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Dionysius of Halicarnassus · Roman Antiquities §6.42.1-6.42.3

Levy of Ten Legions and Victories over Three Tribes

Passage 448 of 962 · Greek

Summary

The plebeians, trusting the dictator, agree to the campaign, and ten newly formed legions are sent in three directions, resulting in swift Roman victories over the Volscians, Sabines, and Aequians.

§6.42.1ταῦτʼ εἰπόντος αὐτοῦ πᾶς ὁ δῆμος ἄσμενος ἀκούσας ὡς οὐδὲν ἔτι φενακισθησόμενος ὑπέσχετο συνάρασθαι τοῦ πολέμου, καὶ γίνεται δέκα στρατιωτικὰ τάγματα, ἐξ ἀνδρῶν τετρακισχιλίων ἕκαστον.
When he had said this, all the people listened with joy and, believing that they would never be deceived again, promised to take part in the war; and ten military legions were formed, each consisting of four thousand men.
τούτων τρία μὲν ἑκάτερος τῶν ὑπάτων ἔλαβε καὶ τῶν ἱππέων ὅσον ἑκάστῳ προσεμερίσθη· τὰ δὲ τέτταρα καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς ἱππεῖς ὁ δικτάτωρ.
Of these, each of the two consuls took three legions and as much of the cavalry as was assigned to each, while the dictator took the remaining four legions and the rest of the cavalry.
καὶ αὐτίκα παρασκευασάμενοι ᾤχοντο διὰ τάχους ἐπὶ μὲν Αἰκανοὺς Τῖτος Οὐετούριος, ἐπὶ δʼ Οὐολούσκους Αὖλος Οὐεργίνιος, αὐτὸς δʼ ὁ δικτάτωρ Οὐαλέριος ἐπὶ Σαβίνους, τὴν δὲ πόλιν ἅμα τοῖς γεραιτέροις καὶ ὀλίγῳ τινὶ στρατεύματι ἀκμαίῳ Τῖτος Λάρκιος ἐφύλαττεν.
Having immediately made their preparations, they set out in haste, Titus Veturius against the Aequians, Aulus Virginius against the Volscians, and the dictator Valerius himself against the Sabines; while Titus Lartius, with the elders and a small but robust force, guarded the city.
§6.42.2ὁ μὲν οὖν Οὐολούσκων πόλεμος ταχεῖαν τὴν κρίσιν ἔλαβε·
Now the war with the Volscians received a swift decision.
πλήθει γὰρ ὑπεραίρειν πολὺ νομίσαντες τῶν προτέρων κακῶν ἀναμνησθέντες, ἀγωνισταὶ ταχίους ἢ φρονιμώτεροι ἀναγκασθέντες γενέσθαι θᾶττον πρῶτοι ὥρμησαν ἐπὶ τοὺς Ῥωμαίους, ἡνίκα ὤφθησαν ἐν συνόψει στρατοπεδεύσαντες.
For, thinking themselves far superior in numbers and remembering their former disasters, they were forced to become hasty rather than prudent combatants, and they rushed upon the Romans first and with greater speed as soon as they were seen encamped in full view.
γενομένης δὲ μάχης καρτερᾶς πολλὰ μὲν δράσαντες γενναῖα, πλείω δὲ τὰ δεινὰ ὑπομείναντες εἰς φυγὴν τρέπονται, καὶ ὅ τε χάραξ αὐτῶν ἑάλω καὶ πόλις ἐπιφανὴς ἐκ πολιορκίας παρέστη·
Although a fierce battle took place, and they performed many brave deeds, they suffered still greater terrors and were put to flight; and not only was their camp captured, but an illustrious city surrendered after a siege.
Οὐέλιτραι δʼ §6.42.3ὄνομα αὐτῇ.
Velitrae was its name.
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὸ Σαβίνων φρόνημα ἐν ὀλίγῳ πάνυ ἐταπεινώθη χρόνῳ μιᾷ παρατάξει ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων βουληθέντων ἐπικρατεῖν.
In like manner, the pride of the Sabines was humbled in a very short time by a single pitched battle, as both sides wished to prevail.
ἔπειτα ἥ τε χώρα προὐνομεύθη, καὶ πολίχναι τινὲς ἑάλωσαν, ἐξ ὧν πολλὰ καὶ σώματα καὶ χρήματα οἱ στρατιῶται ἔλαβον.
Afterward, their territory was pillaged, and some small towns were captured, from which the soldiers took many captives and much booty.
Αἰκανοὶ δὲ τὰ τῆς ἀσθενείας ἑαυτῶν ὑφορῶντες ἐπεὶ τὰ τῶν συμμάχων τέλος ἔχοντα ἐπύθοντο, χωρίοις τʼ ἐχυροῖς ἐπεκάθηντο καὶ εἰς μάχας οὐ προῄεσαν, τάς τʼ ἀποχωρήσεις, ὅπῃ ἐδύναντο, διʼ ὀρῶν ἢ δρυμῶν κρυφαίας ἐποιοῦντο, καὶ διέτριψαν μὲν ἄχρι τινὸς διαφέροντες τὸν πόλεμον·
But the Aequians, suspecting their own weakness, when they learned that the affairs of their allies had come to an end, remained on fortified positions and did not advance to battle, making their retreats secretly, as best they could, through mountains and forests; and for a time they delayed the war, drawing it out.
οὐ μέντοιγε διασώσασθαι ἀθῶον τὴν στρατιὰν ἐδυνήθησαν ἐπιθεμένων αὐτοῖς τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἐν χωρίοις κρημνώδεσι τολμηρῶς καὶ λαβόντων τὸ στρατόπεδον κατὰ κράτος.
However, they were not able to preserve their army unharmed, as the Romans boldly attacked them in steep places and took their camp by storm.
ἔπειτα φυγή τʼ αὐτῶν ἐκ τῆς Λατίνων γῆς ἐγένετο καὶ παραδόσεις τῶν πόλεων, ἃς ἔτυχον αὑτῶν τῇ πρώτῃ ἐφόδῳ καταλαβόμενοι, εἰσὶ δʼ ὧν καὶ ἐκ φιλονεικίας οὐκ ἐκλιπόντων τὰς ἄκρας ἁλώσεις.
Consequently, they fled from the Latin territory and surrendered the cities which they happened to have seized during their first incursion, while some of those who out of obstacy did not abandon their citadels were taken by storm.

Notes

  1. 6.42.1ὡς οὐδὲν ἔτι φενακισθησόμενος — The conjunction ὡς combined with the future passive participle expresses the subjective belief, expectation, or conviction of the subject of the main clause (πᾶς ὁ δῆμος), meaning 'as though believing they would never be deceived again.'
  2. 6.42.2τῶν προτέρων κακῶν ἀναμνησθέντες — The aorist passive participle ἀναμνησθέντες is used with an active or middle sense ('having remembered' or 'recalling'), and as a verb of remembering, it takes its object in the genitive case (τῶν προτέρων κακῶν).
  3. 6.42.3εἰσὶ δʼ ὧν — A variation of the common idiom ἔστιν ὧν ('there are some of which'), where the verb is pluralized to εἰσίν to match the plural context, and the relative pronoun is attracted into the genitive case (ὧν) by its antecedent 'cities' (πόλεων).

Cite this passage

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities §6.42.1-6.42.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0081.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.42.1-6.42.3

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