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Dionysius of Halicarnassus · Roman Antiquities §7.61.1-7.61.3

Sicinius's Accusation of Marcius for Aiming at Tyranny

Passage 564 of 962 · Greek

Summary

Following Menecius, the tribune Sicinius and others ascended the platform; Sicinius delivered a carefully prepared accusation linking all of Marcius's actions to an attempt at tyranny.

§7.61.1παυσαμένου δὲ τοῦ Μηνυκίου παρελθὼν ὁ δήμαρχος Σικίννιος οὔτʼ αὐτὸς ἔφη προδώσειν τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῶν δημοτῶν οὔτε τοῖς προδιδοῦσιν ἐπιτρέψειν ἑκών, ἀλλʼ εἰ τῷ ὄντι παρέχουσιν οἱ πατρίκιοι τὸν ἄνδρα ἐπὶ δίκην τοῖς δημοτικοῖς, ἀναδώσειν περὶ αὐτοῦ ψῆφον, ἄλλο δὲ ποιήσειν παρὰ ταῦτʼ οὐδέν.
When Menecius had finished speaking, the tribune Sicinius, coming forward, said that he himself would neither betray the liberty of the plebeians nor willingly permit those who did, but that if the patricians were indeed delivering the man to the plebeians for trial, he would submit a vote concerning him, and would do nothing else besides this.
§7.61.2μετὰ ταῦτα παρελθὼν ὁ Μηνύκιος εἶπεν· ἐπειδὴ πάντως, ὦ δήμαρχοι, ψῆφον ἐπενεχθῆναι περὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς προθυμεῖσθε, μηθὲν ἔξω τοῦ ἐγκλήματος κατηγορεῖτε· ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ τυραννίδι αὐτὸν ἐπιχειρεῖν εἰσηγγείλατε, τοῦτο διδάσκετε καὶ περὶ τούτου τὰς πίστεις φέρετε.
After this, Menecius, coming forward, said: "Since by all means, tribunes, you are eager for a vote to be cast concerning the man, accuse him of nothing outside the indictment; but since you reported that he was attempting a tyranny, prove this and bring your evidence concerning it.
λόγων δʼ, ὧν αὐτὸν αἰτιᾶσθε κατὰ τοῦ δήμου πρὸς τὴν βουλὴν εἰπεῖν, μήτε μέμνησθε μήτε κατηγορεῖτε.
But of the words which you accuse him of having spoken against the people to the senate, neither make mention nor accuse him.
ἀφεῖσθαι γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐψηφίσατο ταύτης τῆς αἰτίας τὸ συνέδριον, καὶ ἐπὶ ῥητοῖς ἥκειν εἰς τὸν δῆμον ἐδικαίωσε. §7.61.3καὶ μετὰ τοῦτʼ ἀνέγνω τὸ προβούλευμα.
For the senate voted that he be acquitted of this charge, and decided that he should come before the people on specified terms." And after this he read the preliminary decree.
ὁ μὲν δὴ ταῦτʼ εἰπών τε καὶ ἐπιμαρτυράμενος κατέβη.
He, having said and protested these things, descended.
τῶν δὲ δημάρχων πρῶτος μὲν διέθετο τὴν κατηγορίαν Σικίννιος ἐκ πολλῆς ἐπιμελείας καὶ παρασκευῆς, πάνθʼ ὅσα πράττων ἢ λέγων ὁ ἀνὴρ κατὰ τοῦ δήμου διετέλεσεν εἰς κατασκευὴν τυραννίδος ἀναφέρων· ἔπειτα μετʼ ἐκεῖνον οἱ δυνατώτατοι τῶν δημάρχων εἰπεῖν.
And of the tribunes, Sicinius first delivered the accusation with great care and preparation, referring everything that the man continued to do or say against the people to the establishment of a tyranny; then after him, those of the tribunes who were most powerful in speaking.

Notes

  1. 1457λόγων δʼ, ὧν — There is a case attraction of the relative pronoun. While the relative pronoun `ὧν` should grammatically be in the accusative (`οὕς`) as the direct object of the infinitive `εἰπεῖν`, it has been attracted to the genitive case of its antecedent `λόγων` (the case governed by `μήτε μέμνησθε`).
  2. p.v.3p.97πράττων ἢ λέγων ... διετέλεσεν — The verb `διατελέω` (to continue) is used with supplementary participles (here `πράττων ἢ λέγων`) to form an idiomatic construction meaning "to do or say continuously" or "to keep doing or saying."
  3. p.v.3p.97οἱ δυνατώτατοι ... εἰπεῖν — The infinitive `εἰπεῖν` modifying the adjective `δυνατώτατοι` is an epexegetic (limiting) infinitive indicating the specific area of their ability. Additionally, a main verb of speaking (such as `ἔλεγον`) is omitted at the end of the sentence.

Cite this passage

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities §7.61.1-7.61.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0081.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.61.1-7.61.3

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