- 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-lat2:4.9.1-4.9.14
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-31
A severe civil strife breaks out in Ardea over a plebeian maiden, leading the aristocrats to call for Roman aid and the plebeians to summon the Volscians. The Roman consul Geganius arrives swiftly and counter-besieges the Volscian forces surrounding the city.
dum haec Romae geruntur, legati ab Ardea veniunt pro veterrima societate renovatoque foedere recenti auxilium prope eversae urbi inplorantes.
While these things were being done at Rome, ambassadors came from Ardea, imploring aid for their almost destroyed city on behalf of their very ancient alliance and recently renewed treaty.
frui namque pace optimo consilio cum populo Romano servata per intestina arma non licuit; quorum causa atque initium traditur ex certamine factionum ortum,1 quae fuerunt eruntque pluribus populis exitio2 quam bella externa, quam fames morbive quaeque alia in deum iras velut ultima publicorum malorum vertunt.3
For they were not permitted to enjoy the peace preserved with the Roman people by excellent counsel, because of internal arms, the cause and beginning of which is reported to have arisen from a struggle of factions, which have been and will be a destruction to more peoples than foreign wars, than famine or diseases, and whatever other things people attribute to the wraths of the gods as the ultimate of public evils.
uirginem plebei generis maxime forma notam duo petiere iuvenes, alter virgini genere par, tutoribus fretus, qui et ipsi eiusdem corporis erant, nobilis alter, nulla re praeterquam forma captus.
Two young men sought a maiden of plebeian class, highly famous for her beauty; one was equal to the maiden in birth, relying on her guardians, who themselves also were of the same class, and the other was a noble, captured by nothing except her beauty.
adiuvabant eum optumatium studia, per quae in domum quoque puellae certamen partium penetravit. nobilis superior iudicio matris esse, quae quam splendidissimis nuptiis iungi puellam volebat; tutores in ea quoque re partium memores ad suum tendere.4
The zeal of the aristocrats aided him, through which the struggle of parties penetrated also into the home of the girl. The noble was preferred in the judgment of the mother, who wished the girl to be joined in as splendid a marriage as possible; the guardians, mindful of their party in this matter also, strove for their own candidate.
cum res peragi intra parietes nequisset, ventum in ius est. postulatu audito matris tutorumque magistratus secundum parentis arbitrium dant ius nuptiarum.
When the matter could not be settled within the walls, they went to court. Having heard the petition of the mother and of the guardians, the magistrates granted the right of marriage according to the decision of the parent.
sed vis potentior fuit; namque tutores inter suae partis homines de iniuria decreti palam in foro contionati manu facta virginem ex domo matris rapiunt;
But force was more powerful; for the guardians, having harangued openly in the forum among the men of their own party concerning the injustice of the decree, formed a band and snatched the maiden from her mother’s house.
adversus quos infestior coorta optumatium acies sequitur accensum iniuria iuvenem. fit proelium atrox. pulsa plebs, nihil Romanae plebi similis, armata ex urbe profecta colle quodam capto in agros optumatium cum ferro ignique excursiones facit;
Against them, a more hostile line of the aristocrats arose and followed the young man incensed by the injury. A fierce battle took place. The plebeians, having been beaten—in no way similar to the Roman plebs—set out armed from the city, and having seized a certain hill, made incursions into the lands of the aristocrats with fire and sword.
urbem quoque omni, etiam experte ante certaminis, multitudine opificum ad spem praedae evocata obsidere parat;
They also prepared to besiege the city, having summoned the entire multitude of artisans, even those previously free from the struggle, by the hope of plunder.
nec ulla species cladesque belli abest velut contacta civitate rabie duorum iuvenum funestas nuptias ex occasu patriae petentium.
Nor was any appearance and disaster of war absent, as if the state were infected by the madness of the two young men who were seeking fatal nuptials from the downfall of their country.
parum parti utrique domi armorum bellique est visum; optumates Romanos ad auxilium urbis obsessae, plebs ad expugnandam secum Ardeam Volscos excivere. priores Volsci duce Aequo Cluilio Ardeam venere et moenibus hostium vallum obiecere.
Too little of arms and war at home seemed to either party; the aristocrats summoned the Romans to the aid of the besieged city, while the plebeians summoned the Volscians to capture Ardea with them. First the Volscians, under the leadership of Aequus Cluilius, came to Ardea, and threw up a rampart against the walls of the enemies.
quod ubi Romam est nuntiatum, extemplo M. Geganius consul cum exercitu profectus tria milia passuum ab hoste locum castris cepit praecipitique iam die curare corpora5 milites iubet. quarta deinde vigilia signa profert. coeptumque opus adeo adproperatum est, ut sole orto Volsci firmiore se munimento ab Romanis circumvallatos quam ab se urbem viderent;6
When this was announced at Rome, immediately the consul Marcus Geganius, having set out with an army, chose a place for his camp three miles from the enemy, and, the day now drawing to a close, ordered the soldiers to refresh themselves. Then, at the fourth watch, he advanced the standards. And the work begun was so hastened that at sunrise the Volscians saw themselves surrounded by the Romans with a stronger fortification than the city was by themselves.
et alia parte consul muro Ardeae bracchium iniunxerat, qua ex oppido sui commeare possent.
And on another side, the consul had joined a breastwork to the wall of Ardea, by which his own men could pass to and fro from the town.
- 4.9.2quorum causa atque initium traditur ex certamine factionum ortum
The verb 'traditur' is used in the personal construction of the nominative with infinitive (nominativus cum infinitivo), with 'causa atque initium' as the subject and 'ortum [esse]' as the infinitive, where the perfect participle 'ortum' (neuter singular) agrees with the closer subject noun 'initium'.
- 4.9.3quae fuerunt eruntque pluribus populis exitio
The relative pronoun 'quae' is feminine plural, referring to the 'factiones' (factions) implied by 'factionum' in the preceding sentence. 'pluribus populis' (dative of interest) and 'exitio' (dative of purpose/result) form a double dative construction.
- 4.9.3quaeque alia in deum iras velut ultima publicorum malorum vertunt
The verb 'vertunt' is active third-person plural with an indefinite subject 'people'. The phrase 'in deum iras vertere' is an idiomatic expression meaning 'to attribute to the wrath of the gods', with 'quaeque alia' (neuter plural accusative) acting as the direct object.
- 4.9.5nobilis superior iudicio matris esse... tendere
Both 'esse' and 'tendere' are historical infinitives functioning as main verbs in the imperfect tense (representing 'erat' and 'tendebant') to bring vividness to the narrative.
- 4.9.13curare corpora
An idiomatic military expression literally meaning 'to care for their bodies', used to describe soldiers refreshing themselves with food and rest.
- 4.9.13ut sole orto Volsci firmiore se munimento ab Romanis circumvallatos quam ab se urbem viderent
As objects of 'viderent', the clause features an accusative with infinitive (ACI) 'se [esse] circumvallatos' (that they were surrounded) contrasted with an elliptical comparison 'quam ab se urbem [circumvallatam esse]' (than that the city was surrounded by themselves).