§9.10.1ἔτι δʼ αὐτοῦ λέγοντος τὰ εἰς τὸ γενναῖον ἐπαγωγὰ καὶ πολλὰ μεταξὺ τῶν λόγων ἐκχέοντος δάκρυα, λοχαγῶν τε καὶ ταξιάρχων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων στρατιωτῶν ἕκαστον, ᾧ συνῄδει τι λαμπρὸν ἔργον ἐν μάχαις ἀποδειξαμένῳ, κατʼ ὄνομα ἀνακαλοῦντος, καὶ πολλὰ καὶ μεγάλα τοῖς ἀριστεύσασι κατὰ τὴν μάχην φιλάνθρωπα δώσειν ὑπισχνουμένου πρὸς τὸ τῶν πράξεων μέγεθος, τιμάς τε καὶ πλούτους καὶ τὰς ἄλλας βοηθείας, ἀναβοήσεις ἐξ ἁπάντων ἐγίνοντο θαρρεῖν τε παρακελευομένων καὶ ἄγειν ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα ἀξιούντων.
While he was still speaking these words that led to noble deeds and shedding many tears between his words, calling by name each of the military tribunes, centurions, and other soldiers whom he knew to have displayed some illustrious deed in battle, and promising to give many great benefits to those who distinguished themselves in the battle according to the greatness of their deeds—honors, wealth, and other assistance—shouts arose from all, encouraging him and demanding that he lead them to the struggle.
§9.10.2ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἐπαύσατο, προέρχεταί τις ἐκ τοῦ πλήθους, Μάρκος Φλαβολήιος ὄνομα, ἀνὴρ δημοτικὸς μὲν καὶ αὐτουργός, οὐ μὴν τῶν ἀπερριμμένων τις, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐπαινουμένων δι’ ἀρετὴν καὶ τὰ πολέμια ἄλκιμος, καὶ διʼ ἄμφω ταῦτα ἑνὸς τῶν ταγμάτων τῇ λαμπροτάτῃ ἀρχῇ κεκοσμημένος, ᾗ τὰς ἑξήκοντα ἑκατονταρχίας ἕπεσθαί τε καὶ τὸ κελευόμενον ὑπηρετεῖν κελεύει ὁ νόμος.
And when he ceased speaking, there came forward from the multitude a certain man, Marcus Flavoleius by name, a man of the plebeians and a smallholder, yet not one of the castaways, but praised for his virtue and brave in war, and on both accounts adorned with the most illustrious command of one of the legions, which the law commands the sixty centuries to follow and to serve whatever is ordered.
τούτους Ῥωμαῖοι τοὺς ἡγεμόνας τῇ πατρίῳ γλώττῃ πριμοπίλους καλοῦσιν.
The Romans call these leaders primipili in their native tongue.
§9.10.3οὗτος ὁ ἀνήρ — ἦν δὲ πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις μέγας τε καὶ καλὸς ἰδεῖν — στάς, ὅθεν ἅπασιν ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι φανερός, Ἐπεὶ τοῦτʼ, ἔφησεν, ὦ ὕπατοι, δεδοίκατε, μὴ τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν οὐχ ὅμοια γένηται τοῖς λόγοις, ἐγὼ πρῶτος ὑμῖν ὑπὲρ ἐμαυτοῦ τὸ βέβαιον τῆς ὑποσχέσεως ἐκ τῆς μεγίστης πίστεως παρέξομαι· καὶ ὑμεῖς δʼ, ὦ πολῖται τε καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς κοινωνοὶ τύχης, ὅσοι διεγνώκατε εἰς ἴσον καταστῆσαι τὰ ἔργα τοῖς λόγοις, §9.10.4οὐκ ἂν ἁμαρτάνοιτε ταὐτὸ ποιοῦντες ἐμοί. ταῦτʼ εἰπὼν καὶ τὸ ξίφος ἀνατείνας ὤμοσε τὸν ἐπιχώριόν τε Ῥωμαίοις καὶ κράτιστον ὅρκον, τὴν ἀγαθὴν ἑαυτοῦ πίστιν, νικήσας τοὺς πολεμίους ἥξειν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, ἄλλως δʼ οὔ.
This man—who was, in addition to his other qualities, large and handsome to look upon—standing where he was bound to be visible to all, said: "Since you fear this, consuls, lest our deeds should not be like our words, I will be the first to provide you, on my own behalf, with the security of my promise with the greatest pledge of faith; and you too, citizens and partners in the same fortune, as many as have determined to make your deeds equal to your words, would not err in doing the same as I." Having said this and raised his sword, he swore by the oath native to the Romans and the strongest of all, his own good faith, that he would return to the city after defeating the enemy, but otherwise not.
τοῦτον ὀμόσαντος τοῦ Φλαβοληίου τὸν ὅρκον πολὺς ἐξ ἁπάντων ἔπαινος ἐγένετο· καὶ αὐτίκα οἵ τε ὕπατοι ἀμφότεροι ταὐτὸν ἔδρων καὶ οἱ τὰς ἐλάττους ἔχοντες στρατηγίας χιλίαρχοί τε καὶ λοχαγοί, τελευτῶσα §9.10.5δʼ ἡ πληθύς.
When this Flavoleius had sworn the oath, great praise arose from all; and immediately both consuls did the same, as did the tribunes and centurions who held the lesser commands, and finally the multitude.
ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῦτʼ ἐγένετο, πολλὴ μὲν εὐθυμία πᾶσιν ἐνέπεσε, πολλὴ δὲ φιλότης ἀλλήλων, θάρσος τʼ αὖ καὶ μένος· καὶ ἀπελθόντες ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, οἱ μὲν ἵπποις χαλινοὺς ἐνέβαλλον, οἱ δὲ ξίφη καὶ λόγχας ἔθηγον, οἱ δὲ τὰ σκεπαστήρια τῶν ὅπλων ἐξέματτον· καὶ ὀλίγου πᾶσα ἦν ἕτοιμος εἰς τὸν ἀγῶνα ἡ στρατιά.
When this was done, great good cheer fell upon all, and great affection for one another, and also courage and rage; and departing from the assembly, some put bridles on their horses, others sharpened their swords and spears, and others wiped off the covers of their weapons; and in a short time the whole army was ready for the struggle.
§9.10.6οἱ δʼ ὕπατοι τοὺς θεοὺς εὐχαῖς τε καὶ θυσίαις καὶ λιταῖς ἐπικαλεσάμενοι τῆς ἐξόδου σφίσι γενέσθαι ἡγεμόνας, ἐξῆγον ἐκ τοῦ χάρακος ἐν τάξει καὶ κόσμῳ τὸν στρατόν.
And the consuls, having called upon the gods with prayers, sacrifices, and supplications to be the guides of their sally, led the army out of the camp in order and discipline.
καὶ οἱ Τυρρηνοὶ κατιόντας αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῶν ἐρυμάτων ἰδόντες ἐθαύμασάν τε καὶ ἀντεπεξῄεσαν ἁπάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει.
And the Tyrrhenians, seeing them coming down from the fortifications, were astonished and went out to meet them with all their force.