- 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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- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:2.18.1-2.18.11
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-04
Amidst domestic unrest caused by Sabine youths and the looming threat of a Latin war, Rome appoints its first dictator, whose absolute authority enforces strict obedience at home and strikes fear into the Sabines during peace talks.
insequens annus Postumum Cominium et T. Larcium consules habuit.
The following year had Postumus Cominius and Titus Larcius as consuls.
eo anno Romae, cum per ludos ab Sabinorum iuventute per lasciviam scorta raperentur, concursu hominum rixa ac prope proelium fuit, parvaque ex re ad rebellionem spectare res videbatur. super belli Latini metum id quoque accesserat, quod triginta iam coniurasse populos concitante Octavio Mamilio satis constabat.
In that year at Rome, since during the games prostitutes were carried off by the youth of the Sabines out of wantonness, there was a brawl and almost a battle from the gathering of men, and from a small matter the situation seemed to point toward rebellion. In addition to the fear of a Latin war, this also had been added, that it was well established that thirty peoples had already formed a conspiracy, with Octavius Mamilius inciting them.
in hac tantarum expectatione rerum sollicita civitate dictatoris primum creandi mentio orta. sed nec quo anno, nec quibus consulibus, quia ex factione Tarquiniana essent — id quoque enim traditur —, parum creditum sit,1 nec quis primum dictator creatus sit, satis constat.
In this state of anxiety in the city, with such great events expected, the mention of first appointing a dictator arose. But neither in which year, nor under which consuls, because they were suspected as being of the Tarquinian faction—for that also is handed down—they were little trusted, nor who was first appointed dictator, is sufficiently established.
apud veterrimos tamen auctores T. Larcium dictatorem primum, Sp. Cassium magistrum equitum creatos invenio. consulares legere: ita lex iubebat de dictatore creando lata.
Among the oldest authors, however, I find that Titus Larcius was appointed the first dictator, and Spurius Cassius master of the horse. They chose consulars; for so the law enacted concerning the appointment of a dictator commanded.
eo magis adducor, ut credam Larcium, qui consularis erat, potius quam M.’ Valerium M. filium Volesi nepotem, qui nondum consul fuerat, moderatorem et magistrum consulibus appositum;
For this reason I am more led to believe that Larcius, who was a consular, rather than Manius Valerius, the son of Marcus and grandson of Volesus, who had not yet been consul, was placed over the consuls as director and master;
quin, si maxime ex ea familia legi dictatorem vellent, patrem multo potius M. Valerium spectatae virtutis et consularem virum legissent.
indeed, if they had wished above all to choose a dictator from that family, they would have much rather chosen his father, Marcus Valerius, a man of approved virtue and a consular.
creato dictatore primum Romae, postquam praeferri secures viderunt, magnus plebem metus incessit, ut intentiores essent2 ad dicto parendum. neque enim, ut in consulibus, qui pari potestate essent, alterius auxilium, neque provocatio erat neque ullum usquam nisi in cura parendi auxilium.
When a dictator was appointed for the first time at Rome, after they saw the axes carried in front, a great fear came upon the plebeians, so that they were more intent on obeying commands. For neither, as in the case of the consuls who had equal power, was there the help of the other, nor was there the right of appeal, nor was there any help anywhere except in the care of obeying.
Sabinis etiam creatus Romae dictator eo magis, quod propter se creatum crediderant, metum incussit. itaque legatos de pace mittunt.
The appointment of a dictator at Rome also struck greater fear into the Sabines, especially because they believed that he had been appointed on their account. Therefore, they sent ambassadors concerning peace.
quibus orantibus dictatorem senatumque, ut veniam erroris hominibus adulescentibus darent, responsum, ignosci adulescentibus posse, senibus non posse, qui bella ex bellis sererent. actum tamen est de pace, inpetrataque foret,3 si, quod inpensae factum in bellum erat, praestare Sabini — id enim postulatum erat — in animum induxissent. bellum indictum; tacitae indutiae quietum annum tenuere.
To them, praying the dictator and the senate to grant pardon for the error to the young men, it was answered that the young men could be forgiven, but the old men could not, who sowed wars after wars. Yet peace was treated of, and it would have been obtained, if the Sabines had brought their minds to pay what expense had been made for the war—for that had been demanded. War was declared; a tacit truce kept the year quiet.
- 2.18.4parum creditum sit
Meaning 'little trust was given to them.' creditum sit is an impersonal passive taking quibus consulibus as the dative object, forming part of the indirect question dependent on satis constat.
- 2.18.8ut intentiores essent
This clause is to be interpreted as an adverbial clause of result ('with the result that they were more intent') arising from magnus plebem metus incessit, rather than a noun clause of fearing (which would normally mean 'fear that they would not be...').
- 2.18.11inpetrataque foret
The apodosis of a past counterfactual conditional. foret is an alternative form of esset, making inpetrata foret equivalent to the pluperfect subjunctive passive inpetrata esset.