§3.58.1C. Claudius, qui perosus decemvirorum scelera et ante omnes fratris filii superbiae infestus Regillum antiquam in patriam se contulerat, is magno iam natu, cum ad pericula eius deprecanda redisset, cuius vitia fugerat, sordidatus cum gentilibus clientibusque in foro prensabat singulos orabatque, §3.58.2ne Claudiae genti eam inustam maculam vellent, ut carcere et vinculis viderentur digni.
Gaius Claudius, who, thoroughly detesting the crimes of the decemvirs and hostile above all to the arrogance of his brother's son, had withdrawn to Regillum, his ancient homeland, returned, though now of great age, to deprecate the perils of him whose vices he had fled; and dressed in mourning, together with his kinsmen and clients, he began to solicit individuals in the forum, and to beg them, not to wish to brand the Claudian house with such a lasting stain as to make them appear deserving of prison and chains.
virum honoratissimae imaginis futurum ad posteros, legum latorem conditoremque Romani iuris, iacere vinctum inter fures nocturnos ac latrones.
He urged that a man who would be an object of the most honorable representation to posterity, the lawgiver and founder of Roman jurisprudence, should not lie bound among night-thieves and robbers.
§3.58.3averterent ab ira parumper ad cognitionem cogitationemque animos et potius unum tot Claudiis deprecantibus condonarent, quam propter unius odium multorum preces aspernarentur.
Let them turn their minds for a moment from anger to consideration and reflection, and grant one man to the prayers of so many Claudii rather than reject the pleas of many on account of the hatred of one.
§3.58.4se quoque id generi ac nomini dare nec cum eo in gratiam redisse, cuius adversae fortunae velit succursum.
He himself also was doing this for the sake of his family and name, and had not been reconciled with him whose adverse fortune he wished to succor.
virtute libertatem recuperatam esse; dementia concordiam ordinum stabiliri posse.
By virtue liberty had been recovered; by clemency the harmony of the orders could be established.
§3.58.5erant, quos moveret sua magis pietate quam eius, pro quo agebat, causa; sed Verginius sui potius ut misererentur orabat filiaeque nec gentis Claudiae regnum in plebem sortitae, sed necessariorum Verginiae, trium tribunorum, preces audirent, qui ad auxilium plebis creati ipsi plebis fidem atque auxilium inplorarent.
There were some who were moved more by his own devotion than by the cause of the man for whom he pleaded; but Verginius begged that they should rather have pity on himself and his daughter, and that they should hear the prayers, not of the Claudian house which had obtained dominion over the plebs, but of the relatives of Verginia, the three tribunes, who, though created for the assistance of the plebs, were themselves imploring the faith and aid of the plebs.
§3.58.6iustiores hae lacrimae videbantur.
These tears seemed more just.
itaque spe incisa, priusquam prodicta dies adesset, Appius mortem sibi conscivit.
Therefore, hope being cut off, before the appointed day of trial arrived, Appius took his own life.
§3.58.7subinde arreptus a P. Numitorio Sp. Oppius, proximus invidiae, quod in urbe fuerat, cum iniustae vindiciae a collega dicerentur.
Immediately after, Spurius Oppius, the next object of hatred because he had been in the city when the unjust interim possession was decreed by his colleague, was arrested by Publius Numitorius.
§3.58.8plus tamen facta iniuria Oppio quam non prohibita invidiae fecit.
Yet the injury committed by Oppius himself brought him more hatred than his failure to prevent it.
testis productus, qui septem et viginti enumeratis stipendiis octiens extra ordinem donatus donaque ea gerens in conspectu populi, scissa veste tergum laceratum virgis ostendit nihilum deprecans, quin, si quam suam noxam reus dicere posset, privatus iterum in se saeviret.
A witness was produced, who, having served twenty-seven campaigns and been decorated eight times out of the ordinary course, and wearing those decorations in the sight of the people, tore open his garment and showed his back lacerated with rods, begging for no exemption indeed, if the defendant could name any fault of his, from having him rage against him again now that he was a private citizen.
§3.58.9Op. pius quoque ductus in vincula est et ante iudicii diem finem ibi vitae fecit.
Oppius also was led into chains and ended his life there before the day of trial.
bona Claudii Oppiique tribuni publicavere.
The tribunes confiscated the property of Claudius and Oppius.
collegae eorum exilii causa solum verterunt: §3.58.10bona publicata sunt.
Their colleagues went into exile: their property was confiscated.
et M. Claudius adsertor Verginiae, die dicta damnatus ipso remittente Verginio ultimam poenam dimissus Tibur exulatum abiit, manesque Verginiae, §3.58.11mortuae quam vivae felicioris, per tot domos ad petendas poenas vagati nullo relicto sonte tandem quieverunt.
And Marcus Claudius, the claimant of Verginia, was condemned on the day appointed for trial, but, since Verginius himself remitted the extreme penalty, he was dismissed and went into exile to Tibur; and the shade of Verginia, more fortunate when dead than when alive, having wandered through so many homes to demand punishment, at length found rest when no guilty person was left.