Thursday, March 28, 2013

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.

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