Tullius's Speech and the Volscian Revolt — Livy, History of Rome Book 2 (2.38.1–2.38.6), Latin & English

§2.38.1

cum prope continuato agmine irent, praegressus Tullius ad caput Ferentinum, ut quisque veniret, primores eorum excipiens querendo indignandoque, et eos ipsos sedulo audientes secunda irae verba¹ et per eos multitudinem aliam in subiectum viae campum deduxit.

As they went in an almost continuous column, Tullius, having gone ahead to the spring of Ferentina, received their leading men as each arrived, with complaining and indignation; and while they themselves listened eagerly to his words which chimed in with their anger, he led them, and through them the rest of the multitude, down into the plain lying below the road.

§2.38.2

ibi in contionis modum orationem exorsus veteres populi Romani iniurias cladesque gentis Volscorum commemoravit. tum “ut omnia” inquit “obliviscamini alia, hodiernam hanc contumeliam quo tandem animo fertis, qua per nostram ignominiam ludos commisere?

There, having begun his speech in the manner of a public assembly, he recalled the ancient injuries of the Roman people and the disasters of the Volscian nation. Then he said, “Even if you should forget all other things, with what spirit, pray, do you bear this today’s insult, by which they have commenced the games through our ignominy?

§2.38.3

an non sensistis triumphatum hodie de vobis esse?² vos omnibus, civibus peregrinis, tot finitimis populis spectaculo³ abeuntes fuisse, vestras coniuges, vestros liberos traductos per ora hominum?

Or did you not perceive that a triumph was celebrated over you today? That you, as you departed, were a spectacle to all, both citizens and strangers, and to so many neighboring peoples; that your wives and your children were paraded before the faces of men?

§2.38.4

quid eos, qui audivere vocem praeconis, quid, qui nos videre abeuntes, quid eos, qui huic ignominioso agmini fuere obvii, existimasse putatis, nisi aliquod profecto nefas esse, quod, si intersimus spectaculo, violaturi simus ludos piaculumque merituri, ideo nos ab sede piorum, coetu concilioque abigi?

What do you think those who heard the voice of the herald, what those who saw us departing, what those who met this shameful column, must have thought, except that there was surely some great impiety, such that if we were present at the spectacle, we would violate the games and deserve expiation, and that for this reason we were driven away from the seat of the pious, from their gathering and assembly?

§2.38.5

quid deinde? illud non succurrit, vivere nos, quod maturarimus proficisci? si hoc profectio et non fuga est. et hanc urbem vos non hostium ducitis, ubi si unum diem morati essetis, moriendum omnibus fuit?⁴

What next? Does it not occur to you that we are alive only because we hastened our departure? If indeed this is a departure and not a flight. And do you not regard this city as one of enemies, where if you had delayed for a single day, you all must have died?

§2.38.6

bellum vobis indictum est, magno eorum malo,⁵ qui indixere, si viri estis.” ita et sua sponte irarum pleni et incitati domos inde digressi sunt instigandoque suos quisque populos effecere, ut omne Volscum nomen deficeret.

War has been declared against you, to the great misfortune of those who declared it, if you are men.” Thus, full of anger of their own accord and also incited, they dispersed thence to their homes, and by instigating each his own people, they brought it about that the entire Volscian name revolted.

Syntax notes5 items

2.38.1secunda irae verba
The adjective secundus (following, favorable) takes the dative irae (anger), meaning "words favoring/chiming in with their anger." This phrase serves as the object of the present participle audientes.
2.38.3triumphatum hodie de vobis esse
The impersonal passive triumphatum esse (that a triumph was celebrated) of the verb triumphare forms an accusative-with-infinitive clause depending on the verb of perception sensistis. de vobis indicates the object of the triumph ("over you").
2.38.3spectaculo
A "dative of purpose or result," serving predicatively with the participle abeuntes (departing) to mean "as a spectacle" or "to be a spectacle."
2.38.5moriendum omnibus fuit
In the apodosis of a contrary-to-fact conditional sentence (si ... morati essetis), the indicative perfect fuit is used instead of the subjunctive pluperfect (fuisset) because the verb is in the passive periphrastic conjugation (gerundive moriendum + esse), which regularly takes the indicative in such constructions.
2.38.6magno eorum malo
An ablative of attendant circumstance (or of result), functioning adverbially to describe the consequence: "to the great misfortune of those..."

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (2, latest 2026-09-22)

2026-09-22 AI review — source 1
2026-09-21 AI review — source 1

urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:2.38.1-2.38.6