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Dionysius of Halicarnassus · Roman Antiquities §6.65.1-6.65.3

Turmoil in the Senate and Resistance of the Aristocratic Youth

Passage 471 of 962 · Greek

Summary

Following Claudius's speech, the senate is thrown into great turmoil; while the aristocratic youth firmly reject compromise and threaten resistance, the older peace advocates, intimidated by the youths' unruly behavior, end up tearfully pleading with them.

§6.65.1παυσαμένου δὲ τοῦ Κλαυδίου μεγάλη φωνὴ καὶ θόρυβος ἐξαίσιος ἄχρι πολλοῦ χρόνου κατεῖχε τὸ συνέδριον.
When Claudius had finished speaking, a great cry and extraordinary clamour filled the senate-house for a long time.
οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἀριστοκρατικοὶ δοκοῦντες εἶναι καὶ τὰ δικαιότερα πρὸ τῶν ἀδίκων οἰόμενοι δεῖν σκοπεῖν τῇ Κλαυδίου γνώμῃ προσετίθεντο καὶ τοὺς ὑπάτους ἠξίουν μάλιστα μὲν τῇ κρείττονι προσχωρῆσαι μερίδι διαλογιζομένους, ὅτι βασιλικὸν ἔχουσι τὸ τῆς ἀρχῆς κράτος, οὐ δημοτικόν· εἰ δὲ μή γε, φυλάττειν αὑτοὺς ἴσους καὶ μὴ κατισχύειν μηδετέραν τῶν στάσεων, διαριθμησαμένους δὲ τὰς γνώμας τῶν συνέδρων ταῖς πλείοσι στοιχεῖν.
For those who were considered to be aristocrats and who thought that they ought to look to what was more just rather than what was unjust, joined themselves to the opinion of Claudius and demanded of the consuls, preferably indeed to side with the better party, considering that the power of their office was regal and not popular; or, if not that, to keep themselves neutral and not to strengthen either of the factions, but, after counting the opinions of the senators, to follow the majority.
§6.65.2εἰ δὲ τούτων ἀμφοτέρων ὑπεριδόντες αὐτοκράτορας αὑτοὺς ποιήσουσι τῶν διαλύσεων, οὐκ ἐπιτρέψειν αὐτοῖς ἔλεγον, ἀλλʼ ἐναντιώσεσθαι πάσῃ προθυμίᾳ λόγοις τʼ ἄχρις ἂν ἐξῇ, χρώμενοι καὶ ὅπλοις, ὅταν ἀναγκαῖον γένηται·
And they said that, if the consuls, disregarding both of these courses, should make themselves sole arbiters of the reconciliation, they would not permit them to do so, but would oppose them with all zeal, using words as long as it was allowed, and also arms when it should become necessary.
ἦν δὲ τοῦτο στῖφος καρτερὸν καὶ σχεδὸν ἅπασα τῶν πατρικίων ἡ νεότης ταύτης εἴχετο τῆς προαιρέσεως.
This was a formidable body, and almost the whole youth of the patricians held to this purpose.
§6.65.3οἱ δὲ τῆς εἰρήνης ἐπιθυμοῦντες τῇ Μενηνίου τε καὶ Οὐαλερίου γνώμῃ προσέκειντο καὶ μάλιστα οἱ προβεβηκότες ταῖς ἡλικίαις ἐνθυμούμενοι τὰς συμφοράς, ὅσαι καταλαμβάνουσι τὰς πόλεις ἐκ τῶν ἐμφυλίων πολέμων.
But those who desired peace adhered to the opinion of Menenius and Valerius, and especially those advanced in years, who called to mind all the calamities that come upon cities from civil wars.
ἐξηττώμενοι δὲ τῆς κραυγῆς τῶν νέων καὶ τῆς ἀκοσμίας τό τε φιλότιμον αὐτῶν ὑφορώμενοι καὶ τὸν ἐπιπολασμόν, ὃν ἐποιοῦντο κατὰ τῶν ὑπάτων, δεδιότες, ὡς οὐ πρόσω χειροκρασίας ἐλευσόμενον, εἰ μή τις αὐτοῖς εἴξειεν, εἰς δάκρυα καὶ δεήσεις τῶν ἐναντιουμένων τελευτῶντες ἐτράποντο.
But being overcome by the clamour of the youth and their disorder, and viewing with suspicion their love of distinction and the insolence they showed toward the consuls, and fearing that matters would soon come to blows unless someone yielded to them, they finally turned to tears and entreaties to their opponents.

Notes

  1. 1189διαλογιζομένους — An accusative plural present participle agreeing with `τοὺς ὑπάτους` (the consuls), which is the grammatical object of the main verb `ἠξίουν`. The subsequent participle `διαριθμησαμένους` is likewise in the accusative plural, representing the attendant actions required of the consuls.
  2. 1190ὡς οὐ πρόσω χειροκρασίας ἐλευσόμενον — An accusative absolute construction with `ὡς` and the future impersonal participle `ἐλευσόμενον`. It functions as the object of the fearing participle `δεδιότες`, expressing their subjective expectation that matters would soon come to physical violence.

Cite this passage

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities §6.65.1-6.65.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0081.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.65.1-6.65.3

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