§11.28.1τὸ δʼ ἐν Ἀλγιδῷ τῆς Αἰκανῶν χώρας καθιδρυμένον καὶ τὸ ἐν τῇ πόλει πλῆθος ἅπαν διὰ ταύτας ἐξεπολεμώθη τὰς αἰτίας πρὸς αὐτούς.
The army stationed at Algidus in the territory of the Aequi and the entire multitude in the city were provoked to war against them for these reasons.
ἀνὴρ ἐκ τῶν δημοτικῶν, Λεύκιος Οὐεργίνιος, οὐδενὸς χείρων τὰ πολεμικά, λόχου τινὸς ἡγεμονίαν ἔχων ἐν τοῖς πέντε τάγμασιν ἐτάχθη τοῖς ἐπʼ Αἰκανοὺς στρατευσαμένοις.
A man of the plebeian class, Lucius Verginius, second to none in military affairs, holding the command of a company, was stationed among the five legions that had marched against the Aequi.
§11.28.2τούτῳ θυγάτηρ ἔτυχεν οὖσα καλλίστη τῶν ἐν Ῥώμῃ παρθένων τὸ πατρῷον ὄνομα φέρουσα, ἣν ἐνεγγυήσατο Λεύκιος εἷς ἐκ τῶν δεδημαρχηκότων υἱὸς Ἰκιλίου τοῦ πρώτου τε καταστησαμένου τὴν δημαρχιἔστι §11.28.3κὴν ἐξουσίαν καὶ πρώτου λαβόντος.
This man happened to have a daughter, the most beautiful of the virgins in Rome, bearing her father's name, whom Lucius, one of those who had been tribunes, the son of Icilius who had first established the tribunician power and had been the first to receive it, had betrothed.
ταύτην τὴν κόρην ἐπίγαμον οὖσαν ἤδη θεασάμενος Ἄππιος Κλαύδιος ὁ τῆς δεκαδαρχίας ἡγεμὼν ἀναγινώσκουσαν ἐν γραμματιστοῦ—ἦν δὲ τὰ διδασκαλεῖα τότε τῶν παίδων περὶ τὴν ἀγοράν—εὐθύς τε ὑπὸ τοῦ κάλλους τῆς παιδὸς ἑάλω καὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον ἔξω τῶν φρενῶν ἐγένετο πολλάκις ἀναγκαζόμενος παριέναι τὸ διδασκαλεῖον ἤδη κρα- §11.28.4τούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ πάθους.
When Appius Claudius, the leader of the decemvirate, beheld this girl, who was already of marriageable age, reading in the school of a grammarian—for the schools of the children were at that time around the forum—he was immediately captivated by the beauty of the child, and became still more out of his mind, being often compelled to pass by the school, already mastered by his passion.
ὡς δʼ οὐκ ἠδύνατο πρὸς γάμον αὐτὴν λαβεῖν ἐκείνην τε ὁρῶν ἐγγεγυημένην ἑτέρῳ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔχων γυναῖκα γαμετήν, καὶ ἅμα οὐδʼ ἀξιῶν ἐκ δημοτικοῦ γένους ἁρμόσασθαι γάμον, διʼ ὑπεροψίαν τῆς τύχης καὶ παρὰ τὸν νόμον, ὃν αὐτὸς ἐν ταῖς δώδεκα δέλτοις ἀνέγραψε, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐπειράθη διαφθεῖραι χρήμασι τὴν κόρην, καὶ προσέπεμπέ τινας ἀεὶ πρὸς τὰς τροφοὺς αὐτῆς γυναῖκας— ἦν γὰρ ὀρφανὴ μητρὸς ἡ παῖς—διδούς τε πολλὰ καὶ ἔτι πλείονα τῶν διδομένων ὑπισχνούμενος.
But since he was unable to take her in marriage, seeing that she was betrothed to another and he himself had a wedded wife, and at the same time, out of disdain for his fortune and contrary to the law which he himself had inscribed on the twelve tables, not deigning to contract a marriage from a plebeian family, he at first attempted to corrupt the girl with money. He constantly sent some persons to her nurses—for the child was motherless—giving many things and promising still more than what was given.
παρηγγέλλετο δὲ τοῖς πειρωμένοις τὰς τροφοὺς μὴ λέγειν, τίς ὁ τῆς κόρης ἐστὶν ἐρῶν, ἀλλʼ ὅτι τῶν δυναμένων τις εὖ ποιεῖν οὓς βουληθείη καὶ κακῶς.
And those who attempted to persuade the nurses were ordered not to say who the lover of the girl was, but only that he was one of those who had the power to do well or ill to whomsoever he pleased.
§11.28.5ὡς δʼ οὐκ ἔπειθον αὐτάς, ἀλλὰ καὶ φυλακῆς ἑώρα τὴν κόρην κρείττονος ἢ πρότερον ἀξιουμένην, φλεγόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ πάθους τὴν ἰταμωτέραν ἔγνω βαδίζειν ὁδόν.
But when they could not persuade them, and he saw that the girl was deemed worthy of greater protection than before, being inflamed by his passion, he resolved to go by a more insolent way.
μεταπεμψάμενος δή τινα τῶν ἑαυτοῦ πελατῶν, Μάρκον Κλαύδιον, ἄνδρα τολμηρὸν καὶ πρὸς πᾶσαν ὑπηρεσίαν ἕτοιμον, τό τε πάθος αὐτῷ διηγεῖται καὶ διδάξας, ὅσα ποιεῖν αὐτὸν ἐβούλετο καὶ λέγειν, ἀποστέλλει συχνοὺς §11.28.6τῶν ἀναιδεστάτων ἐπαγόμενον.
Sending for one of his own clients, Marcus Claudius, a daring man and ready for any service, he related his passion to him, and having instructed him in all that he wished him to do and say, he sent him off, taking with him many of the most shameless men.
ὁ δὲ παραγενόμενος ἐπὶ τὸ διδασκαλεῖον ἐπιλαμβάνεται τῆς παρθένου καὶ φανερῶς ἄγειν ἐβούλετο διʼ ἀγορᾶς.
And he, having arrived at the school, laid hold of the virgin and wished to lead her openly through the forum.
κραυγῆς δὲ γενομένης καὶ πολλοῦ συνδραμόντος ὄχλου κωλυόμενος ὅποι προῃρεῖτο τὴν κόρην ἄγειν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν παραγίνεται.
But a cry being raised and a large crowd running together, being prevented from leading the girl whither he had intended, he came before the magistrate.
ἐκάθητο δʼ ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος τηνικαῦτα μόνος Ἄππιος χρηματίζων τε καὶ δικάζων τοῖς δεομένοις.
Appius was sitting at that time alone upon the tribunal, transacting business and administering justice to those who needed it.
βουλομένου δʼ αὐτοῦ λέγειν κραυγή τε καὶ ἀγανάκτησις ἦν ἐκ τοῦ περιεστῶτος ὄχλου, πάντων ἀξιούντων περιμένειν, ἕως ἔλθωσιν οἱ συγγενεῖς τῆς κόρης· καὶ ὁ §11.28.7Ἄππιος οὕτως ἐκέλευσε ποιεῖν.
When he wished to speak, there arose a clamour and indignation from the surrounding crowd, all demanding to wait until the relatives of the girl should arrive; and Appius ordered them to do so.
ὡς δʼ ὀλίγος ὁ μεταξὺ χρόνος ἐγεγόνει, καὶ παρῆν ὁ πρὸς μητρὸς θεῖος τῆς παρθένου Πόπλιος Νομιτώριος φίλους τε πολλοὺς ἐπαγόμενος καὶ συγγενεῖς, ἀνὴρ ἐκ τῶν δημοτικῶν ἐμφανής, καὶ μετʼ οὐ πολὺ Λεύκιος, ὁ παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐνεγγυημένος τὴν κόρην, χεῖρα περὶ αὑτὸν ἔχων νέων δημοτικῶν καρτεράν.
When a short time had elapsed, Publius Numitorius, the maternal uncle of the virgin, was present, bringing many friends and relatives, a prominent man among the plebeians; and not long after, Lucius, who had been betrothed to the girl by her father, having around him a strong band of young plebeians.
ὡς δὲ τῷ βήματι προσῆλθεν, ἀσθμαίνων ἔτι καὶ μετέωρος τὸ πνεῦμα λέγειν ἠξίου, τίς ἐστιν ὁ τολμήσας ἅψασθαι παιδὸς ἀστῆς καὶ τί βουλόμενος.
When he approached the tribunal, still panting and out of breath, he demanded to know who it was that had dared to touch a freeborn maiden, and with what intent.