§1.23.1haec nuntiant domum Albani.
The Albans reported these things home.
et bellum utrimque summa ope parabatur, civili simillimum bello, prope inter parentes natosque, Troianam utramque prolem, cum Lavinium ab Troia, ab Lavinio Alba, ab Albanorum stirpe regum oriundi Romani essent.
And war was prepared on both sides with the greatest effort, very like a civil war, almost between parents and children, both descendants of Troy, since Lavinium was from Troy, Alba from Lavinium, and the Romans were sprung from the stock of the Alban kings.
§1.23.2eventus tamen belli minus miserabilem dimicationem fecit, quod nec acie certatum est et tectis modo dirutis alterius urbis duo populi in unum confusi sunt.
Yet the outcome of the war made the conflict less miserable, because it was not fought in a pitched battle, and with only the buildings of one city demolished, the two peoples were merged into one.
§1.23.3Albani priores ingenti exercitu in agrum Romanum impetum fecere.
The Albans were the first to make an incursion into Roman territory with a huge army.
castra ab urbe haud plus quinque milia passuum locant; fossa circumdant; fossa Cluilia ab nomine ducis per aliquot saecula appellata est, donec cum re nomen quoque vetustate abolevit.
They pitched camp not more than five miles from the city, and surrounded it with a trench; this was called the Cluilian Trench after the name of the leader for several centuries, until along with the thing itself, the name also was wiped out by antiquity.
§1.23.4in his castris Cluilius, Albanus rex, moritur; dictatorem Albani Mettium Fufetium creant.
In this camp Cluilius, the Alban king, died; the Albans appointed Mettius Fufetius dictator.
interim Tullus ferox, praecipue morte regis, magnumque deorum numen ab ipso capite orsum in omne nomen Albanum expetiturum poenas ob bellum inpium dictitans, nocte praeteritis hostium castris infesto exercitu in agrum Albanum pergit.
Meanwhile Tullus, fierce, especially because of the king's death, and repeatedly declaring that the great power of the gods, starting from the head itself, would exact punishment upon the entire Alban name for the unholy war, advanced by night into the Alban territory with a hostile army, having bypassed the enemy's camp.
ea res ab stativis excivit Mettium.
This action brought Mettius out from his permanent camp.
§1.23.5ducit quam proxume ad hostem potest.
He led his forces as close to the enemy as possible.
inde legatum praemissum nuntiare Tullo iubet, priusquam dimicent, opus esse colloquio; si secum congressus sit, satis scire ea se allaturum, quae nihilo minus ad rem Romanam quam ad Albanam pertineant.
From there, having sent an envoy ahead, he ordered him to announce to Tullus that before they fought, there was need for a conference; if he should meet with him, he knew well enough that he would bring forward matters that concerned the Roman interest no less than the Alban.
haud aspernatus Tullus, §1.23.6tamen, si vana adferantur, in aciem educit.
Tullus did not reject this, yet, in case empty proposals should be brought forward, he led his men out into line of battle.
exeunt contra et Albani.
The Albans also came out to meet them.
postquam structi utrimque stabant, cum paucis procerum in medium duces procedunt.
After they stood drawn up on both sides, the leaders, with a few of their nobles, stepped forward into the middle.
§1.23.7ibi infit Albanus: “iniurias et non redditas res ex foedere quae repetitae sint et ego regem nostrum Cluilium causam huiusce esse belli audisse videor nec te dubito, Tulle, eadem prae te ferre; sed si vera potius quam dictu speciosa dicenda sunt, cupido imperii duos cognatos vicinosque populos ad arma stimulat.
There the Alban began: "I too seem to have heard our king Cluilius say that grievances and the unreturned property demanded according to the treaty were the cause of this war, and I do not doubt, Tullus, that you allege the same; but if truth rather than what is specious to say must be spoken, the lust for power stimulates two related and neighboring peoples to arms.
§1.23.8neque, recte an perperam, interpreter; fuerit ista eius deliberatio, qui bellum suscepit; me Albani gerendo bello ducem creavere.
I shall not judge whether this is right or wrong; let that have been the deliberation of him who undertook the war; the Albans have made me leader for conducting the war.
illud te, Tulle, monitum velim: Etrusca res quanta circa nos teque maxime sit, quo propior es Tuscis, hoc magis scis.
I would wish you, Tullus, to be warned of this: how great the Etruscan power is around us and especially you, the closer you are to the Tuscans, the more you know.
multum illi terra, plurimum mari pollent.
They are very powerful on land, and most powerful by sea.
§1.23.9memor esto, iam cum signum pugnae dabis, has duas acies spectaculo fore, ut fessos confectosque, simul victorem ac victum, adgrediantur.
Be mindful, when you give the signal for battle, that these two armies will be a spectacle to them, so that they may attack the weary and exhausted, victor and vanquished alike at the same time.
itaque, si nos di amant, quoniam non contenti libertate certa in dubiam imperii servitiique aleam imus, ineamus aliquam viam, qua, utri utris imperent, sine magna clade, sine multo sanguine utriusque populi decerni possit. ” §1.23.10haud displicet res Tullo, quamquam cum indole animi tum spe victoriae ferocior erat.
Therefore, if the gods love us, since not content with certain liberty we go into the doubtful hazard of empire and slavery, let us enter upon some way by which it can be decided which shall rule the other, without great disaster, without much blood of either people." The proposal was not displeasing to Tullus, although he was more warlike both by his natural disposition and by hope of victory.
quaerentibus utrimque ratio initur, cui et fortuna ipsa praebuit materiam.
As they sought, a plan was agreed upon by both sides, for which fortune itself provided the material.