§29.17.1senatu dato maximus natu ex iis: “scio, quanti aestimentur nostrae apud vos querellae, patres conscripti, plurimum in eo momenti esse, si probe sciatis, et quo modo proditi Locri Hannibali sint et quo modo pulso Hannibalis praesidio restituti in dicionem vestram; §29.17.2quippe si et culpa defectionis procul a publico consilio absit, et reditum in vestram dicionem appareat non voluntate solum, sed ope etiam ac virtute nostra, magis indignemini bonis ac fidelibus sociis tam indignas iniurias ab legato vestro militibusque fieri.
When an audience with the senate was granted, the eldest of them said: "I know, conscript fathers, that in regard to how much our complaints are valued among you, the greatest weight lies in this, if you should know well both how Locri was betrayed to Hannibal and how, after the garrison of Hannibal was expelled, it was restored to your dominion; for if the guilt of defection should be far removed from public counsel, and if it should appear that our return to your dominion was accomplished not only by our will, but also by our assistance and courage, you would be more highly indignant that such unworthy injuries are inflicted upon good and faithful allies by your legate and soldiers.
§29.17.3sed ego causam utriusque defectionis nostrae in aliud tempus differendam arbitror esse duarum rerum gratia, §29.17.4unius, ut coram P. Scipione, qui Locros recepit et omnium nobis recte perperamque factorum est testis, agatur; alterius, quod, qualescumque sumus, tamen ea, quae passi sumus, pati non debuimus.
But I think that the cause of both of our defections should be deferred to another time for the sake of two things: one, so that it may be discussed in the presence of Publius Scipio, who recovered Locri and is the witness of all our right and wrong deeds; the other, because, whatever we may be, yet we ought not to have suffered those things which we have suffered.
§29.17.5non possumus dissimulare, patres conscripti, nos, cum praesidium Punicum in arce nostra haberemus, multa foeda et indigna et a praefecto praesidii Hamilcare et ab Numidis Afrisque passos esse; sed quid illa sunt conlata cum iis, quae hodie patimur?
We cannot disguise, conscript fathers, that when we had a Punic garrison in our citadel, we suffered many foul and unworthy things both from Hamilcar, the commander of the garrison, and from the Numidians and Africans; but what are those things compared with those which we suffer today?
§29.17.6cum bona venia, quaeso, audiatis, patres conscripti, id, quod invitus dicam.
With your kind indulgence, I pray, conscript fathers, may you hear that which I shall say unwillingly.
in discrimine est nunc humanum omne genus, utrum vos an Carthaginienses principes orbis terrarum videat.
All mankind is now in a critical state, whether it is to see you or the Carthaginians as the masters of the world.
§29.17.7si ex iis, quae Locrenses aut ab illis passi sumus aut a vestro praesidio nunc cum maxime patimur, aestimandum Romanum ac Punicum imperium sit, nemo non illos sibi quam vos dominos praeoptet.
If the Roman and Punic empires were to be estimated from those things which we Locrians either suffered from them or are now especially suffering from your garrison, there is no one who would not prefer them as masters to you.
§29.17.8et tamen videte quem ad modum in vos Locrenses animati sint.
And yet see in what manner the Locrians are minded toward you.
cum a Carthaginiensibus iniurias tanto minores acciperemus, ad vestrum imperatorem confugimus; cum a vestro praesidio plus quam hostilia patiamur, nusquam alio quam ad vos querellas detulimus.
When we received much lesser injuries from the Carthaginians, we fled to your general; when we suffer more than hostile treatment from your garrison, we have brought our complaints nowhere else than to you.
§29.17.9aut vos respicietis perditas res nostras, patres conscripti, aut ne ab diis quidem immortalibus, quod precemur, quicquam superest.
Either you will look upon our ruined affairs, conscript fathers, or not even from the immortal gods is there anything left for us to pray for.
§29.17.10Q. Pleminius legatus missus est cum praesidio ad recipiendos a Carthaginiensibus Locros et cum eodem ibi relictus est praesidio.
The legate Quintus Pleminius was sent with a garrison to recover Locri from the Carthaginians and was left there with that same garrison.
§29.17.11in hoc legato vestro — dant enim animum ad loquendum libere ultimae miseriae — nec hominis quicquam est, patres conscripti, praeter figuram et speciem neque Romani civis praeter habitum vestitumque et sonum Latinae linguae: §29.17.12pestis ac belua inmanis, quales fretum quondam, quo ab Sicilia dividimur, ad perniciem navigantium circumsedisse fabulae ferunt.
In this legate of yours — for extreme miseries give courage to speak freely — there is nothing of a man, conscript fathers, except the form and appearance, nor of a Roman citizen except the habit, clothing, and the sound of the Latin tongue: a pestilence and a savage beast, such as legends say once beset the strait by which we are divided from Sicily, for the destruction of sailors.
ac si scelus libidinemque §29.17.13et avaritiam solus ipse exercere in socios vestros satis haberet, unam profundam quidem voraginem tamen patientia nostra expleremus; nunc omnes centuriones militesque vestros — §29.17.14adeo in promiscuo licentiam atque improbitatem esse voluit — Pleminios fecit; §29.17.15omnes rapiunt, spoliant, verberant, vulnerant, occidunt, constuprant matronas, virgines, ingenuos raptos ex complexu parentium; §29.17.16cotidie capitur urbs nostra, cotidie diripitur; dies noctesque omnia passim mulierum puerorumque, qui rapiuntur atque asportantur, ploratibus sonant.
And if he alone had been satisfied to exercise crime and lust and avarice upon your allies, we would yet fill up one deep abyss by our patience; but now all your centurions and soldiers — so much did he wish license and wickedness to be in common — he has made into Pleminiuses; all of them rob, plunder, beat, wound, kill, and violate matrons, virgins, and freeborn youths torn from the embrace of their parents; every day our city is captured, every day it is plundered; day and night, everything everywhere resounds with the wailing of women and children who are being seized and carried away.
§29.17.17miretur, qui sciat, quo modo aut nos ad patiendum sufficiamus, aut illos, qui faciunt, nondum tantarum iniuriarum satietas ceperit.
Anyone who knows would wonder how either we suffice for enduring, or how satiety for such great injuries has not yet taken hold of those who commit them.
neque ego exsequi possum nec vobis operae est audire, singuli quae passi sumus; communiter omnia amplectar.
I can neither go into detail, nor is it worth your while to hear what we have suffered individually; I will embrace all in common.
§29.17.18nego domum ullam Locris, nego quemquam hominem expertem iniuriae esse, nego ullum genus sceleris, lubidinis, avaritiae superesse, quod in ullo, qui pati potuerit, praetermissum sit.
I deny that there is any house in Locri, I deny that there is any human being free from injury; I deny that there is any kind of crime, lust, or avarice left, which has been passed over toward anyone who was able to suffer it.
§29.17.19vix ratio iniri potest, uter casus civitati sit detestabilior, cum hostes bello urbem cepere, an cum exitiabilis tyrannus vi atque armis oppressit.
Scarcely can a calculation be made, which fate is more detestable for a state, when enemies have captured a city in war, or when a destructive tyrant has oppressed it by force and arms.
§29.17.20omnia, quae captae urbes patiuntur, passi sumus et cum maxime patimur, patres conscripti; omnia, quae crudelissimi atque inportunissimi tyranni scelera in oppressos cives edunt, Pleminius in nos liberosque nostros et coniuges edidit.
We have suffered and are especially suffering all those things, conscript fathers, which captured cities suffer; all the crimes which the most cruel and insolent tyrants inflict upon oppressed citizens, Pleminius has inflicted upon us, our children, and our wives."