- 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-lat2:4.6.1-4.6.12
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-31
The plebs are outraged when the consuls deny their access to the auspices, leading to a compromise where military tribunes with consular power are established. In the subsequent election, however, the plebs show moderation and elect only patricians.
cum in contionem consules processissent et res a perpetuis orationibus in altercationem vertisset, interroganti tribuno, cur plebeium consulem fieri non oporteret, ut fortasse vere, sic parum utiliter in praesens certamen* respondit,1 “quod nemo plebeius auspicia haberet, ideoque decemviros conubium diremisse, ne incerta prole auspicia turbarentur.”
When the consuls had gone before the assembly and the matter had turned from continuous speeches into an altercation, to the tribune asking why it was not proper for a plebeian to become consul, he replied, with perhaps truth, but little utility for the present contest, “because no plebeian has the auspices, and for that reason the decemvirs broke off the right of intermarriage, lest the auspices should be disturbed by uncertain offspring.”
plebes ad id maxime indignatione exarsit, quod auspicari, tamquam invisi diis inmortalibus, negarentur posse; nec ante finis contentionum fuit, cum et tribunum acerrimum auctorem plebes nacta esset et ipsa cum eo pertinacia certaret, quam2 victi tandem patres, ut de conubio ferretur, concessere, ita maxime rati contentionem de plebeis consulibus tribunos aut totam deposituros aut post bellum dilaturos esse contentamque interim conubio plebem paratam dilectui fore. cum Canuleius victoria de patribus et plebis favore ingens esset, accensi alii tribuni ad certamen pro rogatione sua summa vi pugnant et crescente in dies fama belli dilectum inpediunt.
The plebs burned with the greatest indignation at this, because they were denied the ability to take the auspices, as though they were hated by the immortal gods; and there was no end to the contentions—since the plebs had found a most fierce promoter in the tribune and themselves contended with him with equal tenacity—until the patricians, finally defeated, conceded that the bill concerning intermarriage should be brought forward, conceded; thinking chiefly that in this way the tribunes would either entirely drop the contention about plebeian consuls or postpone it until after the war, and that the plebs, content in the meantime with intermarriage, would be ready for the levy. When Canuleius, by his victory over the patricians and the favor of the plebs, was immensely powerful, the other tribunes, incited to the contest for their own proposal, fought with the utmost strength, and, as the rumor of war grew day by day, impeded the levy.
consules, cum per senatum intercedentibus tribunis nihil agi posset, consilia principum domi habebant. apparebat aut hostibus aut civibus de victoria concedendum esse.
The consuls, since nothing could be done through the senate because of the intervention of the tribunes, held private councils of the leading men at home. It was apparent that the victory must be conceded either to the enemies or to the citizens.
soli ex consularibus Valerius atque Horatius non intererant consiliis. C. Claudi sententia consules armabat in tribunos; Quinctiorum, Cincinnatique et Capitolini, sententiae abhorrebant a caede violandisque, quos foedere icto cum plebe sacrosanctos accepissent.
Of the consulars, only Valerius and Horatius did not attend the councils. C. Claudius’ opinion was for arming the consuls against the tribunes; the opinions of the Quinctii, of Cincinnatus and of Capitolinus, shrank from slaughter and from violating those whom they had received as sacrosanct under a treaty struck with the plebs.
per haec consilia eo deducta est res, ut tribunos militum consulari potestate promiscue ex patribus ac plebe creari sinerent, de consulibus creandis nihil mutaretur; eoque contenti tribuni, contenta plebs fuit.
Through these councils, the matter was brought to this point, that they should allow military tribunes with consular power to be created indiscriminately from both patricians and plebeians, while nothing should be changed concerning the election of consuls; and with this the tribunes were content, and the plebs was content.
comitia tribunis consulari potestate tribus creandis indicuntur. quibus indictis extemplo quicumque aliquid seditiose dixerat aut fecerat umquam, maxime tribunicii, et prensare homines et concursare toto foro candidati coepere, ut patricios desperatio primo inritata plebe apiscendi honoris, deinde indignatio, si cum his gerendus esset honos, deterreret.3 postremo coacti tamen a primoribus petiere, ne cessisse possessione rei publicae viderentur.
The comitia for electing three military tribunes with consular power were announced. These having been announced, immediately whoever had ever said or done anything seditiously, chiefly former tribunes, began to solicit people as candidates and run about the whole forum, so that despair of obtaining the office, with the plebs being excited, first deterred the patricians, and then indignation, if the office had to be held with these men. At last, however, compelled by the leading men, they sought the office, lest they should seem to have yielded possession of the commonwealth.
eventus eorum comitiorum docuit alios animos in contentione libertatis dignitatisque, alios secundum deposita certamina incorrupto iudicio esse; tribunos enim omnes patricios creavit populus, contentus eo, quod ratio habita plebeiorum esset.
The result of those comitia showed that minds are of one character in the struggle for liberty and dignity, and of another in sound judgment after the conflicts have been laid aside; for the people created all patrician tribunes, content with the fact that consideration had been given to the plebeians.
hanc modestiam aequitatemque et altitudinem animi ubi nunc in uno inveneris, quae tum populi universi fuit!
Where now will you find in a single individual this modesty, equity, and loftiness of mind, which then belonged to the whole people!
- 4.6.2respondit
While the subject of the preceding sentence is the plural consules, the singular respondit is used here. This implies that one of the consuls (or the consul representing the office) replied.
- 4.6.3nec ante finis contentionum fuit ... quam
The correlation nec ante ... quam forms a split antequam construction ("there was no end... until..."). Although a cum clause (cum et tribunum... certaret) is inserted, the main framework is "there was no end to the contentions until the patricians finally yielded (patres... concessere)."
- 4.6.10ut patricios desperatio primo inritata plebe apiscendi honoris, deinde indignatio, si cum his gerendus esset honos, deterreret
Within the result clause introduced by ut (ending with deterreret), the subjects desperatio and indignatio are paired. desperatio is modified by the genitive gerundive construction apiscendi honoris (of obtaining office) with the ablative absolute inritata plebe inserted. indignatio is accompanied by the conditional clause si ... gerendus esset (if the office had to be held with them).