§3.8.1ταῦτʼ εἰπὼν δίδωσι τῶν παρόντων τινὶ ἀναγνῶναι τὰς ἐπιστολάς, ἃς αὐτῷ κεκομικώς τις ἐτύγχανε παρὰ τῶν ἐν Φιδήνῃ ξένων καὶ τὸν κομίσαντα αὐτὰς παρήγαγεν.
Having said this, he gave the letters to one of those present to read, which a certain person had brought to him from his guest-friends in Fidenae, and brought forward the man who had delivered them.
ἀναγνωσθεισῶν δὲ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν καὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐξηγησαμένου πάντα ὅσα παρὰ τῶν ἐπιτιθεμένων αὐτὰς ἀπὸ στόματος ἤκουσεν ἐκπλήξεώς τε μεγάλης κατασχούσης τοὺς ἀκούοντας, οἷα εἰκὸς ἐπὶ τηλικούτῳ κακῷ παρʼ ἐλπίδας ἀκουσθέντι, μικρὸν ἐπισχὼν ὁ Φουφέττιος πάλιν ἔλεξεν·
When the letters had been read, and the man had explained everything he had heard by word of mouth from those who had sent them, and a great astonishment had seized the hearers, as was natural at so great an evil heard contrary to expectation, Fufetius, after pausing for a little while, spoke again:
§3.8.2ἀκηκόατε τὰς αἰτίας, ἄνδρες Ῥωμαῖοι, διʼ ἃς ἐγὼ τέως μὲν ἀνεβαλλόμην τοὺς πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀγῶνας, νῦν δὲ καὶ τῶν περὶ φιλίας ἠξίωσα πρότερος ἄρχειν λόγων.
"You have heard, Romans, the reasons for which I was hitherto delaying the struggles against you, but now have thought it fit to be the first to begin the proposals of friendship.
ὑμεῖς δὲ τὸ μετὰ τοῦτο ἤδη σκοπεῖσθε, πότερον οἴεσθε δεῖν περὶ βοιδίων καὶ προβατίων ἁρπαγῆς ἄσπειστον πόλεμον φυλάττειν πρὸς τοὺς κτίσαντας καὶ πατέρας, ἐν ᾧ καὶ κρατηθέντες ἀπολεῖσθε καὶ κρατήσαντες, ἢ διαλυσάμενοι τὴν πρὸς τοὺς συγγενεῖς ἔχθραν μεθʼ ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τοὺς κοινοὺς ἐχθροὺς χωρεῖν, οἵ γε οὐ μόνον ἀπόστασιν ἐβούλευσαν ἀφʼ ὑμῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπανάστασιν, οὔτε πεπονθότες οὐδὲν δεινὸν οὔτε μὴ πάθωσι δεδιότες, καὶ οὐδʼ ἐκ τοῦ φανεροῦ ἐπέθεντο ἡμῖν, ὡς ὁ κοινὸς ἀξιοῖ τοῦ πολέμου νόμος, ἀλλʼ ὑπὸ σκότους, ὡς ἂν ἥκιστα ὑπίδοιτό τις αὐτῶν τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν καὶ φυλάξαιτο.
Consider, now, what follows this: whether you think you ought, for the sake of plundering cattle and sheep, to maintain an implacable war against your founders and parents, in which, if defeated, you will perish, and even if victorious, you will also perish; or, having dissolved the enmity towards your kinsmen, to go with us against the common enemies, who indeed have planned not only a revolt from you, but also an uprising, though they have suffered nothing terrible nor fear lest they should suffer any, and have attacked us not openly, as the common law of war requires, but under cover of darkness, so that no one might suspect their plot and guard against it.
§3.8.3ἀλλὰ γὰρ ὅτι μὲν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀνοσίους ἀνθρώπους ἰτέον ἡμῖν ἁπάσῃ σπουδῇ καταλυσαμένοις τὰ ἔχθη ʽμανίας γὰρ θάτερα ἀξιοῦνʼ ὡς ἐγνωκόσιν ὑμῖν καὶ ποιήσουσιν οὐδὲν δέομαι πλείω λέγειν καὶ παρακελεύεσθαι. ὃν δὲ τρόπον αἱ διαλύσεις καλαὶ καὶ συμφέρουσαι γένοιντʼ ἂν ἀμφοτέραις ταῖς πόλεσι ʽτοῦτο γὰρ ἴσως ποθεῖτε ἀκοῦσαι πάλαἰ νῦν ἤδη πειράσομαι λέγειν.
But indeed, that we must go with all speed against these impious men after dissolving our enmities (for to demand the alternative is madness), since you already know this and will do so, I have no need to speak further and exhort you. But in what manner the reconciliation may become noble and advantageous to both cities (for this, perhaps, you have long been longing to hear), I will now try to say. But indeed, that we must go with all speed against these impious men after dissolving our enmities (for to demand the alternative is madness), since you already know this and will do so, I have no need to speak further and exhort you. But in what manner the reconciliation may become noble and advantageous to both cities (for this, perhaps, you have long been longing to hear), I will now try to say.
§3.8.4ἐγὼ νομίζω κρατίστας μὲν εἶναι διαλλαγὰς καὶ πρεπωδεστάτας συγγενέσι καὶ φίλοις πρὸς ἀλλήλους, ἐν αἷς οὐδέν ἐστιν ἔγκοτον οὐδὲ μνησίκακον ἀφέσεως ἅπασι πρὸς ἅπαντας ὑπὲρ ὧν ἔδρασαν ἢ ἔπαθον ἀδόλου γινομένης, ἧττον δὲ τούτων εὐπρεπεῖς, ἐν αἷς τὸ μὲν πλῆθος ἀπολύεται τῶν ἐγκλημάτων, οἱ δὲ ἀδικήσαντες ἀλλήλους ἀναγκάζονται δίκας ὑπέχειν λόγῳ κρινόμενοι καὶ νόμῳ.
I think that those reconciliations are the best and most fitting for kinsmen and friends towards one another, in which there is no resentment nor grudging, a guiltless forgiveness of all towards all for what they have done or suffered being made; and those less noble than these, in which the multitude is released from accusations, while those who have wronged one another are compelled to submit to justice, being judged by reason and law. I think that those reconciliations are the best and most fitting for kinsmen and friends towards one another, in which there is no resentment nor grudging, a guiltless forgiveness of all towards all for what they have done or suffered being made; and those less noble than these, in which the multitude is released from accusations, while those who have wronged one another are compelled to submit to justice, being judged by reason and law.
§3.8.5τούτων δὴ τῶν διαλλαγῶν ἐμοὶ μὲν δοκεῖ χρῆναι τὰς εὐπρεπεστέρας καὶ μεγαλοψυχοτέρας ἡμᾶς ἑλέσθαι καὶ γνώμην θέσθαι περὶ μηδενὸς ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις μνησικακεῖν, σὺ δʼ εἰ μὴ βούλει διαλλάττεσθαι τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον, ὦ Τύλλε, ἀλλὰ καὶ διδόναι δίκας καὶ λαμβάνειν ἀξιοῖς τοὺς ἐν ταῖς αἰτίαις παρʼ ἀλλήλων, ἕτοιμοι καὶ ταῦτα ποιεῖν εἰσιν Ἀλβανοὶ τὰ κοινὰ ἔχθη προκαταλυσάμενοι. εἰ δέ τινας ἔχεις παρὰ ταύτας λέγειν ἑτέρας εἴτε καλλίους διαλλαγὰς εἴτε δικαιοτέρας, οὐκ ἂν φθάνοις φέρων εἰς μέσον καὶ πολλήν σοι χάριν εἴσομαι.
Of these reconciliations, then, it seems to me that we ought to choose the more noble and generous one, and make a resolution to bear no grudge against one another for anything. But if you, Tullus, do not wish to be reconciled in this way, but think it right that those under accusation should give and receive satisfaction from one another, the Albans are ready to do this too, after first dissolving the common enmity. And if you have any other reconciliation, either better or more just, to state besides these, you cannot be too quick to bring it into the midst, and I shall be very grateful to you. Of these reconciliations, then, it seems to me that we ought to choose the more noble and generous one, and make a resolution to bear no grudge against one another for anything. But if you, Tullus, do not wish to be reconciled in this way, but think it right that those under accusation should give and receive satisfaction from one another, the Albans are ready to do this too, after first dissolving the common enmity. And if you have any other reconciliation, either better or more just, to state besides these, you cannot be too quick to bring it into the midst, and I shall be very grateful to you."