[3] οὔτε γὰρ ἡ φυλάττουσα αὐτὸν δύναμις ἀξιόμαχός ἐστιν, ὡς εἰκάσειεν ἄν τις, ἐπὶ τῷ ἐρυμνῷ τοῦ τόπου δοκοῦσα εἶναι πᾶν τὸ ἀσφαλές: ἥ τε ἅμα σοι δύναμις ἀποχρῶσα γένοιτ᾽ ἄν, ἄνδρες ὀκτακόσιοι πολλῶν ἀθληταὶ πολέμων, τεταραγμένους σκηνοφύλακας ἀπροσδόκητοι προσπεσόντες τῷ τολμηρῷ ἑλεῖν.
[3] For not only is the force guarding it not a match for you, in all probability, believing as it does that its whole security depends on the natural strength of the position, but the force with you, eight hundred men, veterans of many wars, should be sufficient to capture by a bold stroke mere tent-guards when thrown into confusion by your unexpected attack.”
[4] καὶ ὁ Σίκκιος ἔφησεν: ἀλλ᾽ ἔγωγε ἅπαντα μὲν ἕτοιμος ὑπηρετεῖν: τὸ μέντοι ἔργον οὐ ῥᾴδιον ὥσπερ σοι δοκεῖ. ὑψηλή τε γὰρ ἡ πέτρα καὶ ἀπότομος, ἐφ᾽ ἧς ὁ χάραξ, ὁδόν τε οὐδεμίαν ὁρῶ φέρουσαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἔξω τῆς μιᾶς, ᾗ καταβήσονται οἱ πολέμιοι πρὸς ἡμᾶς, φυλακήν τ᾽ εἰκὸς ἀξιόμαχον εἶναι ἐν αὐτῇ: κἂν ὀλίγη δὲ πάνυ καὶ φαύλη τις οὖσα τύχῃ, πρὸς πολλῷ πλείονα ἢ τὴν σὺν ἐμοὶ δύναμιν ἀντέχειν οἵα τε ἔσται, τό τε χωρίον αὐτὸ παρέξει τῇ φυλακῇ τοῦ μὴ ἁλώσεσθαι τὸ ἀσφαλές.
[4] And Siccius replied: “For my part, I am ready to obey in everything; but the task is not so easy as it seems to you. For the cliff on which the camp is situated is lofty and steep, and I see no road leading to it except the one by which the enemy will come down against us, and it is probable that there is an adequate guard placed over it; but even if it should chance to be a very small and weak one, it will be able to hold out against a much larger force than the one I have, and the place itself will afford the guard security against being captured.
[5] ἀλλὰ μάλιστα μὲν ἀνάθου τὴν γνώμην — ἡ πεῖρα γὰρ ἐπισφαλής — εἰ δὲ πάντως ἔγνωσταί σοι δύο τίθεσθαι μάχας ἐν ἑνὶ καιρῷ, δύναμιν ἀξιόχρεων ἀνδρῶν ἐπιλέκτων τάξον ἀκολουθεῖν μοι σὺν τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις. [p. 82] οὐ γὰρ κλέψοντες τὸ χωρίον, ἀλλὰ βίᾳ καὶ φανερῶς ἐξελοῦντες ἄνιμεν.
[5] Do then, if possible, reconsider your purpose, for the attempt is hazardous; but if you are absolutely determined to fight two battles at the same time, then order a sufficient force of chosen men to follow me and the older men. For we are not going up to take the place by surprise, but by main force and openly.”
[1] ἔτι δ᾽ αὐτοῦ βουλομένου λέγειν τἀκόλουθα ὑπολαβὼν ὁ ὕπατος εἶπεν: οὐ πολλῶν δεῖ λόγων, ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὲν ὑπομένεις πράττειν τὰ προσταττόμενα, χώρει διὰ ταχέων καὶ μὴ παραστρατήγει, εἰ δὲ ἀφίστασαι καὶ ἀποδιδράσκεις τὸν κίνδυνον, ἑτέροις εἰς τὸ ἔργον χρήσομαι.
[45.1] Although Siccius wanted to go on and finish his explanation, the consul interrupted him and said: “There is no need of many words. But if you can bring yourself to obey my orders, go at once and do not play the general; if, however, you decline and run away from the danger, I shall use other men for the task.
[2] σὺ δὲ τὰς ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι μάχας ἀγωνισάμενος καὶ τὰ τετταράκοντα ἔτη στρατευσάμενος καὶ κατατετρωμένος ὅλον τὸ σῶμα, ἐπειδὴ ἑκὼν ἦλθες, ἄπιθι μήτε ὁμιλήσας πολεμίοις μήτ᾽ ἰδὼν καὶ ἀντὶ τῶν ὅπλων ἀκόνα πάλιν τοὺς λόγους, οἷς χρήσῃ κατὰ
[2] As for you, who fought those hundred and twenty battles and served those forty years and whose body is covered with wounds, since you came voluntarily, depart without either encountering the enemy or seeing them; and instead of your arms, sharpen once more your words which you will expend without stint against the patricians.
[3] τοῦ φθόνου τῶν πατρικίων. ποῦ νῦν ἐκεῖνά σου τὰ πολλὰ ἀριστεῖα, οἱ στρεπτοὶ καὶ τὰ ψέλλια καὶ τὰ δόρατα καὶ τὰ φάλαρα καὶ οἱ τῶν ὑπάτων στέφανοι καὶ τὰ ἐκ τῶν μονομαχιῶν λάφυρα καὶ πᾶσα ἡ ἄλλη βαρύτης, ἣν τότ᾽ ἠνεσχόμεθά σου λέγοντος; ἐν ἑνὶ γὰρ δὴ τῷδε τῷ ἔργῳ βασανιζόμενος, ἔνθα κίνδυνος ἦν ἀληθινός, ἐξητάσθης οἷος ἦσθα, ὡς ἀλαζὼν καὶ δόξῃ
[3] Where now are those many prizes given you for valour, those collars, bracelets, spears, and decorations, those crowns from the consuls, those spoils gained in single combat, and all your other tiresome boasting which we had to endure hearing from you the other day? For when you were tested in this single instance where the danger was real, you proved what sort of man you were — a braggart practising bravery in imagination, not in reality.”
[4] τὸ ἀνδρεῖον ἐπιτηδεύων, οὐκ ἀληθείᾳ. καὶ ὁ Σίκκιος δυσανασχετῶν ἐπὶ τοῖς ὀνείδεσιν: οἶδα, φησίν, ὦ Ῥωμίλιε, ὅτι δυεῖν πρόκειταί σοι θάτερον ἢ ζῶντα [p. 83] διεργάσασθαι καὶ τὸ μηδὲν ἀποδοῦναι δόξαν αἰσχίστην ἐνεγκάμενον δειλίας, ἢ κακῶς καὶ ἀδήλως κατακοπέντα ὑπὸ τῶν πολεμίων ἀποθανεῖν, ἐπειδὴ κἀγώ τις ἔδοξα εἶναι τῶν ἀξιούντων ἐλεύθερα φρονεῖν: οὐ γὰρ εἰς ἄδηλον, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἐγνωσμένον ἀποστέλλεις με θάνατον:
[4] Siccius, stung by these reproaches, answered: “I am aware, Romilius, that the choice lies before you either to destroy me while alive and make me a mere nobody bearing the most shameful reputation for cowardice, or that I shall die a miserable and obscure death, hacked to pieces by the enemy, because I too seemed to be one of those who insist on showing the spirit of free men. For you are sending me, not to a doubtful, but to a predetermined death.
[5] πλὴν ὑπομενῶ καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον καὶ πειράσομαι φανεὶς ψυχὴν οὐ κακὸς ἢ κρατῆσαι τοῦ χάρακος, ἢ μὴ τυχὼν τῆς ἐλπίδος εὐγενῶς ἀποθανεῖν. ὑμᾶς δ᾽, ὦ συστρατιῶται, μάρτυρας ἀξιῶ γενέσθαι μοι πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους πολίτας, ἐὰν πύθησθε τὸν ἐμὸν μόρον, ὅτι με ἀπώλεσεν ἡ ἀρετὴ καὶ ἡ πολλὴ τῶν λόγων ἐλευθερία.
[5] Yet I will undertake even this task and endeavour, showing myself no coward, either to capture the camp or, failing in that, gallantly to die. And I ask you, fellow soldiers, if you hear of my death, to bear witness for me to the rest of the citizens that I fell a sacrifice to my valour and to my great frankness of speech.”
[6] ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν ὕπατον ἀποκρινάμενος καὶ δακρύσας τούς τε συνήθεις ἅπαντας ἀσπασάμενος ᾤχετο τοὺς ὀκτακοσίους ἄνδρας ἄγων κατηφεῖς καὶ δεδακρυμένους ὡς τὴν ἐπὶ θανάτῳ πορευομένους: καὶ ἡ ἄλλη δὲ πᾶσα στρατιὰ δι᾽ οἴκτου τὸ πρᾶγμα ἔλαβεν ὡς οὐκέτι ὀ
ψομένη τοὺς ἄνδρας.
[6] Having thus answered the consul, with tears in his eyes, and embraced all his intimate friends, he set out at the head of his eight hundred men, all dejected and weeping, believing that they were taking the road to death. And all the rest of the army were moved to compassion at the sight, expecting to see these men no more.
[1] ὁ δὲ Σίκκιος ἑτέραν ἀποστραφείς, οὐχ ἣν ὁ Ῥωμίλιος ὑπελάμβανε, παρὰ τὴν λαγόνα τοῦ ὄρους ἦγεν. ἔπειτα — ἦν γάρ τις δρυμὸς ὕλην βαθεῖαν ἔχων — εἰς τοῦτον ἄγων τοὺς ἄνδρας ἵσταταί τε καί φησιν: ὑπὸ μὲν τοῦ ἡγεμόνος ἀπεστάλμεθα, ὥσπερ ὁρᾶτε, ἀπολούμενοι. ἐδόκει γὰρ ἡμᾶς τὴν πλαγίαν χωρήσειν ὁδόν, ἣν ἀναβαίνοντας ἀμήχανον ἦν μὴ οὐ φανεροὺς τοῖς πολεμίοις γενέσθαι. ἐγὼ δ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἄξω κατ᾽ ἄδηλον τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ὁδὸν καὶ πολλὰς [p. 84] ἐλπίδας ἔχω τρίβων ἐπιλήψεσθαί τινων, αἳ κατὰ κορυφῆς ἄξουσιν ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τὸν χάρακα: καὶ ἐλπίδας χρηστὰς ἔχετε.
[46.1] Siccius, however, turned off by a different road, not the one which Romilius had in mind, and marched along the flank of the hill. Then — for there was a thicket with a heavy growth of trees in it — he led his men into it, halted there and said: “We have been sent by the commander, as you see, to perish. For he expected us to take the transverse road, which we could not possibly have ascended without coming into full view of the enemy. But I will lead you by a way that is out of the enemy’s sight and I have great hopes of gaining some paths that will bring us over the summit to their camp. So I bid you have the best of hopes.”
[2] ταῦτ᾽ εἰπὼν ἦγε διὰ τοῦ δρυμοῦ, καὶ πολὺν ἤδη διεληλυθὼς τόπον εὑρίσκει κατὰ δαίμονα ἄνδρα ἐξ ἀγροῦ ποθεν ἀπιόντα, ὃν τοῖς νεωτάτοις συλλαβεῖν κελεύσας ἡγεμόνα ποιεῖται τῆς ὁδοῦ. κἀκεῖνος αὐτοὺς ἄγων περὶ τὸ ὄρος σὺν πολλῷ χρόνῳ καθίστησιν ἐπὶ τὸν παρακείμενον τῷ χάρακι λόφον,
[2] Having said this, he led the way through the thicket, and after going a good distance, by good fortune came upon a man who was on his way home from a farm somewhere; and ordering him to be seized by the youngest men of his company, he took him for his guide. This man, leading them round the hill, brought them after along time to the height adjacent to the camp, from which there was a short and easy descent to their goal.
[3] ὅθεν ἦν ταχεῖα καὶ εὐεπίφορος ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ὁδός. ἐν ᾧ δὲ ταῦτ᾽ ἐγίνετο χρόνῳ, συνῄεσαν αἵ τε τῶν Ῥωμαίων καὶ αἱ τῶν Αἰκανῶν δυνάμεις ὁμόσε καὶ καταστᾶσαι ἐμάχοντο, πλήθει τ᾽ ἀγχώμαλοι οὖσαι καὶ ὁπλισμοῖς καὶ προθυμίαν παρεχόμεναι τὴν αὐτήν: καὶ διέμειναν ἐπὶ πολὺν χρόνον ἰσόρροποι, τοτὲ μὲν ἐπιβαίνοντες ἀλλήλοις, τοτὲ δ᾽ ὑποχωροῦντες, ἱππεῖς τε ἱππεῦσι καὶ πεζοὶ πεζοῖς, καὶ ἔπεσον ἐξ ἑκατέρων
[3] While this was happening, the forces of the Romans and of the Aequians engaged and fought steadfastly, since they were equally matched and displayed the same ardour. For a long time they continued to be evenly balanced as they now attacked one another and now withdrew, horse against horse and foot against foot; and prominent men fell on both sides.
[4] ἄνδρες ἐπιφανεῖς. ἔπειτα κρίσιν λαμβάνει ὁ πόλεμος ἐπιτελῆ. ὁ γὰρ Σίκκιος καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ, ἐπειδὴ πλησίον ἐγένοντο τῆς παρεμβολῆς τῶν Αἰκανῶν, ἀφύλακτον εὑρόντες ἐκεῖνο τὸ μέρος τοῦ χάρακος — ἐπὶ γὰρ θάτερα τὰ πρὸς τοὺς μαχομένους ἐστραμμένα μέρη πᾶσα ἡ φυλάττουσα αὐτὸν δύναμις ἐτράπετο κατὰ θέαν τοῦ ἀγῶνος — ἐπεισπεσόντες κατὰ πολλὴν εὐπέτειαν κατὰ κορυφῆς γίνονται τῶν φυλάκων.
[4] Then the battle took a definite turn. For Siccius and his men, when they came near the camp of the Aequians, found that part of it unguarded, since the entire force appointed to guard it had gone to the other side that faced the field of battle, in order to witness the conflict; and bursting into the camp with great ease, they found themselves immediately overhead in relation to the guards.
[5] ἔπειτ᾽ ἀλαλάξαντες ἔθεον ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς: οἱ δ᾽ ὑπὸ τοῦ παρ᾽ ἐλπίδα [p. 85] δεινοῦ ἐκταραχθέντες καὶ οὐ τοσούτους εἶναι δόξαντες, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἕτερον ἥκειν ὕπατον ἄγοντα τὴν σὺν αὐτῷ δύναμιν, ἐρρίπτουν ἔξω τοῦ χάρακος ἑαυτούς, οὐδὲ τὰ ὅπλα οἱ πολλοὶ φυλάξαντες. οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Σίκκιον τοὺς καταλαμβανομένους αὐτῶν φονεύοντες καὶ τοῦ χάρακος κρατήσαντες ἐχώρουν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ.
[5] Then, uttering their war-cry, they attacked them on the run. The garrison, confounded by this unexpected danger and not imagining that their assailants were so few in name, but supposing that the other consul had arrived with his army, hurled themselves out of the camp, most of them not even holding on to their arms. Siccius and his men slew all of them they overtook, and after possessing themselves of their camp, marched against those who were in the plain.
[6] οἱ δὲ Αἰκανοὶ τοῦ χάρακος τὴν ἅλωσιν ἀπό τε τῆς φυγῆς καὶ τῆς κραυγῆς τῶν σφετέρων αἰσθόμενοι καὶ μετ᾽ οὐ πολὺ κατὰ νώτου σφίσι τοὺς πολεμίους ἐπιόντας ὁρῶντες, οὐκέτι γενναῖον οὐδὲν ἀπεδείξαντο, ἀλλὰ διασπάσαντες τὰς τάξεις ἔσῳζον ἑαυτοὺς ἄλλοι κατ᾽ ἄλλας ὁδούς: ἔνθα ὁ πλεῖστος αὐτῶν ἐγίνετο φόνος. οὐ γὰρ ἀνίεσαν οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι μέχρι νυκτὸς διώκοντές τε καὶ κτείνοντες τοὺς ἁλισκομένους.
[6] The Aequians, perceiving from the flight and outcries of their men that their camp had been taken, and then, not long afterwards, seeing the enemy falling upon their rear, no longer displayed any valour, but broke their ranks and endeavoured to save themselves, some by one way and some by another. And here they met with their greatest loss of life; for the Romans did not give over the pursuit till night, killing all whom they captured.
[7] ὁ δὲ πλείστους τ᾽ αὐτῶν διαφθείρας καὶ λαμπρότατα ἔργα ἀποδειξάμενος Σίκκιος ἦν, ὅς, ἐπειδὴ τέλος ἑώρα τὰ τῶν πολεμίων ἔχοντα σκότους ὄντος ἤδη, τὴν σπεῖραν ἄγων ἐπὶ τὸν κρατηθέντα ὑπὸ σφῶν χάρακα ἀνέστρεφε μεγάλης χαρᾶς καὶ πολλοῦ μεστὸς ὢν αὐχήματος.
[7] The man who slew the largest number of them and performed the most brilliant deeds was Siccius, who, when he saw that the enemy’s resistance was at an end, it being now dark, returned with his cohort to the camp which they had taken, filled with great joy and much exultation.
[8] οἵ τε περὶ αὐτὸν ἀθῷοι καὶ ἀβλαβεῖς πάντες οὐ μόνον οὐδὲν παθόντες ὧν π�
�οσεδόκησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ δόξαν ἐπιφανεστάτην ἐξενεγκάμενοι, πατέρα καὶ σωτῆρα καὶ θεὸν καὶ πάντα τὰ τιμιώτατα ὀνομάζοντες ἀπλήστως εἶχον ἀσπασμῶν τε τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καὶ τῶν ἄλλων φιλοφρονήσεων ἡδονάς. ἐν δὲ τούτῳ καὶ ἡ ἄλλη τῶν [p. 86] Ῥωμαίων φάλαγξ ἅμα τοῖς ὑπάτοις ἀπὸ τῆς διώξεως ἀνέστρεφεν ἐπὶ τὸν ἑαυτῆς χάρακα.
[8] All his men, safe and uninjured, having not only suffered none of the calamities they had expected, but also won the greatest glory, called him their father, their preserver, their god, and every other honourable appellation, and could not sate themselves with embracing him and showing every other mark of affection. In the meantime the rest of the Roman army with the consuls was returning from the pursuit to their camp.
[1] μέσαι τ᾽ ἤδη νύκτες ἦσαν, καὶ ὁ Σίκκιος μνησικακῶν τοῖς ὑπάτοις τῆς ἐπὶ τὸν θάνατον ἀποστολῆς εἰς νοῦν βάλλεται τὴν δόξαν ἀφελέσθαι τοῦ κατορθώματος. κοινωσάμενος δὲ τοῖς ἀμφ᾽ αὐτὸν ἣν εἶχε διάνοιαν, ἐπειδὴ πᾶσιν ὀρθῶς ἐφαίνετο, καὶ οὐθεὶς ἦν ὃς οὐκ ἐθαύμαζε τῆς τε φρονήσεως καὶ τῆς τόλμης τὸν ἄνδρα, λαβὼν τὰ ὅπλα καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους κελεύσας ἀναλαβεῖν, πρῶτον μὲν ἀνθρώπους ὅσους ἐν τῷ χάρακι κατέλαβε τῶν Αἰκανῶν καὶ ἵππους καὶ τἆλλα ὑποζύγια κατέκοψεν: ἔπειτα ὑφῆψε τὰς σκηνὰς ὅπλων τε καὶ σίτου καὶ ἐσθῆτος καὶ τῶν εἰς τὸν πόλεμον ἐπιτηδείων γεμούσας τῶν τε ἄλλων χρημάτων, ὧν ἐκ τῆς Τυσκλάνων λείας ἐπήγοντο πολλῶν πάνυ ὄντων.
Delphi Complete Works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics Book 79) Page 676