Invasion of the Aequi and Volsci and the Assembly — Livy, History of Rome Book 3 (3.66.1–3.66.6), Latin & English

§3.66.1

T. Quinctius Capitolinus quartum et Agrippa Furius consules inde facti nec seditionem domi nec foris bellum acceperunt;

Titus Quinctius Capitolinus for the fourth time and Agrippa Furius, having been elected consuls after that, received neither sedition at home nor war abroad;

§3.66.2

sed inminebat utrumque. iam non ultra discordia civium reprimi poterat et tribunis et plebe incitata¹ in patres, cum dies alicui nobilium dicta novis semper certaminibus contiones turbaret.

but both were imminent. Now the discord of the citizens could no longer be repressed, with both the tribunes and the plebs incited against the patricians, when a trial day appointed for one of the nobles was always throwing the assemblies into confusion with new contests.

§3.66.3

ad quorum² primum strepitum velut signo accepto arma cepere Aequi ac Volsci, simul quod persuaserant iis duces cupidi praedarum biennio ante dilectum indictum haberi non potuisse abnuente iam plebe imperium;

At the first noise of which, as if a signal had been received, the Aequi and Volsci took up arms, at the same time because their leaders, greedy for plunder, had persuaded them that the levy proclaimed two years before had been unable to be held, as the plebs was now refusing authority;

§3.66.4

eo adversus se non esse missos exercitus. dissolvi licentia militandi morem, nec pro communi iam patria Romam esse. quidquid irarum simultatiumque cum externis fuerit, in ipsos verti. occaecatos lupos intestina rabie opprimendi occasionem esse.³

that for this reason no armies had been sent against them; that the custom of military service was being dissolved by licentiousness, and Rome was no longer regarded as a common fatherland; that whatever anger and animosity they had had against foreigners was being turned against themselves; and that there was an opportunity to crush wolves blinded by internal madness.

§3.66.5

coniunctis exercitibus Latinum primum agrum perpopulati sunt; deinde, postquam ibi nemo vindex occurrebat, tum vero exsultantibus belli auctoribus ad moenia ipsa Romae populabundi regione portae Esquilinae accessere vastationem agrorum per contumeliam urbi ostentantes.

Having united their armies, they first thoroughly ravaged the Latin territory; then, after no defender came forward there, then indeed, with the instigators of the war exulting, they approached the very walls of Rome, plundering in the region of the Esquiline gate, displaying the devastation of the fields to the city as an insult.

§3.66.6

unde postquam inulti praedam prae se agentes retro ad Corbionem agmine iere, Quinctius consul ad contionem populum vocavit.

Whence, after they went back in marching order to Corbio unpunished, driving their plunder before them, Quinctius the consul called the people to an assembly.

Syntax notes3 items

3.66.2tribunis et plebe incitata
Ablative absolute. The perfect participle incitata is feminine singular, agreeing in gender and number with the nearer of the two subjects, plebe (feminine singular), rather than both or the masculine plural tribunis (agreement by proximity).
3.66.3quorum
Relative connection (connecting relative). A genitive plural neuter referring back to the nouns of the previous sentence, such as certaminibus or contiones, or to the general scene of domestic turmoil described there.
3.66.4occaecatos lupos intestina rabie opprimendi occasionem esse
Continuation of the indirect speech (oratio obliqua). The noun phrase occaecatos lupos is the direct object of the genitive gerund opprimendi (which modifies occasionem), figuratively referring to the Romans. The whole clause is an accusative and infinitive construction (with esse as the main verb) meaning 'that there was an opportunity of crushing wolves blinded by internal madness.'

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:3.66.1-3.66.6