§7.54.1ταῦτα μὲν Ἄππιος εἶπεν.
Thus Appius spoke.
Μάνιος δὲ Οὐαλέριος ὁ δημοτικώτατος τῶν ἐκ τοῦ συνεδρίου καὶ περὶ τὰς διαλλαγὰς πλείστην ἀποδειξάμενος προθυμίαν φανερῶς καὶ τότε τῷ δήμῳ συνελάμβανε καὶ λόγον διεξῆλθε μετὰ πολλῆς συγκείμενον φροντίδος, ἐπιτιμῶν μὲν τοῖς οὐκ ἐῶσι μίαν εἶναι τὴν πόλιν, ἀλλὰ διαιροῦσι τὸ δημοτικὸν ἀπὸ τῶν πατρικίων καὶ διὰ μικρὰς προφάσεις πολέμους ἀναζωπυροῦσιν ἐμφυλίους· ἐπαινῶν δὲ τοὺς ἓν τὸ συμφέρον καὶ κοινὸν ἡγουμένους καὶ πάντʼ ἐλάττω τῆς ὁμονοίας τιθεμένους, διδάσκων, ὡς, εἰ γένοιτο τῆς δίκης ὁ δῆμος, ὥσπερ ἀξιοῖ, κύριος, καὶ ταύτην παρὰ τοῦ συνεδρίου τὴν χάριν ἑκόντος λάβοι, τάχα μὲν οὐδʼ ἐπέξεισιν ἄχρι τέλους, ἀλλʼ ἀρκεσθεὶς αὐτῷ τῷ κεκρατηκέναι τοῦ σώματος ἐπιεικέστερον μᾶλλον ἢ χαλεπώτερον αὐτῷ χρήσεται.
But Manius Valerius, who was the most popular-minded of those from the senate and had displayed the greatest zeal for the reconciliation, was at that time also openly helping the people, and delivered a speech composed with great care, on the one hand censuring those who do not allow the city to be one but divide the plebeians from the patricians and on small pretexts rekindle civil wars, and on the other hand praising those who consider interest to be one and common and regard everything as inferior to concord, pointing out that if the people should become master of the trial, just as they demand, and should receive this favor from the willing senate, perhaps they will not even prosecute to the end, but, content with the very fact of having gained mastery over his person, they will treat him more leniently rather than more harshly.
§7.54.2εἰ δʼ ἄρα ἐκ παντὸς οἰομένων τρόπου τῶν δημάρχων τέλος ἐπιθεῖναι δεῖν νόμιμον τῇ δίκῃ τῆς ψήφου γενήσεται κύριος, ἀπολύσει τὸν ἄνδρα τῆς αἰτίας αἰδούμενος μὲν αὐτὸ τὸ κινδυνεῦον σῶμα, οὗ πολλὰ καὶ καλὰ ἔργα ἔχει μεμνῆσθαι, ἀνταποδιδοὺς δὲ ταύτην τὴν χάριν τῇ παρασχούσῃ τὴν ἐξουσίαν αὐτῷ βουλῇ καὶ πρὸς μηδὲν ἐναντιωθείσῃ §7.54.3τῶν μετρίων.
And if, then, because the tribunes think they must by all means put a legal end to the trial, the people should become master of the vote, they will acquit the man of the charge, both out of respect for his very person which is in danger, whose many noble deeds they have to remember, and in return rendering this favor to the senate which granted them the authority and opposed none of their reasonable demands.
παρεῖναι μέντοι τῇ δίκῃ συνεβούλευε καὶ συναπολογεῖσθαι τῷ ἀνδρὶ καὶ τὸν δῆμον ἀξιοῦν μηθὲν διαγνῶναι περὶ αὐτοῦ χαλεπὸν τούς θʼ ὑπάτους καὶ τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ συνεδρίου πάντας καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους πατρικίους κατὰ πλῆθος ἀφικομένους· συνοίσειν γὰρ οὐ μικρὰ τῷ κινδυνεύοντι καὶ τούτους εἰς σωτηρίας ῥοπήν· καὶ μὴ μόνον αὐτοὺς οὕτως ἔχειν ταῖς γνώμαις, ἀλλὰ καὶ πελάτας ἕκαστον τοὺς αὑτοῦ παρακαλεῖν καὶ φίλους συνάγειν, καὶ εἴ τινας οἰκείως ἔχειν σφίσι τῶν δημοτικῶν διʼ εὐεργεσίας ὑπολαμβάνουσι, καὶ τούτους νυνὶ τὴν πρότερον ὀφειλομένην χάριν ἐπὶ §7.54.4τῆς ψηφοφορίας ἀπαιτεῖν.
He advised, however, that the consuls, all those from the senate, and the other patricians, coming in a body, should be present at the trial and help the man defend himself, and entreat the people to decide nothing harsh concerning him; for that these too would contribute not a little to the endangered man towards the turn of safety; and that they should not only themselves be so minded, but each should also summon his own clients and gather friends, and if they suppose that any of the plebeians are friendly to them through past benefits, they should now demand from them at the voting the favor previously owed.
τό τε φιλόχρηστον καὶ μισοπόνηρον οὐκ ὀλίγον ἀπέφηνεν ἐκ τοῦ δήμου μέρος ἐσόμενον, καὶ ἔτι πλεῖον τούτου, ὃ πρὸς τὰς τύχας πάσχειν τι τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας καὶ ἐλεεῖν οἶδε τοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἀξιώμασιν, ὅταν εἰς ταπεινὰ πέσωσιν αὐτῶν αἱ §7.54.5τύχαι.
He pointed out that the benevolent and evil-hating part of the people would be not small, and still larger than this would be that part which is wont to feel something at human fortunes and knows how to pity those in high positions when their fortunes fall to low estate.
ὁ δὲ πλείων λόγος ἐγίνετο αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸν Μάρκιον παράκλησιν ἔχων νουθετήσει μεμιγμένην καὶ δέησιν ἀνάγκῃ.
The greater part of his speech was addressed to Marcius, containing exhortation mixed with admonition, and entreaty with necessity.
ἠξίου γὰρ αὐτόν, ἐπεὶ διιστάναι τὸν δῆμον ἀπὸ τῆς βουλῆς αἰτίαν ἔχει καὶ τυραννικὸς εἶναι διαβάλλεται διὰ τὴν αὐθάδειαν τοῦ τρόπου, δέος τε παρέστηκεν ἅπασι, μὴ διʼ αὐτὸν ἀρχὴ γένηται στάσεως καὶ κακῶν ἀνηκέστων, ἃ φέρουσιν ἐμφύλιοι πόλεμοι, μὴ ποιεῖν ἀληθεῖς καὶ κυρίας τὰς κατʼ αὐτοῦ διαβολὰς μένοντα ἐν τῷ φθονουμένῳ τοῦ βίου, ἀλλὰ σχῆμα ταπεινὸν μεταλαβεῖν καὶ τοῖς ἀδικεῖσθαι λέγουσι τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ σώματος παρασχεῖν, καὶ μὴ φεύγειν ἄδικον ἔγκλημα λόγῳ μετὰ δίκης ἀπολυόμενον.
For he urged him, since he is accused of dividing the people from the senate and is slandered as being tyrannical on account of the stubbornness of his character, and fear has arisen in all lest because of him there should be a beginning of faction and of incurable evils which civil wars bring, not to make the slanders against him true and valid by remaining in that part of life which is envied, but to assume a humble guise and submit his person to the power of those who say they are wronged, and not to flee an unjust charge which could be cleared by speech in a trial.
§7.54.6ταῦτα γὰρ αὐτῷ πρός τε σωτηρίαν ἀσφαλέστατα εἶναι καὶ πρὸς εὐδοξίαν, ἧς ὀρέγεται, λαμπρότατα καὶ τοῖς προυπηργμένοις ἔργοις ἀκόλουθα.
For these things, he said, were safest for his safety, and most brilliant for the good reputation which he desires, and consistent with his previously performed deeds.
εἰ δʼ αὐθαδέστερος ἔσται μᾶλλον ἢ μετριώτερος, καὶ τὴν βουλὴν ἀξιώσει πάντα κίνδυνον διʼ ἑαυτὸν ὑπομένειν, κακὴν μὲν ἧτταν, αἰσχρὰν δὲ νίκην τοῖς πεισθεῖσι προσάψειν αὐτὸν ἀπέφαινεν· ἦν τʼ ἐνταῦθα πολὺς ὀλοφυρόμενος καὶ τῶν καταλαμβανόντων κακῶν τὰς πόλεις ἐν ταῖς διχοστασίαις τὰ μέγιστα καὶ φανερώτατα ἐπιλεγόμενος.
But if he should be more stubborn rather than more moderate, and should expect the senate to undergo every danger on his account, he pointed out that he would bring a bad defeat or a shameful victory upon those who complied with him; and here he was profuse in lamentations, recounting the greatest and most manifest of the evils that befall cities in times of discord.