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.