- 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-lat2:3.3.1-3.3.10
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-02
The Aequi invade Roman territory and cause panic in Rome, but the returned consul Quinctius restores order, while the other consul ambushes and defeats the enemy. The suspension of business is ended, a census is taken, and after further devastation of Aequi territory, the consul returns in triumph.
relicto itaque castris praesidio egressi tanto cum tumultu invasere fines Romanos, ut ad urbem quoque terrorem pertulerint.
Therefore, leaving a garrison in the camp, they set out and invaded the Roman territory with such a great tumult that they carried panic even to the city.
necopinata etiam res plus trepidationis fecit, quod nihil minus, quam ne victus ac prope in castris obsessus hostis memor populationis esset, timeri poterat1 agrestesque pavidi incidentes portis non populationem nec praedonum parvas manus, sed omnia vano augentes timore exercitus et legiones adesse hostium et infesto agmine ruere ad urbem clamabant.
This unexpected event also caused more alarm, because nothing was less to be feared than that a defeated enemy, and one almost besieged in their camp, would think of plundering. But the terrified rustics, rushing to the gates, cried out that not a mere raid or small bands of robbers, but—exaggerating everything with groundless fear—hostile armies and legions were close at hand and rushing in battle array toward the city.
ab his proxumi audita incerta eoque vaniora ferre ad alios. cursus clamorque vocantium ad arma haud multum a pavore captae urbis abesse.2
Those nearest to them carried what they had heard, uncertain and for that reason even more exaggerated, to others. The running and shouting of those calling to arms differed little from the panic of a captured city.
forte ab Algido Quinctius consul redierat Romam. id remedium timori fuit; tumultuque sedato victos timeri increpans hostes praesidia portis inposuit.
By chance, the consul Quinctius had returned to Rome from Algidus. This provided a remedy for the fear; and having quieted the tumult, and rebuking them for fearing a defeated enemy, he stationed guards at the gates.
vocato dein senatu cum ex auctoritate patrum iustitio indicto profectus ad tutandos fines esset Q. Servilio praefecto urbis relicto, hostem in agris non invenit.
The senate was then convened, and when, a cessation of public business (iustitium) having been declared by authority of the senators, the consul had set out to protect the borders, leaving Quintus Servilius as prefect of the city, he did not find the enemy in the fields.
ab altero consule res gesta egregie est;
By the other consul, the operation was conducted excellently;
qui, qua venturum hostem sciebat, gravem praeda eoque inpeditiore agmine incedentem adgressus funestam populationem fecit. pauci hostium evasere ex insidiis; praeda omnis recepta est. sic finem iustitio, quod quadriduum fuit, reditus Quincti consulis in urbem fecit. census deinde actus et conditum ab Quinctio lustrum. censa civium capita centum quattuor milia septingenta quattuordecim dicuntur praeter orbos orbasque.3
who, knowing where the enemy would pass, attacked them as they advanced heavy with plunder and therefore with a more encumbered column, and made their plundering fatal to them. Few of the enemy escaped from the ambush; all the booty was recovered. Thus the return of the consul Quinctius to the city put an end to the cessation of business, which had lasted four days. After this, a census was taken, and the lustrum was closed by Quinctius. The registered heads of citizens are said to have been one hundred and four thousand, seven hundred and fourteen, besides widows and orphans.
in Aequis nihil deinde memorabile actum. in oppida sua se recepere uri sua popularique passi. consul, cum aliquotiens per omnem hostium agrum infesto agmine populabundus isset, cum ingenti laude praedaque Romam rediit.
After that, nothing memorable was done among the Aequi. They withdrew into their towns, allowing their possessions to be burned and plundered. The consul, having marched several times through all the enemy’s territory in a hostile column, laying it waste, returned to Rome with great praise and booty.
- 3.3.2nihil minus, quam ne ... memor populationis esset, timeri poterat
A combination of nihil minus quam ('nothing less than' or 'least of all') and the impersonal construction timeri poterat ('could be feared') taking a subjunctive clause introduced by ne (ne ... esset) which expresses the object of fear. The literal meaning is 'nothing could be less feared than that the enemy should be mindful of plundering.'
- 3.3.4ferre ... abesse
Historical infinitives. They function as the main verbs in the past tense (equivalent to the imperfect indicative) to vividly describe the rapid and dramatic succession of events. Their respective subjects are proxumi and cursus clamorque.
- 3.3.9praeter orbos orbasque
Refers to orbi (orphans, or childless men/fatherless children) and orbae (widows, or single women). In the Roman census, they were registered separately from the main list of adult male citizens liable for military service and taxation, which is why they are excluded from the main sum and mentioned separately.