§4.9.1dum haec Romae geruntur, legati ab Ardea veniunt pro veterrima societate renovatoque foedere recenti auxilium prope eversae urbi inplorantes.
While these things were being done at Rome, ambassadors came from Ardea, imploring aid for their almost destroyed city on behalf of their very ancient alliance and recently renewed treaty.
§4.9.2frui namque pace optimo consilio cum populo Romano servata per intestina arma non licuit; quorum causa atque initium traditur ex certamine factionum ortum, §4.9.3quae fuerunt eruntque pluribus populis exitio quam bella externa, quam fames morbive quaeque alia in deum iras velut ultima publicorum malorum vertunt.
For they were not permitted to enjoy the peace preserved with the Roman people by excellent counsel, because of internal arms, the cause and beginning of which is reported to have arisen from a struggle of factions, which have been and will be a destruction to more peoples than foreign wars, than famine or diseases, and whatever other things people attribute to the wraths of the gods as the ultimate of public evils.
§4.9.4uirginem plebei generis maxime forma notam duo petiere iuvenes, alter virgini genere par, tutoribus fretus, qui et ipsi eiusdem corporis erant, nobilis alter, nulla re praeterquam forma captus.
Two young men sought a maiden of plebeian class, highly famous for her beauty; one was equal to the maiden in birth, relying on her guardians, who themselves also were of the same class, and the other was a noble, captured by nothing except her beauty.
§4.9.5adiuvabant eum optumatium studia, per quae in domum quoque puellae certamen partium penetravit.
The zeal of the aristocrats aided him, through which the struggle of parties penetrated also into the home of the girl.
nobilis superior iudicio matris esse, quae quam splendidissimis nuptiis iungi puellam volebat; tutores in ea quoque re partium memores ad suum tendere.
The noble was preferred in the judgment of the mother, who wished the girl to be joined in as splendid a marriage as possible; the guardians, mindful of their party in this matter also, strove for their own candidate.
§4.9.6cum res peragi intra parietes nequisset, ventum in ius est.
When the matter could not be settled within the walls, they went to court.
postulatu audito matris tutorumque magistratus secundum parentis arbitrium dant ius nuptiarum.
Having heard the petition of the mother and of the guardians, the magistrates granted the right of marriage according to the decision of the parent.
§4.9.7sed vis potentior fuit; namque tutores inter suae partis homines de iniuria decreti palam in foro contionati manu facta virginem ex domo matris rapiunt;
But force was more powerful; for the guardians, having harangued openly in the forum among the men of their own party concerning the injustice of the decree, formed a band and snatched the maiden from her mother's house.
§4.9.8adversus quos infestior coorta optumatium acies sequitur accensum iniuria iuvenem.
Against them, a more hostile line of the aristocrats arose and followed the young man incensed by the injury.
fit proelium atrox.
A fierce battle took place.
pulsa plebs, nihil Romanae plebi similis, armata ex urbe profecta colle quodam capto in agros optumatium cum ferro ignique excursiones facit;
The plebeians, having been beaten—in no way similar to the Roman plebs—set out armed from the city, and having seized a certain hill, made incursions into the lands of the aristocrats with fire and sword.
§4.9.9urbem quoque omni, etiam experte ante certaminis, multitudine opificum ad spem praedae evocata obsidere parat;
They also prepared to besiege the city, having summoned the entire multitude of artisans, even those previously free from the struggle, by the hope of plunder.
§4.9.10nec ulla species cladesque belli abest velut contacta civitate rabie duorum iuvenum funestas nuptias ex occasu patriae petentium.
Nor was any appearance and disaster of war absent, as if the state were infected by the madness of the two young men who were seeking fatal nuptials from the downfall of their country.
§4.9.11parum parti utrique domi armorum bellique est visum; optumates Romanos ad auxilium urbis obsessae, plebs ad expugnandam secum Ardeam Volscos excivere.
Too little of arms and war at home seemed to either party; the aristocrats summoned the Romans to the aid of the besieged city, while the plebeians summoned the Volscians to capture Ardea with them.
priores Volsci duce Aequo Cluilio Ardeam venere §4.9.12et moenibus hostium vallum obiecere.
First the Volscians, under the leadership of Aequus Cluilius, came to Ardea, and threw up a rampart against the walls of the enemies.
§4.9.13quod ubi Romam est nuntiatum, extemplo M. Geganius consul cum exercitu profectus tria milia passuum ab hoste locum castris cepit praecipitique iam die curare corpora milites iubet.
When this was announced at Rome, immediately the consul Marcus Geganius, having set out with an army, chose a place for his camp three miles from the enemy, and, the day now drawing to a close, ordered the soldiers to refresh themselves.
quarta deinde vigilia signa profert.
Then, at the fourth watch, he advanced the standards.
coeptumque opus adeo adproperatum est, ut sole orto Volsci firmiore se munimento ab Romanis circumvallatos quam ab se urbem viderent;
And the work begun was so hastened that at sunrise the Volscians saw themselves surrounded by the Romans with a stronger fortification than the city was by themselves.
§4.9.14et alia parte consul muro Ardeae bracchium iniunxerat, qua ex oppido sui commeare possent.
And on another side, the consul had joined a breastwork to the wall of Ardea, by which his own men could pass to and fro from the town.