§17_18.4.1ὅτι Ποστόμιος ὁ ὕπατος τῆς διαδοχῆς αὐτοῦ ἐγγισάσης μέγα φρονῶν ἐφʼ ἑαυτῷ τῆς τʼ ἀξιώσεως τοῦ γένους ἕνεκα, καὶ ὅτι διτταῖς ὑπατείαις §17_18.4.2ἤδη κεκοσμημένος ἦν.
That the consul Postumius, as the succession to his office drew near, had high thoughts of himself because of the dignity of his birth, and because he had already been adorned with two consulships.
ἐφʼ οἷς ὁ συνύπατος αὐτοῦ καταρχὰς μὲν ὡς ἀπελαυνόμενος τῶν ἴσων ἠγανάκτει καὶ πολλάκις ἐπὶ τῆς βουλῆς τὰ δίκαια πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔλεγεν, ὕστερον δὲ συγγνοὺς ἑαυτῷ κατά τε προγόνων ὄγκον καὶ φίλων πλῆθος καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἄλλας δυνάμεις ἐλάττονα ἰσχὺν ἔχοντι — δημοτικὸς γὰρ ἦν καὶ τῶν νεωστὶ παρελθόντων εἰς γνῶσιν — εἶξέ τε τῷ συνυπάτῳ καὶ παρεχώρησε τοῦ Σαυνιτικοῦ πολέμου τὴν ἡγεμονίαν.
At these things, his colleague consul at first was indignant, as if shut out from equal rights, and frequently in the Senate argued for his rights against him; but later, realizing that he himself possessed less power in terms of the prestige of his ancestors, the number of his friends, and other resources—for he was of the people and one of those who had recently come into prominence—he yielded to his colleague and conceded to him the command of the Samnite War.
§17_18.4.3πρῶτον μὲν δὴ τοῦτο διαβολὴν ἤνεγκε τῷ Ποστομίῳ κατὰ πολλὴν αὐθάδειαν γενόμενον καὶ ἕτερον αὖθις ἐπὶ τούτῳ βαρύτερον ἢ ὡς κατὰ Ῥωμαῖον ἡγεμόνα.
First, indeed, this action, being done out of great self-will, brought discredit upon Postumius, and next, in addition to this, another matter occurred, heavier than what is fitting for a Roman commander.
ἐπιλεξάμενος γὰρ ἐκ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ στρατιᾶς περὶ τοὺς δισχιλίους ἄνδρας εἰς τοὺς ἰδίους ἀγροὺς ἀπήγαγεν, οἷς ἄνευ σιδήρου δρυμὸν ἐκέλευσε κείρειν.
For having selected about two thousand men from his own army, he led them away to his private fields, whom he ordered to clear a forest without iron tools.
καὶ μέχρι πολλοῦ κατέσχε τοὺς ἄνδρας ἐν τοῖς ἀγροῖς θητῶν ἔργα καὶ θεραπόντων ὑπηρετοῦντας.
And for a long time he kept the men in the fields, serving in the works of day-laborers and tasks of servants.
§17_18.4.4τοσαύτῃ δὲ αὐθαδείᾳ πρὸ τῆς ἐξόδου χρησάμενος ἔτι βαρύτερος ἐφάνη τοῖς κατʼ αὐτὴν τὴν στρατείαν ἐπιτελεσθεῖσι καὶ παρέσχε τῇ βουλῇ καὶ τῷ δήμῳ μίσους ἀφορμὰς δικαίου.
Having shown such self-will before his departure, he appeared still heavier because of the things performed during the expedition itself, and provided the Senate and the people with grounds for a just hatred.
τὸν γὰρ ὑπατεύσαντα τῷ πρόσθεν ἐνιαυτῷ καὶ νικήσαντα Σαυνιτῶν τοὺς καλουμένους Πέντρους Φάβιον τῆς βουλῆς ψηφισαμένης μένειν ἐπὶ τοῦ στρατοπέδου, καὶ τὴν ἀνθύπατον ἀρχὴν ἔχοντα πρὸς ταύτην τὴν μερίδα τῶν Σαυνιτῶν πολεμεῖν, γράμματα πέμπων ἐκχωρεῖν ἐκ τῆς Σαυνίτιδος ἐκέλευσεν, ὡς αὐτῷ μόνῳ τῆς ἡγεμονίας προσηκούσης.
For although the Senate had decreed that Fabius—who had been consul in the preceding year, had conquered the so-called Pentri of the Samnites, and held the proconsular power —should remain at the camp and wage war against this portion of the Samnites, Postumius sent letters and ordered him to withdraw from Samnium, on the ground that the command belonged to himself alone.
§17_18.4.5καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἀποσταλέντας ὑπὸ τῶν συνέδρων πρέσβεις ἀξιοῦντας μὴ κωλύειν τὸν ἀνθύπατον ἐπὶ τοῦ στρατοπέδου μένειν μηδʼ ἀντιπράττειν τοῖς ἐψηφισμένοις ὑφʼ ἑαυτῶν, ὑπερηφάνους καὶ τυραννικὰς ἔδωκεν ἀποκρίσεις, οὐ τὴν βουλὴν ἄρχειν ἑαυτοῦ φήσας, ἕως ἐστὶν ὕπατος, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸν τῆς βουλῆς.
And to the ambassadors sent by the senators, who requested him not to prevent the proconsul from remaining at the camp nor to oppose the things decreed by themselves, he gave arrogant and tyrannical answers, saying that the Senate did not rule him as long as he was consul, but he ruled the Senate.
§17_18.4.6ἀπολύσας δὲ τοὺς πρέσβεις ἐπὶ τὸν Φάβιον ἦγε τὴν στρατιάν, ὡς, εἰ μὴ βούλοιτο ἑκὼν παραχωρεῖν τῆς ἀρχῆς, τοῖς ὅπλοις προσαναγκάσων.
After dismissing the ambassadors, he led his army against Fabius, intending to force him by arms if he should not wish to yield the command voluntarily.
καταλαβὼν δὲ τοῦτον Κομινίῳ πόλει προσκαθήμενον ἐξεπίεσεν ἐκ τοῦ στρατοπέδου κατὰ πολλὴν ὑπεροψίαν τῶν ἀρχαίων ἐθισμῶν καὶ δεινὴν ὑπερηφανίαν.
And finding him encamped before the city of Cominium, he forced him out of the camp, with great contempt for ancestral customs and terrible arrogance.
Φάβιος μὲν αὐτοῦ εἴξας τῇ μανίᾳ τῆς ἡγεμονίας ἐξεχώρησεν.
Fabius, yielding to his madness, withdrew from the command.
ετ συιδας ς. ϝ.
Et Suidas s.v.
Ποστόμιος.
Postomios.