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

by Dionysius of Halicarnassus

  [4] The motion that carried was made by the men who were to serve as consuls for the next year; it was delivered by Appius Claudius, who was first called upon, and was as follows: That ten persons be chosen, the most distinguished members of the senate, and that these govern for a year from the day of their appointment, possessing the same authority over all the affairs of the commonwealth as the consuls and, before them, the kings had enjoyed; that all the other magistracies be abrogated for as long a time as the decemvirs held office;

  [5] δέκα τύχωσι τῆς ἀρχῆς. τούτους δὲ τοὺς ἄνδρας ἔκ τε τῶν πατρίων ἐθῶν καὶ ἐκ τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν νόμων, οὓς ἐκόμισαν οἱ πρέσβεις, ἐκλεξαμένους τὰ κράτιστα καὶ τῇ Ῥωμαίων πόλει πρόσφορα νομοθετήσεσθαι. τὰ δὲ γραφέντα ὑπὸ τῶν δέκα ἀνδρῶν, ἐὰν ἥ τε βουλὴ δοκιμάσῃ καὶ ὁ δῆμος ἐπιψηφίσῃ, κύρια εἰς τὸν ἅπαντα εἶναι χρόνον, καὶ τὰς ἀρχάς, ὅσαι ἂν ὕστερον ἀποδειχθῶσι, κατὰ τούτους τοὺς νόμους τά τε ἰδιωτικὰ συμβόλαια διαιρεῖν καὶ τὰ δημόσια ἐπιτροπεύειν.

  [5] that these men select both from the Roman usages and from the Greek laws brought back by the ambassadors the best institutions and such as were suitable to the Roman commonwealth, and form them into a body of laws; that the laws drawn up by the decemvirs, if approved by the senate and confirmed by the people, should be valid for all time, and that all future magistrates should determine private contracts and administer the affairs of the public according to these laws.

  [1] τοῦτο τὸ δόγμα λαβόντες οἱ δήμαρχοι προῆλθον εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν καὶ ἀναγνόντες ἐν τῷ [p. 102] δήμῳ πολλοὺς ἐπαίνους τῆς βουλῆς καὶ τοῦ προθέντος τὴν γνώμην Ἀππίου διεξῆλθον. ἐπεὶ δὲ κατέλαβεν ὁ τῶν ἀρχαιρεσίων καιρός, ἐκκλησίαν συναγαγόντες οἱ δήμαρχοι τούς τ᾽ ἀποδειχθέντας ὑπάτους ἥκειν ἠξίουν ἐμπεδώσοντας τῷ δήμῳ τὰς ὑποσχέσεις, κἀκεῖνοι παρελθόντες ἐξωμόσαντο τὰς ὑπατείας.

  [56.1] The tribunes, having received this decree, went to the assembly and after reading it before the populace, bestowed much praise upon the senate and upon Appius, who had proposed it. And when the time came for the election of magistrates, the tribunes called an assembly and asked the consuls-elect to come and fulfil their promises to the populace; and they, appearing, resigned their magistracy.

  [2] τούτους ὁ δῆμος ἐπαινῶν τε καὶ θαυμάζων διετέλει, καὶ ἐπειδὴ τοὺς νομοθέτας ψηφοφορεῖν ἔδει πρώτους εἵλετο τῶν ἄλλων: καὶ ἀπεδείχθησαν ἐν ἀρχαιρεσίαις ὑπὸ τῆς λοχίτιδος ἐκκλησίας Ἄππιος μὲν Κλαύδιος καὶ Τίτος Γενύκιος, οὓς ἔδει εἰς τοὐπιὸν ἄρχειν ἔτος, Πόπλιος δὲ Σήστιος ὁ τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν ἐκεῖνον ὑπατεύων, τρεῖς δὲ οἱ κομίσαντες παρὰ τῶν Ἑλλήνων τοὺς νόμους, Σπόριος Ποστόμιος καὶ Σερούιος Σολπίκιος καὶ Αὖλος Μάλλιος, εἷς δὲ τῶν ὑπατευσάντων τὸν παρελθόντα ἐνιαυτὸν Τίτος Ῥωμίλιος, ὁ τὴν ἐν τῷ δήμῳ δίκην Σικκίου κατηγορήσαντος ἁλούς, ἐπειδὴ γνώμης ἐδόκει ἄρξαι δημοτικῆς: ἐκ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων βουλευτῶν Γάιος Ἰούλιος καὶ Τίτος Οὐετούριος καὶ Πόπλιος Ὁράτιος, ἅπαντες ὑπατικοί: αἱ δὲ τῶν δημάρχων τε καὶ ἀγορανόμων καὶ ταμιῶν καὶ εἴ τινες ἦσαν ἄλλαι πάτριοι Ῥωμαίοις ἀρχαὶ κατελύθησαν.

  [2] The populace kept praising and admiring them, and when they were to vote for lawgivers, made them their first choice. Those chosen at the election by the centuriate assembly were Appius Claudius and Titus Genucius, who were to have been consuls for the following year; Publius Sestius, consul of that year; the three who had brought the laws from the Greeks, Spurius Postumius, Servius Sulpicius and Aulus Manlius; one of the consuls of the preceding year, Titus Romilius, the man who had been condemned when tried before the populace on a charge brought by Siccius and was now chosen because he was thought to have offered a motion favourable to the populace; and, from among the other senators, Gaius Julius, Titus Veturius and Publius Horatius, all ex-consuls. At the same time the offices of the tribunes, aediles, quaestors and any other traditional Roman magistrates were abrogated.

  [1] τῷ δ᾽ ἑξῆς ἔτει παραλαβόντες οἱ νομοθέται τὰ πράγματα πολιτείας κόσμον τοιόνδε τινὰ καθίστανται: εἷς μὲν αὐτῶν τάς τε ῥάβδους καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ παράσημα τῆς ὑπατικῆς εἶχεν ἐξουσίας, ὃς βουλήν τε [p. 103] συνεκάλει καὶ δόγματα ἐπεκύρου καὶ τἆλλα ἔπραττεν, ὅσα ἡγεμόνι προσῆκεν: οἱ δ᾽ ἄλλοι συστέλλοντες ἐπὶ τὸ δημοτικώτερον τὸ τῆς ἐξουσίας ἐπίφθονον ὀλίγῳ τινὶ διήλλαττον ὀφθῆναι τῶν πολλῶν: εἶτ᾽ αὖθις ἕτερος αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὴν ἐξουσίαν καθίστατο, καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἐκ περιτροπῆς ἐγίνετο παραλλὰξ ἐπ᾽ ἐνιαυτὸν ἑκάστου τὴν ἡγεμονίαν παραλαμβάνοντος εἰς συγκείμενόν τινα ἡμερῶν ἀριθμόν.

  [57.1] The next year the lawgivers took over the administration of affairs and established a form of government of the following general description. One of them had the rods and the other insignia of the consular power, assembled the senate, certified its decrees, and performed all the other functions belonging to the head of the state; while the others, by way of reducing the invidious character of their office to the more democratic level, differed in appearance but little from the mass of citizens. Then another of them in turn was vested with this authority, and thus it went on in rotation for a year, each one in succession receiving the command for a certain number of days as agreed upon.

  [2] ἅπαντες δ᾽ ἐξ ἑωθινοῦ καθεζόμενοι διῄτων τὰ ἰδιωτικὰ συμβόλαια καὶ τὰ δημόσια, ὁπόσα πρός τε ὑπηκόους καὶ συμμάχους καὶ τοὺς ἐνδοιαστῶς ἀκροωμένους τῆς πόλεως ἐγκλήματα τυγχάνοι γινόμενα, μετὰ πάσης ἀνασκοποῦντες ἕκαστα ἐπιεικείας τε καὶ

  [2] But all of them sat from early morning arbitrating cases involving private and public contracts in which complaints might arise between citizens and the subjects and allies of the Romans and peoples of doubtful allegiance to Rome, examining each case with complete fairness and justice.

  [3] δικαιοσύνης. ἐδόκει δὲ ἄριστα τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν ἐκεῖνον ἡ Ῥωμαίων πόλις ὑπὸ τῆς δεκαδαρχίας ἐπιτροπευθῆναι. μάλιστα δ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐπῃνεῖτο ἡ τοῦ δημοτικοῦ πρόνοια καὶ πρὸς ἅπαν τὸ βίαιον ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀσθενεστέρων ἀντίταξις: ἐλέχθη τε ὑπὸ πολλῶν, ὡς οὐδὲν ἔτι δεήσοι δήμου προστατῶν οὐδὲ τῶν ἄλλων ἀρχείων τῇ πόλει μιᾶς διοικούσης ἅπαντα ἡγεμονίας σώφρονος, ἧς ἀρχηγὸς Ἄππιος εἶναι ἐδ�
�κει.

  [3] That year the Roman commonwealth seemed to be exceedingly well governed by the decemvirs. Above all they were commended for their care of the plebeians and for opposing, in defence of the weaker parties, every kind of violence; and it was said by many that the commonwealth would have no further need of champions of the populace or any of the other magistracies so long as a single wise leadership was directing all the affairs of the state. Of this régime Appius was looked upon as the head,

  [4] καὶ τὸν ὑπὲρ ὅλης τῆς δεκαδαρχίας ἔπαινον ἐκεῖνος ἐφέρετο παρὰ τοῦ δήμου. οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἃ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἔπραττεν ἀπὸ τοῦ κρατίστου χρηστότητος ἔφερεν αὐτῷ δόκησιν, ἀλλὰ [p. 104] πολὺ μᾶλλον ἃ κατ᾽ ἰδίαν ἐπιτηδεύων διετέλει, κατά τ᾽ ἀσπασμοὺς καὶ προσαγορεύσεις φιλανθρώπους καὶ τὰς ἄλλας τῶν πενήτων φιλοφρονήσεις.

  [4] and all the praise that belonged to the whole decemvirate was given by the populace to him. For he gained a reputation for probity not only by those things which he did in concert with his colleagues from the best motives, but much more by the manner in which he conducted himself personally, as in the matter of greetings, friendly conversation and other kindly courtesies toward the poor.

  [5] οὗτοι οἱ δέκα ἄνδρες συγγράψαντες νόμους ἔκ τε τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν νόμων καὶ τῶν παρὰ σφίσιν αὐτοῖς ἀγράφων ἐθισμῶν προὔθηκαν ἐν δέκα δέλτοις τῷ βουλομένῳ σκοπεῖν, δεχόμενοι πᾶσαν ἐπανόρθωσιν ἰδιωτῶν καὶ πρὸς τὴν κοινὴν εὐαρέστησιν ἀπευθύνοντες τὰ γραφέντα. καὶ μέχρι πολλοῦ διετέλεσαν ἐν κοινῷ μετὰ τῶν ἀρίστων ἀνδρῶν συνεδρεύοντες καὶ τὴν ἀκριβεστάτην ποιούμενοι τῆς νομοθεσίας ἐξέτασιν.

  [5] These decemvirs, having formed a body of laws both from those of the Greeks and from their own unwritten usages, set them forth on ten tables to be examined by any who wished, welcoming every amendment suggested by private persons and endeavouring to correct them in such a manner as to give general satisfaction. For a long time they continued to consult in public with the best men and to make the strictest scrutiny of their code of laws.

  [6] ἐπειδὴ δ᾽ ἀποχρώντως ἐφαίνετο αὐτοῖς τὰ γραφέντα ἔχειν, πρῶτον μὲν τὴν βουλὴν συναγαγόντες οὐθενὸς ἔτι μεμφομένου τοῖς νόμοις προβούλευμα περὶ αὐτῶν ἐκύρωσαν. ἔπειτα τὸν δῆμον καλέσαντες εἰς τὴν λοχῖτιν ἐκκλησίαν ἱερομνημόνων τε καὶ οἰωνιστῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἱερέων παρόντων καὶ τὰ θεῖα ὡς νόμος ἐξηγησαμένων ἀνέδωκαν τοῖς λόχοις τὰς ψήφους.

  [6] When they were satisfied with what was written, they first convened the senate and, no fresh objection being made to the laws, they got a preliminary decree passed concerning them. Then, having summoned the people to the centuriate assembly, the pontiffs, the augurs and the other priests being present and having directed the performance of the religious rites according to custom, they gave the centuries their ballots.

  [7] ἐπικυρώσαντος δὲ καὶ τοῦ δήμου τοὺς νόμους, στήλαις χαλκαῖς ἐγχαράξαντες αὐτοὺς ἐφεξῆς ἔθεσαν ἐν ἀγορᾷ τὸν ἐπιφανέστατον ἐκλεξάμενοι τόπον. καὶ ἐπειδὴ βραχὺς ὁ τῆς ἀρχῆς αὐτοῖς χρόνος ὁ λειπόμενος ἦν, συναγαγόντες τοὺς βουλευτὰς προὔθεσαν ὑπὲρ ἀρχαιρεσίων οἷα χρὴ γενέσθαι σκοπεῖν.

  [7] And when the people too had ratified the laws, they caused them to be engraved on bronze pillars and set them up in order in the Forum, choosing the most conspicuous place. Then, as the remaining time of their magistracy was short, they assembled the senators and proposed for their consideration what kind of magistrates should be chosen at the next election.

  [1] πολλῶν δὲ λεχθέντων ἐνίκησεν ἡ γνώμη τῶν παραινούντων δεκαδαρχίαν αὖθις ἀποδεῖξαι τῶν κοινῶν κυρίαν. ἀτελής τε γὰρ ἡ νομοθεσία ἐφαίνετο, [p. 105] ὡς ἂν ἐξ ὀλίγου συντεθεῖσα χρόνου, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἤδη κεκυρωμένοις, ἵνα ἑκόντες τε καὶ ἄκοντες ἐν αὐτοῖς μένοιεν, ἐδόκει δέ τινος ἀρχῆς αὐτοκράτορος δεῖν. τὸ δὲ μάλιστα πεῖσαν αὐτοὺς προελέσθαι τὴν δεκαδαρχίαν ἦν ἡ τῶν δημάρχων κατάλυσις, ὃ παντὸς μάλιστα ἐβούλοντο.

  [58.1] After a long debate the opinion of those prevailed who favoured choosing a decemvirate again to be the supreme power in the state. For not only was their code of laws manifestly incomplete, in view of the short time in which it had been compiled, but in the case of the laws already ratified some magistracy absolute in power seemed necessary in order that willingly or unwillingly people might abide by them. But the chief motive that induced the senate to give the preference to the decemvirate was the suppression of the tribunician power, which they desired above everything.

  [2] ταῦτα μὲν ἐν κοινῷ σκοπουμένοις αὐτοῖς ἐδόκει, ἰδίᾳ δὲ οἱ πρωτεύοντες τοῦ συνεδρίου γνώμην ἐποιοῦντο μεταπορεύεσθαι τὴν ἀρχὴν δεδιότες, μὴ ταραχώδεις τινὲς ἄνθρωποι τηλικαύτης ἐξουσίας λαβόμενοι κακόν τι μέγα ἐργάσωνται. ἀγαπητῶς δὲ τοῦ δήμου τὰ δόξαντα τῇ βουλῇ δεξαμένου καὶ μετὰ πλείστης προθυμίας ἐπιψηφίσαντος αὐτοὶ μὲν οἱ δέκα ἄνδρες προεῖπον τὸν τῶν ἀρχαιρεσίων καιρόν, μετῄεσαν δὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν οἱ ἐντιμότατοί τε καὶ πρεσβύτατοι τῶν πατρικίων.

  [2] This was the result of their public deliberations; but in private the leading men of the senate resolved to canvass for this magistracy, fearing that certain turbulent spirits, if they gained such power, might cause some great mischief. The popular assembly having gladly received the resolution of the senate and confirmed it with the greatest enthusiasm, the decemvirs themselves appointed the time for the election; and those among the patricians who were most distinguished for both their dignity and age stood candidates for the magistracy.

  [3] ἔνθα δὴ πολὺς ὑπὸ πάντων ἐπαινούμενος ἦν ὁ τῆς τότε δεκαδαρχίας ἡγεμὼν Ἄππιος, καὶ πᾶς ὁ δημοτικὸς ὄχλος ἐκεῖνον ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἠξίου κατέχειν ὡς οὐκ ἄλλου τινὸς ἄμεινον ἡγησομένου. ὁ δ᾽ ἀναίνεσθαι μὲν προσεποιεῖτο κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς καὶ ἀπολύειν αὐτὸν ἠξίου λειτουργίας καὶ ὀχληρᾶς καὶ ἐπιφθόνου. τελευτῶν δ᾽ ὡς ἐλιπάρουν αὐτὸν ἅπαντες αὐτός τε ὑπέμενε μετιέναι τὴν ἀρχήν, καὶ τῶν συμπαραγγελλόντων τοὺς ἀρίστους αἰτιασάμενος οὐχ ἡδέως πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἔχειν διὰ τὸν φθόνον τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ φίλοις συνηγωνίζετο φανερῶς.

  [3] Upon this occasion Appius, who was the chief of that decemvirate, received great praise from everybody and the whole crowd of plebeians desired
to continue him in the magistracy, believing that no one else would govern better. He at first pretended to refuse it and asked them to excuse him from a service that was both troublesome and invidious; but at last, when they all pressed him, he not only consented to seek the office himself, but also, accusing the best of the rival candidates of being ill disposed toward him through envy, openly espoused the candidacy of his friends.

  [4] ἀποδείκνυταί τε πάλιν ἐν ἀρχαιρεσίαις λοχίτισι νομοθέτης τὸ δεύτερον: σὺν δ᾽ αὐτῷ Κόιντος [p. 106] μὲν Φάβιος ὁ καλούμενος Οὐιβολανὸς ὁ τρὶς ὑπατεύσας, ἀνὴρ ἀνεπίληπτος εἰς τόδε χρόνου γενόμενος περὶ πᾶσαν ἀρετήν: ἐκ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων πατρικίων, οὓς ἐκεῖνος ἠσπάζετο, Μάρκος Κορνήλιος καὶ Μάρκος Σέργιος καὶ Λεύκιος Μηνύκιος καὶ Τίτος Ἀντώνιος καὶ Μάνιος Ῥαβολήιος, ἄνδρες οὐ πάνυ ἐπιφανεῖς: ἐκ δὲ τῶν δημοτικῶν Κόιντος Ποιτέλλιος καὶ Καίσων Δουέλλιος καὶ Σπόριος Ὄππιος: προσελήφθησαν γὰρ καὶ οὗτοι πρὸς τοῦ Ἀππίου κολακείας ἕνεκα τῶν δημοτικῶν, διδάσκοντος ὅτι δίκαιόν ἐστι μιᾶς ἀρχῆς κατὰ πάντων ἀποδεικνυμένης εἶναί τι καὶ τοῦ δήμου μέρος ἐν αὐτῇ.

  [4] Thus he was again chosen in the centuriate assembly as a lawgiver, for the second time, and with him Quintus Fabius, surnamed Vibulanus, who had been thrice consul, a man adorned with every virtue and without reproach up to that time. From among the other patricians those favoured by Appius and chosen were Marcus Cornelius, Marcus Sergius, Lucius Minucius, Titus Antonius and Manius Rabuleius, men of no great distinction; and from among the plebeians, Quintus Poetelius, Caeso Duilius and Spurius Oppius. For these also were taken in by Appius in order to flatter the plebeians; he pointed out that, as only one magistracy was appointed to govern all the citizens, it was just that the populace also should be represented in it.