyment of it for many years, without having either received it from you as a gift or purchased it or being able to show any other just title to it.
[5] καὶ εἰ μὲν ἴσα τοῖς ἄλλοις ἡμῖν ταλαιπωρήσαντες, ὅτ᾽ αὐτὴν ἐκτώμεθα, πλεῖον ἠξίουν ἡμῶν ἔχειν, ἦν μὲν οὐδ᾽ οὕτω δίκαιον οὐδὲ πολιτικὸν ὀλίγους σφετερίσασθαι [p. 71] τὰ κοινά, οὐ μὴν ἀλλ᾽ εἶχέ γέ τινα λόγον ἡ πλεονεξία τῶν ἀνθρώπων: ὁπότε δ᾽ οὐθὲν ἔχο�
�τες ἐπιδείξασθαι μέγα καὶ νεανικὸν ἔργον, ἀνθ᾽ οὗ τὰ ἡμέτερα βίᾳ κατέσχον, ἀναισχυντοῦσι καὶ οὐδ᾽ ἐξελεγχόμενοι μεθίενται αὐτῶν, τίς ἂν ἀνάσχοιτο;
[5] If, indeed, they had borne an equal share of the hardships with the rest of us when we were acquiring this land and had then demanded to have a larger share of it than we, while it would not, even so, have been either just or democratic that a few should appropriate what belongs to all in common, yet there would at least be some excuse for the greed of these men; but when, though they cannot point to any great or daring deed of theirs in payment for which they seized by force the possessions that belong to us, they act in this shameless manner and even when convicted do not give them up, who can bear it?
[1] ἐπεὶ φέρε πρὸς Διός, εἴ τι τούτων ἐγὼ ψεύδομαι, δειξάτω τις ὑμῖν τῶν σεμνῶν τούτων παρελθών, τίνας ἐπιφανεῖς καὶ καλὰς πράξεις προεχόμενος ἐμοῦ πλέον ἔχειν ἀξιοῖ: πότερον ἔτη πλείω στρατευσάμενος ἢ μάχας πλείους ἀγωνισάμενος ἢ τραύματα πλείω λαβὼν ἢ στεφάνοις καὶ φαλάροις καὶ σκύλοις καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐπινικίοις κόσμοις ὑπερβαλόμενος, δἰ ὃν ἀσθενέστεροι μὲν οἱ πολέμιοι γεγόνασιν ἐπιφανεστέρα δὲ καὶ μείζων ἡ πατρίς; μᾶλλον δὲ τὸ δέκατον ἐπιδειξάτω μέρος, ὧν ὑμῖν ὑπέδειξα ἐγώ.
Delphi Complete Works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics Book 79) Page 673