§8.89.1ἐξελθόντων δὲ καὶ τῶν Ῥωμαίων καὶ παραταξαμένων ἰσχυρὰ μάχη γίνεται καὶ ἱππέων καὶ πεζῶν καὶ ψιλῶν ἴσῃ πάντων χρωμένων προθυμίᾳ τε καὶ ἐμπειρίᾳ, καὶ τὸ νικᾶν ἑκάστου παρʼ ἑαυτὸν μόνον τιθεμένου·
When the Romans also marched out and drew up their lines, a fierce battle took place, with the cavalry, infantry, and light-armed troops all displaying equal ardor and experience, and each man considering that victory depended solely upon himself.
§8.89.2ὡς δὲ νεκροί τʼ αὐτῶν πολλοὶ ἑκατέρωθεν, ἐν ᾧ ἐτάχθησαν χωρίῳ, πεσόντες ἔκειντο, καὶ ἡμιθνῆτες ἔτι πλείους, οἱ δὲ παρὰ τὸν ἀγῶνα καὶ τὰ δεινὰ ἔτι διαμένοντες ὀλίγοι ἦσαν, καὶ οὐδὲ οὗτοι δρᾶν τὰ πολέμου ἔργα δυνάμενοι βαρυνόντων μὲν αὐτοῖς τῶν σκεπαστηρίων τὰς εὐωνύμους χεῖρας διὰ πλῆθος τῶν ἐμπεπηγότων βελῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἐώντων ὑπομένειν τὰς προσβολάς, τετραμμένων δὲ τῶν ἐγχειριδίων τὰς ἀκμάς, ἔστι δʼ ὧν καὶ κατεαγότων ὅλων, οἷς οὐθὲν ἔτι ἦν χρῆσθαι, τοῦ τε κόπου, ὃς διʼ ὅλης ἡμέρας ἀγωνιζομένοις αὐτοῖς πολὺς ἐγεγόνει, παραλύοντος τὰ νεῦρα καὶ τὰς πληγὰς ἀσθενεῖς ποιοῦντος, ἱδρῶτος δὲ καὶ δίψης καὶ ἄσθματος, οἷα ἐν πνιγηρᾷ ὥρᾳ ἔτους τοῖς πολὺν χρόνον ἀγωνιζομένοις συμπίπτειν φιλεῖ, παρʼ ἀμφοτέροις γινομένων, τέλος οὐδὲν ἔλαβεν ἀξιόλογον ἡ μάχη, ἀλλʼ ἀγαπητῶς ἀμφότεροι τῶν στρατηγῶν ἀνακαλουμένων ἀπῆλθον ἐπὶ τοὺς ἑαυτῶν χάρακας·
But when many of their dead on both sides lay fallen in the very place where they had been stationed, and those half-dead were still more numerous, while those who still remained amid the struggle and dangers were few, and not even these were able to perform the duties of war—since their shields, made heavy by the multitude of missiles sticking in them, weighed down their left hands and would not allow them to withstand the attacks, and the points of their daggers were bent, and some even completely broken so that they could no longer be used; and fatigue, which had become great for them fighting through the whole day, paralyzed their muscles and made their blows weak; and sweat, thirst, and panting, such as are wont to happen to those fighting for a long time in the sultry season of the year, came upon both sides—finally, the battle reached no noteworthy conclusion, but with relief both sides, upon their generals recalling them, withdrew to their own camps.
καὶ οὐκέτι μετὰ τοῦτʼ ἐξῄεσαν εἰς μάχην οὐδέτεροι, ἀλλʼ ἀντικαθήμενοι παρεφύλαττον ἀλλήλων τὰς ἕνεκα τῶν ἐπιτηδείων γινομένας ἐξόδους.
And after this, neither side went out to battle any longer, but remaining opposite each other, they watched each other's excursions made for the sake of provisions.
§8.89.3ἔδοξε μέντοι καὶ λόγος ἦν ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ πολύς, ὡς δυναμένη τότε νικᾶν ἡ Ῥωμαίων δύναμις ἑκουσία μηδὲν ἦν ἐργάσασθαι λαμπρὸν διὰ μῖσός τε τοῦ ὑπάτου καὶ ὀργήν, ἣν εἶχε πρὸς τοὺς πατρικίους ἐπὶ τῷ φενακισμῷ τῆς κληρουχίας.
However, it was believed and there was much talk in Rome that the Roman force, though able to win at that time, of its own accord performed nothing brilliant because of their hatred of the consul and the anger they felt toward the patricians over the deception regarding the land-allotment.
αὐτοὶ δʼ οἱ στρατιῶται τὸν ὕπατον ὡς οὐχ ἱκανὸν στρατηγεῖν ᾐτιῶντο, γράμματα πέμποντες ὡς τοὺς ἐπιτηδείους ἑαυτῶν ἕκαστοι.
The soldiers themselves accused the consul of being incompetent to command, each sending letters to their own intimates.
καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐπὶ στρατοπέδου γινόμενα τοιαῦτʼ ἦν· ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ Ῥώμῃ πολλὰ δαιμόνια σημεῖα ἐφαίνετο δηλωτικὰ θείου χόλου κατά τε φωνὰς καὶ ὄψεις ἀήθεις.
Such were the things happening in the camp; but in Rome itself, many supernatural signs appeared, indicating divine wrath through unusual voices and sights.
§8.89.4πάντα δʼ εἰς τοῦτο συνέτεινεν, ὡς οἵ τε μάντεις καὶ οἱ τῶν ἱερῶν ἐξηγηταὶ συνενέγκαντες τὰς ἐμπειρίας ἀπεφαίνοντο, ὅτι θεῶν τινες οὐ κομίζονται τὰς νομίμους τιμὰς οὐ καθαρῶς οὐδὲ ὁσίως ἐπιτελουμένων αὐτοῖς τῶν ἱερῶν.
And everything pointed to this, just as the seers and the interpreters of sacred rites, bringing together their experience, declared: that some of the gods were not receiving their customary honors because the sacrifices were not being performed for them purely or piously.
ζήτησις δὴ μετὰ τοῦτο πολλὴ ἐκ πάντων ἐγίνετο, καὶ σὺν χρόνῳ μήνυσις ἀποδίδοται τοῖς ἱεροφάνταις, ὅτι τῶν παρθένων μία τῶν φυλαττουσῶν τὸ ἱερὸν πῦρ, Ὀπιμία ὄνομα αὐτῇ, τὴν παρθενίαν ἀφαιρεθεῖσα μιαίνει τὰ ἱερά.
Thereupon, a great investigation was made by all, and in time, an information was laid before the pontiffs that one of the virgins guarding the sacred fire, Opimia by name, having been deprived of her virginity, was defiling the sacred rites.
§8.89.5οἱ δʼ ἔκ τε βασάνων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀποδείξεων μαθόντες, ὅτι τὸ μηνυόμενον ἦν ἀδίκημα ἀληθές, αὐτὴν μὲν τῆς κορυφῆς ἀφελόμενοι τὰ στέμματα καὶ πομπεύσαντες διʼ ἀγορᾶς ἐντὸς τείχους ζῶσαν κατώρυξαν· δύο δὲ τοὺς ἐξελεγχθέντας διαπράξασθαι τὴν φθορὰν μαστιγώσαντες ἐν φανερῷ παραχρῆμα ἀπέκτειναν καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο καλὰ τὰ ἱερὰ καὶ τὰ μαντεύματα ὡς ἀφεικότων αὐτοῖς τῶν θεῶν τὸν χόλον, ἐγίνετο.
And they, having learned from tortures and other proofs that the reported crime was true, took the fillets from her head, led her in procession through the forum, and buried her alive within the walls; and the two men convicted of having wrought her ruin they scourged in public and put to death immediately; and after this, the sacrifices and the omens became favorable, as if the gods had remitted their anger toward them.