§3.6.1Οὐιεντανοὶ καὶ Φιδηναῖοι μεγάλας καὶ πολυανθρώπους ἔχοντες πόλεις ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς Ῥωμύλου βασιλείας εἰς πόλεμον ὑπὲρ ἀρχῆς καὶ δυναστείας Ῥωμαίοις κατέστησαν, ἐν ᾧ πολλὰς ἀπολέσαντες δυνάμεις ἀμφότεροι καὶ χώρας ἀποδασμῷ ζημιωθέντες ὑπήκοοι τοῖς κεκρατηκόσιν ἠναγκάσθησαν γενέσθαι.
The Veientes and Fidenates, possessing large and populous cities, had entered into a war with the Romans for empire and sovereignty during the reign of Romulus, in which, after both had lost many of their forces and were penalized by the loss of part of their territory, they were compelled to become subjects of the conquerors.
περὶ ὧν ἐν τῇ πρὸ ταύτης δεδήλωκα γραφῇ τὸ ἀκριβές·
Concerning these matters, I have shown the exact details in the preceding book.
ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς Νόμα Πομπιλίου δυναστείας εἰρήνης ἀπολαύσαντες βεβαίου πολλὴν ἔσχον ἐπίδοσιν εἰς εὐανδρίαν τε καὶ πλοῦτον καὶ τὴν ἄλλην εὐδαιμονίαν.
But during the reign of Numa Pompilius, enjoying a firm peace, they made great progress in population, wealth, and general prosperity.
τούτοις δὴ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἐπαρθέντες ἐλευθερίας τε αὖθις ὠρέγοντο καὶ φρόνημα ἐλάμβανον ὑψηλότερον παρασκευάζοντό τε ὡς οὐκέτι Ῥωμαίων ἀκροώμενοι.
Elated by these advantages, they again began to long for liberty, conceived a loftier spirit, and made preparations as if they would no longer obey the Romans.
§3.6.2τέως μὲν οὖν ἄδηλος αὐτῶν ἡ διάνοια τῆς ἀποστάσεως ἦν, ἐν δὲ τῷ πρὸς Ἀλβανοὺς ἐφανερώθη πολέμῳ.
Now, for a time, their intention of revolt remained unnoticed, but it became manifest in the war against the Albans.
ὡς γὰρ ἐπύθοντο πανστρατιᾷ Ῥωμαίους ἐξεληλυθότας ἐπὶ τὸν πρὸς Ἀλβανοὺς ἀγῶνα, κράτιστον ὑπολαβόντες εἰληφέναι καιρὸν ἐπιθέσεως ἀπορρήτους ἐποιήσαντο διὰ τῶν δυνατωτάτων ἀνδρῶν συνωμοσίας ἅπαντας τοὺς ὁπλοφορεῖν δυναμένους εἰς Φιδήνην συνελθεῖν κρύφα καὶ κατʼ ὀλίγους ἰόντας, ὡς ἂν ἥκιστα γένοιντο τοῖς ἐπιβουλευομένοις καταφανεῖς·
For when they learned that the Romans had marched out with their entire army for the contest against the Albans, believing they had found the best opportunity for an attack, they formed secret conspiracies through their most powerful men for all who were able to bear arms to assemble secretly at Fidenae, traveling in small groups, so that they might be least visible to those against whom they were plotting; and that waiting there, they should watch for the opportunity when the forces of both the Romans and the Albans should leave their camps and advance to the contest (and certain lookouts lying in ambush in the mountains were to make this known to them by signals), and when the signals were raised, they were all to take up their arms and march against them with speed (and the road leading from Fidenae to the camps was not long, but at most a journey of two or three hours).
§3.6.3ἐκεῖ δʼ ὑπομένοντας ἐκδέχεσθαι τὸν καιρόν, ὅτε αἱ Ῥωμαίων τε καὶ Ἀλβανῶν δυνάμεις ἐκλιποῦσαι τοὺς χάρακας ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα προελεύσονται, ʽτοῦτον δὲ φανερὸν ποιεῖν αὐτοῖς ἔμελλον διὰ συμβόλων σκοποί τινες ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι λοχῶντεσʼ ὅταν δὲ ἀρθῇ τὰ σημεῖα λαβόντας τὰ ὅπλα χωρεῖν ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἔδει πάντας κατὰ τάχος, ʽἦν δὲ οὐ πολλὴ ἡ ἐπὶ τοὺς χάρακας ἀπὸ Φιδήνης φέρουσα ὁδός, ἀλλʼ ὅσον ἢ δυσὶν ὥραις ἢ τρισὶν ἀνυσθῆναι τὸ μακρότατονʼ ἐπιφανέντας δὲ τῷ ἀγῶνι τέλος ἤδη ἔχοντι ὥσπερ εἰκὸς μηδὲν ἡγεῖσθαι φίλιον, ἀλλʼ ἐάν τε Ἀλβανοὶ νικῶσιν ἐάν τε Ῥωμαῖοι κτείνειν τοὺς κεκρατηκότας αὐτῶν.
When they appeared at the contest, which would already be drawing to an end, they were, as was natural, to regard neither side as friendly, but whether the Albans conquered or the Romans, they were to slaughter the victors.
ταῦτα ἦν ἃ διέγνωστο πράττειν τοῖς προεστηκόσι τῶν πόλεων.
These were the measures which the leaders of the cities had resolved to execute.
§3.6.4εἰ μὲν οὖν θρασύτερον ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα ὥρμησαν Ἀλβανοὶ Ῥωμαίων καταφρονήσαντες καὶ μιᾷ κρῖναι μάχῃ τὰ ὅλα διέγνωσαν, οὐθὲν ἂν τὸ κωλῦον ἦν τόν τε κατασκευασθέντα δόλον ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς λεληθέναι καὶ διεφθάρθαι τὰ στρατεύματα αὐτῶν ἀμφότερα·
Now, if the Albans had rushed more boldly into the contest, despising the Romans, and had resolved to decide the whole matter by a single battle, there would have been nothing to prevent the plot prepared against them from remaining secret and both their armies from being destroyed.
νῦν δὲ ἡ διατριβὴ τοῦ πολέμου παράδοξος ἅπασι γενομένη καὶ ὁ χρόνος ἐν ᾧ παρεσκευάζοντο πολὺς ἐφελκυσθεὶς διέχεεν αὐτῶν τὰ βουλεύματα.
But as it was, the delay of the war, which turned out unexpected to all, and the long time consumed in their preparations, frustrated their designs.
τῶν γὰρ ἐκ τῆς συνωμοσίας τινές, εἴτε οἰκεῖα κέρδη περιβαλέσθαι ζητοῦντες εἴτε τοῖς κορυφαιοτάτοις τῶν σφετέρων καὶ τὸ ἔργον εἰσηγησαμένοις φθονοῦντες εἴτε μήνυσιν ἑτέρων δεδιότες, ὅ τι πολλοῖς συνέβη παθεῖν ἐν ταῖς πολυανθρώποις καὶ χρονιζομέναις συνωμοσίαις, εἴτε ὑπὸ θείας ἀναγκαζόμενοι γνώμης οὐκ ἀξιούσης ἔργον ἀνόσιον εἰς εὐτυχὲς κατασκῆψαι τέλος μηνυταὶ γίνονται τοῖς πολεμίοις τοῦ δόλου.
For some of those in the conspiracy, either seeking to secure personal gain, or envying the foremost of their citizens who had proposed the deed, or fearing the disclosures of others (which is the fate of many in populous and lingering conspiracies), or else compelled by the divine will, which did not deem it fit that an impious deed should descend to a successful end, became informants of the plot to the enemy.