§1.25.1— Foedere icto trigemini, sicut convenerat, arma capiunt.
— With the treaty struck, the triplets, as had been agreed, take up their arms.
cum sui utrosque adhortarentur, deos patrios, patriam ac parentes, quicquid civium domi, quicquid in exercitu sit, illorum tunc arma, illorum intueri manus, feroces et suopte ingenio et pleni adhortantium vocibus in medium inter duas acies procedunt. §1.25.2consederant utrimque pro castris duo exercitus periculi magis praesentis quam curae expertes; quippe imperium agebatur in tam paucorum virtute atque fortuna positum.
While their own people were encouraging both sides, reminding them that their ancestral gods, their country and parents, whatever of citizens was at home, whatever in the army, were then looking at their arms, looking at their hands, they, fierce both by their own nature and filled with the voices of those encouraging them, advance into the middle between the two lines of battle. The two armies had sat down on both sides in front of their camps, free rather from immediate danger than from anxiety; for indeed, dominion was at stake, placed upon the courage and fortune of so few.
itaque ergo erecti suspensique in minime gratum spectaculum animos intendunt. §1.25.3datur signum infestisque armis velut acies terni iuvenes magnorum exercituum animos gerentes concurrunt.
Therefore, alert and suspended, they direct their minds to a spectacle by no means pleasing. The signal is given, and with weapons at the charge, like battle lines, three young men bearing the spirits of great armies run together.
nec his nec illis periculum suum, publicum imperium servitiumque obversatur animo futuraque ea deinde patriae fortuna, quam ipsi fecissent. §1.25.4ut primo statim concursu concrepuere arma micantesque fulsere gladii, horror ingens spectantis perstringit; et neutro inclinata spe torpebat vox spiritusque. §1.25.5consertis deinde manibus cum iam non motus tantum corporum agitatioque anceps telorum armorumque sed vulnera quoque et sanguis spectaculo essent, duo Romani, super alium alius, vulneratis tribus Albanis expirantes corruerunt. §1.25.6ad quorum casum cum conclamasset gaudio Albanus exercitus, Romanas legiones iam spes tota, nondum tamen cura deseruerat, exanimes vice unius, quem tres Curiatii circumsteterant. §1.25.7forte is integer fuit, ut universis solus nequaquam par, sic adversus singulos ferox.
Neither to these nor to those did their own danger present itself to the mind, but the public dominion and servitude, and that future fortune of their country which they themselves should make. As soon as at the very first clash the arms clashed and the flashing swords shone, a great horror grips the spectators; and with hope inclined to neither side, voice and breath were frozen. When, hand to hand having been joined, now not only the movements of bodies and the doubtful agitation of weapons and arms, but also wounds and blood were for a spectacle, two Romans fell dying, one upon the other, three Albans having been wounded. At whose fall when the Alban army had shouted with joy, all hope indeed had now left the Roman legions, but not yet anxiety, breathless on account of the plight of the single one, whom the three Curiatii had surrounded. By chance he was unhurt, so that, by no means a match alone for all together, yet he was fierce against them individually.
ergo, ut segregaret pugnam eorum, capessit fugam, ita ratus secuturos, ut quemque vulnere adfectum corpus sineret. §1.25.8iam aliquantum spatii ex eo loco, ubi pugnatum est, aufugerat, cum respiciens videt magnis intervallis sequentes; unum haud procul ab sese abesse. §1.25.9in eum magno impetu rediit, et dum Albanus exercitus inclamat Curiatios, uti opem ferant fratri, iam Horatius caeso hoste victor secundam pugnam petebat.
Therefore, in order to separate their fighting, he takes to flight, thinking they would follow in such a way as the body of each, affected by a wound, would permit. Now he had fled some distance from that place where they had fought, when, looking back, he sees them following at great intervals; one was not far from him. Against him he turned back with a great rush, and while the Alban army cries out to the Curiatii to bring help to their brother, already Horatius, the enemy having been slain, as victor was seeking a second battle.
tunc clamore, qualis ex insperato faventium solet, Romani adiuvant militem suum; et ille defungi proelio festinat. §1.25.10prius itaque, quam alter, qui nec procul aberat, consequi posset, et alterum Curiatium conficit; §1.25.11iamque aequato Marte singuli supererant, sed nec spe nec viribus pares.
Then with a shout, such as is usual from those favoring from an unexpected turn, the Romans assist their soldier; and he hastens to dispatch the battle. Therefore, before the other, who was not far off, could catch up, he also dispatches the second Curiatius; and now, the battle being equalized, single combatants remained, but equal neither in hope nor in strength.
alterum intactum ferro corpus et geminata victoria ferocem in certamen tertium dabat; alter fessum vulnere, fessum cursu trahens corpus victusque fratrum ante se strage victori obicitur hosti. §1.25.12nec illud proelium fuit.
One, his body untouched by iron and fierce with a double victory, was offering himself to a third contest; the other, dragging a body weary from his wound, weary from his running, and already conquered by the slaughter of his brothers before him, is exposed to the victorious enemy. Nor was that a battle.
Romanus exsultans “duos” inquit “fratrum Manibus dedi; tertium causae belli huiusce, ut Romanus Albano imperet, dabo. ” male sustinenti arma gladium superne iugulo defigit; iacentem spoliat. §1.25.13Romani ovantes ac gratulantes Horatium accipiunt eo maiore cum gaudio, quo prope metum res fuerat.
The Roman exulting says: "Two I have given to the Shades of my brothers; the third I will give to the cause of this war, so that the Roman may rule the Alban." Upon him scarcely holding up his arms, he drives his sword from above into his throat; he despoils him lying. The Romans, shouting in triumph and congratulating, receive Horatius with so much the greater joy, by how much the matter had been near to fear.
ad sepulturam inde suorum nequaquam paribus animis vertuntur, quippe imperio alteri aucti, alteri dicionis alienae facti. §1.25.14sepulcra extant, quo quisque loco cecidit, duo Romana uno loco propius Albam, tria Albana Romam versus, sed distantia locis, ut et pugnatum est.
Then they turn to the burial of their own, with by no means equal minds, since the one side had been increased by dominion, the other made of another's sway. The tombs remain in the place where each fell: two Roman in one place nearer to Alba, three Alban toward Rome, but separated in places, just as they fought.