Appointment of Cincinnatus and the Standoff at the Allia — Livy, History of Rome Book 6 (6.28.1–6.28.9), Latin & English

§6.28.1

nam cum esset Praenestinis nuntiatum nullum exercitum conscriptum Romae, nullum ducem certum esse, patres ac plebem in semet ipsos versos, occasionem rati¹ duces eorum raptim agmine acto pervastatis protinus agris ad portam Collinam signa intulere.

For when it was reported to the Praenestines that no army had been enrolled at Rome and that there was no appointed general, thinking that the patricians and the plebs were turned against one another, and deeming it an opportunity, their leaders hastily set their column in motion, and having straightway thoroughly ravaged the fields, they advanced their standards to the Colline Gate.

§6.28.3

ingens in urbe trepidatio fuit. conclamatum ad arma concursumque in muros atque portas est, tandemque ab seditione ad bellum versi dictatorem T. Quinctium Cincinnatum creavere.

There was a huge panic in the city. A cry to arms was raised, and there was a rush to the walls and gates, and at length, turning from sedition to war, they appointed Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus dictator.

§6.28.4

is magistrum equitum A. Sempronium Atratinum dixit. quod ubi auditum est — tantus eius magistratus² terror erat —, simul hostes a moenibus recessere et iuniores Romani ad edictum sine retractatione convenere.

He named Aulus Sempronius Atratinus master of the horse. As soon as this was heard—so great was the terror of that office—at the same time the enemy withdrew from the walls, and the younger Romans assembled at the edict without hesitation.

§6.28.5

dum conscribitur Romae exercitus, castra interim hostium haud procul Alia flumine posita; inde agrum late populantes fatalem se urbi Romanae locum cepisse inter se iactabant:

While the army was being enrolled at Rome, the camp of the enemy was meanwhile pitched not far from the river Allia; from there, widely devastating the land, they boasted among themselves that they had taken a position fatal to the Roman city:

§6.28.6

similem pavorem inde ac fugam fore, ac bello Gallico fuerit;³ etenim si diem contactum religione insignemque nomine eius loci timeant Romani, quanto magis Alliensi die Aliam ipsam, monumentum tantae cladis, reformidaturos? species profecto iis ibi truces Gallorum sonumque vocis in oculis atque auribus fore.

they asserted that there would be a similar panic and flight from there as had occurred in the Gallic war; for indeed, if the Romans feared a day tainted by religious taboo and notorious for the name of that place, how much more on the Day of the Allia would they dread the Allia itself, the monument of so great a disaster? Surely, the fierce appearance of the Gauls and the sound of their voices would be in their eyes and ears.

§6.28.7

has inanium rerum inanes ipsas volventes cogitationes fortunae loci delegaverant spes suas. Romani contra, ubicumque esset Latinus hostis, satis scire⁴ eum esse, quem ad Regillum lacum devictum centum annorum pace obnoxia tenuerint;

Turning these empty thoughts of empty things in their minds, they had entrusted their hopes to the fortune of the place. The Romans on the other hand, knew well that wherever the Latin enemy might be, he was the one whom they had held conquered at Lake Regillus under a century of submissive peace;

§6.28.8

locum insignem memoria cladis inritaturum se potius ad delendam memoriam dedecoris, quam ut timorem faciat,⁵ ne qua terra sit nefasta victoriae suae;

and that a place remarkable for the memory of a disaster would stimulate them rather to wipe out the memory of the disgrace, than cause fear lest any land should be inauspicious to their victory;

§6.28.9

quin ipsi sibi Galli si offerantur illo loco, se ita pugnaturos, ut Romae pugnaverint in repetenda patria, ut postero die ad Gabios, tunc cum effecerint, ne quis hostis, qui moenia Romana intrasset, nuntium secundae adversaeque fortunae domum perferret.

indeed, even if the Gauls themselves should present themselves to them in that place, they would fight just as they had fought at Rome in recovering their country, and as on the following day at Gabii, at that time when they brought it about that no enemy who had entered the Roman walls should carry home news of either good or bad fortune.

Syntax notes5 items

6.28.2rati
rati is the perfect participle of the deponent verb reor (to think, deem), agreeing in the nominative plural with the subject duces eorum. It introduces the accusative and infinitive construction patres ac plebem... versos [esse].
6.28.4eius magistratus
eius is the genitive singular of the demonstrative pronoun referring to the dictator, modifying magistratus (genitive singular of the fourth-declension noun magistratus). The phrase eius magistratus terror means "terror of that office," where magistratus functions as an objective genitive.
6.28.6ac bello Gallico fuerit
ac correlates with the preceding similem, expressing comparison ("similar... as"). fuerit is in the perfect subjunctive because it is a subordinate clause within indirect speech (Oratio Obliqua).
6.28.7scire
scire is a historical infinitive, used instead of the imperfect indicative (sciebant) to function as the main verb of the sentence. Its subject is the nominative Romani.
6.28.8inritaturum... quam ut timorem faciat
This is the construction of potius quam ut followed by the subjunctive (faciat), expressing comparison with a nuance of result or purpose ("rather than that it should cause fear"). inritaturum [esse] is a future infinitive with locum as its subject and se (referring to the Romans) as its object.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:6.28.1-6.28.9