The Sabines held the
citadel nevertheless, and then on the next day, although the Roman army, drawn
up, had filled what of plain there was between the Palatine and the Capitoline
hill, they did not descend into even (ground) before, with anger and desire for
recovering the citadel rousing their spirits, the Romans advanced up the
opposing (hill). [Principes] The
leaders kept on urging the fight on both sides: from the Sabines, Mettius
Curtius; from the Romans, Hostius Hostilius. This (man) was sustaining the Roman state on uneven ground at
the first standards with spirit and boldness. As Hostius fell, the Roman battleline immediately is broken
and was scattered to the old gate of the Palatine. [Romulus] Even Romulus himself (was) driven by the crowd of those
fleeing; lifting his weapons, he said, “Jupiter, ordered by your birds here I lay
the first foundations for the city on the Palatine. The Sabines already hold the citadel bought by wickedness;
thence armed men strive to this point, with the middle of the valley
overwhelmed. [At] But you, father
of gods and of men, from this point at least repel the enemy, remove fear from
the Romans, and stop foul flight.
Here I vow to you a temple for Jove the Stayer, which will be a monument
for our descendants that with your aid present the city was saved.” [Haec] Having prayed these things, as
if he had felt his prayer heard, he said, “Romans, hence Jupiter Best (and)
Highest orders (you) to stop and
renew the fight.” The Romans
stopped short as if ordered by celestial voice; Romulus himself flies forward
to the first (fighters). [Mettius]
Mettius Curtius, leader from the Sabines, had run down from the citadel and had
driven the scattered Romans in the whole (space) such as is now for the Forum,
nor was he far already from the gate of the Palatine, shouting, “We have
conquered faithless hosts, unwarlike enemies. Now they know to snatch maidens is a thing far from the
thing it is to fight with men.”
[In] With a crowd of most fierce youths Romulus makes an attack on him
boasting these things. From his
horse then by chance Mettius was fighting; by this he was more easily driven
back. The Romans pursue the one
driven back, and the rest of the Roman line, fired by the boldness of the king,
route the Sabines. [Mettius] threw
himself into a swamp with his horse spooked by the noise of the pursuers; this
matter (lit. had) turned the Sabines also because of such danger for the
man. And that man indeed escapes
with spirit added by the encouragement of many by nods and voices: The Romans
and Sabines in the middle of the valley of the two hills renew battle; but the
Roman situation was superior.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Livy 1.11
While the Romans are doing
these things there, the army of the Antemnates through the opportunity and
solitude made an incursion in a hostile manner into the Roman territory. [Raptim] The Roman legion having been
lead out swiftly overwhelmed those fighting in the fields. The enemy was scattered therefore by
the first attack and shout (and) the town was captured; Hersilia, his wife,
worn down by the prayers of the captured women, begged Romulus, rejoicing in
the double victory, to give pardon to the parents of these and receive them
into the state: thus he could unite the state with concord. [Facile] It was easily granted. Thence he set out against the Crustuminians
bringing war. There it was less of
a struggle also because their spirits had fallen with the disasters of the
others. [Utroque] In both (places)
colonies were sent; more were found who gave their names for (lit. in)
Crustuminum because of the fertility of the land. Thence also to Rome it was migrated frequently, mostly by
the parents and relatives of the abducted women.
The last war was
raised by the Sabines and was by far the greatest: for nothing was done through
anger or desire, and they did not show war before they brought (it). [Consilio] A trick was also added to
plan. Spurius Tarpeius was in
command of the Roman citadel. Tatius corrupted (lit. present) his maiden daughter – by chance
she had gone outside the walls to seek water then for sacred rites – having
been received they killed the overwhelmed girl with their weapons, whether so
the citadel seemed to be captured more by force or for the sake of an example
for a betrayer that there is not any faith anywhere for a betrayer. [Additur] A story is added that the
Sabines commonly had gold armlets of great weight on their left arms and
jeweled rings of great beauty; she demanded what they had on their left hands;
therefore shields were piled upon her instead of golden gifts. [Sunt] There are those who say that from
the agreement of the handing over what was on their left hands she sought the
weapons directly, and having been seen to act treacherously she herself was
purchased with her own fee.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Livy 1.10
Now the spirits of
the seized (dat. pos.) had been greatly appeased. But the parents of those seized then most greatly were
agitating their state with mourning garment and tears and complaints. [Nec] Nor only were they containing
their indignations at home, but everywhere they were gathering to Titus Tatius,
king of the Sabines, and legations were convening to him because the name of
Tatius was the greatest in these regions.
The Caeninenses, and the Crustumini, and the Antemnates were to whom
part of this injury pertained.
Tatius and the Sabines seemed to act slowly to them; these peoples
themselves among the three commonly prepare war. [Ne] Not even
the Crustumini and the Antemnates move themselves energetically enough for the
ardor and anger of the Caeninenses: thus on its own behalf the very name
Caeninus makes an attack on Roman territory. [Sed] But Romulus with an army happens upon those pillaging
in scattered flight, and a light battle teaches that anger without strength is
empty. He routes and puts the army
to flight; he pursues the routed.
He kills and despoils the king in the battle; with the leader of the
enemy having been killed he takes the city in the first attack.
Then, the victorious
army having been lead back, he himself, because he was then a hero magnificent
in deeds no less than a displayer of deeds, bearing the spoils of the
slaughtered leader of the enemy hung from a fork made fit for this he climbed
the Capitolium and there, when he had deposited these at the oak sacred to the shepherds,
at the same time when he marked with the gift the boundaries for a temple to
Jove, and he added the cognomen to the god. “Juppiter Feretrius,” he said, “I, Romulus, victor (and)
king, bear these royal weapons to you, and I dedicate a temple in these regions
which I have measured out in purpose (and) in will, a seat for the best spoils,
which my descendants, following me as author, will carry from slaughtered kings
and leaders of the enemy.” This is
the origin of the temple, which first of all is sacred to Rome. Thus then seen by the gods and the
voice of the temple founder was not in vain, by which he announced that his
descendants would bear spoils here and his praise was not made common by a
multitude of those in possession of this gift. Twice after among so many years, so many wars have the best
spoils been provided: so rare was the fortune of this glory.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Livy 1.9
The Roman state was
now so strong that it was equal in war to any of the neighboring states; but by
a shortage of women its multitude was about to last a lifetime of a man, for
they had neither hope of offspring at home nor marriage with their neighbors. [Tum] Then from the advice of the
fathers Romulus sent ambassadors around the neighboring tribes who sought
alliance and marriage for the new people: the city also as all other things
were born from the lowest; then, whom their own virtue and the gods aid, they
made great wealth and a great name for themselves. [Satis] It was enough to know for the Roman origin both that
the gods had been present and that courage would not be lacking. Finally let the men not be reluctant to
mix blood and race with the men.
[Nusquam] Never was the legation heard kindly: they both were so
spurning and fearing such a mass growing in their midst for themselves and
their own descendants; they were dismissed by very many asking if they had
opened any refuge also for women: for this at last would be an equal marriage. The Roman youth endured this with
difficulty, and unmistakably (lit. hardly dubiously) the matter began to look
to force.
To which to give a
suitable time and place, concealing his mortification of spirit, Romulus prepares
solemn games industriously (lit. from industry) for equestrian Neptune; he
calls (them) the Consualia.
[Indici] He orders then the spectacle to be publicized to the neighbors,
the celebrated with as much magnificence as they then knew or were able, to
make the event outstanding and anticipated. Many men gathered, with zeal also for seeing the new city,
all their nearest, the Caeninenses, the Crustumini, the Antemnates; now the
whole multitude of the Sabines came with their children and wives. [Invitati] Having been invited
hospitably through the homes when they saw the location and walls and the city
crowded with homes, they wonder that the Roman state had grown in so short a
time. When the time for the
spectacle came, their minds were so dedicated to it with their minds, then
violence arose by agreement (lit. from having been arranged), and a signal
having been given the Roman youth runs down to seize the maidens. [Magna] A great part were seized by
chance in which (place) each had happened upon; men from the plebs to whom the
business had been given were carrying to their homes some women outstanding in
form marked out for the first of the fathers. They say a certain one was seized, distinguished far before
others in form and beauty, by the band of Thalassius, again and again, lest any
violate, it was shouts that (she) was carried off for Thalassius: thence this
was made the wedding call.
[Turbato] With the festival having been disturbed through fear, the sad
parents of the maidens flee, protesting against and calling upon the treaty of
the violated hospitality and the god to whose ceremony and games through right
and faith deceived they had come.
Nor for those seized is either the hope better for themselves or the
indignity less. [Sed] But Romulus
himself was going around and was teaching them that this was done through the
haughtiness of their fathers who had denied marriage with their neighbors. Yet those would be in matrimony, in the
alliances of all fortunes and of the state, and of children, than which nothing
is dearer to human kind.
[Mollirent] Let them only soften their angers and to whom chance had
given their bodies, let them give their spirits. Often from injury arose afterward favor, and by this they
would find better husbands, because each would strive though himself to fill
the desire for parents and also for country when he performed his duty for his
part. [Accedebant] The flatteries
of their husbands were increased by the desire and love of those seeking to
excuse the deed, which most greatly were effective prayers for the womanly
spirit.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Livy 1.8
With divine matters
having been attended to by rite and the multitude, which was able to gather
into the body of one people by nothing except by laws, having been called to
council, (Romulus) gave laws, which he thought (supply est) would be thus holy
for a rough race of men if he himself had made himself venerable by symbols of
power, he made himself more august not only by the rest of his dress but also
especially by twelve lictors having been assumed. [Alii] Some think that he followed number from the number of
the birds which had foretold his sovereignty in the augury; it hardly
discontents me to be of the opinion of those whom it pleases that both attendants
of this type (adv. acc) and also the number itself was lead from their
neighbors the Etruscan, whence the curule chair, whence the toga praetexta was
taken; and the Etruscans considered/arranged (it) thus because individual
peoples gave in common individual lictors from the twelve peoples with the king
having been created.
Meanwhile the city
was growing by the encroaching on some and other places with its walls because
they were fortifying more in hope of future multitude than to this which was
then of men (with regard to that which was the population then). [Deinde] Then lest the multitude of the
city be weak, for the sake of increasing the multitude, in the ancient plan of
those founding cities, who used to lie that offspring were born to them from
the earth, by drawing together to themselves a shadowy and humble multitude, he
opens the place, which now is an enclosure for those descending between two
groves, as a refuge. At this
time, from neighboring peoples the whole crowd was without distinction,
(whether) he was free or slave, fled eager for new circumstances, and this
was first of the strength for the begun multitude. When already it hardly pained (him) of strength, he then
prepares an advisory body for his strength: he creates 100 senators, whether because this number
was enough or because there were only 100 (men) who could be named fathers: they
were called fathers certainly from the honor, and their descendants were called
patricians.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Livy 1.7
To Remus first an
omen came, it is said: six vultures, and the augury having already been
announced, when double the number had offered themselves to Romulus, his own
multitude saluted each as king.
[Tempore] Those claim kingship on the priority of time, these on the
number of the birds. Then when
they met in conflict, by the struggle of passions they turned to murder. Thereupon Remus, having been struck,
fell in the crowd. [Vulgatior] The
more common report is that Remus, in mockery of his brother, jumped over the
new walls; thence by an angry Romulus, when, rebuking also with these words,
had added, “Thus afterwards whoever else jumps over my walls! he was
killed. [Ita] Thus Romulus alone
gained possession of power; the founded city was called by the name of its
founder.
His first fortified
the Palatine hill on which he himself had been brought up. He set up the sacred rites for the other
gods by Alban custom, by the Greek for Hercules, as they had been instituted by
Evander. [Herculem] They recall that into these
locations, Hercules, Geryon having been destroyed, drove his cows of marvelous appearance,
and, near the Tiber river, in which place he crossed by swimming, driving the
herd before him, lay down in a grassy spot, to renew the cows with rest and
fertile fodder, himself also weary from the journey. [Ibi] There, when sleep had overtaken him, heavy with food
and wine, a shepherd, a neighbor of this place, Cacus by name, fierce in his
strength, having been captured by the beauty of the cows, because he wanted to
turn this booty, because, if he forced her herd into his cave by driving
(them), their tracks themselves would have led their seeking master to him,
dragged the turned cows, each choice one in beauty, by their tails into his cave.
[Hercules] At first dawn Hercules,
roused from sleep, when he had reviewed his herd with his eyes and had noticed
part had gone from the number, advances to the nearest cave if by chance the
tracks lead there. Which, when he
saw that all turned outward and did not lead in another direction, confused and
uncertain of mind he began to drive his herd onwards from this dangerous place.
[Inde] Then some of the cattle, driven toward their desire of the ones left, as
happens, had lowed, the voice returned from the cave of those cows enclosed
turned Hercules. When he had tried
to prevent Hercules (lit. whom) by force from entering the cave, Cacus, struck
by his club, calling in vain on the faith of the shepherds, lay in death.
Evander, then a
refugee from Peloponnesus, was ruling these places more by authority than by
power, a venerated man for the miracle of letters, of a new thing among men
unacquainted with the arts, but more venerated by the believed divinity of his
mother Carmenta, whom these tribes had wondered at as a prophetess before the
arrival of the Sibyl into Italy.
[Is] This Evander then, roused by the rush of alarmed shepherds around a
stranger accused of open murder, after he heard the crime and the cause of the
crime, thinking that the habit and appearance of the man was something greater
and more august than human, he asked (lit. present) who the man was.
[Ubi] When he heard
his name and father and country, he said, “Hercules, son of Jupiter, hail! My mother, true-speaking interpreter of
the gods, sang that you would increase the number of the heavenly ones, and
that here an altar would be built for you, which the some-day most powerful
race in the lands will call the greatest and worship by your rite.” [Dextra] Right hand having been given, Hercules
says that he accepts the omen and
will fulfil (it) with the spoken altar having been founded and dedicated. There then first with an outstanding
cow having been taken from the herd, sacrifice was made to Hercules with the
Potitii and Pinarii being employed for the office and feast, which then were
the two most famous families inhabiting these parts. [Forte] By chance thus it happened that the Potitii were
present at the appointed time and before them the entrails were placed; the
Pinarii arrived with the vitals having been consumed for the rest of the feast.
Then the institution remained as
long as the family of the Pinarii existed that they not eat of the entrails of
the victims. [Potitii’ The
Potitii, having been instructed by Evander, presided over (lit. were standing
over) this rite for many ages, until, the sacred office of the family having
been handed over to public servants,whole race of the Potitii perished. Romulus then took up these rites, one
from all the foreign rites, already then a patron of immortality born from
virtue, to which his own fates were leading him.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Livy 1.6
At (lit. among) the
first tumult, Numitor declaring that an enemy had entered the City and was
attacking the palace, when he had called the Alban youth to hold the citadel as
a guard and arms, after he saw the young men coming to congratulate him, the
assassination having been accomplished, a council having been immediately
called, he explained his brother's crime towards himself, the origin of his
grandsons, how they were born, how they were brought up, and how they were recognized,
finally the tyrant's death and that he himself was the author it. [Iuvenes] The young men, having entered
in a line through the middle of the assembly, when they had saluted their
grandfather as king, a harmonizing voice from the whole multitude having
approved ratified (lit. made ratified) the title and sovereignty for the king.
[Ita] Thus the Alban government
having passed to Numitor, a desire for founding a city seized Romulus and Remus
in these places where they had been exposed and where they had been brought up. The multitude of the Albans and Latins
was over and above, to this the shepherds also added, who all easily formed the
hope that Alba would be small, Lavinium would be small before this city which
was to be founded. [Intervenit]
Then an ancestral evil interrupted these thoughts, desire for rule, and then a
foul contention arose from a mild enough beginning. [Quoniam] As they were twins, and modesty of age could make
no distinction, so the gods, whose safeguard were these places, would choose by
the augurs, who would give his name to the new city, who would rule the founded
(city) by his power, Romulus takes the Palatine, Remus took the Aventine as
their quarters of the sky (lit. temples) for the augury.
Livy 1.5
Already then on the
Palatine mountain they say was this Lupercal festival, (the hill was called)
Pallantium from Pallanteum, an Arcadian city, afterward (lit. then) the hill
was named Palatium. Then Evander, who,
from this race of Arcadians, held the territory many ages before, had instituted
a festival brought in from Arcadia so that naked young men ran about for sport
and wantonness, venerating Lycaean Pan, whom the Romans afterwards called
Inuus. [Huic] For those given over
to this rite, because the festival was widely known, the thieves, on account of
their anger over their lost plunder, set an ambush; although Romulus defended
himself with force, but the captured Remus, and they handed over the captive to
Amulius the king, accusing (him) impudently (lit. beyond (his crimes)). [Crimini] They were giving for the charge
mostly that attacks were being made by them on Numitor’s fields; then, with a
band of youths having been collected, these were taking plunder in a war-like
manner. Thus Remus is given over
to Numitor for punishment.
Now already for Faustulus
from the beginning had been the hope that royal offspring was being brought up
in his house: for he knew both that infants had been exposed by the king's
command and that the time at which he had rescued them corresponded to this
very (time); but he had not wanted to divulge the matter unseasonably (lit.
adj.) unless through a fitting opportunity or through necessity. Necessity came first. [Ita] Thus driven by fear for Remus he
disclosed the matter. By chance *
also, when he had Remus in his custody and had heard that they brothers were
twins, by comparing both their ages and their bearing unlike servile (bearing), the memory of his grandchildren had
touched *Numitor’s mind; and he arrived at the same understanding so that it
was hardly far but to recognize Remus.
[Ita] Thus a plot is woven for the king on all sides. Romulus not with a group of youths, for
he was not even equal to open force, but, with some ordered to come to the
palace by another route at a set time, he makes an attack on the king and, from
the home of Numitor, Remus helps with another band having been gathered. Thus they kill the king.
Livy 1.4
But by the Fates had,
as I believe, was owed the origin of such a great city and the beginning of the
greatest empire after power of the gods.
The Vestal, overwhelmed by force, when she had produced twin offspring, names
Mars the father of the uncertain issue, whether thus she thought or because a
god as the author of her crime was more respectable. [Sed] But neither gods nor men shelter either her or her offspring
from royal cruelty. The priestess,
bound, is given into custody; he orders the boys to be thrown into the flowing
water.
By some chance
providentially, the Tiber had poured out over its banks in stagnant pools and
could not be approached up to the course of the regular stream and gave the
hope to those carrying that the boys could be drowned by the water, although
languid. Thus, as if carrying out
the order of the king, the expose the boys in the nearest overflow where now
the Ruminalis fig tree is – they say that it was called the Romularis. [Vastae] Then there were vast wildernesses
in these places. The story is,
when the shallow water had left the floating basket in which the boys were
exposed on dry ground, a thirsty she-wolf from the mountains which were around
had bent her course toward the boyish crying; she had provided her distended
teats to the boys so gently that the master of the royal flock found her
licking the boys with her tongue.
[Faustulo] They say his name was Faustulus. By him to his cottage to his wife Laurentia (they boys) were
given to be raised. There are those
who think that Larentia was so called among the shepherds from making her body
common; thence the reason given to the story and miracle.
Thus born and thus
brought up, as soon as their age matured, sluggish neither in the folds nor
about the herds, wandered the woods in hunting. Hence with strength in bodies and minds having been
developed, already they not only face wild animals but make attacks on thieves
loaded with booty and divide the captured goods among the shepherd and, with
these celebrate serious things and jovial with a flock of youths growing day by
day.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Livy 1.3
The son of Aeneas,
Ascanius, was not yet old enough for power; yet this power remained for him safely until his ahe of
puberty. Meanwhile by a woman’s
guardianship, such character was in Lavinia, the Latin state and the kingdom of
his father and grandfather stood for the boy. [Haud] I will hardly debate – for who might confirm a matter
so old for certain? – whether this was Ascanius or an older (boy) than this,
born from Creusa as mother, Troy being safe, and companion then of his father’s
flight, whom the Iulian family calls the same Iulus, the author of their
name. [Is] This Ascanius, wherever
and from whatever mother born -- it is surely was born from Aeneas -- with the
multitude of Lavinium superfluous, left a already flourishing and opulent city,
as things then were, to his mother or stepmother, and he himself built a another
new (city) at the foot of the Alban mountain, which from the position of the
city stretching along the side was called ‘Alba Longa.’
Nearly thirty years were
between Lavinium and the colony of Alba Longa having been lead out. Yes they
had created such resources, mainly with the Etruscans having been routed, that not
even at the death of Aeneas, nor then during the womanly protection and first, immaturity
of the boyish kingdom, did either
Mezentius and the Etruscans or any other neighbors dare to move arms. [Pax] Peace thus had been agreed upon,
so that the river Albula, which now they call the Tiber, was the boundary for
the Etruscans and the Latins.
[Silvius] Silvius
then reigned, son of Ascanius, by some chance born in the forest. He begets Aeneas Silvius, he then
Latinus Silvius. By this one some
colonies were lead out, called Prisci Latini. The cognomen afterwards remained for all the Silvians who
ruled at Alba. From Latinus was
born Alba; from Alba, Atys; from Atys, Capys; from Capys, Capetus; from
Capetus, Tiberinus, who, having drowned in crossing the Albula, gave his name
to the river, famous to posterity (lit. pl). [Agrippa] Agrippa then was the son of Tiberinus; after
Agrippa, Romulus Silvius rules with power having been received from his
father. He himself hands over
(lit. transfers by hand) power having been struck by lightening on the
Aventine. This man, buried on this
hill, which now is a part of the city of Rome, produced the name for the
hill. Proca then rules. This one begets Numitor and Amulius; to
Numitor, who was the elder son (lit. offshoot), he chooses the ancient power of
the Silvian race. Violence,
however, was more able than either a father's will or respect for age. [Pulso] His brother having been driven
out, Amulius rules. He adds crime
to crime: he murders the son (lit. manly offshoot) of his brother and by
perpetual virginity deprives the hope of his brother’s daughter, Rhea Silvia, for
issue when he had chosen her a Vestal through the pretense of honor.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Livy 1.2
Then the Aborigines
and the Trojans were attacked in war at the same time. Turnus, the king of the Rutulians, to
whom Lavinia had been betrothed before the arrival of Aeneas, scarcely enduring
that a stranger was preferred to himself, at once had brought war against
Latinus and Aeneas. [Neutra]
Neither line came from this contest happy; the Rutulians were defeated, but the
victors, the Aborigines and the Trojans, lost their leader Latinus. [Inde] Thence Turnus and the Rutulians,
despairing in resources, flee to the flowering power of the Etruscans and
Mezentius, their king, who, ruling at Caere, then a wealthy city, already then
from the beginning very little happy at the origin of the new city, and thought
then the Trojan state grew more by too much than was safe for the natives,
joined allied arms to the Rutulians hardly reluctantly. [Aeneas] Aeneas, against the terror of
such war to reconcile the spirits of the Aborigines to himself, they all were
under not only the same law but also name, called both nations (lit. singular) "Latins."
And then the Aborigines did not
yield to the Trojans in zeal and faith toward king Aeneas. [Fretus] And confidence grew in their
spirits of the two peoples more day by day (so that) Aeneas, although Etruria was
so great in wealth that already the fame of her name had filled not only the
lands but also the sea through the whole length of Italy from the Alps to the
straight of Sicily, yet, although he could repulse war with her mountains,
lead troops into battle. [Secundum]
The battle was favorable for the Latins, but it was the last of mortal acts for
Aeneas. He was placed, whatever it
is lawful and right that he be called, over the Numicus river; they call him ‘Jupiter
Indiges.’
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Livy 1.1
[Iam] Now first of
all, it is generally agreed that, Troy having been captured, rage was vented
upon the rest of the Trojans; the Achivi abstained from every right of war for two —Aeneas
and Antenor — both by the law of ancient hospitality and because they were
always been the supporters of peace and of returning Helen. [Casibus] Their fortunes (lit.
events/misfortunes) then being different, Antenor came into the inmost bay of
the Adriatic Sea with a multitude of Enetes, who had been driven from
Paphlagonia by a revolution and, having lost their king Pylaemenes before Troy,
were looking for a settlement and a leader; the Euganei who used to live
between the sea and the Alps having been driven out, the Eneti and Trojans occupied
these lands. [Et] And the place
(lit. acc.) into which they first disembarked was called Troy, and thence the
name was Troy (lit. dat.) for the district; the whole nation was called Veneti.
[Aeneam] Aeneas, a fugitive from
home by a similar misfortune, but, with the Fates leading to greater beginnings
of things, came first into Macedonia, then was carried down into Sicily seeking
a settlement, from Sicily he held his fleet to the Laurentian territory. Troy is the name for this place
also. [Ibi] There the Trojans,
having disembarked, as for whom by an almost boundless wandering nothing had
survived except their arms and their ships, because they were taking plunder
from the fields, king Latinus and the local inhabitants, who then were holding
these places, gather together from the city and the fields armed to prevent the
violence of the strangers.
[Duplex] From this point there is a twofold tradition: some say that
Latinus, defeated in battle, joined peace with Aeneas and subsequently a family
alliance; others that when the battle lines, having been drawn up, had stopped
before they sounded the signals, Latinus had advanced among his front lines and
had invited the leader of the strangers to a conference; he inquired then who
were the men, whence or by what misfortune set out from their home, or seeking what
they had gone out into Laurentine territory; after he heard that the multitude
were Trojans, that their leader was Aeneas, the son of Anchises and Venus, that,
their native city (lit. fatherland) having been burnt, the fugitives from
home were seeking an abode and a place for building a city, having admired both
the nobility of the race and the hero, and their spirit prepared for either war
or peace, his right hand having been given, he sanctified a pledge of future
friendship. [Inde] Then a treaty
was struck between the leaders and greetings made between the armies; Aeneas
was entertained (lit. in hospitality) at Latinus’ home. [Ibi] There Latinus before his household
gods had joined domestic treaty to public, his daughter having been given in
marriage to Aeneas. This incident certainly
confirms for the Trojans at last the hope of the end of their wandering in a
stable and sure home. [Oppidum]
They build a town; Aeneas calls (it) Lavinium from the name of his wife. In a short time also a boy (a manly
shoot) was from the new marriage, for whom his parents said the name of
Ascanius.
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