- 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-lat2:4.22.1-4.22.7
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-30
The dictator Q. Servilius defeats the Etruscan legions and besieges Fidenae. Since a frontal assault and a siege are ineffective, he captures the city by digging a tunnel to the citadel, while the Villa Publica is completed and the first census is held.
dictator omnes luce prima extra portam Collinam adesse iubet. quibuscumque vires subpetebant1 ad arma ferenda, praesto fuere.
The dictator ordered everyone to be present outside the Colline Gate at daybreak. All those who had sufficient strength to bear arms were at hand.
signa ex aerario prompta feruntur ad dictatorem. quae cum agerentur, hostes in loca altiora concessere. eo dictator agmine infesto subiit nec procul Nomento signis conlatis fudit Etruscas legiones; conpulit inde in urbem Fidenas valloque circumdedit;
The standards, brought out from the treasury, were carried to the dictator. While these things were being done, the enemy withdrew to higher ground. The dictator marched up there in battle array and, joining battle not far from Nomentum, routed the Etruscan legions; from there he drove them into the city of Fidenae and surrounded it with a rampart.
sed neque scalis capi poterat urbs alta et munita, neque in obsidione vis ulla erat, quia frumentum non necessitati modo satis, sed copiae quoque abunde ex ante convecto sufficiebat.
But the high and fortified city could neither be taken by escalade, nor was there any efficacy in a siege, because the grain, previously brought in, was sufficient not only for necessity but also in superabundant plenty.
ita expugnandi pariter cogendique ad deditionem spe amissa dictator in locis propter propinquitatem notis ab adversa parte urbis maxime neglecta, quia suapte natura tutissima erat, agere in arcem cuniculum2 instituit.
Having thus lost hope both of storming the city and of forcing them to surrender, the dictator, in places well known because of their proximity, decided to construct a tunnel into the citadel from the opposite side of the city, which was neglected the most because it was by its very nature the most secure.
ipse diversissimis locis subeundo ad moenia quadrifariam diviso exercitu, qui alii aliis succederent ad pugnam, continenti die ac nocte proelio ab sensu operis3 hostes avertebat, donec perfosso a castris monte erecta in arcem via est, intentisque Etruscis ad vanas a certo periculo minas4 clamor supra caput hostilis captam urbem ostendit.
He himself, dividing the army into four parts to approach the walls in widely different places, so that they might succeed one another in the fight, diverted the enemy’s attention from noticing the work by an uninterrupted battle day and night. Until, the mountain having been tunneled through from the camp, a path was built up into the citadel, and while the Etruscans were intent on empty threats in neglect of their real danger, a hostile shout above their heads showed that the city was captured.
eo anno C. Furius Pacilus et M. Geganius Macerinus censores villam publicam5 in campo Martio probaverunt; ibique primum census populi est actus.
In that year, the censors C. Furius Pacilus and M. Geganius Macerinus approved the Villa Publica in the Campus Martius; and there the census of the people was taken for the first time.
- 4.22.1vires subpetebant
The subject of "subpetebant" is "vires". "subpeto" here means "to be at hand" or "to be sufficient". "ad arma ferenda" is an ad-phrase of purpose with a gerundive.
- 4.22.4agere in arcem cuniculum
Complementary infinitive of "instituit". "agere cuniculum" is an idiom meaning "to dig a tunnel/mine". "in arcem" shows the direction, "into the citadel."
- 4.22.5ab sensu operis
"ab" indicates separation or prevention: "from the detection of the work". "operis" is an objective genitive dependent on "sensu" (detecting the work).
- 4.22.6intentisque Etruscis ad vanas a certo periculo minas
Ablative absolute ("intentis Etruscis"). "a certo periculo" expresses separation, indicating that they were distracted from the real danger toward empty threats ("minas").
- 4.22.7villam publicam
The Villa Publica built in the Campus Martius. "censores ... probaverunt" means "the censors approved/officially accepted (the public construction work)".