- 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-lat2:39.14.1-39.14.10
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
Having secured Hispala's safety, the consul Postumius reported the secrets of the Bacchic rites to the senate, which then passed an extraordinary decree to launch a thorough investigation against the threat to both public and private spheres.
peracto indicio advoluta rursus genibus preces easdem, ut se ablegaret,1 repetivit.
Having completed her disclosure, she again prostrated herself at Sulpicia’s knees and repeated the same entreaties that she should send her away.
consul rogat socrum, ut aliquam partem aedium vacuam faceret, quo Hispala immigraret.2 cenaculum super aedes datum est, scalis ferentibus in publicum obseratis, aditu in aedes verso.
The consul asked his mother-in-law to make some part of her house vacant, so that Hispala might move into it. An upper room above the house was given to her; the stairs leading to the street were blocked up, and the entrance was turned toward the inside of the house.
res omnes Feceniae extemplo translatae et familia arcessita, et Aebutius migrare ad consulis clientem iussus. ita cum indices ambo in potestate essent, rem ad senatum Postumius defert, omnibus ordine expositis, quae delata primo, quae deinde ab se inquisita forent. patres pavor ingens cepit, cum publico nomine, ne quid eae coniurationes coetusque nocturni fraudis occultae aut periculi importarent, tum privatim suorum cuiusque vicem,3 ne quis adfinis ei noxae esset.
All the property of Fecenia was immediately moved there and her household was summoned, and Aebutius was ordered to move to a client of the consul. Thus, when both informants were in his power, Postumius laid the matter before the senate, explaining everything in order—what had been reported at first, and what had been investigated by him thereafter. A massive dread seized the senators, both on public grounds, lest these conspiracies and nocturnal meetings should bring some hidden fraud or danger, and on private grounds, for each of their own relatives, lest anyone should be connected with that guilt.
censuit autem senatus gratias consuli agendas, quod eam rem et cum singulari cura et sine ullo tumultu investigasset.
But the senate decreed that thanks should be given to the consul because he had investigated this matter both with singular care and without any tumult.
quaestionem deinde de Bacchanalibus sacrisque nocturnis extra ordinem consulibus mandant; indicibus Aebutio ac Feceniae ne fraudi ea res sit curare4 et alios indices praemiis invitare iubent;
They then entrusted an extraordinary inquiry concerning the Bacchic rites and nocturnal services to the consuls; they ordered them to take care that this matter should not be of detriment to the informants Aebutius and Fecenia, and to invite other informants with rewards.
sacerdotes eorum sacrorum, seu viri seu feminae essent, non Romae modo sed per omnia fora et conciliabula conquiri, ut in consulum potestate essent; edici praeterea in urbe Roma et per totam Italiam edicta mitti, ne quis, qui Bacchis initiatus esset, coisse aut convenisse sacrorum causa velit, neu quid talis rei divinae fecisse. ante omnia ut quaestio de iis habeatur, qui coierint coniuraverintve, quo stuprum flagitiumve inferretur. haec senatus decrevit.
They ordered that the priests of those rites, whether they were men or women, should be sought out not only in Rome but through all the forums and meeting-places, so that they might be in the power of the consuls; furthermore, that an edict should be proclaimed in the city of Rome and edicts sent throughout all Italy, that no one who had been initiated into the Bacchic rites should wish to associate or meet for the sake of the rites, nor to perform any such religious ceremony. Above all, that an inquiry should be held concerning those who had associated or conspired to commit debauchery or vice. These things the senate decreed.
consules aedilibus curulibus imperarunt, ut sacerdotes eius sacri omnes conquirerent, comprehensosque libero conclavi ad quaestionem servarent; aediles plebis viderent, ne qua sacra in operto fierent.
The consuls ordered the curule aediles to seek out all the priests of that rite, and to keep them arrested in a free confinement for inquiry; the plebeian aediles were to see to it that no rites were performed in secret.
triumviris capitalibus mandatum est, ut vigilias disponerent per urbem servarentque, ne qui nocturni coetus fierent, utque ab incendiis caveretur; adiutores triumviris quinqueviri uti cis Tiberim suae quisque regionis aedificiis praeessent.
The triumviri capitales were ordered to station watches throughout the city and to ensure that no nocturnal gatherings took place, and to guard against fires; as assistants to the triumviri, the quinqueviri were to have charge, each of his own district’s buildings, on this side of the Tiber.
- 39.14.1preces easdem, ut se ablegaret
The subjunctive noun clause ut se ablegaret functions as an appositive explaining the specific content of the preceding noun phrase preces easdem.
- 39.14.2quo Hispala immigraret
The relative adverb quo (whither/to which) is equivalent here to ut eo, introducing a relative clause of purpose with the imperfect subjunctive immigraret.
- 39.14.4suorum cuiusque vicem
The accusative vicem (from vix, turn/role), when paired with a genitive, forms an adverbial or prepositional idiom meaning 'on account of' or 'for the sake of'. Here it refers to the concern felt for each of their own relatives.
- 39.14.6indicibus Aebutio ac Feceniae ne fraudi ea res sit curare
The clause ne fraudi... sit employs a 'double dative' construction. indicibus Aebutio ac Feceniae is the dative of reference (person affected), and fraudi (detriment) is the dative of purpose/result, meaning 'lest this matter should be of detriment to the informants.'