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.

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