§33.28.1dum Romana arma in propinquo haberent, tollere Brachyllem, principem fautorum regis, statuerunt.
They decided to remove Brachylles, the leader of the king's supporters, while they had the Roman army close at hand.
§33.28.2et tempore ad eam rem capto, cum in publico epulatus reverteretur domum temulentus prosequentibus mollibus viris, §33.28.3qui ioci causa convivio celebri interfuerant, ab sex armatis, quorum tres Italici, tres Aetoli erant, circumventus occiditur.
And having seized a favorable time for the deed, as he was returning home drunk after feasting in public, accompanied by some effeminate men, who had attended the crowded banquet for the sake of jest, he was surrounded and killed by six armed men, of whom three were Italians and three Aetolians.
fuga comitum et quiritatio facta et tumultus per totam urbem discurrentium cum luminibus;
There was a flight of his companions, crying out, and a tumult of people running about with torches through the whole city.
§33.28.4percussores proxima porta evaserunt.
The assassins escaped through the nearest gate.
luce prima contio frequens velut ex ante indicto aut voce praeconis convocata in theatro erat.
At daybreak, a crowded assembly, as if summoned by prior notice or by the voice of a herald, met in the theatre.
palam ab suo comitatu et obscenis illis viris fremebant interfectum, §33.28.5animis autem Zeuxippum auctorem destinabant caedis.
They clamored openly that he had been slain by his own retinue and those obscene men, but in their minds they designated Zeuxippus as the author of the murder.
§33.28.6in praesentia placuit comprehendi eos, qui simul fuissent, §33.28.7quaestionemque ex iis haberi.
For the present, it was decided that those who had been with him should be arrested, and that an inquiry should be held of them.
qui dum quaeruntur, Zeuxippus constanti animo avertendi ab se criminis causa in contionem progressus errare ait homines, qui tam atrocem caedem pertinere ad illos semiviros crederent, §33.28.8multaque in eam partem probabiliter est argumentatus, quibus fidem apud quosdam fecit numquam, si sibi conscius esset, oblaturum se multitudini mentionemve eius caedis nullo lacessente facturum fuisse;
While they were being questioned, Zeuxippus, in order to avert suspicion from himself, came forward into the assembly with a firm mind and said that those people were mistaken who believed that so atrocious a murder concerned those half-men, and argued many things plausibly in that direction, by which he made some believe that he would never, if he were conscious of guilt, have offered himself to the multitude or made mention of that murder when no one challenged him.
§33.28.9alii non dubitare inpudenter obviam crimini eundo suspicionem averti.
Others did not doubt that by shamelessly meeting the charge he was averting suspicion.
torti post paulo insontes, cum scirent ipsi nihil, opinione omnium pro indicio Zeuxippum et Pisistratum nominaverunt nullo adiecto, §33.28.10cur scire quicquam viderentur, argumento.
Shortly afterwards, innocent men were tortured, and since they themselves knew nothing, they named Zeuxippus and Pisistratus in accordance with the general opinion as their evidence, with no proof added as to why they seemed to know anything.
Zeuxippus tamen cum Stratonida quodam nocte perfugitTanagram, suam magis conscientiam quam indicium hominum nullius rei consciorum metuens;
Zeuxippus, however, fearing his own conscience more than the evidence of men who knew nothing, fled by night with a certain Stratonidas to Tanagra.
§33.28.11Pisistratus spretis indicibus Thebis mansit.
Pisistratus, despising the evidence, remained at Thebes.
servus erat Zeuxippi, totius internuntius et minister rei, quem indicem Pisistratus timens eo ipso timore ad indicium protraxit.
There was a slave of Zeuxippus, the intermediary and agent of the whole affair, whom Pisistratus, fearing as an informer, dragged to information by that very fear.
litteras ad Zeuxippum mittit, ut servum conscium tolleret: §33.28.12non tam idoneum ad celandam rem eum videri sibi, quam ad agendam fuerit.
He sent a letter to Zeuxippus to remove the accomplice slave: that he did not seem to him as fit for concealing the matter as he had been for executing it.
has qui tulerat litteras iussus Zeuxippo dare quam primum, §33.28.13quia non statim conveniendi eius copia fuit, illi ipsi servo, quem ex omnibus domino fidissimum credebat, tradit et adicit a Pisistrato de re magno opere pertinente ad Zeuxippum esse.
The bearer of this letter, having been ordered to give it to Zeuxippus as soon as possible, because he had no opportunity of meeting him immediately, delivered it to that very slave, whom he believed to be the most faithful to his master of them all, and added that it was from Pisistratus about a matter of great importance to Zeuxippus.
§33.28.14conscientia ictus, cum extemplo traditurum eas adfirmasset, aperit perlectisque litteris pavidus Thebas refugit et ad magistratus indicium defert.
Struck by conscience, although he had promised that he would deliver it immediately, the slave opened and read the letter, and in terror fled back to Thebes and laid the information before the magistrates.
§33.28.15et Zeuxippus quidem fuga servi motus Anthedonem, tutiorem exilio locum ratus, concessit; de Pisistrato aliisque quaestiones tormentis habitae et sumptum supplicium est.
And Zeuxippus indeed, moved by the flight of the slave, withdrew to Anthedon, thinking it a safer place for exile; concerning Pisistratus and the others, inquiries were held by torture and punishment was inflicted.