§3.48.1Decemvir, alienatus ad libidinem animo, negat ex hesterno tantum convicio Icili violentiaque Vergini, cuius testem populum Romanum habeat, sed certis quoque indiciis conpertum se habere nocte tota coetus in urbe factos esse ad movendam seditionem.
The decemvir, his mind distracted by lust, declared that it was not only from yesterday's abuse by Icilius and the violence of Verginius, of which he held the Roman people as witnesses, but that he also had it established by certain evidence that assemblies had been held throughout the entire night in the city to stir up sedition.
§3.48.2itaque se haud inscium eius dimicationis cum armatis descendisse, non ut quemquam quietum violaret, sed ut turbantes civitatis otium pro maiestate imperii coerceret.
Therefore, not unaware of that struggle, he had come down with armed men, not to violate anyone who was peaceful, but to coerce those disturbing the peace of the state in accordance with the majesty of his authority.
§3.48.3“proinde quiesse erit melius; i” inquit, “lictor, submove turbam et da viam domino ad prendendum mancipium!” cum haec intonuisset plenus irae, multitudo ipsa se sua sponte dimovit, desertaque praeda iniuriae puella stabat.
"Therefore, it will be better to keep quiet; go, lictor," he said, "clear away the crowd and make way for the master to seize his slave!" When he had thundered these words full of wrath, the multitude itself moved aside of its own accord, and the girl stood there, abandoned as a prey to injustice.
§3.48.4tum Verginius, ubi nihil usquam auxilii vidit, “quaeso” inquit, “Appi, primum ignosce patrio dolori, si quo inclementius in te sum invectus; deinde sinas hic coram virgine nutricem percontari, quid hoc rei sit, ut, si falso pater dictus sum, aequiore hinc animo discedam. ” §3.48.5data venia seducit filiam ac nutricem prope Cloacinae ad tabernas, quibus nunc novis est nomen, atque ibi ab lanio cultro arrepto “hoc te uno quo possum” ait “modo, filia, in libertatem vindico. ” pectus deinde puellae transfigit respectansque ad tribunal “te” inquit, “Appi, tuumque caput sanguine hoc consecro. ” §3.48.6clamore ad tam atrox facinus orto excitus Appius conprendi Verginium iubet.
Then Verginius, when he saw no help anywhere, said: "I pray you, Appius, first forgive a father's grief if I have railed against you too severely; then allow me to question the nurse here in the presence of the maiden as to what this matter is, so that, if I have been falsely called her father, I may depart from here with a more resigned mind." Permission being granted, he led his daughter and the nurse aside to the shops near the shrine of Cloacina, which now have the name of the "New Shops", and there, snatching up a knife from a butcher, he said: "In this sole way that I can, my daughter, do I assert your freedom." Then he plunged it into the maiden's breast, and looking back at the tribunal, he cried: "With this blood, Appius, I devote you and your head to destruction." Excited by the shout that arose at so atrocious a deed, Appius ordered Verginius to be seized.
ille ferro quacumque ibat viam facere, donec multitudine etiam prosequentium tuente ad portam perrexit.
But he, making a way with his blade wherever he went, proceeded to the gate, protected also by the crowd of those who followed him.
§3.48.7Icilius Numitoriusque exangue corpus sublatum ostentant populo; scelus Appi, puellae infelicem formam, necessitatem patris deplorant.
Icilius and Numitorius lifted up the lifeless body and showed it to the people; they deplored the crime of Appius, the ill-fated beauty of the girl, and the desperate necessity of the father.
sequentes clamitant matronae: §3.48.8eamne liberorum procreandorum condicionem, ea pudicitiae praemia esse?, cetera, quae in tali re muliebris dolor, quo est maestior inbecillo animo, eo miserabilia magis querentibus subicit.
The matrons following them cried out: was this the condition of bearing children, were these the rewards of chastity? and other things which, in such an event, womanly grief—which is the more pitiable as its sorrow is more intense in their weak minds—suggests to them as they lament.
§3.48.9virorum et maxime Icili vox tota tribuniciae potestatis ac provocationis ad populum ereptae publicarumque indignationum erat.
The voice of the men, and especially of Icilius, was entirely about the loss of the tribunician power and the right of appeal to the people, and about the public indignation.