Manlius Incites the Plebeians toward Monarchy — Livy, History of Rome Book 6 (6.18.1–6.18.16), Latin & English

§6.18.1

Recrudescente Manliana seditione sub exitum anni comitia habita, creatique tribuni militum consulari potestate Ser. Cornelius Maluginensis iterum, P. Valerius Potitus iterum, M. Furius Camillus quintum, Ser, Sulpicius Rufus iterum, C. Papirius Crassus, T. Quinctius Cincinnatus iterum.

As the Manlian sedition was breaking out afresh toward the close of the year, the comitia were held, and military tribunes with consular power were elected: Servius Cornelius Maluginensis for the second time, Publius Valerius Potitus for the second time, Marcus Furius Camillus for the fifth time, Servius Sulpicius Rufus for the second time, Gaius Papirius Crassus, and Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus for the second time.

§6.18.2

cuius principio anni et patribus et plebi peropportune externa pax data: plebi, quod non avocata dilectu spem cepit, dum tam potentem haberet ducem, faenoris expugnandi,¹ patribus, ne quo externo terrore avocarentur animi ab sanandis domesticis malis.

At the beginning of this year, peace abroad was very opportunely granted to both the patricians and the plebs: to the plebs, because, not being called away by a levy, they conceived the hope of destroying the burden of interest while they had so powerful a leader; to the patricians, lest their minds should be distracted by any external terror from curing domestic evils.

§6.18.3

igitur cum pars utraque acrior aliquanto coorta esset, iampropinquum certamen aderat. et Manlius advocata domum plebe cum principibus novandarum rerum interdiu noctuque consilia agitat, plenior aliquanto animorum irarumque, quam antea fuerat.

Therefore, since both parties had risen up considerably more eager, the struggle was now close at hand. And Manlius, having summoned the plebs to his house, kept agitating plans day and night with the leaders of the revolution, being considerably more full of spirit and anger than he had been before.

§6.18.4

iram accenderat ignominia recens in animo ad contumeliam inexperto; spiritus dabat, quod nec ausus esset idem in se dictator, quod in Sp. Maelio Cincinnatus Quinctius fecisset, et vinculorum suorum invidiam² non dictator modo abdicando dictaturam fugisset, sed ne senatus quidem sustinere potuisset.

His anger had been kindled by the recent disgrace in a mind unaccustomed to insult; his spirits were raised by the fact that the dictator had not dared to do the same against him as Quinctius Cincinnatus had done against Spurius Maelius, and that not only had the dictator escaped the unpopularity of his imprisonment by resigning his dictatorship, but not even the senate had been able to endure it.

§6.18.5

his simul inflatus exacerbatusque iam per se accensos incitabat plebis animos: “quo usque tandem ignorabitis vires vestras, quas natura ne beluas quidem ignorare voluit? numerate saltem, quot ipsi sitis, quot aduersarios habeatis.

Inflated and exasperated by these things at the same time, he kept inciting the minds of the plebs, which were already of themselves inflamed: “How long, pray, will you remain ignorant of your strength, which nature has willed that not even wild beasts should be ignorant of? At least count how many you are yourselves, and how many adversaries you have.

§6.18.6

si singuli singulos adgressuri essetis, tamen acrius crederem vos pro libertate quam illos pro dominatione certaturos. quot enim clientes circa singulos fuistis patronos, tot nunc adversus unum hostem eritis.³

Even if you were about to attack them one by one, yet I should believe that you would fight more fiercely for liberty than they for domination. For as many clients as you were around each single patron, so many you will now be against a single enemy.

§6.18.7

ostendite modo bellum; pacem habebitis. videant vos paratos ad vim; ius ipsi remittent. audendum est aliquid universis, aut omnia singulis patienda. quo usque me circumspectabitis? ego quidem nulli vestrum deero;

Only show war, and you will have peace. Let them see you ready for force, and they themselves will relax the law. Something must be dared by all together, or everything must be endured by each one. How long will you look around at me? I indeed will not fail any of you;

§6.18.8

ne fortuna mea desit, videte. ipse vindex vester, ubi visum inimicis est, nullus repente fui; et vidistis in vincula duci universi eum, qui a singulis vobis vincula depuleram.

see to it that my fortune does not fail. I myself, your avenger, when it seemed good to my enemies, was suddenly reduced to nothing; and you saw him led into chains by all of you together, who had driven away chains from each of you.

§6.18.9

quid sperem, si plus in me audeant inimici? an exitum Cassi Maelique expectem? bene facitis, quod abominamini: “di prohibebunt haec;” sed numquam propter me de caelo descendent; vobis dent eam mentem oportet, ut prohibeatis,⁴ sicut mihi dederunt armato togatoque, ut vos a barbaris hostibus, a superbis defenderem civibus.

What can I hope for, if my enemies should dare more against me? Or am I to expect the end of Cassius and Maelius? You do well to abominate this: ‘The gods will forbid these things’; but they will never descend from heaven on my account; they must give you that mind, so that you may forbid it, just as they gave it to me, both armed and in the toga, to defend you from barbarian enemies and from haughty citizens.

§6.18.10

tam parvus animus tanti populi est, ut semper vobis auxilium adversum inimicos satis sit, nec ullum, nisi quatenus imperari vobis sinatis, certamen adversus patres noritis? nec hoc natura insitum vobis est, sed usu possidemini.

Is the spirit of so great a people so small, that help against your enemies is always enough for you, and you know no struggle against the patricians, except so far as you allow yourselves to be commanded? Nor is this implanted in you by nature, but you are possessed by habit.

§6.18.11

cur enim adversus externos tantum animorum geritis, ut imperare illis aequum censeatis? quia consuestis cum eis pro imperio certare, adversus hos temptare magis quam tueri libertatem.

For why do you bear so much spirit against foreigners, so as to think it just to rule over them? Because you have been accustomed to contend with them for empire, but against these men to try rather than to defend your liberty.

§6.18.12

tamen, qualescumque duces habuistis, qualescumque ipsi fuistis, omnia adhuc, quantacumque petistis, obtinuistis seu vi seu fortuna vestra. tempus est iam maiora conari. experimini modo et vestram felicitatem et me, ut spero, feliciter expertum; minore negotio qui imperet patribus inponetis quam qui resisterent imperantibus inposuistis.⁵

Nevertheless, whatever sort of leaders you have had, and whatever you yourselves have been, you have hitherto obtained all things, however great you sought, either by force or by your fortune. It is now time to attempt greater things. Only make trial both of your good fortune and of me, who, as I hope, have been tried successfully; you will impose one to command the patricians with less trouble than you imposed those to resist them when they commanded.

§6.18.14

solo aequandae sunt dictaturae consulatusque, ut caput attollere Romana plebes possit. proinde adeste; prohibete ius de pecuniis dici; ego me patronum profiteor plebis, quod mihi cura mea et fides nomen indidit;

The dictatorships and consulships must be leveled with the ground, so that the Roman plebs may be able to lift up its head. Therefore, be present; forbid judgment to be pronounced concerning money; I profess myself the patron of the plebs, a name which my care and fidelity have bestowed upon me;

§6.18.15

vos si quo insigni magis imperii honorisve nomine vestrum appellabitis ducem, eo utemini potentiore ad obtinenda ea, quae vultis.” inde de regno agendi ortum initium dicitur;

If you will call your leader by any more distinguished title of power or honor, you will employ him as so much the more powerful to obtain those things which you wish.” From this, the beginning of agitating for kingly power is said to have arisen;

§6.18.16

sei nec cum quibus nec quem ad finem consilia pervenerint, satis planum traditur.

but neither with whom nor to what end their counsels reached is handed down with sufficient clarity.

Syntax notes5 items

6.18.2faenoris expugnandi
A genitive gerundive phrase consisting of the noun faenoris and the gerundive expugnandi, functioning as an objective genitive modifying spem in the main clause, from which it is separated by the intervening dum clause.
6.18.4vinculorum suorum invidiam
An accusative noun phrase serving as the common direct object of both verbs in the subsequent clauses: fugisset and sustinere potuisset.
6.18.6quot enim clientes circa singulos fuistis patronos, tot nunc adversus unum hostem eritis
A comparative structure using the correlation of quot... tot... It contrasts the historical proportion of clients clustered around each single patron (patrician) with the number of men who will now stand against that single enemy.
6.18.9vobis dent earn mentem oportet, ut prohibeatis
The impersonal verb oportet here takes a direct subjunctive (dent) without ut. The phrase eam mentem, which is the object of dent, is modified by the subsequent ut prohibeatis clause expressing result or content.
6.18.13minore negotio qui imperet patribus inponetis quam qui resisterent imperantibus inposuistis
A comparative construction with the comparative minore and correlative quam. The clause 'qui imperet patribus' is a noun clause acting as the object of 'inponetis'. The 'quam' clause compares this with 'qui resisterent imperantibus [patribus] inposuistis' (those whom you set up to resist them when they commanded). It argues that setting up a single ruler over the patricians will be easier than previously setting up tribunes to resist them.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (3, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — note 1
2026-09-21 AI review — source 1
2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:6.18.1-6.18.16