- 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-lat2:2.6.1-2.6.11
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-04
Tarquinius secures military aid from the Veientes and Tarquinienses to clash with the Roman army. In the initial encounter, Consul Brutus and Arruns engage in a duel and kill each other, followed by a fierce and indecisive battle between both sides.
his, sicut acta erant, nuntiatis incensus Tarquinius non dolore solum tantae ad inritum cadentis spei sed etiam odio iraque, postquam dolo viam obsaeptam vidit, bellum aperte moliendum ratus circumire1 supplex Etruriae urbes;
When these things were reported as they had occurred, Tarquinius, inflamed not only by grief at such a great hope falling to naught but also by hatred and anger, seeing that the way was blocked by treachery, and thinking that war must be prepared openly, went around the cities of Etruria as a suppliant;
orare maxume Veientes Tarquiniensesque, ne se ortum e Tuscis, eiusdem sanguinis, extorrem egentem ex tanto modo regno cum liberis adulescentibus ante oculos suos perire sinerent. alios peregre in regnum Romam accitos,2 se regem, augentem bello Romanum imperium a proximis scelerata coniuratione pulsum.
he begged especially the Veientes and the Tarquinienses that they should not allow him, sprung from the Etruscans and of the same blood, driven into exile and destitute from so great a kingdom just recently, to perish before their eyes along with his young children. Others had been summoned to Rome from abroad to the kingship; but he, a king, who was expanding the Roman empire by war, had been driven out by a wicked conspiracy of his closest associates.
eos inter se, quia nemo unus satis dignus regno visus sit, partes regni rapuisse; bona sua diripienda populo dedisse, ne quis expers sceleris esset. patriam se regnumque suum repetere et persequi ingratos cives velle. ferrent opem, adiuvarent; suas quoque veteres iniurias ultum irent,3 totiens caesas legiones, agrum ademptum.
Since no single person seemed worthy enough of the kingdom, they had snatched the parts of the kingdom among themselves; they had given his goods to the people to be plundered, so that no one should be free from guilt. He wished to reclaim his fatherland and his kingdom, and to pursue his ungrateful citizens. They should bring aid and help him; they should also go to avenge their own old wrongs, their legions cut to pieces so many times, and their land taken away.
haec moverunt Veientes, ac pro se quisque Romano saltem duce ignominias demendas belloque amissa repetenda minaciter fremunt. Tarquinienses nomen ac cognatio movet; pulchrum videbatur suos Romae regnare.
These words moved the Veientes, and everyone among them, muttering threateningly, declared that at least under a Roman leader their ignominies must be wiped out and what was lost in war reclaimed. The Tarquinienses were moved by his name and kinship; it seemed a beautiful thing that their own people should reign at Rome.
ita duo duarum civitatium exercitus ad repetendum regnum belloque persequendos Romanos secuti Tarquinium. postquam in agrum Romanum ventum est, obviam hosti consules eunt:
Thus, two armies of two states followed Tarquinius to reclaim the kingdom and to pursue the Romans in war. After they had entered Roman territory, the consuls went to meet the enemy:
Valerius quadrato agmine peditem ducit; Brutus ad explorandum cum equitatu antecessit. eodem modo primus eques hostium agminis fuit; praeerat Arruns Tarquinius, filius regis; rex ipse cum legionibus sequebatur.
Valerius led the infantry in a hollow square; Brutus went ahead with the cavalry to reconnoitre. In the same way, the cavalry was at the head of the enemy’s column; Arruns Tarquinius, the king’s son, was in command; the king himself followed with the legions.
Arruns ubi ex lictoribus procul consulem esse, deinde iam propius ac certius facie quoque Brutum cognovit, inflammatus ira “ille est vir” inquit, “qui nos extorres expulit patria. ipse en ille nostris decoratus insignibus magnifice incedit. di regum ultores adeste.”
When Arruns recognized from afar by the lictors that the consul was there, and then, closer and more surely, recognized Brutus by his face as well, inflamed with anger, he said: “That is the man who drove us out as exiles from our fatherland. Look, he himself goes marching magnificently, decorated with our insignia. Ye gods, avengers of kings, be present!”
concitat calcaribus equum atque in ipsum infestum consulem derigit. sensit in se iri4 Brutus. decorum erat tum ipsis capessere pugnam ducibus; avide itaque se certamini offert, adeoque infestis animis concurrerunt, neuter, dum hostem vulneraret,5 sui protegendi corporis memor, ut contrario ictu per parmam uterque transfixus, duabus haerentes hastis moribundi ex equis lapsi sint.
He spurred his horse and directed it straight against the hostile consul. Brutus perceived that he was being charged. It was then considered honorable for the leaders themselves to engage in combat; therefore, he eagerly offered himself to the contest, and they rushed together with such hostile minds that neither, while intent on wounding the enemy, was mindful of protecting his own body; so that, pierced through the shield by an opposing blow, both fell dying from their horses, transfixed by the two spears.
simul et cetera equestris pugna coepit, neque ita multo post et pedites superveniunt. ibi varia victoria et velut aequo Marte pugnatum est: dextera utrimque cornua vicere, laeva superata.
At the same time, the rest of the cavalry combat began, and not long afterwards the infantry also arrived. There, with varying fortune, the battle was fought as if with equal Mars: the right wings on both sides conquered, the left wings were defeated.
Veientes, vinci ab Romano milite adsueti, fusi fugatique; Tarquiniensis, novus hostis, non stetit solum, sed etiam ab sua parte Romanum pepulit.
The Veientes, accustomed to being beaten by the Roman soldier, were routed and put to flight; the Tarquinienses, a new enemy, not only stood their ground but even drove back the Romans on their side.
- 2.6.1circumire
Historical infinitive. The subject is Tarquinius. It is used instead of a finite verb (perfect or imperfect indicative) to vividly describe past events.
- 2.6.2alios peregre in regnum Romam accitos
Accusative with infinitive clause in indirect speech (oratio obliqua) continuing from the king's plea, with esse omitted after accitos.
- 2.6.3ultum irent
A construction combining the verb ire (imperfect subjunctive, representing an imperative in indirect speech) with the supine in -um (ultum, from ulciscor "to avenge") to express purpose, meaning "go to avenge."
- 2.6.8sensit in se iri
iri is the passive infinitive of the intransitive verb eo (impersonal passive). This accusative with infinitive clause acts as the object of sensit, meaning literally "he perceived that it was being gone against him" (i.e., that he was being charged).
- 2.6.9dum hostem vulneraret
The clause with dum takes the subjunctive vulneraret to denote not a simple temporal relation ("while wounding"), but an intent, expectation, or mental state ("while eager/intent on wounding").