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Livy · History of Rome §1.51.1-1.51.9

Tarquin's Framing and Execution of Turnus

Passage 52 of 1770 · Latin

Summary

Tarquin frames Turnus by planting a large number of swords in his lodging, leading to Turnus' apprehension before the Latin leaders. Incited by Tarquin, the furious Latins execute Turnus without a trial by drowning him in the Ferentina spring.

§1.51.1haec Aricinus in regem Romanum increpans ex concilio abiit.
With these reproaches against the Roman king, the man of Aricia departed from the council.
quam rem Tarquinius aliquanto quam videbatur aegrius ferens confestim Turno necem machinatur, ut eundem terrorem, quo civium animos domi oppresserat, Latinis iniceret.
Tarquin, bearing this with considerably more bitterness than he appeared to, immediately plotted the death of Turnus, in order to inspire the Latins with the same terror with which he had oppressed the minds of his citizens at home.
§1.51.2et quia pro imperio palam interfici non poterat, oblato falso crimine insontem oppressit.
And because Turnus could not be put to death openly by virtue of his authority, Tarquin crushed the innocent man by bringing a false charge against him.
per adversae factionis quosdam Aricinos servum Turni auro corrupit, ut in deversorium eius vim magnam gladiorum inferri clam sineret.
Through certain Aricians of the opposite faction, he bribed a slave of Turnus with gold to secretly allow a great quantity of swords to be brought into his lodging.
§1.51.3ea cum multa nocte perfecta essent, Tarquinius paulo ante lucem accitis ad se principibus Latinorum quasi re nova perturbatus, moram suam hesternam, velut deorum quadam providentia inlatam, ait saluti sibi atque illis fuisse.
When these things had been completed late at night, Tarquin, having summoned the leading men of the Latins to him a little before daybreak as if agitated by some sudden event, said that his delay of yesterday, brought about as if by some providence of the gods, had been the salvation of himself and of them.
§1.51.4ab Turno dici sibi et primoribus populorum parari necem, ut Latinorum solus imperium teneat.
He said it had been told to him that a massacre was being prepared by Turnus for himself and the chiefs of the states, so that he alone might hold the supreme power over the Latins.
adgressurum fuisse hesterno die in concilio; dilatam rem esse, quod auctor concilii afuerit, quem maxime peteret.
Turnus would have attacked them yesterday in the council, but the business had been deferred because the framer of the council, whom he chiefly aimed at, was absent.
§1.51.5inde illam absentis insectationem esse natam, quod morando spem destituerit.
From this had arisen that abuse of him in his absence, because by delaying he had disappointed his hope.
non dubitare, si vera deferantur, quin prima luce, ubi ventum in concilium sit, instructus cum coniuratorum manu armatusque venturus sit.
He did not doubt that, if the reports brought to him were true, Turnus would come at daybreak, when they assembled in the council, equipped and armed with a band of conspirators.
dici gladiorum ingentem esse numerum ad eum convectum.
It was said that a huge number of swords had been conveyed to his lodging.
§1.51.6id vanum necne sit, extemplo sciri posse.
Whether this was groundless or not could be known immediately.
rogare eos, ut inde secum ad Turnum veniant.
He asked them to go with him from there to Turnus.
suspectam fecit rem §1.51.7et ingenium Turni ferox et oratio hesterna et mora Tarquini, quod videbatur ob eam differri caedes potuisse.
The matter was made credible by both the fierce disposition of Turnus, his speech of yesterday, and the delay of Tarquin, because it seemed that on that account the slaughter might have been postponed.
eunt inclinatis quidem ad credendum animis, tamen nisi gladiis deprehensis cetera vana existimaturi.
They went with minds indeed inclined to believe, yet resolved to regard everything else as groundless unless the swords were detected.
§1.51.8ubi est eo ventum, Turnum ex somno excitatum circumsistunt custodes; conprehensisque servis, qui caritate domini vim parabant, cum gladii abditi ex omnibus locis deverticuli protraherentur, enimvero manifesta res visa, iniectaeque Turno catenae; et confestim Latinorum concilium magno cum tumultu advocatur.
When they arrived there, guards surrounded Turnus, who had been aroused from sleep; and when the slaves, who out of affection for their master were preparing resistance, were arrested, and the hidden swords were dragged out from all parts of the lodging, then indeed the matter appeared manifest, and chains were thrown upon Turnus; and immediately the council of the Latins was summoned with a great tumult.
§1.51.9ibi tam atrox invidia orta est gladiis in medio positis, ut indicta causa, novo genere leti, deiectus ad caput aquae Ferentinae crate superne iniecta saxisque congestis mergeretur.
There such fierce hatred arose when the swords were placed in the midst, that without his case being heard, by a new kind of death, he was thrown into the source of the Ferentina water, and drowned by having a hurdle thrown over him and stones piled upon it.

Notes

  1. 1.51.1aliquanto quam videbatur aegrius — The word aliquanto is an ablative of degree of difference modifying the comparative adverb aegrius. Literally 'somewhat (or considerably) more bitterly than it appeared', indicating that Tarquin's inner fury was far greater than what his outward demeanor let on.
  2. 1.51.4ab Turno dici sibi et primoribus populorum parari necem — An indirect speech construction dependent on ait in the previous section. The verb dici is a passive infinitive with sibi (referring to Tarquin) as the dative of indirect object. The logical subject of dici is the accusative and infinitive clause parari necem, meaning 'it was told to him that a massacre was being prepared by Turnus'.
  3. 1.51.4adgressurum fuisse — Represents the apodosis of a past contrary-to-fact condition (or unfulfilled intention) in indirect speech. In direct speech, this would have been adgressus esset ('he would have attacked') or adgressurus fuit ('he was about to attack'). The subject (Turnus) is omitted.
  4. 1.51.6suspectam fecit rem et ingenium Turni ferox et oratio hesterna et mora Tarquini — A case of hyperbaton. The object of fecit is rem and its predicate accusative is suspectam, but the three subject noun phrases (ingenium, oratio, and mora) are postponed until the beginning of the next section (§1.51.7). Care is needed as the sentence structure spans across the section boundary.
  5. 1.51.7eunt inclinatis quidem ad credendum animis, tamen nisi gladiis deprehensis cetera vana existimaturi — The phrase inclinatis... animis is an ablative absolute of attendant circumstance (or cause). The future active participle existimaturi agrees with the subject of the main verb eunt ('they go'), indicating their intention or resolve ('yet resolved to regard...'). The phrase nisi gladiis deprehensis functions as an ablative absolute expressing a negative condition ('unless the swords were detected').
  6. 1.51.9indicta causa — An ablative absolute. The word indicta is an adjective formed from the perfect passive participle dictus with the negative prefix in- ('unpleaded' or 'unheard'), agreeing with the ablative feminine singular noun causa ('cause, case'). It is an idiomatic expression meaning 'without his case being heard' or 'without a trial'.

Cite this passage

Livy, History of Rome §1.51.1-1.51.9. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:1.51.1-1.51.9

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