- 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
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:2.37.1-2.37.9
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-03
The senate orders a grand re-celebration of the games, which many Volscians attend. Their leader Attius Tullius falsely warns the consuls of a potential Volscian riot, prompting the senate to expel all Volscians from the city before nightfall.
ludi quam amplissimi ut fierent, senatus decrevit. ad eos ludos auctore Attio Tullio vis magna Volscorum venit.
The senate decreed that the games should be celebrated as grandly as possible. To these games, at the instigation of Attius Tullius, a great multitude of the Volscians came.
priusquam committerentur ludi, Tullius, ut domi compositum cum Marcio fuerat, ad consules venit; dicit esse, quae secreto agere de re publica velit. arbitris remotis “invitus” inquit, “quod sequius sit,1 de meis civibus loquor, non tamen admissum quicquam ab iis criminatum venio, sed cautum,2 ne admittant.
Before the games were commenced, Tullius, as had been agreed upon at home with Marcius, came to the consuls; he said that there were matters concerning the state which he wished to treat of in private. When witnesses were removed, “Unwillingly,” he said, ”do I speak of my fellow citizens, as it is rather unfavorable; yet I do not come to accuse them of anything already committed, but to warn you, lest they should commit it.
nimio plus quam vellem nostrorum ingenia sunt mobilia.
By far too much more than I could wish, the dispositions of our people are fickle.
multis id cladibus sensimus, quippe qui non nostro merito, sed vestra patientia incolumes simus.3 magna hic nunc Volscorum multitudo est; ludi sunt; spectaculo intenta civitas erit.
We have felt this in many disasters, since indeed we remain safe not by our own merit, but by your forbearance. There is now a great multitude of Volscians here; there are games; the state will be intent on the spectacle.
memini, quid per eandem occasionem ab Sabinorum iuventute in hac urbe commissum sit; horret animus, ne quid inconsulte ac temere fiat. haec nostra vestraque causa prius dicenda vobis, consules, ratus sum.
I remember what was committed in this city by the Sabine youth on a similar occasion; my mind dreads lest anything should be done rashly and thoughtlessly. I thought, consuls, that these things ought to be told to you beforehand, for our sake and yours.
quod ad me attinet, extemplo hinc domum abire in animo est, ne cuius facti dictive contagione praesens violer.” haec locutus abiit.
As far as concerns myself, it is my intention to depart home from here immediately, lest by being present I should be contaminated by the contagion of any deed or word.” Having spoken thus, he departed.
consules cum ad patres rem dubiam sub auctore certo detulissent, auctor magis, ut fit, quam res ad praecavendum vel ex supervacuo movit; factoque senatus consulto, ut urbe excederent Volsci, praecones dimittuntur, qui omnes eos proficisci ante noctem iuberent.4
When the consuls laid this uncertain matter from a reliable source before the senators, the author, as usually happens, rather than the matter itself, moved them to take precautions, even if superfluous; and a decree of the senate being made that the Volscians should leave the city, heralds were sent out to order them all to depart before night.
ingens pavor primo discurrentis ad suas res tollendas in hospitia perculit; proficiscentibus deinde indignatio oborta, se ut consceleratos contaminatosque ab ludis, festis diebus, coetu quodam modo hominum deorumque abactos esse.5
At first, a great panic seized them as they ran about to their lodgings to take away their things; then, as they departed, indignation arose that they had been driven away like criminals and polluted persons from the games, from the festival, and, so to speak, from the gathering of men and gods.
- 2.37.3quod sequius sit
sequius is the neuter comparative of the adverb secus (otherwise, worse). 'quod sequius sit' is a restrictive relative clause with the subjunctive (sit), acting as a parenthesis meaning 'what may be rather unfavorable' or 'so far as it is unfavorable'.
- 2.37.3criminatum... cautum
These are supines in the accusative (criminatum and cautum) depending on the verb of motion 'venio' to express purpose ('to accuse', 'to warn/take precaution').
- 2.37.5quippe qui... simus
The combination of 'quippe qui' with the subjunctive 'simus' introduces a causal relative clause, strongly emphasizing the reason ('inasmuch as we are...').
- 2.37.8qui omnes eos proficisci ante noctem iuberent
A relative clause of purpose introduced by the relative pronoun 'qui' with the imperfect subjunctive 'iuberent'. Although the main verb 'dimittuntur' is a historical present, it is treated here as a past tense, triggering the secondary sequence.
- 2.37.9se ut consceleratos... abactos esse
An accusative with infinitive construction (subject 'se', infinitive 'abactos esse') without a main governing verb. It functions as indirect speech representing the thought or grievance of the Volscians, explaining the content of their 'indignatio'.