§2.10.1cum hostes adessent, pro se quisque in urbem ex agris demigrant, urbem ipsam saepiunt praesidiis.
As the enemy approached, everyone for his own part migrated from the fields into the city, and secured the city itself with garrisons.
alia muris, alia Tiberi obiecto videbantur tuta; §2.10.2pons sublicius iter paene hostibus dedit, ni unus vir fuisset, Horatius Cocles; id munimentum illo die fortuna urbis Romanae habuit.
Some parts seemed safe by the walls, others by the interposition of the Tiber; the Sublician bridge would have almost given a passage to the enemy, had it not been for one man, Horatius Cocles; that defense the fortune of the Roman city possessed on that day.
§2.10.3qui positus forte in statione pontis, cum captum repentino impetu Ianiculum atque inde citatos decurrere hostes vidisset trepidamque turbam suorum arma ordinesque relinquere, reprehensans singulos, §2.10.4obsistens obtestansque deum et hominum fidem testabatur nequiquam deserto praesidio eos fugere; si transitum pontem a tergo reliquissent, iam plus hostium in Palatio Capitolioque quam in Ianiculo fore.
Having been stationed by chance on guard at the bridge, when he saw the Janiculum taken by a sudden assault, and from there the enemy running down in haste, and his own panic-stricken crowd abandoning their arms and ranks, grasping hold of individual men, opposing and appealing to the faith of gods and men, he declared that they were fleeing in vain after abandoning their post; if they left the bridge behind them once crossed, there would soon be more of the enemy on the Palatine and the Capitol than on the Janiculum.
itaque monere, praedicere, ut pontem ferro, igni, quacumque vi possint, interrumpant; se impetum hostium, quantum corpore uno posset obsisti, excepturum.
Therefore, he warned and charged them to break down the bridge with sword, fire, or whatever force they could; he himself would receive the onset of the enemy, as far as it could be resisted by a single body.
§2.10.5Vadit inde in primum aditum pontis, insignisque inter conspecta cedentium pugnae terga obversis comminus ad ineundum proelium armis ipso miraculo audaciae obstupefecit hostis.
He then strode to the very entrance of the bridge, and, conspicuous among the backs of those retreating from the fight, with his weapons turned to engage in close combat, he astounded the enemy by the very miracle of his audacity.
§2.10.6duos tamen cum eo pudor tenuit, Sp. Larcium ac T. Herminium, ambos claros genere factisque.
Shame, however, kept two men with him, Spurius Larcius and Titus Herminius, both distinguished by birth and deeds.
§2.10.7cum his primam periculi procellam et quod tumultuosissimum pugnae erat parumper sustinuit; deinde eos quoque ipsos exigua parte pontis relicta, revocantibus qui rescindebant, cedere in tutum coegit.
With these he sustained for a short time the first storm of danger and the most turbulent part of the battle; then, when only a small part of the bridge was left, and those who were cutting it down called them back, he forced them also to retreat to safety.
§2.10.8circumferens inde truces minaciter oculos ad proceres Etruscorum nunc singulos provocare, nunc increpare omnes: servitia regum superborum, suae libertatis inmemores alienam oppugnatum venire.
Rolling his fierce eyes threateningly toward the Etruscan nobles, he now challenged them individually, now upbraided them all: that they, slaves of haughty kings, unmindful of their own liberty, came to attack the liberty of others.
§2.10.9cunctati aliquamdiu sunt, dum alius alium, ut proelium incipiant, circumspectant.
They hesitated for some time, looking round at one another to see who would begin the fight.
pudor deinde commovit aciem, et clamore sublato undique in unum hostem tela coniciunt.
Then shame moved the line, and raising a shout, they hurled their weapons from all sides upon their single foe.
§2.10.10quae cum in obiecto cuncta scuto haesissent, neque ille minus obstinatus ingenti pontem obtineret gradu, iam impetu conabantur detrudere virum, cum simul fragor rupti pontis, simul clamor Romanorum alacritate perfecti operis sublatus, pavore subito impetum sustinuit.
When all of these had stuck in his opposing shield, and he, no less obstinate, held the bridge with a firm step, they were now trying to push the man down by force, when at the same time the crash of the broken bridge and the shout of the Romans raised with eagerness at the completion of their work stayed their onset with a sudden terror.
§2.10.11tumCocles “Tiberine pater” inquit, “te sancte precor, haec arma et hunc militem propitio flumine accipias. ” ita sicut erat armatus in Tiberim desiluit multisque superincidentibus telis incolumis ad suos tranavit rem ausus plus famae habituram ad posteros quam fidei.
Then Cocles said, "Father Tiber, I holy pray thee, receive these arms and this soldier in thy propitious stream." So, armed as he was, he leaped into the Tiber, and amid many falling missiles swam across unharmed to his people, having dared a deed destined to have more fame than credit among posterity.
grata erga tantam virtutem civitas fuit: §2.10.12statua in comitio posita; agri quantum uno die circumaravit datum.
The state was grateful toward such great valor: a statue was set up in the comitium; as much land as he could plow around in one day was given to him.
privata quoque inter publicos honores studia eminebant; §2.10.13nam in magna inopia pro domesticis copiis unusquisque aliquid fraudans se ipse victu suo contulit.
Private displays of devotion also shone forth amid the public honors; for in the great scarcity, each individual, according to his domestic means, contributed something for him, depriving himself of his own sustenance.