§11.4.1ταῦτα βουλευσάμενοι καὶ παρασκευάσαντες ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων ἑταίρων καὶ συγγενῶν τοὺς ἀγορεύσοντας ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ τὰς συμφερούσας αὐτοῖς γνώμας καὶ τοῖς μὴ ταὐτὰ προαιρουμένοις ἐναντιωσομένους προῆλθον εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν καὶ παραστησάμενοι τὸν κήρυκα τοὺς βουλεύοντας ἐξ ὀνόματος καλεῖν ἐκέλευον.
Having deliberated on these matters and having prepared from among their own factions and relatives those who would speak in the council on the opinions advantageous to them and would oppose those not choosing the same things, they went out to the forum and, having placed the herald beside them, ordered him to call the senators by name.
§11.4.2ὑπήκουε δʼ αὐτοῖς τῶν μετρίων οὐδείς.
But none of the moderate men obeyed them.
πολλάκις δὲ τοῦ κήρυκος βοῶντος καὶ παριόντος οὐδενὸς εἰ μὴ τῶν κολακευόντων τὴν ὀλιγαρχίαν, ἐν οἷς ἦν τὸ κάκιστον τῆς ὀλιγαρχίας μέρος, οἱ μὲν τότʼ ὄντες κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν ἐθαύμαζον, εἰ περὶ μηδενὸς πώποτε συγκαλέσαντες τὴν βουλήν, τότε πρῶτον ἔγνωσαν, ὅτι καὶ συνέδριον ἦν τι παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν, οὓς ἔδει περὶ τῶν κοινῶν σκοπεῖν.
And although the herald called out repeatedly, and no one came forward except those who flattered the oligarchy, among whom was the worst element of the oligarchy, those who were then in the forum wondered that, while they had never before convened the senate for anything, they then for the first time recognized that there was indeed among the Romans a council of good men who ought to deliberate on public affairs.
§11.4.3οἱ δέκα δὲ ταῦθʼ ὁρῶντες ἐπεχείρησαν μὲν ἐκ τῶν οἰκιῶν τοὺς βουλευτὰς ἄγειν· πυθόμενοι δὲ τὰς πλείους ἐρήμους ἀφειμένας εἰς τὴν ὑστεραίαν ἀνεβάλοντο.
The decemvirs, seeing this, attempted to fetch the senators from their houses; but learning that most of them had been left empty, they postponed the meeting to the following day.
ἐν δὲ τῷ μεταξὺ χρόνῳ πέμποντες ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀγροὺς ἐκεῖθεν αὐτοὺς ἐκάλουν.
And in the intervening time, sending to the fields, they summoned them from there.
πληρωθέντος δὲ τοῦ συνεδρίου προελθὼν Ἄππιος, ὁ τῆς δεκαδαρχίας ἡγεμών, ἀπήγγειλεν ὅτι διχόθεν ἀπό τε Αἰκανῶν καὶ Σαβίνων ἐπάγεται τῇ Ῥώμῃ πόλεμος· καὶ διεξῆλθε λόγον ἐκ πολλῆς συγκείμενον ἐπιμελείας, οὗ τέλος ἦν ψηφίσασθαι στρατοῦ καταγραφὴν καὶ διὰ τάχους ποιῆσαι τὴν ἔξοδον, ὡς οὐ διδόντος ἀναστροφὴν τοῦ καιροῦ.
When the council was full, Appius, the leader of the decemvirate, came forward and announced that war was being brought against Rome from two sides, both from the Aequi and the Sabines; and he delivered a speech composed with great care, the end of which was to vote a levy of the army and to make their departure with speed, since the occasion allowed no delay.
§11.4.4ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ λέγοντος ἀνίσταται Λεύκιος Οὐαλέριος ἐπωνυμίαν Ποτῖτος, ἀνὴρ μέγα φρονῶν ἐπὶ τοῖς προγόνοις· πατὴρ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῷ Οὐαλέριος ἦν ὁ τὸν Σαβῖνον Ἑρδώνιον ἐκπολιορκήσας κατέχοντα τὸ Καπετώλιον, καὶ τὸ μὲν φρούριον ἀνακτησάμενος, αὐτὸς δʼ ἐκ τῆς μάχης ἀποθανών· πάππος δὲ πρὸς πατρὸς Ποπλικόλας ὁ τοὺς βασιλεῖς ἐκβαλὼν καὶ τὴν ἀριστοκρατίαν καταστησάμενος.
While he was saying these things, Lucius Valerius, surnamed Potitus, stood up, a man who took great pride in his ancestors; for his father was Valerius, the one who had besieged and captured the Sabine Herdonius when he was holding the Capitol, and who, though he recovered the fortress, died himself in the battle; and his paternal grandfather was Publicola, who had expelled the kings and established the aristocracy.
§11.4.5παριόντα δʼ αὐτὸν ἔτι καταμαθὼν Ἄππιος καὶ καθʼ ἑαυτοῦ τι λέξειν ἐλπίσας· οὐχ οὗτος ὁ τόπος, εἶπεν, ὦ Οὐαλέριε, σός, οὐδὲ προσήκει σοι νῦν λέγειν, ἀλλʼ ὅταν οἵδε οἱ πρεσβύτεροι καὶ τιμιώτεροί σου γνώμην ἀγορεύσωσι, τότε καὶ σὺ κληθεὶς ἐρεῖς ὅ τι σοι δοκεῖ· νῦν δὲ σιώπα καὶ κάθησο. ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὑπὲρ τούτων, ἔφησεν ὁ Οὐαλέριος, ἀνέστηκα ἐρῶν, ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ ἄλλων μειζόνων τε καὶ ἀναγκαιοτέρων, ὑπὲρ ὧν οἴομαι δεῖν πρῶτον ἀκοῦσαι τὴν βουλήν. §11.4.6εἴσονται δʼ ἐξ ὧν ἂν ἀκούσωσιν οὗτοι, πότερα ταῦτʼ ἐστὶν ἀναγκαιότερα τοῖς κοινοῖς, ὑπὲρ ὧν ὑμεῖς αὐτοὺς συγκεκλήκατε, ἢ τὰ ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ λεχθησόμενα.
But Appius, observing him as he was still coming forward and expecting that he would say something against him, said: "This is not your place, Valerius, nor does it belong to you to speak now; but when these men, who are older and more honored than you, have declared their opinion, then you too, when called upon, shall say what seems best to you; but now, be silent and sit down." "But it is not about these things," said Valerius, "that I have stood up to speak, but about other matters, greater and more urgent, about which I think the senate ought to hear first." "And these men will know from what they hear, which of these is more urgent for the public welfare: those things for which you have called them together, or the things that will be spoken by me.
ἀλλὰ μή μʼ ἀποστέρει λόγου βουλευτὴν ὄντα καὶ Οὐαλέριον καὶ περὶ σωτηρίας τῆς πόλεως λέγειν βουλόμενον.
So do not deprive me of speech, who am a senator and a Valerius and who wish to speak about the safety of the city.
ἐὰν δὲ φυλάττῃς τὴν συνήθη πρὸς ἅπαντας αὐθάδειαν, δημάρχους μὲν ποίους ἐπικαλέσομαι;
But if you maintain your customary arrogance toward everyone, what tribunes shall I appeal to?
καταλέλυται γὰρ ἡ τῶν κατισχυομένων πολιτῶν βοήθεια ὑφʼ ὑμῶν. §11.4.7καίτοι τίνος ἔλαττον τοῦτο κακόν, ὅτε Οὐαλέριος ὢν ὡς εἷς τῶν ἐλαχίστων οὐκ ἔχω τὸ ἴσον, ἀλλὰ δημαρχικῆς ἐξουσίας δέομαι;
For the assistance of oppressed citizens has been abolished by you." "And yet, of what is this a lesser evil, when I, being a Valerius, like one of the lowest, do not have equal rights, but stand in need of tribunician power?
οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐκείνης ἀπεστερήμεθα, ὑμᾶς τοὺς ἅμα τούτῳ παρειληφότας καὶ τὴν ἐκείνης ἐξουσίαν τῆς ἀρχῆς καὶ δυναστεύοντας τῆς πόλεως ἅπαντας καλῶ οὐκ ἀγνοῶν μέν, ὅτι διὰ κενῆς τοῦτο ποιῶ, φανερὰν δὲ βουλόμενος πᾶσι γενέσθαι τὴν συνωμοσίαν ὑμῶν, ὅτι συγκεχύκατε τὰ τῆς πόλεως καὶ μίαν ἅπαντες γνώμην ἔχετε·
Nevertheless, since we have been deprived of that office, I call upon you all, who along with this man have taken over also the power of that office and rule the city, not being ignorant indeed that I do this in vain, but wishing that your conspiracy may become clear to all—namely, that you have thrown the affairs of the city into confusion and all hold one and the same opinion.
μᾶλλον δὲ σὲ μόνον ἐπικαλοῦμαι, Κόιντε Φάβιε Οὐιβολανέ, τὸν ἐπὶ ταῖς τρισὶν ὑπατείαις κοσμούμενον, εἰ τὸν αὐτὸν νοῦν ἔτι ἔχεις.
Or rather, I appeal to you alone, Quintus Fabius Vibulanus, you who are adorned with three consulships, to see if you still have the same mind.
ἀλλʼ ἀνίστασο καὶ βοήθει τοῖς κατισχυομένοις·
So arise and help the oppressed!
εἰς σὲ γὰρ ἀποβλέπει τὸ συνέδριον.
For the council looks to you."