§4.50.1ὡς δὲ καὶ ταύταις ἐκρατύνατο τὴν ἀρχὴν ταῖς συμμαχίαις, στρατὸν ἐξάγειν ἐπὶ Σαβίνους ἔγνω Ῥωμαίων τʼ αὐτῶν ἐπιλέξας οὓς ἥκιστα ὑπώπτευεν, εἰ κύριοι τῶν ὅπλων γένοιντο, ἐλευθερίας μεταποιήσεσθαι, καὶ τὴν παρὰ τῶν συμμάχων ἀφιγμένην δύναμιν προσλαβὼν πολλῷ πλείονα τῆς πολιτικῆς ὑπάρχουσαν.
When Tarquinius had thus strengthened his rule by these alliances also, he resolved to lead an army against the Sabines, having selected from among the Romans themselves those whom he least suspected of being likely to assert their freedom if they should become masters of arms, and having added to them the force that had arrived from the allies, which was much larger than the citizen force.
§4.50.2δῃώσας δʼ αὐτῶν τοὺς ἀγροὺς καὶ τοὺς ὁμόσε χωρήσαντας μάχῃ νικήσας ἐπὶ τοὺς καλουμένους Πωμεντίνους ἦγε τὴν δύναμιν, οἳ πόλιν μὲν Σύεσσαν ᾤκουν, εὐδαιμονέστατοι δʼ ἐδόκουν ἁπάντων εἶναι τῶν πλησιοχώρων καὶ διὰ τὴν πολλὴν εὐτυχίαν ἅπασι λυπηροὶ καὶ βαρεῖς, ἐγκαλῶν αὐτοῖς ἁρπαγάς τινας καὶ λῃστείας, ὑπὲρ ὧν αἰτούμενοι δίκας αὐθάδεις ἔδωκαν ἀποκρίσεις.
And having ravaged their fields and defeated in battle those who came to close quarters, he led his force against the people called Pomentini, who inhabited the city of Suessa and were considered the most prosperous of all their neighbors, and because of their great good fortune, were troublesome and oppressive to all. He accused them of certain robberies and plunders, for which, when satisfaction was demanded, they gave arrogant answers.
οἱ δʼ ἦσαν ἕτοιμοι προσδεχόμενοι τὸν πόλεμον καὶ ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις.
They, however, were ready, awaiting the war and already in arms.
§4.50.3συνάψας δʼ αὐτοῖς μάχην περὶ τὰ μεθόρια καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν ἀποκτείνας, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς τρεψάμενος καὶ κατακλείσας εἰς τὸ τεῖχος, ὡς οὐκέτι προῄεσαν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως, παραστρατοπεδεύσας αὐτοῖς ἀπετάφρευέ τε καὶ περιεχαράκου καὶ προσβολὰς ἐποιεῖτο τοῖς τείχεσι συνεχεῖς.
Having joined battle with them near the borders, and having killed many and put the rest to flight and shut them up within their walls, when they no longer came out of the city, he pitched camp near them, dug a trench around them, built a palisade, and made continuous assaults upon the walls.
οἱ δʼ ἔνδον τέως μὲν ἀπεμάχοντο καὶ πολὺν ἀντέσχον τῇ ταλαιπωρίᾳ χρόνον· ὡς δʼ ὑπέλειπεν αὐτοὺς τἀπιτήδεια, ἐξασθενοῦντες τὰ σώματα καὶ οὔτʼ ἐπικουρίαν οὐδεμίαν προσλαβόντες οὐδʼ ἀναπαύσεως τυγχάνοντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ μεθʼ ἡμέραν καὶ νύκτωρ αὐτοὶ ταλαιπωροῦντες ἁλίσκονται κατὰ κράτος.
Those inside for a time fought back and withstood the hardship for a long time; but when their provisions failed them, being weakened in their bodies and having neither received any assistance nor obtaining any rest, but rather suffering hardship themselves both day and night, they were taken by storm.
§4.50.4γενόμενος δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἐγκρατὴς τοὺς μὲν ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις διέφθειρε, γυναῖκας δʼ αὐτῶν καὶ τέκνα καὶ τοὺς ὑπομείναντας αἰχμαλώτους γενέσθαι καὶ τὸ τῶν θεραπόντων πλῆθος οὐδʼ ἀριθμηθῆναι ῥᾴδιον τοῖς στρατιώταις ἐπέτρεψεν ἀπάγεσθαι τήν τʼ ἄλλην κτῆσιν τῆς πόλεως ἄγειν καὶ φέρειν, εἴ τις ἐπιτύχοι, τήν τʼ ἐντὸς τείχους καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τῶν ἀγρῶν ἐφῆκεν·
Having become master of the city, he put to death those who were in arms, and permitted his soldiers to carry off their wives and children, and those who submitted to become captives, and a multitude of servants not easy even to be numbered. He also allowed them to plunder the other property of the city, whether within the walls or in the fields, if anyone should come upon it.
ἄργυρον δὲ καὶ χρυσόν, ὅσος εὑρέθη, συναγαγὼν εἰς ἓν χωρίον καὶ τὴν δεκάτην ἐξελόμενος εἰς κατασκευὴν ἱεροῦ τὰ §4.50.5λοιπὰ χρήματα τοῖς στρατιώταις διεῖλεν.
And having gathered into one place all the silver and gold that was found, and having set aside a tenth part for the construction of a temple, he distributed the remaining booty among the soldiers.
οὕτω δʼ ἄρα πολὺς ὁ καταληφθεὶς ἄργυρός τε καὶ χρυσὸς ἦν, ὥστε τῶν μὲν στρατιωτῶν ἕκαστον πέντε μνᾶς ἀργυρίου λαβεῖν, τὸ δὲ τοῖς θεοῖς δεκατευθὲν ἀργύριον τετρακοσίων οὐ μεῖον γενέσθαι ταλάντων.
Indeed, the silver and gold that was captured was so abundant that each of the soldiers received five minae of silver, and the silver dedicated to the gods as a tenth part was not less than four hundred talents.