§2.4.1τοιαῦτα μὲν ὁ Ῥωμύλος ἐκ διδαχῆς τοῦ μητροπάτορος, ὥσπερ ἔφην, ἀπομνημονεύσας ἐν τοῖς πλήθεσιν ἔλεξεν.
These things Romulus, as I said, having memorized them from the instruction of his maternal grandfather, spoke among the crowds.
οἱ δὲ βουλευσάμενοι κατὰ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἀποκρίνονται τοιάδε· ἡμεῖς πολιτείας μὲν καινῆς οὐδὲν δεόμεθα, τὴν δʼ ὑπὸ τῶν πατέρων δοκιμασθεῖσαν εἶναι κρατίστην παραλαβόντες οὐ μετατιθέμεθα γνώμῃ τε ἑπόμενοι τῶν παλαιοτέρων, οὺς ἀπὸ μείζονος οἰόμεθα φρονήσεως αὐτὴν καταστήσασθαι, καὶ τύχῃ ἀρεσκόμενοι.
And they, having deliberated among themselves, answered as follows: "We have no need of any new government, but having received that which was approved by our fathers as the best, we do not change it, both following the judgment of our ancestors, whom we believe to have established it from greater wisdom, and being satisfied with our fortune.
οὐ γὰρ τήνδε μεμψαίμεθʼ ἂν εἰκότως, ἣ παρέσχεν ἡμῖν βασιλευομένοις τὰ μέγιστα τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἀγαθῶν, ἐλευθερίαν τε καὶ ἄλλων ἀρχήν.
For we could not reasonably find fault with this one, which provided for us, who are ruled by a king, the greatest of human goods, namely liberty and dominion over others.
§2.4.2περὶ μὲν δὴ πολιτείας ταῦτα ἐγνώκαμεν· τὴν δὲ τιμὴν ταύτην οὐχ ἑτέρῳ τινὶ μᾶλλον ἢ σοὶ προσήκειν ὑπολαμβάνομεν τοῦ τε βασιλείου γένους ἕνεκα καὶ ἀρετῆς, μάλιστα δʼ ὅτι τῆς ἀποικίας ἡγεμόνι κεχρήμεθά σοι καὶ πολλὴν συνίσμεν δεινότητα, πολλὴν δὲ σοφίαν, οὐ λόγῳ μᾶλλον ἢ ἔργῳ μαθόντες. ταῦτα ὁ Ῥωμύλος ἀκούσας ἀγαπᾶν μὲν ἔφη βασιλείας ἄξιος ὑπʼ ἀνθρώπων κριθείς· οὐ μέντοι γε λήψεσθαι τὴν τιμὴν πρότερον, ἐὰν μὴ καὶ τὸ δαιμόνιον ἐπιθεσπίσῃ διʼ οἰωνῶν αἰσίων.
Concerning the government, indeed, we have decided these things; and we suppose that this honor belongs to no other person more than to you, both because of your royal birth and your virtue, and especially because we have had you as the leader of our colony and we know well your great ability and your great wisdom, having learned it not so much by word as by deed." Romulus, having heard this, said that he was pleased at being judged worthy of kingship by men; nevertheless, he said he would not accept the honor beforehand, unless the divinity should also sanction it through auspicious omens of birds.