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Dionysius of Halicarnassus · Roman Antiquities §9.33.1-9.33.3

Defense by Virginius and the Acquittal of Servilius

Passage 702 of 962 · Greek

Summary

Servilius left his defense to others without showing any abjectness, and thanks to the passionate defense by his former colleague Virginius and others, as well as his pity-arousing appearance, he was acquitted by all the tribes.

§9.33.1τοιούτους εἰπὼν λόγους καὶ οὔτε πρὸς ὀλοφυρμοὺς καὶ ἀνακλαύσεις τῆς συμφορᾶς τραπόμενος, οὔτʼ ἐν δεήσεσι καὶ προκυλισμοῖς ἀσχήμοσι ταπεινὸς φανείς, οὔτʼ ἄλλην ἀγεννῆ διάθεσιν ἀποδειξάμενος οὐδεμίαν παρέδωκε τὸν λόγον τοῖς συναγορεύειν ἢ μαρτυρεῖν βουλομένοις.
Having spoken such words, and neither turning to laments and wailings over his misfortune, nor appearing abject in unseemly entreaties and prostrations, nor showing any other ungenerous disposition, he yielded the floor to those who wished to speak in his defense or to bear witness.
πολλοὶ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλοι παριόντες ἀπέλυον αὐτὸν τῆς αἰτίας, μάλιστα δὲ Οὐεργίνιος ὁ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν ὑπατεύσας χρόνον καὶ τῆς νίκης αἴτιος εἶναι δοκῶν· ὃς οὐ μόνον ἀναίτιον αὐτὸν ἀπέφαινεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς κράτιστον ἀνδρῶν τὰ πολέμια καὶ στρατηγῶν φρονιμώτατον ἐπαινεῖσθαί §9.33.2τε καὶ τιμᾶσθαι ὑπὸ πάντων ἠξίου.
Accordingly, many others also came forward and cleared him of the accusation, and especially Virginius, who had been consul at the same time and was believed to be the author of the victory; who not only declared him innocent, but also demanded that he be praised and honored by all as the bravest of men in military matters and the wisest of generals.
ἔφη δὲ δεῖν, εἰ μὲν ἀγαθὸν οἴονται τέλος εἰληφέναι τὸν πόλεμον ἀμφοτέροις σφίσι τὴν χάριν εἰδέναι· εἰ δὲ πονηρὸν ἀμφοτέρους ζημιοῦν· κοινὰ γὰρ αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰ βουλεύματα καὶ τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὰς ἐκ τοῦ δαιμονίου τύχας γεγονέναι.
And he said that, if they thought the war had had a good end, they ought to be grateful to both of them; but if a bad one, they ought to punish both; for their counsels, actions, and fortunes from the deity had been in common.
ἦν δʼ οὐ μόνον ὁ λόγος τοῦ ἀνδρός, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ βίος πείθων, ἐν ἅπασιν ἐξητασμένος ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς.
And it was not only the man's speech, but also his life, tested in all good deeds, that was persuasive.
§9.33.3προσῆν δὲ τούτοις, ὃ πλεῖστον ἐκίνησεν οἶκτον, ὄψεως σχῆμα συμπαθές, οἷον περὶ αὐτοὺς τοὺς πεπονθότας ἢ μέλλοντας πάσχειν τὰ δεινὰ γίνεσθαι φιλεῖ.
In addition to these things, what moved the greatest pity was the sympathetic appearance of his countenance, such as is wont to be seen around those who have suffered or are about to suffer terrible things.
ὥστε καὶ τοὺς προσήκοντας τοῖς ἀπολωλόσι καὶ δοκοῦντας ἀδιαλλάκτως ἔχειν πρὸς τὸν αἴτιον σφίσι τῆς συμφορᾶς, μαλακωτέρους γενέσθαι καὶ ἀποθέσθαι τὴν ὀργήν, ὡς ἐδήλωσαν.
Consequently, even those who were related to the deceased and were thought to be irreconcilably hostile toward the author of their misfortune became softer and laid aside their anger, as they made clear.
ἀναδοθεισῶν γὰρ τῶν ψήφων οὐδεμία φυλὴ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς κατεψηφίσατο.
For when the votes were given, no tribe voted against the man.
ὁ μὲν οὖν τὸν Σερουίλιον καταλαβὼν κίνδυνος τοιούτου τέλους ἔτυχεν.
Thus the danger that had overtaken Servilius met with such an end.

Notes

  1. 9.33.2δεῖν — This is the infinitive of the impersonal verb δεῖ in indirect discourse, which governs the following accusative-with-infinitive constructions (εἰδέναι and ζημιοῦν), where the subject ("the people", in the accusative) is implied from the context. ἀμφοτέροις is the dative object of εἰδέναι χάριν (to be grateful).
  2. 9.33.3 — The neuter singular relative pronoun ὅ either proleptically anticipates the following noun phrase ὄψεως σχῆμα in apposition, or functions parenthetically ("what moved the greatest pity"). οἶκτον (pity) is the direct object of ἐκίνησεν within the relative clause.
  3. 9.33.3ὥστε — A conjunction introducing a result clause, taking the following infinitives γενέσθαι and ἀποθέσθαι to express the actual consequence ("with the result that...").

Cite this passage

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities §9.33.1-9.33.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0081.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.33.1-9.33.3

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