- 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-lat2:25.29.1-25.29.10
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
The Syracusan envoys plead before Marcellus, arguing that the betrayal was the fault of the tyrants and that the citizens desire peace and Roman friendship. However, deserters and mercenaries, fearing surrender to the Romans, revolt, murder the leaders, and seize control of Syracuse.
omnium ingenti adsensu audita ea oratio est. praetores tamen prius creari quam legatos nominari placuit. ex ipsorum deinde praetorum numero missi oratores ad Marcellum, quorum princeps “neque primo” inquit, “Syracusani a vobis defecimus, sed Hieronymus, nequaquam tam in vos impius quam in nos;
That speech was heard with the immense approval of all. However, it was decided that praetors should be elected before ambassadors were named. Then, from the number of the praetors themselves, envoys were sent to Marcellus, of whom the chief said: “Neither at first did we, the Syracusans, defect from you, but Hieronymus did, who was by no means so impious towards you as towards us;
nec postea pacem tyranni caede compositam Syracusanus quisquam, sed satellites regii Hippocrates atque Epicydes oppressis nobis hinc metu, hinc fraude turbaverunt. nec quisquam dicere potest aliquando nobis libertatis tempus fuisse, quod pacis vobiscum non fuerit.
nor afterwards did any Syracusan disturb the peace established by the death of the tyrant, but the royal satellites Hippocrates and Epicydes did, having oppressed us, now by fear, now by fraud. Nor can anyone say that there was ever a time of liberty for us which was not a time of peace with you.
nunc certe caede eorum, qui oppressas tenebant Syracusas, cum primum nostri arbitrii esse coepimus, extemplo venimus ad tradenda arma, dedendos nos, urbem, moenia, nullam recusandam fortunam, quae imposita a vobis fuerit.
Now indeed, by the death of those who held Syracuse oppressed, as soon as we began to be our own masters, we have immediately come to hand over our arms, to surrender ourselves, our city, and our walls, and to refuse no fortune that shall be imposed by you.
gloriam captae nobilissimae pulcherrimaeque urbis Graecarum dei tibi dederunt, Marcelle. quidquid umquam terra marique memorandum gessimus, id tui triumphi titulo accedit.
The gods have given you, Marcellus, the glory of capturing the most noble and beautiful of Greek cities. Whatever memorable deeds we have ever performed by land or sea, that adds to the title of your triumph.
famaene credi velis quanta urbs a te capta sit, quam posteris quoque eam spectaculo esse, quo quisquis terra, quisquis mari venerit, nunc nostra de Atheniensibus Carthaginiensibusque tropaea, nunc tua de nobis ostendat, incolumesque Syracusas familiae vestrae sub clientela nominis Marcellorum tutelaque habendas tradas?1
Would you wish it to be trusted to rumor how great a city has been captured by you, rather than that it should be a spectacle also to posterity, wherein whoever comes by land or by sea may point out now our trophies over the Athenians and Carthaginians, now yours over us, and that you should hand over Syracuse unharmed, to be held under the clientage and protection of the name of the Marcellus family?
ne plus apud vos Hieronymi quam Hieronis memoria momenti faciat: diutius ille multo amicus fuit quam hic hostis, et illius benefacta etiam t re sensistis, huius amentia ad perniciem tantum ipsius valuit.” omnia et impetrabilia et tuta erant apud Romanos;
Let not the memory of Hieronymus have more weight with you than that of Hiero: the former was a friend much longer than the latter was an enemy; and you have experienced the benefits of the former even in reality, while the madness of the latter only availed to his own destruction.” All things were both obtainable and safe among the Romans;
inter ipsos plus belli ac periculi erat. namque transfugae tradi se Romanis rati mercennariorum quoque militum auxilia in eundem compulere metum;
but among themselves there was more of war and danger. For the deserters, thinking that they were to be surrendered to the Romans, drove the auxiliary forces of the mercenary soldiers also into the same fear;
arreptique armis praetores primum obtruncant, inde ad caedem Syracusanorum discurrunt quosque fors obtulit, irati interfecere atque omnia, quae in promptu erant, diripuerunt.
and having seized arms, they first slaughtered the praetors, then ran about to massacre the Syracusans, and in their anger killed whomever chance threw in their way, and plundered everything that was at hand.
tum, ne sine ducibus essent, sex praefectos creavere, ut terni Achradinae ac Naso praeessent. sedato tandem tumultu exequentibus sciscitando2 quae acta cum Romanis essent, dilucere id quod erat coepit, aliam suam ac perfugarum causam esse.3
Then, lest they should be without leaders, they appointed six prefects, so that three each should command Achradina and Nasos. When the tumult was at last quieted, and they inquired into what had been done with the Romans by questioning, that which was the truth began to become clear: that their own case was different from that of the deserters.
- 25.29.6famaene credi velis ... quam ... tradas?
An alternative question: "Would you wish it to be trusted to rumor... rather than that you hand over...?" velis is a potential subjunctive. quam introduces a comparison equivalent to "rather than" (as in malo... quam or volo... quam), coordinating the infinitival clause credi velis with the subjunctive clause tradas. eam spectaculo esse is a double dative construction using the dative of purpose (spectaculo) and the dative of interest (posteris).
- 25.29.10exequentibus sciscitando
exequentibus is the dative plural of the present participle exequens (investigating), modifying an implied pronoun iis and serving as a dative of reference ("to them who were investigating"). sciscitando is the ablative of the gerund from sciscitor (to inquire), meaning "by inquiring" or "by asking questions."
- 25.29.10aliam suam ac perfugarum causam esse
An accusative with infinitive clause in indirect discourse. aliam ... ac ... means "different from...", expressing that their own case (that of the mercenaries) was distinct from that of the deserters.
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-22)
- 2026-09-22 AI review — source 1