- 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-lat2:21.62.1-21.62.11
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-22
Many portents are reported in and around Rome, causing religious fear among the people. In response, the state performs expiations, lectisternia, and vows based on the Sibylline books to relieve their anxiety.
Romae aut circa urbem multa ea hieme prodigia facta aut, quod evenire solet motis semel in religionem animis,1 multa nuntiata et temere credita sunt, in quis ingenuum infantem semestrem in foro olitorio triumphum clamasse,2 et in foro boario bovem in tertiam contignationem sua sponte escendisse atque inde tumultu habitatorum territum sese deiecisse, et navium speciem de caelo adfulsisse, et aedem Spei, quae est in foro olitorio, fulmine ictam, et Lanuvi hastam se commovisse et corvum in aedem Iunonis devolasse atque in ipso pulvinari consedisse, et in agro Amiternino multis locis hominum specie procul candida veste visos nec cum ullo congressos, et in Piceno lapidibus pluvisse,3 et Caere sortes extenuatas, et in Gallia lupum vigili gladium ex vagina raptum abstulisse.
At Rome or about the city, many portents occurred that winter, or—as is wont to happen when men’s minds are once moved by religious awe—many were reported and rashly believed; among which, that a free-born infant of six months old had cried out “Triumph!” in the vegetable market; and that in the cattle market an ox had of its own accord climbed up to the third story, and then, frightened by the noise of the inhabitants, had thrown itself down; and that the appearance of ships had shone from the sky, and the temple of Hope, which is in the vegetable market, had been struck by lightning, and at Lanuvium the spear had moved itself, and a crow had flown down into the temple of Juno and settled upon the very couch; and that in the territory of Amiternum in many places figures in human form clad in white garments had been seen at a distance, and had not met with anyone; and that in Picenum it had rained stones, and at Caere the lots had shrunk, and in Gaul a wolf had snatched a sword from a sentry from its scabbard and carried it off.
ob cetera prodigia libros adire decemviri iussi; quod autem lapidibus pluvisset4 in Piceno, novemdiale sacrum edictum, et subinde aliis procurandis prope tota civitas operata fuit.
For the other portents the decemvirs were ordered to consult the books; but because it had rained stones in Picenum, a nine-day festival was proclaimed, and immediately thereafter almost the whole state was occupied in performing the expiations for the others.
iam primum omnium urbs lustrata est hostiaeque maiores quibus editum est diis caesae, et donum ex auri pondo quadraginta Lanuvium Iunoni portatum est, et signum aeneum matronae Iunoni in Aventino dedicaverunt, et lectisternium Caere, ubi sortes adtenuatae erant, imperatum et supplicatio Fortunae in Algido;
Now first of all the city was purified, and full-grown victims were slain to those gods to whom it was prescribed. And a gift of forty pounds’ weight of gold was carried to Lanuvium for Juno; and the matrons dedicated a bronze statue to Juno on the Aventine; and a lectisternium was ordered at Caere, where the lots had shrunk, and a supplication to Fortune on Mount Algidus;
Romae quoque et lectisternium Iuuentati et supplicatio ad aedem Herculis nominatim, deinde universo populo circa omnia pulvinaria indicta, et Genio maiores hostiae caesae quinque, et C. Atilius Serranus praetor vota suscipere iussus, si in decem annos res publica eodem stetisset statu.5
At Rome also, both a lectisternium for Juventas and a supplication at the temple of Hercules individually, and then by the whole people around all the couches was proclaimed, and five full-grown victims were slain to the Genius; and Gaius Atilius Serranus the praetor was ordered to undertake vows, if the state should remain in the same condition for ten years.
haec procurata votaque ex libris Sibyllinis magna ex parte levaverant religione animos.
These expiations and vows, performed according to the Sibylline books, had for the most part relieved their minds of religious fear.
- 21.62.1motis semel in religionem animis
An ablative absolute construction consisting of the noun animis and the perfect participle motis. Here religio refers to "superstitious dread" or "religious awe" inspired by portents, rather than organized religion.
- 21.62.2in quis ingenuum infantem semestrem in foro olitorio triumphum clamasse
in quis is equivalent to in quibus. The following accusative with infinitive clauses (continuing through sections 2 to 5) function as noun clauses explaining the specific contents of multa nuntiata ... sunt (many things were reported) in section 1.
- 21.62.5lapidibus pluvisse
The perfect infinitive of the impersonal verb pluit (it rained), here pluvisse, is used with the ablative of material lapidibus (with stones) to express "it rained stones."
- 21.62.6quod autem lapidibus pluvisset
The subjunctive pluperfect pluvisset is used after quod to indicate a reported or alleged reason (subjective reason), emphasizing that it was based on reports or the citizens' belief at the time rather than an objective statement of fact.
- 21.62.10si in decem annos res publica eodem stetisset statu
The pluperfect subjunctive stetisset is due to the sequence of tenses after the past main verb iussus [est]. The original condition of the vow would have been in the future perfect indicative ("if the state shall have stood...") in direct speech.
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 — translation 1