§1.57.1Ardeam Rutuli habebant, gens ut in ea regione atque in ea aetate divitiis praepollens.
The Rutulians held Ardea, a nation pre-eminent in wealth for that region and that age.
eaque ipsa causa belli fruit, quod rex Romanus cum ipse ditari, exhaustus magnificentia publicorum operum, tum praeda delenire popularium animos studebat, §1.57.2praeter aliam superbiam regno infestos etiam, quod se in fabrorum ministeriis ac servili tam diu habitos opere ab rege indignabantur.
And this itself was the cause of the war, because the Roman king was eager both to enrich himself, exhausted as he was by the magnificence of his public works, and to soothe with booty the minds of the common people, who, besides his other arrogance, were hostile to the kingdom also because they were indignant that they had been kept for so long by the king in the service of craftsmen and in slavish labor.
§1.57.3temptata res est, si primo impetu capi Ardea posset.
An attempt was made to see if Ardea could be taken by a first assault.
ubi id parum processit, obsidione munitionibusque coepti premi hostes.
When that met with little success, they began to press the enemy with a siege and works.
§1.57.4in his stativis, ut fit longo magis quam acri bello, satis liberi commeatus erant, primoribus tamen magis quam militibus; §1.57.5regii quidem iuvenes interdum otium conviviis comisationibusque inter se terebant.
In this permanent camp, as usually happens in a war more long than sharp, furloughs were free enough, more so however for the leading men than for the soldiers; the royal youths indeed sometimes spent their leisure among themselves in banquets and revelries.
forte potantibus his apud Sex. §1.57.6Tarquinium, ubi et Collatinus cenabat Tarquinius, Egerii filius, incidit de uxoribus mentio; suam quisque laudare miris modis.
By chance, while they were drinking at the house of Sextus Tarquinius, where Tarquinius Collatinus, the son of Egerius, was also dining, mention happened to be made of their wives; each praised his own in wonderful ways.
§1.57.7inde certamine accenso Collatinus negat verbis opus esse, paucis id quidem horis posse sciri, quantum ceteris praestet Lucretia sua.
Thence, when the dispute grew warm, Collatinus denied that there was need of words, saying that in indeed a few hours it could be known how much his own Lucretia excelled the rest.
“quin, si vigor iuventae inest, conscendimus equos invisimusque praesentes nostrarum ingenia? id cuique spectatissimum sit, quod necopinato viri adventu occurrerit oculis.
"Why not, if the vigor of youth is in us, do we mount our horses and visit in person the characters of our wives?
” §1.57.8incaluerant vino; “age sane!” omnes; citatis equis avolant Romam.
Let that be the most decisive proof for each which meets his eyes at the unexpected arrival of her husband." They had grown warm with wine; "Come on then!" cried all; with spurred horses they fly to Rome.
quo cum primis se intendentibus tenebris pervenissent, pergunt inde Collatiam, §1.57.9ubi Lucretiam haudquaquam ut regias nurus, quas in convivio luxuque cum aequalibus viderant tempus terentes, sed nocte sera deditam lanae inter lucubrantes ancillas in medio aedium sedentem inveniunt.
When they had arrived there at the first gathering of darkness, they proceed thence to Collatia, where they find Lucretia, by no means like the royal daughters-in-law, whom they had seen passing their time in banquets and luxury with their equals, but late at night devoted to her wool, sitting in the middle of the house among her maids working by lamplight.
muliebris certaminis laus penes Lucretiam fuit.
The honor of the female contest was with Lucretia.
§1.57.10adveniens vir Tarquiniique excepti benigne; victor maritus comiter invitat regios iuvenes.
On their arrival, the husband and the Tarquins were kindly received; the victorious husband courteously invites the royal youths.
ibi Sex. Tarquinium mala libido Lucretiae per vim stuprandae capit; §1.57.11cum forma tum spectata castitas incitat.
There a wicked passion for defiling Lucretia by force seizes Sextus Tarquinius; both her beauty and her proven chastity incite him.
et tum quidem ab nocturno iuvenali ludo in castra redeunt.
And for that time indeed they return to the camp from their nightly youthful sport.