§1.28.1tum Albanus exercitus, spectator certaminis, deductus in campos.
Then the Alban army, a spectator of the contest, was marched down into the plains.
Mettius Tullo devictos hostes gratulatur; contra Tullus Mettium benigne adloquitur.
Mettius congratulates Tullus on the defeat of the enemy; on the other hand, Tullus addresses Mettius kindly.
quod bene vertat, castra Albanos Romanis castris iungere iubet; sacrificium lustrale in diem posterum parat.
Praying that this might turn out well, he orders the Albans to join their camp with the Roman camp; he prepares a lustral sacrifice for the following day.
§1.28.2ubi inluxit, paratis omnibus, ut adsolet, vocari ad contionem utrumque exercitum iubet.
When it was light, everything having been prepared as is customary, he orders both armies to be summoned to an assembly.
praecones ab extremo orsi primos excivere Albanos.
The heralds, beginning from the outermost, summoned the Albans first.
hi novitate etiam rei moti, ut regem Romanum contionantem audirent, proximi constitere.
These, moved also by the novelty of the thing, in order to hear the Roman king holding an assembly, stood closest.
§1.28.3ex conposito armata circumdatur Romana legio; centurionibus datum negotium erat, ut sine mora imperia exequerentur.
By agreement, the armed Roman legion surrounds them; the centurions had been given the task of executing the orders without delay.
§1.28.4tum ita Tullus infit: “Romani, si umquam ante alias ullo in bello fuit, quod primum dis immortalibus gratias ageretis, deinde vestrae ipsorum virtuti, hesternum id proelium fuit.
Then Tullus begins thus: "Romans, if ever before in any war there was a reason for you to give thanks first to the immortal gods, then to your own valor, that was yesterday's battle.
dimicatum est enim non magis cum hostibus quam, quae dimicatio maior atque periculosior est, cum proditione ac perfidia sociorum.
For the struggle was not more against the enemy than against the treachery and faithlessness of our allies, which is the greater and more dangerous struggle.
§1.28.5nam, ne vos falsa opinio teneat, iniussu meo Albani subiere ad montes, nec imperium illud meum, sed consilium et imperii simulatio fuit, ut nec vobis ignorantibus deseri vos averteretur a certamine animus et hostibus circumveniri se ab tergo ratis terror ac fuga iniceretur.
For, lest a false opinion possess you, the Albans went up to the mountains without my order; nor was that command mine, but a plan and a simulation of command, so that, with you remaining ignorant that you were being deserted, your minds might not be turned away from the contest, and that terror and flight might be inspired in the enemy, who thought they were being surrounded from behind.
§1.28.6nec ea culpa, quam arguo, omnium Albanorum est; ducem secuti sunt, ut et vos, si quo ego inde agmen declinare voluissem, fecissetis.
Nor is that guilt, which I charge, that of all the Albans; they followed their leader, just as you also would have done, if I had wished to turn the line of march in any direction from there.
Mettius ille est ductor itineris huius, Mettius idem huius machinator belli, Mettius foederis Romani Albanique ruptor.
That Mettius is the leader of this march, the same Mettius is the contriver of this war, Mettius is the breaker of the Roman and Alban treaty.
audeat deinde talia alius, nisi in hunc insigne iam documentum mortalibus dedero. ” §1.28.7centuriones armati Mettium circumsistunt; rex cetera, ut orsus erat, peragit: “quod bonum, faustum felixque sit populo Romano ac mihi vobisque, Albani, populum omnem Albanum Romam traducere in animo est, civitatem dare plebi, primores in patres legere, unam urbem, unam rem publicam facere.
Let another dare such things hereafter, unless I exhibit in him a notable example to mankind." Armed centurions surround Mettius; the king finishes the rest, as he had begun: "May it be good, auspicious, and fortunate for the Roman people, and for me and you, Albans: it is my intention to transfer the entire Alban population to Rome, to grant citizenship to the common people, to enroll the chief men into the senate, to make one city, one commonwealth.
ut ex uno quondam in duos populos divisa Albana res est, sic nunc in unum redeat. ” §1.28.8ad haec Albana pubes inermis ab armatis saepta in variis voluntatibus communi tamen metu cogente silentium tenet.
As the Alban state was once divided from one into two peoples, so now let it return to one." To this, the unarmed Alban youth, hemmed in by armed men, keep silence, amid diverse feelings, yet compelled by a common fear.
§1.28.9tum Tullus “Metti Fufeti” inquit, “si ipse discere posses fidem ac foedera servare, vivo tibi ea disciplina a me adhibita esset; nunc, quoniam tuum insanabile ingenium est, at tu tuo supplicio doce humanum genus ea sancta credere, quae a te violata sunt.
Then Tullus said, "Mettius Fufetius, if you yourself could learn to keep faith and treaties, that discipline would have been applied to you by me while you were alive; now, since your disposition is incurable, do you at least by your punishment teach mankind to hold those things sacred which have been violated by you.
ut igitur paulo ante animum inter Fidenatem Romanamque rem ancipitem gessisti, ita iam corpus passim distrahendum dabis. ” §1.28.10exinde duabus admotis quadrigis in currus earum distentum inligat Mettium, deinde in diversum iter equi concitati lacerum in utroque curru corpus, qua inhaeserant vinculis membra, portantes.
Therefore, just as a little while ago you kept your mind divided between the Fidenate and the Roman states, so now you shall give your body to be torn asunder in different directions." Thereupon, two four-horse chariots having been brought up, he binds Mettius stretched out to their cars; then the horses, urged in opposite directions, carry away the mangled body in each chariot, with the limbs torn where they had clung to the bonds.
§1.28.11avertere omnes ab tanta foeditate spectaculi oculos.
All turned away their eyes from so foul a spectacle.
primum ultimumque illud supplicium apud Romanos exempli parum memoris legum humanarum fuit; in aliis gloriari licet nulli gentium mitiores placuisse poenas.
That was the first and last punishment among the Romans of an example little mindful of human laws; in other cases it is permitted to boast that milder punishments pleased no nation."