[5] But since Cornelius endeavoured to show that his motion is impracticable, pointing out that the intervening period devoted to matters of civil administration would be a long one, while the war is at our doors, and since he attempted to ridicule things that do not deserve ridicule and by that means seduced and carried away most of you with him, I for my part shall also talk to you about the motion of Claudius, showing that it is not impracticable; for that it is disadvantageous to no one even of those who derided it has ventured to allege. And I shall show you how our territory may be made secure, how those who have dared to do it injury may be punished, how we may recover our ancient aristocracy, and how these things may all come about at the same time with weight concurrence of all the citizens and without the least opposition. All this I shall do, not through the display of any wisdom, but by citing your own actions as precedents for you to follow; for where experience teaches what is advantageous, what need is there of conjectures?
[1] μέμνησθε, ὅτι ἀπὸ τῶν αὐτῶν τούτων ἐθνῶν ὥσπερ νῦν δυνάμεις ἐνέβαλον, αἱ μὲν εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν γῆν, αἱ δ᾽ εἰς τὴν τῶν συμμάχων ἡμῶν, κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν ἀμφότεραι χρόνον Γαΐου Ναυτίου καὶ Λευκίου Μινυκίου τὴν ὑπατείαν ἐχόντων, ἔνατον ἢ δέκατον ἔτος οἶμαι τουτί.
[20.1] “You recall that forces from these same nations as at present made incursions, partly into our territory and partly into that of our allies, both at the same time, when Gaius Nautius and Lucius Minucius were consuls, some eight or nine years ago I believe it was.
[2] τότε τοίνυν ἀποστειλάντων ὑμῶν νεότητα πολλὴν καὶ ἀγαθὴν ἐπ᾽ ἀμφότερα τὰ ἔθνη τῷ μὲν ἑτέρῳ τῶν ὑπάτων εἰς δυσχωρίας ἀναγκασθέντι κατακλεῖσαι τὸ στρατόπεδον πρᾶξαι μὲν οὐδὲν ἐξεγένετο, πολιορκεῖσθαι δ᾽ ἐν τῷ χάρακι καὶ κινδυνεύειν σπάνει τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἁλῶναι: Ναυτίῳ δ᾽ ἀντικαθημένῳ Σαβίνων μάχας ἀναγκαῖον ἦν τίθεσθαι πρὸς [p. 144] τοὺς αὐτοὺς συνεχεῖς καὶ μηδ᾽ οἵῳ τ᾽ εἶναι τοῖς κάμνουσι τῶν σφετέρων βοηθεῖν. ἦν τ οὐκ ἄδηλον, ὅτι τῆς ἐν Αἰκανοῖς στρατιᾶς ἀναρπασθείσης οὐδ᾽ ἡ Σαβίνους πολεμοῦσα ἀνθέξει συνελθόντων εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ
[2] When on that occasion you had sent out numerous and brave youths against both these nations, it chanced that one of the consuls, being obliged to encamp in a difficult position, was unable to accomplish anything, but was besieged in his camp and in danger of being captured for want of provisions, while Nautius, who was encamped against the Sabines, was under the necessity of fighting battles with the same foes continually and could not even go to the aid of his fellow Romans who were in distress. And there was no doubt that if the army which was encamped among the Aequians should be destroyed, the other, that was carrying on the war against the Sabines, would not be able to hold out either when both armies of our enemies should have united.
[3] τῶν πολεμίων ἀμφοτέρων. τοιούτων δὴ κινδύνων τὴν πόλιν περιστάντων καὶ οὐδὲ τῶν ἐντὸς τείχους ὁμονοούντων τίνα βοήθειαν εὕρασθε ὑμεῖς περὶ μέσας νύκτας εἰς τὸ βουλευτήριον συνελθόντες; ἥπερ ὤνησεν ὁμολογουμένως πάντα τὰ πράγματα καὶ φερομένην τὴν πόλιν εἰς ἀτυχὲς πτῶμα ὤρθωσεν, ἀρχὴν ἀπεδείξατε μίαν αὐτοκράτορα πολέμου καὶ εἰρήνης, ἁπάσας τὰς ἄλλας καταλύσαντες ἀρχάς, καὶ πρὶν ἡμέραν γενέσθαι δικτάτωρ ἀπεδέδεικτο Λεύκιος Κοίντιος ὁ βέλτιστος,
[3] When the commonwealth was encompassed by such dangers and even the people inside the city walls were not harmonious, what relief did you yourself hit upon — a relief which is acknowledged to have helped your whole cause and to have rectified the commonwealth when it was rushing to a miserable downfall? Assembling in the senate-chamber about midnight, you created a single magistracy with absolute authority over both war and peace, abrogating all the other magistracies; and before day came, the most excellent Lucius Quintius had been appointed dictator, although he was not even in the city at the time, but in the country.
[4] οὐδ᾽ ἐν τῇ πόλει τότ᾽ ὤν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἀγρῷ. τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα ἴστε δήπου τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἔργα, ὅτι καὶ δυνάμεις ἀξιοχρέους παρεσκευάσατο καὶ τὸ κινδυνεῦον στρατόπεδον ἐρρύσατο καὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἐτιμωρήσατο καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν αὐτῶν αἰχμάλωτον ἔλαβε: καὶ ταῦτα ἐν ἡμέραις τεσσαρεσκαίδεκα μόναις ἅπαντα διαπραξάμενος καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο σαθρὸν ἦν τῆς πολιτείας ἐπανορθωσάμενος ἀπέθετο τὰς ῥάβδους: καὶ τὸ κωλῦον οὐδὲν ἐγένετο νέαν ἀρχὴν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κυρωθῆναι μιᾷ βουλομένων [p. 145] ὑμῶν. τοῦτο δὴ τὸ παράδειγμα μιμησαμένους ἡμᾶς οἴομαι δεῖν, ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν ἄλλο ποιεῖν δυνάμεθα, δικτάτορα ἑλέσθαι, πρὶν ἐντεῦθεν ἐξελθεῖν: ἐὰν γὰρ ὑπερβαλώμεθα τοῦτον τὸν καιρόν, οὐκέτι συνάξουσιν ἡμᾶς οἱ δέκα βουλευσομένους ὑπὲρ οὐδενός:
[4] You know, of course, the deeds which this man performed after that, how he got ready adequate forces, rescued the army which was in danger, chastised the enemy and took their general prisoner; and how, after accomplishing all this in only fourteen days and reforming whatever else was corrupt in the commonwealth, he laid down the rods. Nothing hindered you then from creating a new magistracy in one day when you wished to do so.
[5] ἵνα δὲ καὶ κατὰ νόμους ἡ τοῦ δικτάτορος ἀνάρρησις γένηται, τὴν μεσοβασίλειον ἀρχὴν ἑλέσθαι, τὸν ἐπιτηδειότατον ἐκλέξαντας τῶν πολιτῶν: ὃ ποιεῖν σύνηθές ἐστιν ὑμῖν, ὅταν μήτε βασιλεῖς ἔχητε μήτε ὑπάτους μήτ᾽ ἄλλην νόμιμον ἀρχὴν μηδεμίαν, ὥσπερ νῦν οὐκ ἔχετε. τοῖς γὰρ ἀνδράσι τούτοις παρελήλυθεν ὁ τῆς ἀρχῆς χρόνος,
[5] This example, then, I think we ought to imitate, since there is nothing else we can do, and choose a dictator before we leave this chamber. For if we neglect this opportunity, the decemvirs will never assemble us again to deliberate about anything. And in order that the appointment of a dictator shall also be in accordance with the laws, we should create an interrex, choosing the most suitable person from among the citizens; for this is the customary thing for you to do when you have neither kings, consuls nor any other legal magistrates, which is the case at present, since these men’s term of office has expired and the law has taken their rods from them.
[6] καὶ τὰς ῥάβδους αὐτῶν ὁ νόμος ἀφῄρηται. ταῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἃ παραινῶ πράττειν, ὦ πατέρες, ὑμῖν, καὶ συμφέροντα καὶ δυνατά. ἣν δὲ Κορνήλιος εἰσηγεῖται γνώμην, κατάλυσις ὁμολογουμένη τῆς ἀριστοκρατίας ὑμῶν ἐστιν. ἐὰν γὰρ ἅπαξ ὅπλων οἱ δέκα γένωνται κύριοι τῇδε τῇ προφάσει τοῦ πο
λέμου, δέδοικα μὴ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν αὐτοῖς χρήσωνται. οἱ γὰρ οὐκ ἀξιοῦντες ἀποθέσθαι τὰς ῥάβδους, ἦ που γε τὰ ὅπλα ἀποθήσονται; λογιζόμενοι δὴ ταῦτα φυλάττεσθε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀπάτην αὐτῶν προβλέπετε. κρείττων γὰρ ἡ πρόνοια τῆς μεταμελείας καὶ τὸ μὴ πιστεύειν τοῖς πονηροῖς σωφρονέστερον τοῦ προπιστεύσαντας κατηγορεῖν.
[6] This is the course I advise you to take, fathers, one that is both advantageous and practicable; whereas the motion proposed by Cornelius is confessedly the overthrow of your aristocracy. For if the decemvirs once get arms in their hands under this excuse of war, I fear they will used them against us. For is it at all likely that those who refuse to lay down their rods will lay down their arms? Taking these considerations into account, then, beware of these men and forestall any treachery on their part. For foresight is better than repentance, and it is more prudent not to trust wicked men than to accuse them after they have betrayed your trust.”
[1] ταύτην ἀποδειξαμένου τὴν γνώμην Οὐαλερίου κεχαρισμένην τοῖς πλείοσιν, ὡς ἐκ τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῶν εἰκάσαι ῥᾴδιον ἦν, καὶ τῶν μετ᾽ ἐκεῖνον ἀνισταμένων [p. 146] — ἦν δ᾽ αὐτῶν τὸ νέον τῆς βουλῆς μέρος τὸ λειπόμενον — ταῦτα ἡγουμένων κράτιστα εἶναι πλὴν ὀλίγων, ἐπειδὴ πάντες ἀπεδείξαντο τὰς ἑαυτῶν γνώμας, καὶ τέλος ἔδει τὰ βουλεύματα λαβεῖν, Οὐαλέριος μὲν ἠξίου διαδικασίαν τοὺς δέκα προθεῖναι ταῖς γνώμαις, αὖθις ἐξ ἀρχῆς πάντας τοὺς βουλευτὰς καλοῦντας, καὶ πολλοῖς τῶν συνέδρων ἀναθέσθαι βουλομένοις τὰς προτέρας ἀποφάσεις ταῦτα λέγων πιθανὸς ἦν:
[21.1] This opinion of Valerius pleased the majority of the senators, as was easy to conclude from their acclamations; and since those who rose up after him (those still remaining were the younger members of the senate) with few exceptions considered his measures the best, as soon as they all had delivered their own opinions and the discussion was due to be ended, Valerius asked the decemvirs to propose a division on the various opinions by calling upon all the senators over again from the beginning, and this request met with the approval of many of the senators who desired to retract their former opinions.
[2] Κορνήλιος δ᾽ ὁ συμβουλεύων τοῖς δέκα τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ἐπιτρέψαι τοῦ πολέμου κατὰ τὸ καρτερὸν ἀπεμάχετο κεκρίσθαι τὸ πρᾶγμα ἤδη λέγων καὶ τέλος ἔχειν νόμιμον ἁπάντων ἐψηφικότων, ἠξίου τε διαριθμεῖν τὰς γνώμας καὶ μηδὲν ἔτι καινουργεῖν.
[2] But Cornelius, who advised giving the command of the war to the decemvirs, strenuously opposed this, declaring that the matter was already decided and legally ended, since all had voted; and he demanded that the votes be counted and that no further innovation be admitted.
[3] τούτων δὲ λεγομένων ὑφ᾽ ἑκατέρου μετὰ πολλῆς φιλοτιμίας τε καὶ κραυγῆς, καὶ τοῦ συνεδρίου διαστάντος πρὸς ἑκάτερον, τῶν μὲν ἐπανορθώσασθαι τὴν ἀκοσμίαν τοῦ πολιτεύματος βουλομένων τῷ Οὐαλερίῳ συλλαμβανόντων, τῶν δὲ τὰ χείρω προαιρουμένων καὶ ὅσοις κίνδυνός τις ὑπωπτεύετο ἐκ τῆς μεταβολῆς ἔσεσθαι τῷ Κορνηλίῳ συναγορευόντων: λαβόντες ἀφορμὴν οἱ δέκα τοῦ πράττειν ὅ τι δόξειεν αὐτοῖς τὴν τοῦ συνεδρίου ταραχήν, τῇ Κορνηλίου προστίθενται γνώμῃ. καὶ παρελθὼν εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν, Ἄππιος, ἔφη:
[3] When these proposals were urged by both men with great contention and shouting, and the senate split toward one side and the other, the party desiring to correct the disorder in the government backing Valerius, and the party which espoused the worse cause and suspected that there would be some danger from the change giving their support to Cornelius, the decemvirs, taking advantage of the dissension in the senate to do as they saw fit, sided with the opinion of Cornelius.
[4] περὶ τοῦ πρὸς Αἰκανοὺς καὶ Σαβίνους πολέμου συνεκαλέσαμεν ὑμᾶς, ὦ βουλή, διαγνωσομένους, καὶ λόγον ἀπεδώκαμεν ἅπασι τοῖς βουλομένοις ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων ἄχρι τῶν νεωτάτων ἐν [p. 147] τῷ προσήκοντι καλοῦντες ἕκαστον τόπῳ. τριῶν δ᾽ ἀποδειξαμένων γνώμας διαφόρους, Κλαυδίου τε καὶ Κορνηλίου καὶ Οὐαλερίου τελευταίου, διέγνωτε περὶ αὐτῶν ὑμεῖς οἱ λοιποί, καὶ παριὼν ἕκαστος ἀπεφήνατο πάντων ἀκουόντων, ᾗ προσετίθετο γνώμῃ.
[4] And Appius, one of their number, coming forward, said: “It was the war with the Aequians and Sabines, senators, which we called you together to deliberate about, and we have given all of you who so desired leave to speak, calling upon each one from the foremost down to the youngest in the proper order. And three senators having given different opinions, namely Claudius, Cornelius, last of all Valerius, the rest of you have come to your decision concerning them and each one has come forward and declared in the hearing of all which opinion he supported.
[5] ἁπάντων δὴ γεγονότων κατὰ νόμον, ἐπειδὴ τοῖς πλείοσιν ὑμῶν Κορνήλιος ἐδόκει τὰ κράτιστα ὑποθέσθαι, τοῦτον ἀπεφηνάμεθα νικᾶν καὶ τὴν ἀποδειχθεῖσαν ὑπὸ τούτου γνώμην γράψαντες ἐκφέρομεν. Οὐαλέριος δὲ καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἑστῶτες ὅταν αὐτοὶ τύχωσιν ἐξουσίας ὑπατικῆς, δίκας τ᾽ ἤδη τέλος ἐχούσας ἀναδίκους ποιείτωσαν, ἐὰν αὐτοῖς φίλον ᾖ, καὶ βουλεύματα διεγνωσμένα ὑπὸ πάντων ὑμῶν ἄκυρα καθιστάτωσαν.
[5] Everything, therefore, having been done according to law, since the majority of you thought that Cornelius gave the best advice, we declare that he prevails, and we are engrossing and publishing the motion he made. Let Valerius and those who are leagued with him, when they shall obtain the consular power themselves, grant a rehearing, if they like, to causes already determined and annul resolutions passed by you all.”
[6] ταῦτ᾽ εἰπὼν καὶ τὸν γραμματέα κελεύσας ἀναγνῶναι τὸ προβούλευμα, ἐν ᾧ τὴν καταγραφὴν τοῦ στρατοῦ καὶ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν τοῦ πολέμου τοὺς δέκα παραλαβεῖν ἐτέτακτο, διέλυσε τὸν σύλλογον.
[6] Having said this and ordered the clerk to read the preliminary decree, in which it had been ordered that the enrolling of the army and the command of the war should be assumed by the decemvirs, he dismissed the meeting.
[1] μετὰ τοῦθ᾽ οἱ μὲν τῆς ὀλιγαρχικῆς ἑταιρίας σοβαροὶ καὶ θρασεῖς περιῄεσαν ὡς δὴ κρείττους τῶν ἑτέρων γεγονότες καὶ διαπεπραγμένοι μηκέτι καταλυθῆναι σφῶν τὴν δυναστείαν, ἐπειδὰν ἅπαξ ὅπλων καὶ
[22.1] After that those of the oligarchical faction went abo
ut swaggering and insolent, as if they had gained a victory over their adversaries and had contrived that their power could no longer be overthrown when once they should be in control of arms and an army.
[2] στρατιᾶς γένωνται κύριοι: οἱ δὲ τὰ βέλτιστα τῷ κοινῷ φρονοῦντες ἀνιαρῶς διακείμενοι καὶ περιφόβως ὡς οὐδενὸς τῶν κοινῶν ἔτι γενησόμενοι κύριοι καὶ διέστησαν εἰς μέρη πολλά, τῶν μὲν ἀγεννεστέρων τὰς [p. 148] φύσεις ἅπαντα συγχωρεῖν τοῖς κρατοῦσιν ἀναγκαζομένων καὶ κατανέμειν ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τὰς ὀλιγαρχικὰς ἑταιρίας, τῶν δ᾽ ἧττον ψοφοδεῶν ἀφισταμένων τῆς ὑπὲρ τῶν κοινῶν φροντίδος καὶ τὸν ἀπράγμονα βίον μεθαρμοττομένων: ὅσοις δὲ πολὺ τὸ γενναῖον ἐν τοῖς τρόποις ἦν, ἰδίας ἑταιρίας κατασκευαζομένων καὶ συμφρονούντων ἐπὶ φυλακῇ τε ἀλλήλων καὶ μεταστάσει τῆς πολιτείας.
Delphi Complete Works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics Book 79) Page 688