Humanitext Reader

Dionysius of Halicarnassus · Roman Antiquities §12.5.1-12.5.3

Cossus Slays King Lars Tolumnius in Single Combat

Passage 869 of 962 · Greek

Summary

During the war between the Romans and the Etruscan coalition, the Roman military tribune Aulus Cornelius Cossus slays the Etruscan king Lars Tolumnius in single combat.

§12.5.1Τυρρηνῶν καὶ Φειδηναίων καὶ Οὐιεντανῶν πολεμούντων Ῥωμαίοις καὶ Λάρου Τολουμνίου τοῦ βασιλέως Τυρρηνῶν πανδεινὰ ποιοῦντος κατʼ αὐτῶν χιλίαρχός τις Ῥωμαῖος, Αὖλος Κορνήλιος Κόσσος ἐπίκλησιν, ἐλαύνει τὸν ἵππον κατὰ τοῦ Τολουμνίου· καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἀγχοῦ ἐγένετο, φέρουσι κατʼ ἀλλήλων τὰ δό- §12.5.2ρατα.
While the Etruscans, Fidenaeans, and Veientes were waging war against the Romans, and Lars Tolumnius, the king of the Etruscans, was doing terrible things to them, a certain Roman military tribune, Aulus Cornelius Cossus by name, spurred his horse against Tolumnius; and when he came near, they leveled their spears against each other.
ὁ μὲν οὖν Τολούμνιος τὸν ἵππον αὐτοῦ παίει διὰ τοῦ στήθους, ὃς ἀναχαιτίσας ῥιπτεῖ τὸν ἐπιβάτην· ὁ δὲ Κορνήλιος διὰ θυρεοῦ τε καὶ θώρακος ἐλάσας τὴν αἰχμὴν εἰς τὰ πλευρὰ περιτρέπει τὸν Τολούμνιον ἀπὸ τοῦ ἵππου, καὶ ἔτι διανισταμένου φέρει διὰ §12.5.3〈τοῦ〉 βουβῶνος τὸ ξίφος.
Now Tolumnius struck his horse through the chest, which, rearing up, threw its rider; but Cornelius, driving his spear-point through both shield and corselet into his side, overturned Tolumnius from his horse, and while he was still trying to rise, plunged his sword through his groin.
ἀποκτείνας δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ τὰ σκῦλα ἀφελόμενος οὐ μόνον τοὺς ὁμόσε χωροῦντας ἱππεῖς τε καὶ πεζοὺς ἀνέστειλεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν κεράτων ἀμφοτέρων ἀντέχοντας εἰς ἀθυμίαν καὶ δέος κατέστησεν. Ambr.
Having slain him and stripped him of his spoils, he not only repulsed the cavalry and infantry that were charging him, but also threw into dejection and fear those who were holding out on both wings.

Notes

  1. §12.5.1ἐπίκλησιν — Adverbial accusative (accusative of specification) of the noun ἐπίκλησις, meaning 'by name' or 'called.'
  2. §12.5.2ἔτι διανισταμένου — Genitive absolute using the present middle/passive participle. The semantic subject is omitted because it is clear from the context (τὸν Τολούμνιον in the previous sentence). The present tense implies a progressive action with conative force ('while he was still attempting to rise').

Cite this passage

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities §12.5.1-12.5.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0081.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:12.5.1-12.5.3

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.