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Dionysius of Halicarnassus · Roman Antiquities §4.48.1-4.48.3

Execution of Turnus and Tarquinius as Latin Leader

Passage 292 of 962 · Greek

Summary

Through Tarquinius's trap, weapons are discovered in Turnus's lodging, and Turnus is immediately buried alive. Tarquinius is then appointed as the leader of the Latin league.

§4.48.1ὡς δὲ ταῦτʼ εἶπεν, ἀνεβόησάν τε πάντες καὶ περὶ τοῖς ἀνδράσι δεδιότες ἐλέγχειν τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ μὴ φενακίζειν ἠξίουν.
When he said this, all cried out, and fearing for the men, they demanded that they should investigate the matter and not be deceived.
καὶ ὁ Τύρνος, οἷα δὴ τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν οὐ προεγνωκώς, ἄσμενος τὴν ἐξέτασιν ἔφη δέχεσθαι καὶ τοὺς προέδρους ἐπὶ τὴν ἔρευναν τῆς καταλύσεως ἐκάλει καὶ δυεῖν γενέσθαι θάτερον ἔφη δεῖν, ἢ αὐτὸς ἀποθανεῖν, ἐὰν εὑρεθῇ παρεσκευασμένος ὅπλα ἔξω τῶν ἐνοδίων, ἢ τὸν καταψευσάμενον αὐτοῦ §4.48.2δίκην ὑποσχεῖν.
And Turnus, as he had not at all foreseen the plot, said he gladly accepted the investigation, and invited the presidents to search his lodging, saying that one of two things must happen: either he himself should die if he were found to have prepared weapons other than travel-gear, or his false accuser should suffer punishment.
ἐδόκει ταῦτα· καὶ οἱ πορευθέντες ἐπὶ τὴν κατάλυσιν αὐτοῦ καταλαμβάνουσιν ἐν τοῖς σκευοφόροις τὰ κατακρυφθέντα ὑπὸ τῶν θεραπόντων ξίφη.
This seemed good; and those who went to his lodging found the swords hidden by the servants in the baggage-carriers.
μετὰ τοῦτο τὸν μὲν Τύρνον οὐκέτι λόγου τυχεῖν ἐάσαντες εἰς βάραθρόν τι καταβάλλουσι καὶ ἐπικατασκάψαντες ἔτι ζῶντος τὴν γῆν διαφθείρουσι παραχρῆμα.
After this, no longer allowing Turnus to obtain a hearing, they threw him into a certain pit and, throwing down the earth over him while he was still alive, destroyed him immediately.
§4.48.3τὸν δὲ Ταρκύνιον ἐπαινέσαντες ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὡς κοινὸν εὐεργέτην τῶν πόλεων ἐπὶ τῷ σεσωκέναι τοὺς ἀρίστους ἄνδρας, ἡγεμόνα ποιοῦνται τοῦ ἔθνους ἐπὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς τοῖς δικαίοις, ἐφʼ οἷς Ταρκύνιόν τε τὸν πάππον αὐτοῦ πρότερον ἐποιήσαντο καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα Τύλλιον· συνθήκας τε γράψαντες ἐν στήλαις καὶ περὶ φυλακῆς τῶν συγκειμένων ὅρκια τεμόντες διέλυσαν τὸν σύλλογον.
And having praised Tarquinius in the assembly as a common benefactor of the cities for having saved the best men, they made him leader of the nation on the same terms on which they had previously made Tarquinius, his grandfather, and after that Tullius; and having written the treaty on pillars and offered sacrifices to seal the oaths for the preservation of the agreements, they dissolved the assembly.

Notes

  1. 4.48.1οἷα δὴ τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν οὐ προεγνωκώς — The phrase `οἷα δή` combined with a participle introduces a subjective or objective cause ("inasmuch as," "since"). Here it emphasizes Turnus's complete ignorance of the conspiracy framed against him.
  2. 4.48.1ἔξω τῶν ἐνοδίων — `ἐνόδια` (the neuter plural of `ἐνόδιος`, "of or for a journey") refers to travel equipment or personal items for the road. Thus, the phrase means "apart from those necessary for travel."
  3. 4.48.3ὅρκια τεμόντες — The literal expression "to cut oaths" stems from the common Greek idiom `ὅρκια τέμνω`, referring to the ritual slaughter of sacrificial animals to seal a treaty or covenant.

Cite this passage

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities §4.48.1-4.48.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0081.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.48.1-4.48.3

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