- 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-lat2:8.4.1-8.4.12
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-25
The Latin leader Annius addresses the assembly, passionately arguing that they should demand equal rights in their treaty with Rome, specifically that one of the consuls be chosen from the Latins, and wins unanimous approval.
cum aliud alii censerent, tum Annius: “quamquam ipse ego rettuli, quid responderi placeret, tamen magis ad summam rerum nostrarum pertinere arbitror, quid agendum nobis, quam quid loquendum sit. facile erit explicatis consiliis accommodare rebus verba.
While some thought one thing, others another, then Annius said: “Although I myself reported what it was pleased to reply, yet I think it pertains more to the sum of our affairs what must be done by us than what must be said. It will be easy, once our plans are unfolded, to adapt words to facts.
nam si etiam nunc sub umbra foederis aequi servitutem pati possumus, quid abest, quin1 proditis Sidicinis non Romanorum solum sed Samnitium quoque dicto pareamus respondeamusque Romanis nos, ubi innuerint, posituros arma?
For if even now, under the shadow of an equal treaty, we can endure slavery, what is wanting but that, having betrayed the Sidicini, we should obey the command not only of the Romans but also of the Samnites, and reply to the Romans that we will lay down our arms as soon as they beckon?
sin autem tandem libertatis desiderium remordet animos, si foedus sociale est, si societas aequatio iuris est, consanguineos nos Romanorum esse, quod olim pudebat, nunc gloriari licet, si socialis illis exercitus is est, quo adiuncto duplicent vires suas, quem secernere ab se consilia bellis propriis ponendis sumendisque nolint, cur non omnia aequantur?
But if at last the desire for liberty gnaws at your hearts, if there is an allied treaty, if alliance is an equalization of rights, then it is permitted to boast now of what formerly we were ashamed, namely that we are of the same blood as the Romans; if for them the allied army is that by the addition of which they double their strength, and which they do not wish to separate from themselves in planning to lay aside or undertake their own wars, why are not all things equalized?
cur non alter ab Latinis consul datur? ubi pars virium, ibi et imperii pars esto.
Why is not one of the consuls given from the Latins? Where there is a part of the strength, let there be also a part of the supreme power.
est quidem nobis hoc per se haud nimis amplum, quippe concedentibus Romam caput Latio esse;2
Indeed, this is not in itself too grand for us, since we concede that Rome is the head of Latium;
sed ut amplum videri posset, diuturna patientia fecimus. atqui si quando umquam consociandi imperii, usurpandae libertatis tempus optastis, en hoc tempus adest et virtute vestra et deum benignitate vobis datum.
but that it could seem grand, we have made by our long-lasting patience. And yet, if ever you have wished for a time to share the supreme power, to claim your liberty, lo, this time is here, given to you both by your own valor and by the kindness of the gods.
temptastis patientiam negando militem. quis dubitat exarsisse eos, cum plus ducentorum annorum morem solveremus? pertulerunt tamen hunc dolorem.
You have tested their patience by refusing soldiers. Who doubts that they blazed with anger when we broke a custom of more than two hundred years? Yet they endured this pain.
bellum nostro nomine cum Paelignis gessimus; qui ne nostrorum quidem finium nobis per nos tuendorum ius antea dabant, nihil intercesserunt. Sidicinos in fidem receptos,3 Campanos ab se ad nos descisse, exercitus nos parare adversus Samnites, foederatos suos, audierunt nec moverunt se ab urbe.
We waged war in our own name with the Paeligni; who previously did not grant us even the right of defending our own territories by ourselves, did not intervene at all. That the Sidicini had been received into our protection, that the Campanians had revolted from them to us, that we were preparing armies against the Samnites, their allies, they heard, and yet they did not move themselves from the City.
unde haec illis tanta modestia nisi a conscientia virium et nostrarum et suarum? idoneos auctores habeo querentibus de nobis Samnitibus ita responsum ab senatu Romano esse, ut facile appareret, ne ipsos quidem iam postulare, ut Latium sub Romano imperio sit. usurpate modo postulando quod illi vobis taciti concedunt.
Whence is this so great self-restraint of theirs, if not from a consciousness of strength, both our own and theirs? I have trustworthy authorities that to the Samnites complaining about us, it was replied by the Roman senate in such a way that it easily appeared that not even they themselves now demand that Latium be under Roman rule. Only claim by demanding what they silently concede to you.
si quem hoc metus dicere prohibet, en ego ipse audiente non populo Romano modo senatuque, sed Iove ipso,4 qui Capitolium incolit, profiteor me dicturum, ut, si nos in foedere ac societate esse velint, consulem alterum ab nobis senatusque partem accipiant.”
If fear prevents anyone from saying this, lo, I myself, in the hearing not only of the Roman people and senate, but of Jupiter himself, who inhabits the Capitol, declare that I will say it, so that, if they wish us to be in treaty and alliance, they must accept one consul from us and a part of the senate.”
haec ferociter non suadenti solum, sed pollicenti clamore et adsensu omnes permiserunt, ut ageret diceretque, quae e re publica nominis Latini fideque sua viderentur.
To him, not only advising but promising these things so fiercely, all with shouting and assent permitted that he should act and speak what might seem to be for the welfare of the Latin name and in accordance with his own good faith.
- 8.4.2quid abest, quin
The impersonal expression quid abest quin... (literally "what is missing but that...", i.e., "what is to prevent us from...") with the subjunctive (pareamus and respondeamus) is a rhetorical way of expressing a strong necessity or inevitability, meaning "what is to hinder us from obeying and replying...?" or "we might as well obey and reply...".
- 8.4.5concedentibus Romam caput Latio esse
concedentibus is a present participle in the ablative absolute construction, with the implied subject nobis (us), expressing cause ("since we concede"). It governs an accusative and infinitive clause: Romam (subject accusative) and esse (infinitive), with Latio acting as a dative of reference ("to Latium").
- 8.4.8Sidicinos in fidem receptos
From this phrase down to audierunt in §8.4.9, three accusative with infinitive clauses (Sidicinos... receptos [esse], Campanos... descisse, and exercitus nos parare...) are coordinated in indirect discourse, all serving as objects of the main verb audierunt ("they heard"). This extended structure emphasizes the list of actions that the Romans chose to ignore.
- 8.4.11audiente non populo Romano modo senatuque, sed Iove ipso
An ablative absolute construction consisting of the present participle audiente and its coordinate ablative subjects (non populo Romano modo senatuque, sed Iove ipso). It indicates the solemn circumstance of taking an oath in the presence of witnesses. The singular participle audiente agrees with the nearest/most prominent singular subject, Iove ipso.
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (2, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — source 2