Humanitext Reader

Livy · History of Rome §3.8.1-3.8.11

End of the Plague and Decisive Victory over the Volsci

Passage 134 of 1770 · Latin

Summary

As the plague ends and Rome's strength is restored, newly elected consuls Lucretius and Veturius launch a successful counteroffensive against the invading Volsci, securing a decisive victory.

§3.8.1inde paulatim seu pace deum impetrata seu graviore tempore anni iam circumacto defuncta morbis.
Thenceforward, gradually, whether because the peace of the gods had been obtained or because the more severe season of the year was now passed, they got through the diseases.
corpora salubriora esse incipere; §3.8.2versisque animis iam ad publicam curam, cum aliquot interregna exissent, P. Valerius Publicola tertio die, quam interregnum inierat, consules creat L. Lucretium Tricipitinum et T. Veturium Geminum, sive ille Vetusius fuit.
Their bodies began to be healthier; and their minds being turned now to public concern, when several interregna had expired, P. Valerius Publicola, on the third day after he had entered upon his interregnum, elected Lucius Lucretius Tricipitinus and Titus Veturius Geminus (or if he was Vetusius) as consuls.
§3.8.3ante diem tertium idus Sextiles consulatum ineunt iam satis valida civitate, ut non solum arcere bellum, sed ultro etiam inferre posset.
They entered upon their consulship on the third day before the Ides of Sextilis, the state being now sufficiently strong, so that it was able not only to ward off war, but even voluntarily to carry it on.
§3.8.4igitur nuntiantibus Hernicis in finis suos transcendisse hostis inpigre promissum auxilium.
Therefore, when the Hernici reported that the enemy had crossed into their territory, the promised help was promptly provided.
duo consulares exercitus scripti.
Two consular armies were enrolled.
Veturius missus in Volscos ad bellum ultro inferendum; §3.8.5Tricipitinus populationibus arcendis sociorum agro oppositus non ultra quam in Hernicos procedit.
Veturius was sent against the Volsci to carry the war actively into their territory; Tricipitinus, stationed in the territory of the allies to ward off devastations, did not advance further than into the land of the Hernici.
Veturius primo proelio hostes fundit fugatque; §3.8.6Lucretium, dum in Hernicis sedet, praedonum agmen fefellit supra montes Praenestinos ductum, inde demissum in campos.
Veturius in the first battle routed and put to flight the enemy; while Lucretius remained inactive among the Hernici, a band of plunderers eluded him, led over the Praenestine mountains, and thence sent down into the plains.
vastavere agros Praenestinum Gabinumque, ex Gabino in Tusculanos flexere colles; §3.8.7urbi quoque Romae ingens praebitus terror, magis re subita quam quod ad arcendam vim parum virium esset.
They laid waste the Praenestine and Gabine lands, and from the Gabine territory they turned into the Tusculan hills; great terror was also caused to the city of Rome, more by the suddenness of the event than because there was too little strength to ward off the violence.
Q. Fabius praeerat urbi.
Q. Fabius was in charge of the city.
is armata iuventute dispositisque praesidiis tuta omnia ac tranquilla fecit.
He, having armed the youth and disposed garrisons, made all things safe and tranquil.
§3.8.8itaque hostes praeda ex proximis locis rapta adpropinquare urbi non ausi cum circumacto agmine redirent, quanto longius ab urbe hostium abscederent, eo solutiore cura, in Lucretium incidunt consulem, iam ante exploratis itineribus satis instructum et ad certamen intentum.
And so the enemy, having seized plunder from the nearest places, not daring to approach the city, as they were returning with their column wheeled round, the farther they withdrew from the city, with their vigilance being the more relaxed, fell in with the consul Lucretius, who was already well-prepared, the routes having been reconnoitered beforehand, and intent upon the contest.
§3.8.9igitur praeparatis animis repentino pavore perculsos adorti aliquanto pauciores multitudinem ingentem fundunt fugantque et conpulsos in cavas valles, cum exitus haud in facili essent, circumveniunt.
Therefore, with minds prepared, they attacked those who were struck with sudden panic, and though considerably fewer in number, they routed and put to flight the huge multitude, and having driven them into deep valleys, since escape was not easy, they surrounded them.
§3.8.10ibi Volscum nomen prope deletum est.
There the Volscian name was almost wiped out.
tredecim milia quadringentos septuaginta cecidisse in acie ac fuga, mille septingentos quinquaginta vivos captos, signa viginti septem militaria relata in quibusdam annalibus invenio; ubi etsi adiectum aliquid numero sit, magna certe caedes fuit.
In certain annals I find that thirteen thousand four hundred and seventy fell in battle and flight, one thousand seven hundred and fifty were taken alive, and twenty-seven military standards were brought back; in which, even if something has been added to the number, the slaughter was certainly great.
§3.8.11victor consul ingenti praeda potitus eodem in stativa rediit.
The victorious consul, having gained possession of vast booty, returned to the same permanent camp.
tum consules castra coniungunt; et Volsci Aequique adflictas vires suas in unum contulere.
Then the consuls joined their camps; and the Volsci and Aequi brought together their shattered forces into one.
tertia illa pugna eo anno fuit.
That was the third battle in that year.
eadem fortuna victoriam dedit; fusis hostibus etiam castra capta.
The same fortune gave victory; the enemy having been routed, their camp also was captured.

Notes

  1. 3.8.1incipere — Historical infinitive, equivalent in sense to the imperfect indicative (incipiebant), used for vivid narration. Its subject is the neuter plural noun "corpora".
  2. 3.8.2tertio die, quam — Equivalent to "tertio die postquam". "quam" functions as the conjunction "postquam" (after) when following an ordinal numeral with an expression of time.
  3. 3.8.5populationibus arcendis — Dative of the gerundive expressing purpose, meaning "for the purpose of warding off devastations," modifying "oppositus" (stationed/posted).
  4. 3.8.6Lucretium — Placed at the very beginning of the sentence for emphasis, this is the accusative direct object of the main verb "fefellit." The subject is "praedonum agmen" (a band of plunderers), displaying an inversion of natural word order (hyperbaton).
  5. 3.8.8hostium — Genitive plural, modifying the noun "cura" (in the ablative) from which it is separated by several words ("solutiore cura hostium" = with the more relaxed care of the enemies). Care must be taken not to confuse it with the implied subject of "abscederent" ("hostes").

Cite this passage

Livy, History of Rome §3.8.1-3.8.11. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:3.8.1-3.8.11

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.