[4] τούτων λέγωσι καὶ μηδὲν ἔξω: ἐὰν δὲ δημαγωγῶσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ διαστασιάζωσι τὴν πόλιν τὰ μὴ πρὸς τὸ πρᾶγμα δημηγοροῦντες, οὐδὲν τότε: τὴν δ᾽ ἐξουσίαν τοῦ κωλύειν τοὺς ἀκοσμοῦντας, ὦ Μάρκε Ὁράτιε, παρὰ τοῦ δήμου λαβόντες ἔχομεν, ὅτε ἡμῖν καὶ τὴν τῶν ὑπάτων καὶ τὴν τῶν δημάρχων ἀρχὴν ἐψηφίσαντο, καὶ ὁ χρόνος αὐτῆς οὔπω παρελήλυθεν, ὥσπερ σοι δοκεῖ.
[4] but if they endeavour to seduce you by popular harangues and to divide the commonwealth by speaking of matters that are not to the point, then to none of them ever. As for the power to restrain the disorderly, Marcus Horatius, we do possess it, having received it from the people when they voted to us both the magistracy of the consuls and that of the tribunes; and the term of it has not yet expired, as you think.
[5] οὐ γὰρ εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν ἀπεδείχθημεν, οὐδ᾽ εἰς [p. 123] ἄλλον τινὰ χρόνον ὡρισμένον, ἀλλ᾽ ἕως ἂν καταστησώμεθα πᾶσαν τὴν νομοθεσίαν. συντελέσαντες οὖν, ὅσα κατὰ νοῦν ἔχομεν, καὶ κυρώσαντες τοὺς λοιποὺς νόμους, τότ᾽ ἀποθησόμεθα τὴν ἀρχὴν καὶ λόγον τῶν πεπραγμένων τοῖς βουλομένοις ὑμῶν ὑφέξομεν. τέως δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἐλαττώσομεν οὐδὲ τῆς ὑπατικῆς ἐξουσίας οὐδὲ
[5] For we were not appointed for a year or for any other definite period, but until we should have instituted the whole body of laws. When, therefore, we have completed what we propose and have got the remaining laws ratified, we shall then resign our magistracy and give an account of our actions to any of you who desire it. In the meantime we shall relax nothing either of the consular or of the tribunician power.
[6] τῆς δημαρχικῆς. περὶ δὲ τοῦ πολέμου, τίνα χρὴ τρόπον ὡς τάχιστα καὶ κάλλιστα τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἀμύνασθαι, γνώμας ἀξιῶ παριόντας ὑμᾶς λέγειν, πρώτους μέν, ὥσπερ ἐστὶ σύνηθες καὶ πρέπον ὑμῖν, τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους, ἔπειτα τοὺς μέσους, τελευταίους δὲ τοὺς νεωτάτους.
[6] As to the war, now, in what manner we may repulse our enemies most quickly and gloriously, I ask you to come forward and deliver your opinions — first the oldest members, as is customary and fitting for you, next those of a middle age, and last the youngest.”
[1] ταῦτ᾽ εἰπὼν πρῶτον μὲν ἐκάλει τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θεῖον Γάιον Κλαύδιον. ὁ δ᾽ ἀναστὰς τοιαύτην διέθετο δημηγορίαν: ἐπειδή με πρῶτον γνώμην ἀποφαίνεσθαι ἀξιοῖ Ἄππιος, ὦ βουλή, τιμῶν διὰ τὸ συγγενές, ὥσπερ αὐτῷ προσήκει, καὶ δεῖ με ἃ φρονῶ περὶ τοῦ πολέμου τοῦ πρὸς Αἰκανοὺς καὶ Σαβίνους εἰπεῖν, πρὶν ἀποδείξασθαι τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ διάνοιαν, ἐκεῖνο βουλοίμην ἂν ὑμᾶς ἐξετάσαι, τίσιν ἐπαρθέντες ἐλπίσιν Αἰκανοὶ καὶ Σαβῖνοι πόλεμον ἐπενεγκεῖν ἐτόλμησαν ἡμῖν καὶ τὴν χώραν ἐπιόντες λεηλατεῖν, οἱ τέως ἀγαπῶντες καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς πολλὴν χάριν εἰδότες, εἴ τις αὐτοὺς εἴα τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἔχειν ἀσφαλῶς. ἐὰν γὰρ τοῦτο μάθητε, καὶ τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν τοῦ πολέμου τοῦ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἥτις ἔσται κρατίστη μαθήσεσθε.
[7.1] Having said this, he proceeded to call first upon his uncle, Gaius Claudius, who, rising up, delivered a speech about as follows:
“Since Appius desires me to deliver my opinion first, senators, showing me this honour because of our relationship, as becomes him, and since I must say what I think concerning the war with the Aequians and the Sabines, I should like, before declaring my own sentiments, to have you inquire what hopes have encouraged the Aequians and Sabines to venture to make war upon us and to invade and lay waste our country, nations which till now were quite satisfied and most grateful to Heaven if they were permitted to enjoy their own land in security. For if you once know what those hopes are, you will also know what means of deliverance from war with these nations will be most effectual.
[2] ἐκεῖνοι τοίνυν ἀκούσαντες, [p. 124] ὅτι σεσάλευται καὶ νοσεῖ τὸ πάτριον ἡμῶν πολίτευμα ἐκ πολλοῦ, καὶ τοῖς προεστηκόσι τῶν κοινῶν οὔτε ὁ δῆμος εὔνους ἐστὶν οὔτε οἱ πατρίκιοι, καὶ οὐ μάτην ἀκούσαντες — τὸ γὰρ ἀληθὲς οὕτως ἔχει, τὰς δ᾽ αἰτίας ἐπισταμένοις ὑμῖν οὐδὲν δέομαι λέγειν — ὑπέλαβον, εἴ τις ἔξωθεν ἡμᾶς κατάσχοι πόλεμος ἅμα τοῖς ἐντὸς τείχους κακοῖς, καὶ δόξειε ταῖς ἀρχαῖς δύναμιν ἐξάγειν τὴν προπολεμήσουσαν τῆς γῆς, οὔτε τοὺς πολίτας ἐπὶ τὸν στρατιωτικὸν ὅρκον ἅπαντας ἥξειν ἐκ προθυμίας ὡς πρότερον, ἀπεχθῶς διακειμένους πρὸς τὰς ἀρχάς: οὔτε τοὺς ἡγεμόνας ταῖς ἐκ τῶν νόμων τιμωρίαις χρήσεσθαι κατὰ τῶν μὴ παραγενομένων δεδοικότας, μή τι μεῖζον ἐργάσωνται κακόν, τούς τε ὑπακούσαντας καὶ τὰ ὅπλα λαβόντας ἢ καταλείψειν τὰ σημεῖα ἢ παραμένοντας ἐθελοκακήσειν ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσιν.
[2] Well, then, when they heard that our time-honoured constitution has for a long time been shaken and is diseased and that neither the populace nor the patricians are well disposed toward those who are at the head of the commonwealth — and this they heard not without reason, since it is the truth, though I have no need to state the causes to you who are well acquainted with them — they assumed that if any foreign war should come upon us in addition to these domestic evils and the magistrates should resolve to march out with an army in defence of the country, neither the citizens would all present themselves cheerfully, as before, to take the military oath, because of their hostility to the magistrates, nor would these inflict the punishments ordained by law upon those who did not present themselves, lest they should occasion some greater mischief; and that those who did obey and take up arms would either desert the standards or, if they remained, would deliberately play the coward in battle.
[3] ὧν οὐδὲν ἔξω τοῦ εἰκότος ἤλπισαν: ὅταν μὲν γὰρ ὁμονοοῦσα πόλις ἅπτηται πολέμου, καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ συμφέρον ἅπασι φαίνηται τοῖς τ᾽ ἄρχουσι καὶ τοῖς ἀρχομένοις, μετὰ προθυμίας ἅπαντες ἐπὶ τὰ δεινὰ χωροῦσι καὶ οὔτε πόνον οὔτε κίνδυνον οὐδένα ὀκνοῦσιν.
[3] And none of these hopes was ill grounded; for when a harmonious state undertakes a war and all, both rulers and ruled, look upon their interests as identical, all go to meet the perils with alacrity and decline no toil or danger;
[4] ὅταν δὲ νοσοῦσα ἐν αὑτῇ, πρὶν ἢ τὰ ἔνδον καταστήσασθαι, τοῖς ὑπαιθρίοις ὁμόσε χωρῇ πολεμίοις, καὶ παραστῇ τῷ μὲν πλήθει λογισμός, ὅτι οὐχ ὑπὲρ οἰκείων ἀγαθῶν κακοπαθοῦσιν, ἀλλ᾽ �
�να βεβαιότερον αὐτῶν ἕτεροι ἄρχωσι, τοῖς δ᾽ ἡγεμόσιν, ὅτι πολέμιον ἔχουσιν οὐχ [p. 125] ἧττον τοῦ ἀντιπάλου τὸ οἰκεῖον, νοσεῖ τὰ ὅλα καὶ πᾶσα ἱκανὴ δύναμις τὰ τοιαῦτα στρατεύματα καταγωνίσασθαι καὶ φθεῖραι.
[4] but when a state which suffers from sickness within itself engages with its enemies outside before composing its internal disorders, and the rank and file stop to consider that they are undergoing hardships, not for their own advantage, but to strengthen the domination of others over them, and the generals reflect that their own army is no less hostile to them than is the foe, everything is diseased and any force is sufficient to defeat and destroy such armies.
[1] ταῦτ᾽ ἐστίν, ὦ βουλή, τὰ Σαβίνων τε καὶ Αἰκανῶν ἐνθυμήματα, οἷς πεπιστευκότες ἐμβεβλήκασιν ἡμῶν εἰς τὴν γῆν. ἐὰν μὲν οὖν ἀγανακτήσαντες τῷ καταφρονεῖσθαι πρὸς αὐτῶν ἐπαρθέντων ὡς ἔχομεν ὀργῆς δύναμιν ἐξαγαγεῖν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ψηφισώμεθα, δέδοικα μὴ ταῦθ᾽ ἡμῖν ἃ προὔλαβον ἐκεῖνοι συμβῇ,
[8.1] “These, senators, are the reasonings of both the Sabines and the Aequians, and because they believed them to be valid, they have invaded our territory. So if we, showing our resentment at being scorned by them in their exalted state of mind, vote in our present wrathful state to lead out an army against them, I fear that all they anticipated may happen to us, or rather, I know full well that it will come to pass.
[2] μᾶλλον δ᾽ εὖ οἶδα συμβησόμενα. ἐὰν δὲ τὰ πρῶτα καὶ τἀναγκαιότατα καταστησώμεθα — ταῦτα δ᾽ ἐστὶν ἥ τ᾽ εὐκοσμία τοῦ πλήθους καὶ τὸ πᾶσι ταὐτὰ συμφέροντα φαίνεσθαι — ἐξελάσαντες μὲν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως τὴν νῦν ἐπιχωριάζουσαν ὕβριν καὶ πλεονεξίαν, ἀποδόντες δὲ τὸ ἀρχαῖον σχῆμα τῇ πολιτείᾳ, πτήξαντες οἱ νῦν θρασεῖς καὶ τὰ ὅπλα ῥίψαντες ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν ἥξουσιν ὡς ἡμᾶς οὐκ εἰς μακράν, τάς τε βλάβας % ... θούμενοι καὶ περὶ διαλλαγῶν διαλεξόμενοι, ὑπάρξει τε ἡμῖν ὃ πάντες ἂν εὔξαιντο οἱ νοῦν ἔχοντες, χωρὶς ὅπλων διαπεπολεμηκέναι τὸν πρὸς αὐτοὺς πόλεμον.
[2] But if we establish the conditions that are of primary importance and most necessary — and these are good order on the part of the multitude and the recognition by all citizens that their interests are identical — by banishing from the state the insolence and greed which are now the fashion and by restoring the constitution to its ancient form, these enemies who are now so bold will cower and, hurling their weapons from their hands, will soon come to us to make amends for the injuries they have caused and to treat for peace, and we shall have it in our power — a thing which all men of sense would wish — to have put an end to the war without resorting to arms.
[3] ταῦτα δὴ λογισαμένους ἡμᾶς οἴομαι δεῖν τὴν μὲν ὑπὲρ τοῦ πολέμου βουλήν, ἐπειδὴ ταραχωδῶς ἡμῖν [p. 126] ἔχει τὰ ἐντὸς τείχους, ἐᾶσαι κατὰ τὸ παρόν, ὑπὲρ ὁμονοίας δὲ καὶ κόσμου πολιτικοῦ προθεῖναι τῷ βουλομένῳ λέγειν. οὐ γὰρ ἐξεγένετο ἡμῖν, πρὶ εἰς τοῦτο καταστῆσαι τὸν πόλεμον, ὑπὸ τῆσδε τῆς ἀρχῆς κληθεῖσι περὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει πραγμάτων εἴ τι μὴ καλῶς εἶχε τῶν γιγνομένων διαγνῶναι.
[3] In view of these considerations I believe we ought to defer the consideration of the war for the present, since our affairs within the city’s walls are in a turbulent state, and, instead, give leave to everyone who so desires to speak in favour of harmony and good order among our citizens. For we never had the opportunity, until the war brought us to this pass, of deciding in a meeting called by this government about the business of the commonwealth, whether any of the measures being taken were satisfactory.
[4] πολλῆς γὰρ ἂν ἐπιτιμήσεως ἄξιος ἦν, εἴ τις ἐκεῖνον ἀφεὶς τὸν καιρὸν ἐν τούτῳ λέγειν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἠξίου: οὐδ᾽ ἂν ἔχοι τις εἰπεῖν βεβαίως, ὅτι τοῦτον ὑπερβαλόμενοι τὸν καιρὸν ὡς οὐκ ἐπιτήδειον ἑτέρου δυνησόμεθα τυχεῖν ἐπιτηδειοτέρου. εἰ γὰρ ἐκ τῶν γεγονότων τὰ μέλλοντα ἔσεσθαι βούλεταί τις εἰκάζειν, πολὺς ὁ μετὰ τοῦτον ἔσται χρόνος, ἐν ᾧ περὶ οὐδενὸς τῶν κοινῶν συνελευσόμεθα βουλευσόμενοι.
[4] For, had there been such an opportunity, great censure would be deserved by anyone who had neglected that occasion and only at this time saw fit to talk about these matters. Nor could anyone say for certain that, if we let this opportunity pass as unsuitable, we shall be able to find one that is more suitable. For if one cares to judge the future by the past, it will be a long time before we meet again to consider any matter of the public business.
[1] ἀξιῶ δ᾽ ὑμᾶς, Ἄππιε, τοὺς προεστηκότας τῆς πόλεως καὶ τὸ κοινὸν ἀπὸ τῶν συμφερόντων οὐχὶ τὸ ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς ἰδίᾳ λυσιτελοῦν ὀφείλοντας σκοπεῖν, ἐάν τι τῶν ἀληθῶν μετὰ παρρησίας, ἀλλὰ μὴ καθ᾽ ἡδονὰς τὰς ὑμετέρας λέγω, μή μοι διὰ τοῦτ᾽ ἀπεχθάνεσθαι ἐνθυμουμένους, ὅτι οὐκ ἐπὶ λοιδορίᾳ καὶ προπηλακισμῷ τῆς ἀρχῆς ὑμῶν ποιήσομαι τοὺς λόγους, [p. 127] ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα δείξας, ἐν οἵῳ κλύδωνι τὰ πράγματα σαλεύει τῆς πόλεως, τὴν σωτηρίαν καὶ ἐπανόρθωσιν αὐτῶν ἥτις ἔσται φράσω.
[9.1] “I ask this, Appius, of you men who are at the head of the commonwealth and are in duty bound to consult the common interest of all rather than your private advantage, that if I speak some truths with frankness instead of trying to please you, you will not be offended on that account, when you consider that I shall not make my remarks with any intent to abuse and insult your magistracy, but in order to show in how great a sea the affairs of the commonwealth are tossed and to point out what will be both their safety and their reformation.
[2] ἅπασι μὲν γὰρ ἴσως, ὅσοις τῇ πατρίδι ... δωσιν, ἀναγκαῖός ἐστιν ὁ περὶ τῶν κοινῇ συμφερόντων λόγος, μάλιστα δ᾽ ἐμοί. πρῶτον μὲν γάρ, ὅτι γνώμης ἄρχειν ἠξίωμαι διὰ τιμήν: αἰσχύνη δὲ καὶ μωρία πολλὴ πρῶτον ἀναστάντα μὴ οὐχ ἃ δεῖ πρῶτον ἐπανορθώσασθαι λέγειν. ἔπειθ᾽ ὅτι συμβέβηκεν ὄντι θείῳ πρὸς πατρὸς Ἀππίου τοῦ προεστηκότος τῆς δεκαδαρχίας ἥδεσθαί τε πάντων μάλιστα, ὅταν εὖ τὰ κοινὰ ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐπιτροπεύηται, καὶ ἀνιᾶσθαι παντὸς ὁτουδήτινος μᾶλλον, ὅταν μὴ καλῶς.
[2] It is perhaps incumbent upon all who . . . for the fatherland to speak of the matters that are for the public interest, and this is true particularly in my case. First, because I have been asked, as an honour due me, to take the lead in expressing my opinion, and it would be a
shame, yes a great folly, for the man who rises up first not to mention the things that need to be reformed first. In the next place, because it has fallen to me, as the paternal uncle of Appius, the chief of the decemvirs, both to be pleased more than all others when the commonwealth is well governed by them and to be grieved above anyone else when it is not so governed.
[3] πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ὅτι ταύτην πολιτείας διαδέδεγμαι προαίρεσιν ἐκ προγόνων τὰ κοινὰ συμφέροντα πρὸ τῶν οἰκείων λυσιτελῶν αἱρεῖσθαι καὶ μηδένα κίνδυνον ἴδιον ὑπολογίζεσθαι, ἣν οὐκ ἂν προδοίην ἑκὼν εἶναι δέ μοι ταύτην τοῦ βίου προαίρεσιν καὶ οὐκ ἂν καταισχύναιμι τὰς ἐκείνων τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀρετάς.
[3] Besides these motives, I have inherited it as a political principle from my ancestors to prefer the interests of the public to my own private advantages and to take thought for no personal danger, a principle that I would not willingly betray and thus dishonour the virtues of those men.
[4] περὶ μὲν οὖν τῆς καθεστώσης πολιτείας, ὅτι πονηρῶς ἡμῖν ἔχει, καὶ δυσχεραίνουσιν ὀλίγου δεῖν πάντες αὐτῇ, μέγιστον ὑμῖν [p. 128] γενέσθω τεκμήριον πάντες οἱ τὰ κοινὰ διοικοῦντες ὃ μόνον οὐδ᾽ ἀγνοεῖν ἔξεστιν ὑμῖν, ὅτι φεύγουσιν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ὁσημέραι καταλιπόντες τὰς πατρῴας ἑστίας οἱ χαριέστατοι τῶν δημοτικῶν, οἱ μὲν εἰς τὰς πλησιοχώρους πόλεις ἅμα γυναιξὶ καὶ τέκνοις μετατιθέμενοι τὰς οἰκήσεις, οἱ δ᾽ εἰς τοὺς πλεῖστον ἀπέχοντας τῆς πόλεως ἀγρούς: καὶ οὐδὲ τῶν πατρικίων πολλοὶ τὰς κατ᾽ ἄστυ ποιοῦνται διατριβὰς ὡς πρότερον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτων οἱ πλείους τὸν βίον ἔχουσιν ἐν τοῖς ἀγροῖς.
Delphi Complete Works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics Book 79) Page 684