§24.8.1“Si aut pacem in Italia aut id bellum eumque hostem haberemus, in quo neglegentiae laxior locus esset, qui vestris studies, quae in campum ad mandandos, quibus velitis, honores adfertis, moram ullam offerret, is mihi parum meminisse videretur vestrae libertatis; §24.8.2sed cum in hoc bello, in hoc hoste numquam ab ullo duce sine ingenti nostra clade erratum sit, eadem vos cura, qua in aciem armati descenditis, inire suffragium ad creandos consules decet et sibi sic quemque dicere: §24.8.3“Hannibali imperatori parem consulem nomino. ” hoc anno ad Capuam Vibellio Taureae, Campano summo equiti, provocanti summus Romanus eques Asellus Claudius est oppositus.
“If we had either peace in Italy, or such a war and such an enemy where there was broader scope for negligence, anyone who should offer any delay to your zeal, which you bring into the Field for the purpose of entrusting offices of honor to whomsoever you wish, would seem to me to have too little regard for your liberty; but since in this war, against this enemy, no mistake has ever been made by any general without immense disaster to us, it is fitting that you should enter upon the voting for the creation of consuls with the same care with which you go down armed into the battle line, and that each one should say thus to himself: ‘I nominate a consul who is a match for Hannibal as a commander.’ In this year, at Capua, against Vibellius Taurea, the foremost Campanian knight, who offered a challenge, Asellus Claudius, the foremost Roman knight, was opposed.
§24.8.4adversus Gallum quondam provocantem in ponte Anienis T. Manlium fidentem et animo et viribus misere maiores nostri.
Against a Gaul who once offered a challenge on the bridge of the Anio, our ancestors sent Titus Manlius, who was confident in both his spirit and his strength.
§24.8.5eandem causam haud multis annis post fuisse non negaverim, cur M. Valerio non diffideretur adversus similiter provocantem arma capienti Gallum ad certamen.
I would not deny that there was the same reason, not many years later, why Marcus Valerius was not distrusted when he took up arms for a contest against a Gaul who similarly challenged him.
§24.8.6quem ad modum pedites equitesque optamus ut validiores, si minus, ut pares hosti habeamus, ita duci hostium parem imperatorem quaeramus.
Just as we pray to have infantry and cavalry who are stronger than, or if not, at least a match for the enemy, so let us seek a commander who is a match for the leader of the enemy.
§24.8.7cum, qui est summus in civitate dux, eum legerimus, tamen repente lectus, in annum creatus adversus veterem ac perpetuum imperatorem comparabitur, nullis neque temporis nec iuris inclusum angustiis, quo minus ita omnia gerat administretque, ut tempora postulabunt belli; §24.8.8nobis autem in apparatu ipso ac tantum incohantibus res annus circumagitur.
Even when we have chosen him who is the foremost general in the state, nevertheless, chosen suddenly and appointed for a year, he will be matched against a veteran and perpetual commander, who is hemmed in by no limitations of either time or law to prevent him from conducting and managing all things just as the exigencies of the war shall demand; but for us, in the midst of our very preparations and when we are only beginning our operations, the year revolves.
§24.8.9quoniam, quales viros creare vos consules deceat, satis est dictum, restat, ut pauca de eis, in quos praerogativae favor inclinavit, dicam.
Since enough has been said as to what kind of men it is fitting for you to create as consuls, it remains for me to say a few words concerning those toward whom the favor of the prerogative century has inclined.
§24.8.10M. Aemilius Regillus flamen est Quirinalis, quem neque mittere a sacris neque retinere possumus, ut non deum aut belli deseramus curam.
Marcus Aemilius Regillus is the Flamen Quirinalis, whom we can neither send away from his sacred duties nor retain without abandoning our care either for the gods or for the war.
§24.8.11Otacilius sororis meae filiam uxorem atque ex ea liberos habet; ceterum non ea vestra in me maioresque meos merita sunt, ut non potiorem privatis necessitudinibus rem publicam habeam.
Otacilius has my sister’s daughter as his wife, and children by her; but your merits toward me and my ancestors are not such that I should not hold the commonwealth dearer than private relationships.
§24.8.12quilibet nautarum vectorumque tranquillo mari gubernare potest; ubi saeva orta tempestas est ac turbato mari rapitur vento navis, tum viro et gubernatore opus est.
Any one of the sailors and passengers can steer in a calm sea; when a fierce storm has arisen and the ship is swept by the wind on a turbulent sea, then there is need of a man and a helmsman.
§24.8.13non tranquillo navigamus, sed iam aliquot procellis submersi paene sumus; itaque, quis ad gubernacula sedeat, summa cura providendum ac praecavendum vobis est in minore te experti, T. Otacili, re sumus;
We are not sailing in a calm, but have already been almost submerged by several tempests; therefore, you must provide and guard with the utmost care as to who should sit at the helm.
haud sane, cur ad maiora tibi fidamus, documenti quicquam dedisti.
We have tried you, Titus Otacilius, in a smaller matter; you have certainly given no proof of why we should trust you with greater ones.
§24.8.14classem hoc anno, cui tu praefuisti, trium rerum causa paravimus, ut Africae oram popularetur, ut tuta nobis Italiae litora essent, ante omnia ne supplementum cum stipendio commeatuque ab Carthagine Hannibali transportaretur.
In this year, we prepared the fleet which you commanded for three purposes: to ravage the coast of Africa, to keep the shores of Italy safe for us, and, above all, to prevent reinforcements with pay and provisions from being transported from Carthage to Hannibal.
§24.8.15create consulem T. Otacilium non dico, si omnia haec, sed si aliquid eorum rei publicae praestitit.
I do not say select Titus Otacilius as consul if he has performed all these things for the commonwealth, but even if he has performed any one of them.
sin autem te classem obtinente adiumenta omnia belli velut pacato mari navibus Hannibali tuta atque integra ab domo venerunt, §24.8.16si ora Italiae infestior hoc anno quam Africae fuit, quid dicere potes, cur te potissimum ducem Hannibali hosti opponamus?
But if, while you held command of the fleet, all the reinforcements of war came to Hannibal from home safe and untouched by ships, as if on a peaceful sea, if the coast of Italy has been more dangerous this year than that of Africa, what can you say as to why we should oppose you, of all men, as commander against our enemy Hannibal?
§24.8.17si consul esses, dictatorem dicendum exemplo maiorum nostrum censeremus, nec tu id indignari posses, aliquem in civitate Romana meliorem bello haberi quam te.
If you were consul, we should think that a dictator ought to be appointed according to the example of our ancestors, nor could you feel indignant at this, that someone in the Roman state is held to be better in war than you.
magis nullius interest quam tua, T. Otacili, non imponi cervicibus tuis onus, sub quo concidas.
It is of more interest to no one than to yourself, Titus Otacilius, that a burden should not be laid upon your shoulders under which you would fall.
§24.8.18ego magnopere suadeo moneoque, eodem animo, quo, si stantibus vobis in acie armatis repente deligendi duo imperatores essent, quorum ductu atque auspicio dimicaretis, §24.8.19hodie quoque consules creetis, quibus sacramento liberi vestri dicant, ad quorum edictum conveniant, sub quorum tutela atque cura militent.
I earnestly advise and warn you that, with the same mind with which, if you were standing armed in the battle line and suddenly had to choose two commanders under whose leadership and auspices you were to fight, you should today also create consuls to whom your children may take the oath, at whose edict they may assemble, and under whose protection and care they may serve.
§24.8.20lacus Trasumennus et Cannae tristia ad recordationem exempla, sed ad praecavendas similes clades utilia documento sunt.
Lake Trasimene and Cannae are sad examples to remember, but useful as a warning to prevent similar disasters.
praeco, Aniensem iuniorum in suffragium revoca. ”
Herald, recall the younger men of the Aniensis tribe to vote.”