§5.44.1Ποπλίου δὲ Ποστομίου τοῦ καλουμένου Τουβέρτου τὸ δεύτερον ἄρχειν αἱρεθέντος καὶ Ἀγρίππα Μενηνίου τοῦ λεγομένου Λανάτου τρίτη γίνεται Σαβίνων εἰσβολὴ μείζονι στρατιᾷ, πρὶν αἰσθέσθαι Ῥωμαίους αὐτῶν τὴν ἔξοδον, καὶ μέχρι τοῦ τείχους τῆς Ῥώμης ἔλασις· ἐν ᾗ πολὺς ἐγένετο Ῥωμαίων φόνος οὐ μόνον τῶν γεωργῶν, οἷς οὐδὲν προσδεχομένοις αἰφνιδίως ἐπέστη τὸ δεινόν, πρὶν εἰς τὰ φρούρια τὰ πλησίον ἑκάστους καταφυγεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ §5.44.2τῶν κατὰ πόλιν τηνικαῦτα διατριβόντων.
When Publius Postumius, called Tubertus, was elected consul for the second time, and Agrippa Menenius, called Lanatus, [was also elected], there occurred a third invasion by the Sabines with a larger army, before the Romans could perceive their departure, and an advance even to the walls of Rome; in which a great slaughter of the Romans took place, not only of the husbandmen, upon whom, expecting nothing, the danger suddenly fell before each could flee to the neighboring strongholds, but also of those who were then spending their time in the city.
ὁ γὰρ ἕτερος τῶν ὑπάτων Ποστόμιος οὐκ ἀνεκτὴν εἶναι τὴν ὕβριν τῶν πολεμίων ἡγησάμενος ἐξεβοήθει κατὰ σπουδὴν τοὺς ἐπιτυγχάνοντας ἄγων προχειρότερον μᾶλλον ἢ φρονιμώτερον.
For the other of the consuls, Postumius, considering the insolence of the enemy intolerable, marched out in haste to the rescue, leading those whom he chanced upon, rather too rashly than prudently.
οὓς ἰδόντες οἱ Σαβῖνοι σὺν πολλῇ καταφρονήσει χωροῦντας ἐπὶ σφᾶς ἀσυντάκτους τε καὶ διεσπασμένους ἀπʼ ἀλλήλων, ἔτι μᾶλλον αὐξῆσαι τὸ καταφρονοῦν αὐτῶν βουλόμενοι θᾶττον ἢ βάδην ἀνεχώρουν ὡς δὴ φεύγοντες ὀπίσω, τέως εἰς δρυμοὺς ἀφίκοντο βαθεῖς, ἔνθα ὁ λοιπὸς αὐτῶν στρατὸς ὑπεκάθητο· ἔπειθʼ ὑποστρέψαντες ἐχώρουν τοῖς διώκουσιν ὁμόσε, καὶ οἱ ἐκ τοῦ δρυμοῦ μέγα ἀλαλάξαντες ἵενται ἐπʼ αὐτούς.
The Sabines, seeing them advancing against them with great contempt, disordered and separated from one another, and wishing to increase their contempt even more, retreated faster than a walk as if indeed they were fleeing backward, until they reached deep woods, where the rest of their army lay in ambush; then, turning about, they came to close quarters with their pursuers, and those from the woods, raising a great shout, rushed upon them.
§5.44.3ἀσυντάκτοις δʼ ἀνθρώποις καὶ τεταραγμένοις καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ δρόμου συγκεκομμένοις τὰ πνεύματα πολλοὶ καὶ σὺν κόσμῳ ἐπελθόντες, καταβάλλουσί τε τοὺς ὁμόσε χωροῦντας καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς εἰς φυγὴν ὁρμήσαντας ὑποτεμόμενοι τὰς εἰς τὴν πόλιν φερούσας ὁδοὺς εἰς ὀρεινήν τινα κατακλείουσι ῥάχιν ἔρημον.
And falling upon men who were disordered, confused, and out of breath from running, they, being many and in good order, cut down those who came to close quarters with them, and intercepting the rest who had started to flee along the roads leading to the city, they shut them up on a certain barren ridge of a mountain.
θέμενοι δὲ πλησίον αὐτῶν τὰ ὅπλα· νὺξ γὰρ ἤδη κατελάμβανε· φυλακὰς ἐποιοῦντο διʼ ὅλης νυκτός, ἵνα μὴ λάθοιεν σφᾶς ἀποδράντες.
Having grounded their arms near them—for night was already overtaking them—they kept watch through the whole night, so that they might not escape them without being noticed.
§5.44.4ὡς δʼ εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην τὸ πάθος ἀπηγγέλθη ταραχή τʼ ἦν πολλὴ καὶ δρόμος ἐπὶ τὰ τείχη καὶ δέος ἁπάντων, μὴ διὰ νυκτὸς εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἔλθοιεν οἱ πολέμιοι τῷ κατορθώματι ἐπαρθέντες, τῶν τʼ ἀπολωλότων οἶκτος καὶ τῶν περιλειπομένων ἔλεος, ὡς ἀναρπασθησομένων αὐτίκα μάλα διʼ ἀπορίαν τῶν ἀναγκαίων, εἰ μή τις αὐτοῖς ἐπικουρία ἔλθοι ταχεῖα.
When this disaster was reported in Rome, there was great confusion, a running to the walls, and fear on the part of everyone lest the enemy, elated by their success, should come into the city during the night; there was also mourning for those who had perished and pity for those who were left, as they were expected to be utterly destroyed immediately for want of provisions, unless some speedy assistance came to them.
§5.44.5ἐκείνην μὲν οὖν τὴν νύκτα πονηρὰς ἔχοντας τὰς ψυχὰς ἄγρυπνοι διῆγον· τῇ δʼ ἑξῆς ἡμέρᾳ πάντας τοὺς ἐν ἀκμῇ καθοπλίσας ὁ ἕτερος τῶν ὑπάτων Μενήνιος ἦγεν ἐπικούρους τοῖς ἐν τῷ ὄρει κόσμον καὶ τάξιν φυλάττοντας.
During that night, therefore, having anxious minds, they remained awake; but on the following day, the other consul, Menenius, having armed all those who were of military age, led them as an reinforcement to those on the mountain, maintaining order and discipline.
ἰδόντες δʼ αὐτοὺς οἱ Σαβῖνοι προσιόντας οὐκέτι παρέμειναν, ἀλλʼ ἀναστήσαντες τὸν αὑτῶν στρατὸν ἦγον ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρους ἀποχρῆν οἰόμενοι σφίσι τὴν παροῦσαν εὐτυχίαν· καὶ οὐ πολὺν ἔτι διατρίψαντες χρόνον ἀπῄεσαν ἐπὶ τὰ σφέτερα σὺν αὐχήματι μεγάλῳ βοσκημάτων τε καὶ ἀνδραπόδων καὶ χρημάτων ἀφθόνους ἄγοντες ὠφελείας.
The Sabines, seeing them approaching, did not remain any longer, but moving their army, they led it away from the mountain, thinking their present success was sufficient for them; and after tarrying no long time, they departed to their own territory with great pride, carrying away abundant spoils of cattle, slaves, and property.