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Dionysius of Halicarnassus · Roman Antiquities §2.32.1-2.32.3

Reactions of Neighboring Cities and Appeal to the Sabines

Passage 123 of 962 · Greek

Summary

As the news of the abduction and marriages spread, neighboring cities reacted with anger or moderation, eventually leading to wars, notably a major one against the Sabines. The first cities to start the war, including Caenina, urged the Sabines to take the lead.

§2.32.1ὡς δὲ διεβοήθη τὰ περὶ τὴν ἁρπαγὴν τῶν παρθένων καὶ τὰ περὶ τους γάμους εἰς τὰς πλησιοχώρους πόλεις, αἱ μὲν αὐτὸ τὸ πραχθὲν πρὸς ὀργὴν ἐλάμβανον, αἱ δʼ ἀφʼ ἧς ἐπράχθη διαθέσεως καὶ εἰς ὃ τέλος ἐχώρησεν ἀναλογιζόμεναι μετρίως αὐτὸ ἔφερον, κατέσκηψε δʼ οὖν ἀνὰ χρόνον εἰς πολέμους τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους εὐπετεῖς, ἕνα δὲ τὸν πρὸς Σαβίνους μέγαν καὶ χαλεπόν· οἷς ἅπασι τέλος ἐπηκολούθησεν εὐτυχές, ὥσπερ αὐτῷ τὰ μαντεύματα προεθέσπισε πρὶν ἐπιχειρῆσαι τῷ ἔργῳ πόνους μὲν καὶ κινδύνους μεγάλους προσημαίνοντα, τὰς δὲ τελευτὰς αὐτῶν ἔσεσθαι καλάς.
And when the reports concerning the abduction of the maidens and those concerning their marriages were spread abroad to the neighboring cities, some indeed took the deed itself with indignation, while others, reflecting on the intention with which it had been done and the end to which it had turned out, bore it with moderation; but in course of time, it resulted in wars, the others indeed being easy, but one, that against the Sabines, being great and difficult; to all of which a fortunate end followed, just as the oracles had foretold to him before he undertook the enterprise, foretelling indeed great labors and dangers, but that their outcomes would be honorable.
§2.32.2ἦσαν δὲ αἱ πρῶται πόλεις ἄρξασαι τοῦ πρὸς αὐτὸν πολέμου Καινίνη καὶ Ἄντεμνα καὶ Κρουστομέρεια, πρόφασιν μὲν ποιούμεναι τὴν ἁρπαγὴν τῶν παρθένων καὶ τὸ μὴ λαβεῖν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν δίκας, ὡς δὲ τἀληθὲς εἶχεν ἀχθόμεναι τῇ κτίσει τε καὶ αὐξήσει τῆς Ῥώμης διʼ ὀλίγου πολλῇ γενομένῃ καὶ οὐκ ἀξιοῦσαι περιιδεῖν κοινὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς περιοίκοις ἅπασι κακὸν φυόμενον.
The first cities that began the war against him were Caenina, Antemnae, and Crustumerium, making a pretext of the abduction of the maidens and their failure to obtain justice on their behalf, but in truth being vexed at the foundation and growth of Rome, which had become great in a short time, and not thinking it right to overlook a common evil growing up against all the neighbors.
§2.32.3τέως μὲν οὖν πρὸς τὸ Σαβίνων ἔθνος ἀποστέλλουσαι πρέσβεις ἐκείνους ἠξίουν τὴν ἡγεμονίαν τοῦ πολέμου παραλαβεῖν ἰσχύν τε μεγίστην ἔχοντας καὶ χρήμασι πλείοσι δυναμένους ἄρχειν τε ἀξιοῦντας τῶν πλησιοχώρων καὶ οὐκ ἐλάχιστα τῶν ἄλλων περιυβρισμένους· τῶν γὰρ ἡρπασμένων αἱ πλείους ἦσαν ἐκείνων.
For some time, therefore, they sent envoys to the Sabine nation and urged them to take upon themselves the leadership of the war, since they possessed the greatest power, were highly influential through their greater wealth, claimed the right to rule over their neighbors, and had been insulted not least among all; for the majority of the abducted maidens belonged to them.

Notes

  1. §2.32.1ἀφʼ ἧς ἐπράχθη διαθέσεως — An example of relative attraction. The antecedent διαθέσεως (genitive) has been drawn into the relative clause and is governed by the preposition ἀπό. The original structure would correspond to ἀπὸ τῆς διαθέσεως ἐξ ἧς ἐπράχθη ('from the disposition from which it was done').
  2. §2.32.1πόνους μὲν καὶ κινδύνους μεγάλους ¦304¦ προσημαίνοντα, τὰς δὲ τελευτὰς αὐτῶν ἔσεσθαι καλάς — The syntax of the participle προσημαίνοντα (neuter plural nominative, agreeing with τὰ μαντεύματα). It governs two contrasted clauses (with μέν ... δέ) in asymmetrical ways: first with a direct object in the accusative (πόνους καὶ κινδύνους), and second with an accusative and infinitive construction (τὰς τελευτὰς ... ἔσεσθαι).
  3. §2.32.2πρόφασιν μὲν ποιούμεναι ... ὡς δὲ τἀληθὲς εἶχεν ἀχθόμεναι — The contrast between the participles ποιούμεναι and ἀχθόμεναι (both feminine plural nominative, agreeing with the subject cities). Through μέν ... δέ, their outward pretext (πρόφασιν) is contrasted with their actual resentment (ὡς δὲ τἀληθὲς εἶχεν, parenthetically meaning 'as the truth stood').
  4. §2.32.3ἰσχύν τε μεγίστην ἔχοντας ... — The series of accusative participles (ἔχοντας, δυναμένους, ἀξιούντας, περιυβρισμένους) all modify the preceding accusative pronoun ἐκείνους (referring to the Sabines). They function cumulatively to explain the reasons (causal participles) why the Sabines should assume the leadership of the war.

Cite this passage

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities §2.32.1-2.32.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0081.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.32.1-2.32.3

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