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Dionysius of Halicarnassus · Roman Antiquities §11.32.1-11.32.4

Resistance of the Crowd and Concession by Appius

Passage 832 of 962 · Greek

Summary

Claudius, the client of Appius, attempts to carry off Virginia by force but faces resistance from the crowd, leading Appius to make a temporary concession and release her to her relatives until her father arrives the next day.

§11.32.1ἔτι δʼ αὐτοῦ βουλομένου λέγειν οἱ μὲν ῥαβδοῦχοι κελευσθέντες ὑπὸ τῆς ἐξουσίας ἀνεῖργον αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ βήματος καὶ πειθαρχεῖν τοῖς κεκριμένοις ἐκέλευον·
While he was still wishing to speak, the lictors, having been ordered by the authority, began to push them back from the tribunal and ordered them to obey what had been decided.
ὁ δὲ Κλαύδιος ἐπιλαβόμενος τῆς παιδὸς ἀπάγειν ἐβούλετο τοῦ θείου καὶ τοῦ μνηστῆρος ἀντεχομένην.
And Claudius, having seized the girl, wished to lead her away while she clung to her uncle and her suitor.
ἰδόντες δὲ πένθος ἐλεεινὸν οἱ περὶ τὸ βῆμα πάντες ἀνέκραγον ἅμα καὶ παρʼ οὐδὲν ἡγησάμενοι τὴν τοῦ κρατοῦντος ἐξουσίαν ὠθοῦνται τοῖς βιαζομένοις ὁμόσε, ὥστε δείσαντα τὴν ἐπιφορὰν αὐτῶν τὸν Κλαύδιον τήν τε κόρην ἀφεῖναι καὶ ὑπὸ §11.32.2τοὺς πόδας τοῦ στρατηγοῦ καταφυγεῖν.
But all those around the tribunal, seeing the pitiable grief, cried out together and, holding the power of the ruler as nothing, rushed hand-to-hand against those who were using force, so that Claudius, fearing their onset, released the girl and fled for refuge under the feet of the magistrate.
ὁ δʼ Ἄππιος καταρχὰς μὲν εἰς πολλὴν ταραχὴν κατέστη ἠγριωμένους ἅπαντας ὁρῶν καὶ πολὺν ἠπόρει χρόνον, ὅ τι χρὴ ποιεῖν, ἔπειτα τὸν Κλαύδιον καλέσας ἐπὶ τὸ βῆμα καὶ μικρὰ διαλεχθεὶς πρὸς αὐτὸν ὡς ἐδόκει,τοῖς τε περιεστῶσι διασημήνας ἡσυχίαν παρασχεῖν λέγει τοιάδε· §11.32.3ἐγὼ τὸ μὲν ἀκριβές, ὦ δημόται, περὶ τῆς διεγγυήσεως τοῦ σώματος, ἐπειδὴ τραχυνομένους ὑμᾶς πρὸς τὴν ἀπόφασιν ὁρῶ, παρίημι· χαρίζεσθαι δʼ ὑμῖν βουλόμενος πέπεικα τὸν ἐμαυτοῦ πελάτην ἐᾶσαι μὲν τοῖς συγγενέσι τῆς παρθένου δοῦναι τὴν διεγγύησιν, ἕως ὁ
And Appius at first fell into great confusion, seeing everyone enraged, and for a long time was at a loss as to what he should do; then, having called Claudius to the tribunal and having spoke briefly with him as it seemed fit, he signaled to the bystanders to keep silence and spoke as follows: "I let pass the strictness, O citizens, concerning the bail of the person, since I see you are exasperated at the decision; and wishing to gratify you, I have persuaded my own client to allow the relatives of the maiden to give bail until her father arrives.
§11.32.4πατὴρ αὐτῆς παραγένηται. ἀπάγεσθε οὖν, ὦ Νομιτώριε, τὴν κόρην, καὶ τὴν ἐγγύην ὁμολογεῖτε περὶ αὐτῆς εἰς τὴν αὔριον ἡμέραν.
Therefore lead away the girl, O Numitorius, and agree upon the bail for her until tomorrow.
ἀπόχρη γὰρ ὁ χρόνος ὑμῖν οὗτος ἀπαγγεῖλαί τε Οὐεργινίῳ τήμερον καὶ τριῶν ἢ τεττάρων ὡρῶν αὔριον ἐκ τοῦ χάρακος δεῦρο ἀγαγεῖν. πλείονα δʼ αὐτῶν χρόνον αἰτουμένων οὐδὲν ἔτι ἀποκρινάμενος ἀνέστη καὶ τὸν δίφρον ἐκέλευσεν ἆραι.
For this time is sufficient for you to send word to Verginius today and to bring him here from the camp within three or four hours tomorrow." When they asked for a longer time, he, making no further answer, arose and ordered the chair to be removed.

Notes

  1. 11.32.1ἔτι δʼ αὐτοῦ βουλομένου λέγειν — Genitive absolute construction. The subject pronoun `αὐτοῦ` refers to the suitor Icilius mentioned in the preceding clause.
  2. 11.32.1τοῖς βιαζομένοις ὁμόσε — The verb phrase `ὁμόσε ὠθοῦνται` ("rush hand-to-hand / face to face") takes the dative `τοῖς βιαζομένοις` ("those who were using force", i.e., Claudius and his associates).
  3. 11.32.2ὡς ἐδόκει — Meaning "as it seemed [to the onlookers]". This parenthetical phrase suggests that Appius and his client Claudius were playing out a pre-arranged plot, pretending to consult each other on the spot.
  4. 11.32.4τριῶν ἢ τεττάρων ὡρῶν — Genitive of time within which. It can be interpreted either as referring to specific hours of the next day (the third or fourth hour, i.e., around 9 or 10 a.m.) or as a duration ("within three or four hours"). Here it is understood as a duration allowed for travel on the following day.

Cite this passage

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities §11.32.1-11.32.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0081.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:11.32.1-11.32.4

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