§1.32.1mortuo Tullo res, ut institutum iam inde ab initio erat, ad patres redierat, hique interregem nominaverant.
On the death of Tullus, the state, as had been the custom from the very beginning, reverted to the patricians, and they nominated an interrex.
quo comitia habente Ancum Marcium regem populus creavit; patres fuere auctores.
While he was holding the assembly, the people elected Ancus Marcius as king; the patricians ratified the choice.
Numae Pompili regis nepos, filia ortus, Ancus Marcius erat.
Ancus Marcius was the grandson of King Numa Pompilius, born of his daughter.
§1.32.2qui ut regnare coepit, et avitae gloriae memor et quia proximum regnum, cetera egregium, ab una parte haud satis prosperum fuerat, aut neglectis religionibus aut prave cultis, longe antiquissimum ratus sacra publica, ut ab Numa instituta erant, facere, omnia ea ex commentariis regis pontificem in album relata proponere in publico iubet.
When he began to reign, both mindful of his grandfather's glory, and because the last reign, otherwise excellent, had not been sufficiently prosperous in one respect, because religious rites had been either neglected or improperly performed, believing it by far the most important duty to perform the public sacrifices as they had been instituted by Numa, he ordered the pontiff to transcribe all these from the commentaries of the king onto a white tablet and display them in public.
inde et civibus otii cupidis et finitimis civitatibus facta spes in avi mores atque instituta regem abiturum.
From this, both the citizens who were eager for peace and the neighboring states conceived the hope that the king would conform to the customs and institutions of his grandfather.
§1.32.3igitur Latini, cum quibus Tullo regnante ictum foedus erat, sustulerant animos et, cum incursionem in agrum Romanum fecissent, repetentibus res Romanis superbe responsum reddunt, desidem Romanum regem inter sacella et aras acturum esse regnum rati.
Therefore the Latins, with whom a treaty had been struck during the reign of Tullus, took courage, and when they had made an incursion into Roman territory, they gave a haughty answer to the Romans when they demanded redress, thinking that the indolent Roman king would spend his reign among chapels and altars.
§1.32.4medium erat in Anco ingenium, et Numae et Romuli memor; et praeterquam quod avi regno magis necessariam fuisse pacem credebat cum in novo tum feroci populo, etiam quod illi contigisset otium sine iniuria, id se haud facile habiturum; temptari patientiam et temptatam contemni, temporaque esse Tullo regi aptiora quam Numae.
Ancus possessed a temperament intermediate between Numa and Romulus, mindful of both; and besides the fact that he believed peace had been more necessary for his grandfather's reign, since the people were then new and also fierce, he also thought that he would not easily maintain that undisturbed leisure which had fallen to the lot of his predecessor; his patience was being tried, and once tried, it was despised, and the times were more suited for a King Tullus than for a Numa.
§1.32.5ut tamen, quoniam Numa in pace religiones instituisset, a se bellicae caerimoniae proderentur nec gererentur solum, sed etiam indicerentur bella aliquo ritu, ius ab antiqua gente Aequiculis, quod nunc fetiales habent, descripsit, quo res repetuntur.
In order, however, that since Numa had instituted religious rites in peace, military ceremonies might be handed down by himself, and that wars might not only be waged but also declared with some ritual, he copied from the ancient nation of the Aequiculi the law which the fetials now have, by which redress is demanded.
§1.32.6legatus ubi ad fines eorum venit, unde res repetuntur, capite velato filo — lanae velamen est — “audi, Iuppiter,” inquit; “audite, fines” — cuiuscumque gentis sunt, nominat —; “audiat fas: ego sum publicus nuntius populi Romani; iuste pieque legatus venio verbisque meis fides sit. ” peragit deinde postulata.
When the envoy comes to the boundaries of those from whom redress is demanded, with his head covered with a fillet—which is a covering of wool—he says: "Hear, O Jupiter; hear, O boundaries"—whichever nation they belong to, he names—; "let Justice hear: I am the public messenger of the Roman people; I come as an envoy justly and piously, and let faith be given to my words." He then delivers his demands.
§1.32.7inde Iouem testem facit: “si ego iniuste inpieque illos homines illasque res dedier mihi exposco, tum patriae compotem me numquam siris esse. ” haec, §1.32.8cum finis superscandit, haec, quicumque ei primus vir obvius fuit, haec portam ingrediens, haec forum ingressus paucis verbis carminis concipiendique iuris iurandi mutatis peragit.
Then he makes Jupiter his witness: "If I unjustly and impiously demand those men and those things to be surrendered to me, then never suffer me to return to my native land." These words, when he crosses the boundary, these to the first man who meets him, these as he enters the gate, these having entered the forum, he repeats with a few words of the formula and the oath to be taken changed.
§1.32.9si non deduntur, quos exposcit, diebus tribus et triginta — tot enim sollemnes sunt — peractis bellum ita indicit: §1.32.10“audi, Iuppiter, et tu, Iane Quirine, diique omnes caelestes vosque, terrestres, vosque, inferni, audite: ego vos testor populum illum” — quicumque est, nominat — “iniustum esse neque ius persolvere.
If those whom he demands are not surrendered, when thirty-three days—for so many are customary—have passed, he declares war in this manner: "Hear, O Jupiter, and thou, Janus Quirinus, and all ye gods of heaven, and ye of earth, and ye of the lower world, hear: I call you to witness that this people"—whichever it is, he names—"is unjust and does not render what is right.
sed de istis rebus in patria maiores natu consulemus, quo pacto ius nostrum adipiscamur. ” tum is nuntius Romam ad consulendum redit.
But concerning these matters we will consult the elders in our fatherland, in what manner we may obtain our right." Then the messenger returns to Rome to consult.
confestim rex his ferme verbis patres consulebat: §1.32.11“quarum rerum, litium, causarum condixit pater patratus populi Romani Quiritium patri patrato Priscorum Latinorum hominibusque Priscis Latinis, quas res nec dederunt nec solverunt nec fecerunt, quas res dari, solvi, fieri oportuit, die” inquit ei, quem primum sententiam rogabat, “quid censes?” §1.32.12tum ille: “puro pioque duello quaerendas censeo itaque consentio consciscoque. ” inde ordine alii rogabantur; quandoque pars maior eorum, qui aderant, in eandem sententiam ibat, bellum erat consensum.
Immediately the king would consult the patricians in almost these words: "Concerning those matters, disputes, and causes which the pater patratus of the Roman people of the Quirites has declared to the pater patratus of the Ancient Latins and to the men of the Ancient Latins, which things they have neither surrendered, nor paid, nor performed, which things ought to have been surrendered, paid, and performed, say," he would say to the one whose opinion he asked first, "what do you think?" Then he would reply: "I think they should be sought by a pure and pious war, and therefore I agree and vote for it." Then the others were asked in order; and whenever a majority of those present went over to the same opinion, war was agreed upon.
fieri solitum, ut fetialis hastam ferratam aut sanguineam praeustam ad fines eorum ferret et non minus tribus puberibus praesentibus diceret: §1.32.13“quod populi Priscorum Latinorum hominesque Prisci Latini adversus populum Romanum Quiritium fecerunt, deliquerunt, quod populus Romanus Quiritium bellum cum Priscis Latinis iussit esse senatusque populi Romani Quiritium censuit, consensit, conscivit, ut bellum cum Priscis Latinis fieret, ob eam rem ego populusque Romanus populis Priscorum Latinorum hominibusque Priscis Latinis bellum indico facioque. ” id ubi dixisset, hastam in fines eorum emittebat.
It was customary for the fetial to carry a spear, iron-pointed or of cornel-wood hardened in the fire and dipped in blood, to their boundaries, and say in the presence of not fewer than three youths: "Because the states of the Ancient Latins and the men of the Ancient Latins have acted against and offended the Roman people of the Quirites, and because the Roman people of the Quirites has commanded that there should be war with the Ancient Latins, and the senate of the Roman people of the Quirites has voted, agreed, and decreed that war should be made with the Ancient Latins, for this reason I and the Roman people declare and make war upon the states of the Ancient Latins and the men of the Ancient Latins." When he had said this, he would cast the spear into their territory.
§1.32.14hoc tum modo ab Latinis repetitae res ac bellum indictum, moremque eum posteri acceperunt.
In this manner then redress was demanded from the Latins and war was declared, and posterity adopted that custom.