§2.24.1inter haec maior alius terror: Latini equites cum tumultuoso advolant nuntio Volscos infesto exercitu ad urbem oppugnandam venire.
In the midst of these things, another and greater terror arose: Latin horsemen flew to the city with a tumultuous message that the Volscians were coming with a hostile army to besiege the city.
quae audita — adeo duas ex una civitate discordia fecerat — longe aliter patres ac plebem adfecere.
These tidings, when heard — so much had discord made two states out of one — affected the fathers and the plebs in far different ways.
§2.24.2exsultare gaudio plebes, ultores superbiae patrum adesse dicere deos; alius alium confirmare, ne nomina darent: cum omnibus potius quam solos perituros; patres militarent, patres arma caperent, ut penes eosdem pericula belli, penes quos praemia essent.
The plebs exulted with joy, saying that the gods were present as avengers of the pride of the fathers; they encouraged one another not to give their names, declaring that they would rather perish with everyone than alone; let the fathers serve as soldiers, let the fathers take up arms, so that the dangers of war might be in the hands of those very persons in whose hands were its rewards.
§2.24.3at vero curia maesta ac trepida ancipiti metu et ab cive et ab hoste Servilium consulem, cui ingenium magis populare erat, orare, ut tantis circumventam terroribus expediret rem publicam.
But indeed, the senate, sorrowful and trembling with a double fear both from the citizen and from the enemy, entreated the consul Servilius, whose disposition was more popular, to extricate the republic encompassed by such great terrors.
§2.24.4tum consul misso senatu in contionem prodit.
Then the consul, having dismissed the senate, came forward to the assembly.
ibi curae esse patribus ostendit, ut consulatur plebi; ceterum deliberationi de maxima quidem illa, sed tamen parte civitatis metum pro universa re publica intervenisse.
There he showed that the fathers were concerned that the interest of the plebs should be consulted; but that a fear for the whole republic had interrupted their deliberation concerning what was indeed a very large, but yet only a part of the state.
nec posse, §2.24.5cum hostes prope ad portas essent, bello praeverti quicquam, nec, si sit laxamenti aliquid, aut plebi honestum esse, nisi mercede prius accepta arma pro patria non cepisse, aut patribus satis decorum per metum potius quam postmodo voluntate adflictis civium suorum fortunis consuluisse.
Nor was it possible, when the enemies were almost at the gates, that anything should be preferred to the war; nor, even if there were some room for relaxation, was it either honorable for the plebs not to have taken up arms for their country unless they had first received a reward, or sufficiently becoming for the fathers to have consulted the afflicted fortunes of their fellow citizens out of fear rather than afterwards of their own free will.
§2.24.6contioni deinde edicto addidit fidem, quo edixit, ne quis civem Romanum vinctum aut clausum teneret, quo minus ei nominis edendi apud consules potestas fieret, neu quis militis, donec in castris esset, bona possideret aut venderet, liberos nepotesve eius moraretur.
He then gave credibility to the assembly by an edict, in which he ordained that no one should hold a Roman citizen in chains or in prison, so as to prevent him from having the power of giving his name to the consuls, and that no one, as long as a soldier was in camp, should seize or sell his goods, or detain his children or grandchildren.
§2.24.7hoc proposito edicto et qui aderant nexi, profiteri extemplo nomina, et undique ex tota urbe proripientium se ex private, cum retinendi ius creditori non esset, concursus in forum, ut sacramento dicerent, fieri.
Upon this edict being published, both the bound who were present immediately gave in their names, and from all sides, out of the whole city, as the creditor no longer had the right of detaining them, a rush into the forum of those breaking out from private custody took place, in order that they might take the military oath.
§2.24.8magna ea manus fuit, neque aliorum magis in Volsco bello virtus atque opera enituit.
That band was large, nor did the courage and service of any others shine forth more in the Volscian war.
consul copias contra hostem educit; parvo dirimente intervallo castra ponit.
The consul led out his forces against the enemy; he pitched his camp, with only a small interval separating them.