Livy I 56 p. 69

Livy I 56 p. 69

Quo postquam ventum est, perfectis patris mandatis, cupido incessit animos iuvenum sciscitandi ad quem eorum regnum Romanum esset venturum.

When they arrived there, with the commands of the king having been completed, a desire fell upon the souls of the young men to ask to whom of them the Roman kingdom would go.

Ex infimo specu vocem redditam (esse) ferunt: “Imperium summum Romae habebit qui vestrum primus, o iuvenes, osculum matri tulerit.”

They say that the reply came from the deepest part of the cave: “The one of you who kisses his mother first, young men, will have the greatest power of Rome.”

Tarquinii, [ut Sextus, (qui Romae relictus fuerat,) ignarus responsi expersque imperii esset,] rem summa ope taceri iubent; ipsi inter se, [uter prior, (cum Romam redisset), matri osculum daret,] sorti permittunt.

The Tarquins ordered the matter to be concealed with all possible care so that Sextus, who had been left at Rome, would be unaware of the response and devoid of power; they among themselves entrusted to lot-drawing who of the two would give a kiss to his mother first, once he had returned to Rome.

Brutus alio ratus spectare Pythicam vocem, (velut si prolapsus cecidisset,) terram osculo contigit, scilicet (quod ea communis mater omnium esset). Reditum (est) inde Romam, ubi adversus Rutulos bellum summa vi parabatur.

Thinking that Pythia’s words had another meaning, Brutus pretended to stumble and fall down and touched the earth with a kiss (= kissed the earth), evidently because she is the common mother of everyone. Then they returned to Rome where a war was vigorously being prepared.

Livy I 56 p. 67

Is cum primores civitatis (interfectos esse), in quibus fratrem suum ab avunculo interfectum (esse) audisset, neque in animo suo quicquam, quod esset regi timendum, neque in fortuna, quod esset regi concupiscendum, relinquere statuit, contemptuque tutus esse decrevit, ubi in iure parum praesidii sibi esset.

When he had heard that the leaders of the city among whom his own brother were killed by his uncle, he decided not to leave in his mind something that the king would fear (= that was to be feared by the king), nor something in his fortune that the king would desire, and he also decided to be safe by being held in contempt, where there was little of protection for himself in justice.

Ergo ex industria hominem stultum imitabatur, cum se suaque praedae esse regi sineret, Bruti quoque haud abnuit cognomen ut sub eius obtentu cognominis liberator ille populi Romani animus latens opperiretur tempora sua.

Therefore he was imitating a foolish man on purpose, while he allowing himself and his things to be a source of gain for the king, and also he scarcely refused the name Brutus so that

Is tum ab Tarquiniis ductus Delphos, ludibrium verius quam comes, aureum baculum inclusum corneo baculo, quod erat ob illam causam cavatum, tulisse donum Apollini dicitur. Hoc baculum per ambages effigiem praebebat ingenii, quod habebat Brutus.

Then having been led by the Tarquins to Delphi, in truth as a mockery more than a companion, he is said to have brought as a gift to Apollo a golden staff included in a wooden staff, which had been hollowed out for this purpose. This staff was presenting in a roundabout way an image of the character which Brutus had.

Livy I 56 p. 65

Livy I 56, p. 65

(Tarquinio) haec agenti portentum terribile est visum: anguis ex columna lignea elapsus, cum terrorem fugamque in regiam fecisset, ipsius regis non tam subito pavore perculit pectus quam anxiis implevit curis.

A terrible omen was seen by Tarquinius who was accomplishing these things: a snake sliding down from a wooden column, after it had caused (the people) in the palace to flee in terror, it struck the heart of the king himself not so much with sudden fear as it filled it with anxious concerns.

Itaque cum ad publica prodigia Etrusci tantum vates adhiberentur, rex hoc velut domestico exterritus visu Delphos, ad maxime inclitum in terris oraculum, legatos mittere statuit.

Thus, while only Etruscan prophets were consulted for public omens, the king terrified by this vision as if it were concerning his household decided to send legates to Delphi, the most famous oracle in the world.

Neque responsa sortium ulli alii committere ausus, duos filios per ignotas ea tempestate terras, ignotiora maria in Graeciam misit. Titus et Arruns sunt profecti;

And since he did not dare to entrust the response of the oracle to anyone else, he sent his two sons through lands unknown at that time, and even more unknown seas in Greece. Titus and Arruns set out;

comes iis additus (est) L. Iunius Brutus, Tarquinia, sorore regis, natus, iuvenis longe alius ingenii quam cuius simulationem induerat.

L. Junius Brutus was given to them as a companion, the son of Tarquinia the sister of the king, a young man of a character way different than the pretense of the one he had put on.

Livy I 55, p. 61

Tarquinius pacem cum Aequorum gente fecit, foedus cum Tuscis renovavit. Inde ad negotia urbana animum convertit;

Tarquinius made peace with the people of Aequi, he renewed the treaty with the Etruscans. Then turned his attention to the affairs of the city;

quorum erat primum ut Iovis templum in monte Tarpeio monumentum regni sui nominisque relinqueret, ut posteri scirent Tarquinios, reges ambos, patrem vovisse, filium perfecisse.

of which, the first (order of business) was to leave behind (as a legacy) a temple of Jupiter on the Tarpeian Mountain as a monument to his kingship and name, in order that the descendants (i.e. those coming after) might know that of the Tarquins, both being kings, the father had vowed and the son had completed (sc. the temple).

Livy I 9 p. 37

Livy I 9, p. 37

Sed ipse Romulus circumibat docebatque patrum id superbia factum esse, qui conubium finitimis negassent;

But Romulus himself was going around and saying that this (i.e. the abduction) was done because of the arrogance of the parents, who had refused marriage to their neighbors;

 illas tamen in matrimonio, in societate fortunarum omnium civitatisque et, quo nihil carius humano generi sit, liberum fore; mollirent modo iras et, quibus fors corpora dedisset, darent animos;

those women nevertheless would be in matrimony, in partnership of all fortunes and citizenship and of children, from which nothing is more dear to the human race; that they should just mitigate their anger and give their hearts to whom chance had given their bodies.

saepe ex iniuria postmodum gratiam ortam esse; eoque melioribus usuras esse viris quod adnisurus pro se quisque sit ut, cum suam vicem functus officio sit, parentium etiam patriaeque earum expleat desiderium.

that often affection rose out of injustice after a while; for this reason they would find their husbands better (i.e. to be more kind) because each would try his best so that while for his part performing his duty he would also make up for the longing of their parents and their homeland.

Accedebant blanditiae virorum factum purgantium cupiditate atque amore, quae maxime ad muliebre ingenium efficaces preces sunt.

The blandishments of the men were added, who were trying to excuse their deed on the grounds of desire and love, which pleas are most efficient to the feminine nature.

Livy I 9 p. 35

Livy I 9, p. 35

Ubi spectaculi tempus venit deditaeque eo mentes cum oculis erant, tum ex composito orta est vis, signoque dato, iuventus Romana ad rapiendas virgines discurrit.

When the time of the spectacle came and everyone’s minds and eyes were absorbed there, then according to the agreement violence arose and with the signal having been given the Roman youths ran around for the purpose of seizing the maidens.

Magna pars (forte in quem Romanum quaeque inciderat) raptae (sunt): quasdam forma excellentes primoribus patrum destinatas ex plebe homines, quibus datum negotium erat, domos deferebant.

The great part (of the women) were snatched by the Roman in front of whom each one happened to run across: some of the women excelling in beauty having been chosen by the leading senators were taken to the houses by men of plebeian origin to whom the task had been given.

Unam specie ac pulchritudine multo speciosiorem quam alias ab amicis Thalassi cuiusdam raptam (esse) ferunt, multisque sciscitantibus cuinam eam ferrent, identidem eos, ne quis violaret, Thalassio ferri clamare: inde nuptialem hanc vocem esse factam.

They say that one (maiden) more beautiful than the others in respect to appearance and beauty was snatched by the friends of a certain Thalassius, and with many people asking to whom they were carrying her, they repeatedly shouted that she was being carried to Thalassius so that no other would claim her: there from came this wedding shout.

Turbato per metum ludicro, maesti parentes virginum profugiunt, incusantes violati hospitii foedus deumque invocantes cuius ad sollemne ludosque per fas ac fidem decepti venissent. Nec raptis aut spes de se melior aut indignatio est minor.

After the show had been thrown into confusion by fear, the sad fathers of the maidens fled, accusing that the treaty of hospitality had been violated and invoking the god to whose festival and shows they had come, having been deceived despite what was right and faithful. The hope of the snatched maidens about themselves was not better nor was their anger less (than their parents’).

Livy I 7, p. 23

Priori Remo augurium venisse fertur, sex vultures; iamque nuntiato augurio cum duplex numerus Romulo se ostendisset, utrumque regem sua multitudo consalutaverat: tempore illi praecepto, at hi numero avium regnum trahebant.

It is said that an omen came to Remus first, six vultures; and with the omen having been announced when double a number revealed itself to Romulus, his own crowd greeted each one as a king: those (Remus’ supporters) claimed the kingship on the ground of priority of time, these (Romulus’ supporters) on the ground of the number of birds.

Inde cum altercatione congressi certamine irarum ad caedem vertuntur; ibi in turba ictus Remus cecidit. Vulgatior fama est ludibrio fratris Remum novos transiluisse muros;

Then having engaged in argument they turned themselves to slaughter because of the struggle of their passions; there having been struck in the crowd Remus died. The more common story is that Remus out of mockery of his brother had jumped over the new walls.

inde ab irato Romulo, [cum verbis quoque increpitans adiecisset], (“Sic (pereat) deinde, quicumque alius transiliet moenia mea,”) interfectum (esse). Ita solus potitus (est) imperio Romulus; condita urbs conditoris nomine appellata (est).

Then Remus was killed by angry Romulus, after he had added, also rebuking him (Remus) with words, “Thus may he die (perish), whoever else will jump over my walls.” Thus Romulus alone obtained the power; after its foundation the city was named after the name of its founder.