- Source
- Titi Livi ab urbe condita libri editionem priman, Pars I-IV, Libri I-XL. Editio Stereotypica. Weissenborn, Wilhelm; Mueller, Moritz, editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1884-1911.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
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- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:10.17.1-10.17.12
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-22
Decius took advantage of the absence of the Samnite army to capture and plunder their cities Murgantia, Romulea, and Ferentinum. There are varying accounts concerning to whom this military glory belongs.
haec eos in Etruria iactantes molientesque bellum domi Romanum urebat.1 nam P. Decius, ubi conperit per exploratores profectum Samnitium exercitum, advocato consilio “quid per agros” inquit “vagamur vicatim circumferentes bellum? quin urbes et moenia adgredimur? nullus iam exercitus Samnio praesidet; cessere finibus ac sibimet ipsi exilium conscivere.” adprobantibus cunctis ad Murgantiam, validam urbem, oppugnandam2 ducit, tantusque ardor militum fuit et caritate ducis et spe maioris quam ex agrestibus populationibus praedae, ut uno die vi atque armis urbem caperent.
While they were boasting of these things and plotting war in Etruria, the Roman was harassing them at home. For Publius Decius, when he found out through scouts that the army of the Samnites had departed, having called a council, said: “Why do we wander through the fields, carrying war from village to village? Why do we not attack cities and walls? No army now guards Samnium; they have departed from their borders and decreed exile for themselves.” With everyone approving, he led them to Murgantia, a strong city, to attack it; and so great was the ardor of the soldiers, both from affection for their leader and from hope of greater booty than that from rural plunderings, that in one day they captured the city by force and arms.
ibi duo milia Samnitium et centum pugnantes circumventi captique, et alia praeda ingens capta est. quae3 ne impedimentis gravibus agmen oneraret, convocari milites Decius iubet.
There, two thousand one hundred fighting Samnites were surrounded and captured, and other huge booty was taken. Lest this should burden the column with heavy baggage, Decius ordered the soldiers to be called together.
“hacine” inquit “victoria sola aut hac praeda contenti4 estis futuri? vultis vos pro virtute spes gerere? omnes Samnitium urbes fortunaeque in urbibus relictae vestrae sunt, quando legiones eorum tot proeliis fusas postremo finibus expulistis.
”Will you,” he said, ”be content with this victory alone or this booty? Do you wish to direct your hopes in proportion to your valor? All the cities of the Samnites and the fortunes left in the cities are yours, since you have finally expelled their legions, routed in so many battles, from their borders.
vendite ista et inlicite lucro mercatorem, ut sequatur agmen; ego subinde suggeram quae vendatis. ad Romuleam urbem hinc eamus, ubi vos labor haud maior, praeda maior manet.”
Sell those things and entice the merchant with gain, so that he may follow the column; I will constantly supply things for you to sell. Let us go hence to the city of Romulea, where no greater labor, but greater booty, awaits you.”
Divendita praeda ultro adhortantes imperatorem ad Romuleam pergunt. ibi quoque sine opere, sine tormentis, simul admota sunt signa, nulla vi deterriti a muris, qua cuique proximum fuit, scalis raptim admotis in moenia evasere. captum oppidum ac direptum est;
The booty having been sold off, of their own accord encouraging their commander, they proceeded to Romulea. There too, without siege works, without engines, as soon as the standards were brought up, deterred from the walls by no force, wherever was closest to each, with ladders quickly applied, they climbed onto the walls. The town was captured and plundered;
ad duo milia et trecenti occisi et sex milia hominum capta, et miles ingenti praeda potitus, quam vendere, sicut priorem, coactus; Ferentinum inde, quamquam nihil quietis dabatur, tamen summa alacritate ductus.
about two thousand three hundred were killed and six thousand people captured, and the soldier gained huge booty, which he was compelled to sell, just like the former; thence they were led to Ferentinum with the greatest eagerness, although no rest was given.
ceterum ibi plus laboris ac periculi fuit: et defensa summa vi moenia sunt, et locus erat munimento naturaque tutus; sed evicit omnia adsuetus praedae miles. ad tria milia hostium circa muros caesa; praeda militis fuit.
But there was more labor and danger there: both the walls were defended with the greatest force, and the place was safe by fortification and nature; but the soldier, accustomed to booty, overcame all things. About three thousand of the enemy were slain around the walls; the booty belonged to the soldier.
huius oppugnatarum urbium decoris pars maior in quibusdam annalibus ad Maximum trahitur: Murgantiam ab Decio, a Fabio Ferentinum Romuleamque oppugnatas tradunt.
The greater part of the glory of these captured cities is ascribed in certain annals to Maximus; they report that Murgantia was attacked by Decius, and Ferentinum and Romulea by Fabius.
sunt, qui novorum consulum hanc gloriam faciant, quidam non amborum, sed alterius, L. Volumni: ei Samnium provinciam evenisse.5
There are those who make this glory belong to the new consuls, some not to both, but to one of them, Lucius Volumnius: that the province of Samnium had fallen to him.
- 10.17.1haec eos in Etruria iactantes molientesque bellum domi Romanum urebat
The subject of the main clause is bellum ... Romanum (the Roman war), the verb is urebat (was harassing), and the direct object is the accusative eos (the Samnites). iactantes and molientes are present participles agreeing with eos, with haec (neuter plural accusative) acting as their object.
- 10.17.3oppugnandam
A gerundive in the feminine accusative singular, modifying urbem and expressing purpose ("to be attacked" or "to attack").
- 10.17.4quae
A connecting relative at the beginning of the clause, referring back to the preceding noun praeda (booty).
- 10.17.5contenti
The adjective contentus takes the ablative of means (here victoria and praeda) to mean "content with."
- 10.17.12ei Samnium provinciam evenisse
An accusative and infinitive construction (ACI) in indirect speech. The subject accusative of evenisse (perfect infinitive) is Samnium provinciam (the province of Samnium), and ei is the dative referring to Lucius Volumnius.
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (3, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — note 1
- 2026-09-21 AI review — source 2