§14.1τὸν δὲ νεὼν τοῦ Καπιτωλίου Διὸς εὔξατο μὲν ἀναθήσειν Ταρκύνιος ὁ Δημαράτου πολεμῶν Σαβίνοις, ᾠκοδόμησε δὲ Ταρκύνιος ὁ Σούπερβος υἱὸς ὢν ἢ υἱωνὸς τοῦ εὐξαμένου· καθιερῶσαι δὲ οὐκ ἔφθασεν, ἀλλὰ μικρὸν ἀπελείπετο τοῦ τέλος ἔχειν ὅτε Ταρκύνιος ἐξέπιπτεν.
On the other hand, Tarquin, the son of Demaratus, while waging war against the Sabines, vowed to dedicate the temple of Jupiter on the Capitol, and Tarquin Superbus, who was the son or grandson of the vower, built it; however, he did not manage to dedicate it, but it was just a little short of completion when Tarquin was expelled.
ὡς οὖν ἀπείργαστο τελέως καὶ τὸν προσήκοντα κόσμον ἀπεῖχεν, ἦν τῷ Ποπλικόλᾳ φιλοτιμία πρὸς τὴν καθιέρωσιν.
When, therefore, it had been completely finished and had received its proper adornment, Poplicola had an ambition for its dedication.
§14.2ἐφθόνουν δὲ πολλοὶ τῶν δυνατῶν, καὶ ἤχθοντο ταῖς μὲν ἄλλαις τιμαῖς ἧττον, ἃς νομοθετῶν καὶ στρατηγῶν ἐκ προσηκόντων ἔσχε· ταύτην δʼ οὖσαν ἀλλοτρίαν οὐκ ᾤοντο δεῖν αὐτῷ προσγενέσθαι, καὶ τὸν Ὡράτιον προετρέποντο καὶ παρώξυνον ἀντιποιεῖσθαι τῆς καθιερώσεως.
But many of the powerful men envied him, and while they were less displeased with his other honors, which he had obtained in a fitting manner by enacting laws and serving as general, they did not think this one, which was alien to him, should be added to his honors. They therefore urged and instigated Horatius to lay claim to the dedication.
γενομένης οὖν τῷ Ποπλικόλᾳ στρατείας ἀναγκαίας, ψηφισάμενοι τὸν Ὡράτιον καθιεροῦν ἀνῆγον εἰς τὸ Καπιτώλιον, ὡς οὐκ ἂν ἐκείνου περιγενόμενοι παρόντος.
When, therefore, a necessary military campaign arose for Poplicola, they voted that Horatius should perform the dedication and conducted him to the Capitol, believing that they could not get the better of Poplicola if he were present.
§14.3ἔνιοι δέ φασι κλήρῳ τῶν ὑπάτων λαχεῖν ἐκεῖνον ἐπὶ τὴν στρατείαν ἄκοντα, τοῦτον δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν καθιέρωσιν.
But some say that the former was allotted to the campaign against his will, and the latter to the dedication, by a lot drawn among the consuls.
ἔξεστι δὲ περὶ τούτων ὡς ἔσχεν εἰκάζειν τοῖς πραχθεῖσι περὶ τὴν καθιέρωσιν.
And it is possible to conjecture about these things, how they were, from what was done concerning the dedication.
εἰδοῖς οὖν Σεπτεμβρίαις, ὃ συντυγχάνει περὶ τὴν πανσέληνον μάλιστα τοῦ Μεταγειτνιῶνος, συνηθροισμένων ἁπάντων εἰς τὸ Καπιτώλιον, §14.4ὁ μὲν Ὡράτιος σιωπῆς γενομένης τά τʼ ἄλλα δράσας καὶ τῶν θυρῶν ἁψάμενος, ὥσπερ ἔθος ἐστίν, ἐπεφθέγγετο τὰς νενομισμένας ἐπὶ τῇ καθιερώσει φωνάς· ὁ δʼ ἀδελφὸς τοῦ Ποπλικόλα Μᾶρκος ἐκ πολλοῦ παρὰ τὰς θύρας ὑφεστὼς καὶ παραφυλάττων τὸν καιρόν,
ὦ ὕπατε
εἶπεν,
ὁ υἱός σου τέθνηκεν ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ νοσήσας. §14.5τοῦτο πάντας ἠνίασε τοὺς ἀκούσαντας ὁ δʼ Ὡράτιος οὐδὲν διαταραχθείς, ἀλλʼ ἢ τοσοῦτον μόνον εἰπών,
ῥίψατε τοίνυν ὅποι βούλεσθε τὸν νεκρόν, ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐ προσίεμαι τὸ πένθος,
ἐπέραινε τὴν λοιπὴν καθιέρωσιν.
For on the Ides of September, which coincides very nearly with the full moon of Metageitnion, when everyone had assembled on the Capitol, Horatius, after silence had been made, having performed the other rites and having touched the doors, as is the custom, was pronouncing the words prescribed for the dedication; but Marcus, the brother of Poplicola, who had long been standing in wait near the doors and watching for the opportunity, said, "O Consul, your son has died of illness in the camp." This grieved all who heard it; but Horatius, not at all disturbed, but only saying, "Cast out the corpse then wherever you wish, for I do not admit the mourning," went on to complete the rest of the dedication.
ἦν δὲ τὸ προσηγγελμένον οὐκ ἀληθές, ἀλλʼ ὁ Μᾶρκος ὡς ἀποστήσων τὸν Ὡράτιον ἐψεύσατο.
But what was announced was not true, but Marcus had lied in order to draw Horatius away.
θαυμαστὸς οὖν ὁ ἀνὴρ τῆς εὐσταθείας, εἴτε τὴν ἀπάτην ἐν καιρῷ βραχεῖ συνεῖδεν εἴτε πιστευθεὶς ὁ λόγος οὐκ ἐκίνησεν αὐτόν.
Wonderful, then, was the man for his steadfastness, whether he perceived the deceit in a brief moment, or, having believed the report, was not moved by it.